Cranberry dog treats recipe
Cranberry dog treats are an easy way to spoil your pup. This seasonal dog biscuit recipe is a great way to treat your dog to holiday cookies, with ingredients that are safe for them. These homemade treats also make a lovely gift during the holiday season to pups of friends, family and neighbors.
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
You may also be interested in my Christmas dog treats and my oatmeal pumpkin dog treat recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my dog treats recipes in one place.
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Why you should make this recipe
- Seasonal – During the holiday season, this is an easy, and special treat you can make for your pup.
- Inexpensive – The ingredients for this cranberry dog biscuit recipe total less than a package of store-bought treats.
- Make ahead – You can make the dough ahead of time and bake the next day. You can also bake these treats and store them in the fridge or freezer.
Cranberry dog treats
This recipe for cranberry dog biscuits is easier than making a batch of cookie dough – no mixer required! Just a bowl, a whisk and a sturdy spatula are all you need to make the dough.
I’ve rolled them out and cut shapes, but you can simply cut them into squares with a knife or a pizza cutter, if you prefer.
Ingredients
These homemade cranberry dog treats require pantry basics, no special equipment, and about 20 minutes of active time.
- Ground oats – I ground up old-fashioned oats in the food processor for this recipe. If you have a powerful blender, you can also use that to grind oats.
- Almond flour – This adds protein and a slightly nutty flavor to the treats.
- Egg – Eggs provide moisture and structure to the dough.
- Substitution: If your pup has an egg allergy, replace with a chia seed “egg”. Directions below.
- Coconut oil – Solid at room temperature, melt coconut oil in the microwave.
- Cranberries – Chopped fresh cranberries add a seasonal flavor to the biscuits.
- Water – You’ll need to add a bit of water to the dough.
- Honey – A touch of sweetness (not too much) to balance the tartness of the cranberries.
How to make
Here’s a quick summary of how to make cranberry dog treats. Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- Prep – Preheat oven to 350°F // 180°C. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Combine, then fold in chopped cranberries.
- Roll – Roll the dough out to about 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out treats.
- Bake – Bake treats for 22 – 25 minutes.
- Cool – Remove treats from oven and let them cool slightly on the tray before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Fair warning – the dough will be a little sticky. If you want to roll it out and cut cute bone shapes, you’ll need to flour the countertop or cutting board first. You can also grind extra oats to use as your flour.
After you’ve cut as many treats as you can out of the dough, gather it up and re-roll it to cut out more treats. I used a 3″ cookie cutter, and got 2 dozen treats.
Cranberry dog treats FAQ’s
Yes! Fresh cranberries are safe for dogs. If feeding your pup fresh cranberries: whole cranberries are a potential choking hazard, especially for small dogs, so cut them in half to avoid any risk. Also, feed in moderation to avoid upset stomach.
Yes, they can, but in small quantities. Most dried cranberries contain a lot of sugar, which is not good for dogs. Double check the label to make sure they do not contain xylitol, which is a sugar substitute, and toxic to pups.
If you live in a cooler, less humid climate, you can store these treats in a cute dog treat jar on the counter for a couple of days. Because I live in a warmer, humid climate, I store them in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze them and take out a few at a time, which is what I do most of the time.
Variations and substitutions
- Old-fashioned oats can be swapped for quick-cooking oats. You can swap out quick cooking oats for regular old fashioned oats. Do not swap out for flavored oatmeal. Those little packets are not good for your dog.
- Oil – Swap olive oil for coconut oil, if needed.
- Make drop-style dog biscuits. If you don’t want to roll out the treats, use a small cookie scoop. Then flatten the tops with a fork. The good news is this – your dog does not care if the treats are cute bone shapes or not. Your dog just wants a cookie.
- Chia seeds can be swapped for one egg. Combine 1 tbsp. chia seeds with 3 tbsp. water and let it gel for about 5 minutes.
Helpful tools and equipment
- Heavy duty sheet pans that hold up to high temps without warping.
- Parchment paper sheets are MUCH easier to use than tearing pieces off of a roll.
- Bone shaped cookie cutters – This is the same set I have.
Check my list of recommended tools for making making dog treats.
More dog treat recipes
Looking for another homemade dog biscuit recipe? Most of these treats use only three or four ingredients, making them incredibly fast and easy.
- Pumpkin peanut butter dog treats
- Oatmeal applesauce dog treats
- Chicken dog treats
- Banana pumpkin dog treats
- Soft pumpkin treats
- Peanut butter banana treats
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Cranberry dog treats
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups ground oats // 270g measured after grinding
- 1/2 cup almond flour // 48g
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil melted and cooled
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup water // 80 – 120ml
- 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries // 100g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C / Gas mark 4. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Grind oats in a food processor, or blender, then measure 2 1/2 cups. (You'll need about 3 cups whole oats). If you prefer to leave the oats whole, the dog biscuits will have a coarser texture.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine oats and almond flour. Whisk to combine.
- In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk egg with honey, coconut oil and 1/3 cup (80ml) water. *You may need more water, reserve the remaining water for now.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir with a sturdy spoon or rubber spatula.
- Fold in cranberries and work them into the dough. If dough feels dry, add in a tablespoon or two of the reserved water. The dough should hold together when you squeeze it in your hand.
- Lightly flour the countertop, and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1/8 – 1/4 in. thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the treats and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll the dough and cut out treats until all of the dough is used.
- Bake for 22 – 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the treats cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. *Never feed your dog treats hot from the oven.
Notes
Nutrition
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Hi! My daughter’s dream is to have her own dog treat shop. We are looking forward to trying some of your recipes. Unfortunately she has a nut allergy. Is it possible to use regular flour instead of almond flour in the cranberry dog biscuits? Any subs for peanut butter in your other recipes? TIA!
Hi Bonnie! Yes, you can use regular flour instead of nut flour. I wish your daughter success in creating her own recipes to use at her (future) dog treat shop! 🙂