Thanksgiving Day is an unique holiday season for family members, good food and fun. But your dog can be a part of the festivities as well with a small homemade treat, using simple dog-friendly ingredients.
Making a Thanksgiving dog pupcake recipe is simple and will create a small treat that looks like a cupcake for your dog. Unlike regular human cupcakes, pupcakes should not include chocolate, too much sugar, artificial sweeteners or other ingredients that may be harmful to a dog.
Easy ingredients like pumpkin flour, egg flour and oat flour are used for this recipe. Depending on your dog’s size, you can create one large pupcake or multiple mini pupcakes.
Keep in mind, pupcakes are treats! These should NOT be used as substitutes for the dog’s regular complete and balanced diet.
What Exactly Is a Dog Pupcake?
So, what exactly is a Dog Pupcake anyway?
A pupcake is a miniature dog biscuit.
It resembles a cupcake, except that it’s made with different ingredients.
Doggie cupcakes may have sugar, frosting, chocolate, and other ingredients which are not beneficial for them. A dog friendly pupcake made from simple ingredients and without foods that can be harmful to dogs.
Ingredients for a Thanksgiving pupcake for dogs can be plain pumpkin or plain cooked sweet potato.
Ingredients for a Thanksgiving Dog Pupcake
Use: For a simple homemade pupcake you can use:
- 1/2 cup of simple pumpkin puree.
- 1 egg
- 1 cup oat flour
3/4 cup plain unsweetened applesauce
A small amount of water, if necessary
Use simple pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling!
A dog treat shouldn’t include extra sugar or spices that are in the pumpkin pie filling.
Make sure the applesauce does not contain added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
For dogs with a known food allergies, read all ingredients prior to preparing the recipe.
How to Make Thanksgiving Dog Pupcakes
Enjoy a homemade Thanksgiving doggie celebration with these simple pupcakes.Celebrate Thanksgiving with easy doggie treats: pupcakes!
Step 1: Set Up the Oven
Set up the oven.Set up the oven.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Lay a few paper liners in a mini muffin tin or lightly grease the pan so that the pupcakes will not stick.
Step 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients
Add the wet ingredients and stir until they are combined.Combine the wet ingredients.
Place the pumpkin, egg and applesauce in a bowl.
Stir until ingredients are mixed.
Use simple ingredients, no sugar or spices.
Step 3: Add the Oat Flour
Add the Oat Flour and stir well.
Slowly add the oat flour.
Stir until well combined to make a soft batter.
Add water if too thick.
Avoid adding too much water to the batter.
Step 4: Fill the Pan
Scoop a bit of batter into each mini-muffin cup.
Aim for the cups not to be full.
Dogs are more likely to eat small pupcakes.
Step 5: Bake
Put oven pan into oven.
Bake until Pupcakes are cooked through and firm.
Baking time will vary based on oven and the size of the pupcakes.
You can test the center by using a toothpick. Will come out without any damp batter.
Step 6: Cool Completely
Take the pupcakes out of the oven and let them cool down completely.
Avoid giving your dog a hot pupcake!
After it’s cold, you can offer your dog a small amount.
Pupcakes are a simple treat to make and a fantastic way to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Dog Pupcake Toppings
You don’t need to make the traditional cupcake frosting.
Typically, human frosting has a high sugar and fat content.
A small portion of plain pumpkin puree is a simple and easy topping to make for your dog.
Another option is for the pupcake to be unadorned.
If you are using yogurt, use plain, unsweetened yoghurt, and make sure to read the list of ingredients and watch for artificial sweeteners. Do not use a product that has xylitol as an ingredient.
A little bit of a topping will suffice. Don’t make the pupcake a regular occurrence.
Can Dogs Eat Pumpkin?
Yes, dogs can eat pumpkin.Pumpkin is safe for dogs to eat.
In moderation, plain pumpkin may be appropriate for certain dogs.
Pumpkin is a source of fiber and nutrients, and should not be used in place of a balanced and complete dog food.
Always use plain pumpkin.
Don’t use pumpkin pie filling as they could include sugar, spices, and other contents.
If your dog has never tasted pumpkin before, give them a little and observe if they have an upset stomach.
Thanksgiving Ingredients to Avoid
Many of the foods served at Thanksgiving are not safe or good for dogs.
Avoid giving these foods to your dog:
- Chocolate
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Onions
- Garlic
- Xylitol
- Alcohol
- Macadamia nuts
- Cooked bones
- Very fatty foods
- Very salty foods
- Sugary desserts
Do not add these ingredients to homemade pupcakes.
Take care with spices too. A dog treat may not require the same amount of a spice that is safe to have in small quantities in a food.
It’s often best to keep the recipe simple.
Thanksgiving Dog Pupcake With Sweet Potato
Another dog pupcake you can make is a sweet potato dog pupcake.
Substitute some of the pumpkin for plain cooked sweet potato.
Cook sweet potato until soft; peel and mash.
No butter, sugar, syrup, marshmallow, salt or seasoning.
Mix the plain sweet potato with egg and oat flour to make a simple batter.
Bake until the mini pupcakes are cooked through.
Cool before serving.
Are Pupcakes Safe for Puppies?
Are Puppakes safe for puppies?
Puppy nutrition needs are different since puppies are growing.
For some puppies, a homemade pupcake might be a good treat, but should never be used as a substitute for their food.
Create little pupcakes and offer a little bit.
Introduce it gradually and observe if the animal vomits or has diarrhea or tummy upset.
Talk to your veterinarian before offering a new homemade treat to your puppy if you suspect allergies, digestive issues, or a special diet.
How Many Pupcakes Can a Dog Eat?
A dog can eat as many pupcakes as it can fit in its mouth.
The correct amount will vary according to the size, age, activity level, health, and daily diet of the dog.
If the dog is small, then they may only require a small portion.
Size does not have to be a factor if it is a larger dog and they may be able to have a little more, but size controls the amount of food.
Give just a piece rather than a whole pupcake.
Treats should be used sparingly in your dog’s diet.
Excessive amounts of treats can lead to weight gain and stomach issues.
Are Homemade Pupcakes Better Than Store-Bought Treats?
Are homemade Pupcakes better than store bought treats?
Custom-made items provide you with control over the ingredients.
You understand the ingredients and can cut out the extra sugar, salt and heavy toppings.
But, handmade is not necessarily healthier.
The ingredients, serving size and of course the unique requirements of your dog are still important.
Dog treats also are acceptable if purchased from a store and fed as directed.
How to Store Dog Pupcakes
Storing Dog Pupcakes is quite easy.Dog Pupcakes Storage is pretty easy.
Wait until the pupcakes have fully cooled down before storing.
Store in a clean covered container.
Homemade pupcakes often don’t have the preservatives that some packaged treats do, which means that they may go bad quicker.
Put them in the refrigerator when they are needed.
Also, individual pupcakes can be frozen and taken out later as and when required.
Discard if any pupcakes have mould, smell strange or look spoiled.
What to Do if Your Dog Eats an Unsafe Ingredient?
What Do to if Your Dog Eats an Unsafe Ingredient?
If your dog eats anything that could be harmful, such as chocolate, grapes, raisins, xylitol, cooked bones, etc., call your vet or a dog poison service immediately.
Inform them about what your dog ate, how much and when.
It is advisable to have the ingredient packet or recipe at hand.
Never force a dog to vomit unless a veterinarian advises you to.
Call emergency veterinary care right away if your dog experiences severe symptoms like difficulty breathing, seizures, collapse or loss of consciousness.
Final Thoughts
This is a quick and easy dog pupcake recipe for your canine for the holiday!
Sugar-free applesauce, egg flour, oat flour, pumpkin flour – no sugar or heavy toppings like frostings, frostings, etc – can be used to bake a basic cupcake.
Or you can create a pumpkin dog pup cake or sweet potato dog pup cake for a fall Thanksgiving treat.
Stick to plain healthy recipes and don’t use chocolate, grapes, raisins, onion, garlic, xylitol, alcohol, cooked bones, or foods with lots of spices.
Wait until pupcakes have cooled down until they are served, and give them a small amount to begin with.
Most of all, pupcakes are rewards, and not a full meal. Most of your dog’s daily diet should consist of their regular, complete and balanced diet.
Before offering new homemade treats, consult your vet if your dog is on a special diet, a medical condition, or has a food allergy.
A doggie dessert can be a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving with your pooch, as long as it is made from simple ingredients and made in a sensible portion.
