10 Frozen Dog Treat Recipes You Can Make in 5 Minutes

Dog treats are a dime a dozen. I mean, most dogs are more than happy for a bit of cheese, a few nibbles of kibble, or a bite of biscuit. Some treats, though? They go the extra mile.

When you're hand-making your own dog treats, you're putting care and love into them. You're also putting exactly the ingredients you want in them, and nothing else. Commercial dog treats, unfortunately, don't have to adhere to anywhere near the same rigid food safety standards as human foods, since the rules are less well-enforced and less rigid in the first place.

That's why I've gone out of my way to source certified organic dog treats for my shop, by the way. Only the best for our beloved canine companions!

What I've done today is put together a list of ten great frozen dog treat recipes you can make at home. These are all treats I've had friends, family, or customers recommend to me, and that I've had my fur babies taste-test for approval.

Why frozen treats, specifically? A couple of reasons.

For one thing, baked treats have more ways they can go wrong. Slight variations in ingredients, cooking time, even the quality of your oven and the altitude where you live can affect them, so they aren't as consistent. For another, it's late spring as I'm writing this, and frozen treats are an incredible way to give your dog something to enjoy on a hot summer day. Oh, and don't forget, I've already covered a bunch of them here.

So, today is all about recipes for frozen dog treats.

#1: Banana Peanut Butter "Ice Cream"

This one comes from a customer whose shih-tzu goes wild for this softer summer treat. It's easy to make, but unlike some other treats, requires some supervision.

Ingredients:

• 1 Ripe Banana, Peeled

• 4 Ounces Plain Yogurt

• 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter (Xylitol-free!)

All you need to make this is a mixing bowl and a fork, but a blender makes it a lot faster, and you can make larger batches if you want. Just blend up all the ingredients until it's smooth. Then, pour it into small containers and freeze them. You can buy dog-specific treat containers, or you can use small plastic tubs, or even small cups like deli cups.

The trick is, since this treat ends up fairly soft when it warms up, you can't just pull it out like an ice cube and hand it over, or you'll have a big mess on your hands. Think of it more like a pup cup; something you hold and let your dog enjoy.

#2: "Puppermint" Frozen Treats

Next up is an interesting one that a friend of mine told me about. I think it's a little too close to toothpaste for my own enjoyment, but she swears her golden loves the stuff, and it freshens up her (the dog's) breath a little along the way, so I won't complain too much.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Plain Yogurt

• 1 Small Handful of Fresh Parsley

• 1 Small Handful of Fresh Mint

• Water (Optional)

Yes, fresh mint is fine for dogs, as long as you don't go overboard. Never use essential oils for a recipe like this; they can be much too harsh and even contain toxic ingredients. You can find fresh herbs at most grocery stores.

For this one, you should use a blender or food processor for the best results. Blend together the yogurt and the herbs, and then add water if you want to change the consistency of the treat. I usually add a few tablespoons, but it varies.

Pour your mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Now you have a minty-fresh treat to give to your pup throughout the summer!

#3: Tropical Berry Coconut Treats

Alright, hands up; who loves a good coconut drink on a hot summer day? Coconut water and coconut milk both make for excellent bases for drinks, and you can mix up something similar for your doggos.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Coconut Milk

• Half a Cup of Frozen Blueberries

• Half a Cup of Frozen Chopped Strawberries

You probably get the idea already; blend it all together, put it in an ice cube tray, and freeze it. There's not a ton to this recipe, but it's extremely customizable. Change up the berries! Leave some larger chunks or even a whole blueberry in the middle of each! The hard part is not eating them yourself, honestly. My tip: save extra fruit and coconut to make yourself some drinks to go with it.

#4: Pumpkin Froyo

This is another user-submitted recipe that I've taken a liking to. Our customer Caroline sent it over, saying that her dog Crusty absolutely loves all things pumpkin, so mixing up a frozen pumpkin treat is perfect for those hot summer days. Plus, since pumpkin is high in fiber and various vitamins and minerals, it works really well to smooth out digestive health if your pup is having some minor issues.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Plain Yogurt

• Half a Cup of Canned Pumpkin Puree

• 1 Tablespoon of Honey (optional)

Before the instructions, I have to make a note that you need to get pure pumpkin puree. If you get pumpkin pie filling, save it for yourself, because it's terrible for dogs. The spices in it, particularly nutmeg, can be really bad for dogs, and it tends to have a lot of added sugar as well.

As for the instructions, just mix it all up and freeze it. Pumpkin puree is already blended, yogurt is soft, and honey (if you add it) is smooth, so you don't need anything more than a spoon or a rubber spatula to whip it together and portion it out.

#5: Crunchy Fruit and Veggie Mix

This one takes advantage of using whole fruits and veggies for a crunchy texture, which is going to be a different kind of experience for your pup. It's a bit more work to make since you need to grate the ingredients, but it's not too bad.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Plain Yogurt

• Half a Cup of Grated Carrot

• Half a Cup of Grated Apple

You can also dice the apple if you want different textures between the two, or if you have softer apples that don't grate well. You're aiming for something a little chunky rather than smooth, here.

The instructions are fairly obvious; mix the carrots, apples, and yogurt until it's all coated, spoon it into your ice cube trays, and freeze. I find that sometimes you need to take a knife to the carrot to cut it small enough to nicely fit in the trays, but your mileage may vary on that.

#6: Savory Bone Broth Bites

Another customer gave me this one because her pup, Luna, is diabetic. You might have noticed that a lot of these treats are fairly sugary-sweet, since yogurt and fruit are both high in natural sugars. Well, fortunately, there are plenty of attractive ingredients for a pup to enjoy that don't rely on sugar to be tasty.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Salt-Free Bone Broth

• A Quarter Cup of Chopped Green Beans

• A Quarter Cup of Diced Sweet Potato

You can also mix this one up by using different dog-safe veggies, like peas, broccoli, brussels sprouts, or zucchini.

I find the easiest way to make these is to mix up the veggies in a bowl, and put some of the mixture into each cup of an ice cube tray (or into popsicle molds, for larger treats). Then, pour in the bone broth to top up each cup a little below the top to allow for expansion. Freeze this, and you have dog soup pops ready to go!

#7: Frozen Chicken Candies

This one doesn't come from a reader or a friend, but it's something I found online ages ago, wrote down to keep on hand, and have used long past the point I forgot where it's from. Not that it's all that complicated, obviously. It's just two ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Chopped Cooked Chicken

• Half a Cup or so of Yogurt

For the chicken, you want something cooked, but you want it free from spices or ingredients that could be bad for your dog, like onions, garlic, or salt. You also want to leave out the bones and as much of the skin as possible, since it's fatty and less healthy.

The idea is that you shred or finely chop the chicken, coat it in yogurt as a binder, and dollop it out in spoonfuls. You can use ice cube trays for this, but just drops on a cookie sheet also works fine.

#8: Watermelon Pupsicles

This one is a bit more labor-intensive, but the reward can be pretty worthwhile.

Ingredients:

• 1 Watermelon

• Filling of Your Choice

The presentation is as important as the ingredients. You can just use peanut butter, or one of the yogurt-and-fruit mixes, or even little balls of meat if you want. Your dog will love whatever you give them, truly.

The idea is to cut the watermelon into cubes and use a melon baller to carve out cups in the middle. Fill the cups with your choice of filling, and freeze the whole thing. You're left with a frozen fruit treat stuffed with a tasty filling, which your pup can either dig for or chew through to get at. You can even use the leftover watermelon for other frozen treats!

#9: Oats and PB Frozen Treats

Oats aren't normally one of the ingredients you think of freezing, but they actually work pretty well. The texture and the digestive benefits of oats are good for your dog, and they help keep a frozen treat a little firmed up so it lasts a bit longer and won't make as much of a mess, at least in my experience.

Ingredients:

• 3 Bananas

• A Third of a Cup of Rolled Oats

• 3 Tablespoons of Dog-Safe Peanut Butter

• Water

Blend it all together, adding water to adjust the texture. I find about two-thirds of a cup works well, but it can depend on how much moisture is in your bananas. Spoon this mixture into your ice cube trays (or muffin tins if you want larger treats) and freeze. For an added flourish, top each treat with a bit of kibble or a baked dog treat for garnish.

#10: The Full DIY

Now that you have some ideas in mind, here's a framework you can use to make any custom treat you want.

First, you need a base. Yogurt, bone broth, low-sodium no-spice chicken broth, or even just water works fine.

Second, you need a primary flavor. These can be blended fruits, peanut butter, pumpkin puree, or a meat your dog loves.

Third, anything that augments the experience. Grated carrot, shredded meat, bacon bits, oats; these all add texture and change the experience for your pooch.

Mix it all up and freeze it, and you're guaranteed to have something your dog is going to love.

Tips, Tricks, and Questions About Homemade Frozen Dog Treats

To wrap things up, I wanted to add a few more general tips and tricks, as well as answer some questions you might have about frozen dog treats.

Use Homemade Frozen Dog Treats for Training

First up: make good use of these treats! Frozen dog treats are high-value for just about every dog, and since you can pick a healthy recipe and a portion size when you make them, you can avoid going overboard with them.

I find that these treats are exceptionally good as motivational snacks for training. If you're teaching your pup recall training, you can bet they're going to beeline to you for a nibble! They're also excellent for training a dog to drop whatever they have in their mouth, since they're all but guaranteed to want the treat more than the ball or stick or sock or what have you.

Why Not Just Freeze Some Fruit?

You certainly can! In fact, I think it's a great idea. It just doesn't fit in today's post because "freeze some apple slices" isn't really a recipe. I have a whole guide on the best fruits for dogs, so check that out.

Plus, frozen fruit is delicious for you, too. Freeze some big bags of prepared fruit, and both you and your pup will have snacks all summer long. My friend's dog Rufus loves to snack on bits of frozen watermelon after a long day at the beach, and we're right there with him.

I Always Have Trouble Getting Treats Out of Ice Cube Trays. Help!

There are a few options for you if you're having this problem, and don't worry, you're not alone.

One option is an ice cube tray with a lever. These are designed for easy removal of ice from a tray, and they're usually made of stainless steel. They're a lot more expensive than your usual plastic trays, but getting rid of plastic in your home is a good thing regardless, so spending $35 instead of $5 is a trade-off I'm willing to make.

Another option is a silicone ice cube tray. I've had mixed experiences with these. Sometimes they work really well, but others swell up too much and are too stiff. You might have to try two or three before you hit on one that works for you. Shallower is better, in my experience.

So, there you have it: my ten recipe ideas for homemade frozen dog treats, and some tips for getting the most out of them. Have any other questions or comments, or want to submit a recipe of your own? Leave me a comment!