Horse and Dog Gingerbread Treats are a simple and easy way to show your pets you care this Christmas!
I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I have a bad habit of feeding my horse, Daff (Arabian), and dog, Ella (Lab mix), people food. This goes double around the holidays because I feel like I’m enjoying all these sweet treats, why shouldn’t they?
But I know that’s not the greatest thing for them, so for the last few years, I’ve been making them some of their own gingerbread cookies. And they LOVE THEM.
Horse and Dog-Friendly Gingerbread
There’s no granulated sugar here, just molasses, and then flour, some ginger and other spices, and a little bit of oil. Ginger’s even a great digestive aid for dogs, so these are some cookies you can feel good about sharing.
The recipe is super simple to throw together and the dough is easy to work with. Plus, the treats are indistinguishable (to the eye) from regular gingerbread cookies, so if you make human and dog gingerbread cookies at the same time, have fun with hungry friends and family refusing to tell them which is which. 😉
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour, but if you’d like to use whole wheat flour, you can. Be sure to measure your flour using a scale (recommended) or the spoon and sweep method (stir the flour in your container to fluff it up and then spoon it into your measuring cup, sweep excess off with the flat of a knife). Too much flour can make your dough crumbly and hard to mix.
- Molasses: If you don’t usually cook with molasses, it’s a handy ingredient to have around, especially during the holidays, and once opened, it will keep for about a year. In the grocery store, you can usually find it near the syrups in the pancake or baking aisle.
How to Make Gingerbread for Dogs and Horses
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together molasses, water, and oil. Using a wooden spoon, slowly mix liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, stirring until well-combined and uniform in color
- Roll or pat dough to 1/4-inch thick and cut into shapes.
- Bake for 20 minutes and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet.
FAQ
Can dogs eat gingerbread?
Regular gingerbread? Probably not. THIS gingerbread? Yes. Gingerbread is often on the list of foods not to feed to pets. This is because many gingerbread recipes contain nutmeg, which is toxic to dogs in large quantities.
This recipe contains no nutmeg and only dog and horse-safe ingredients, but as always, please consult your vet if you have any questions or concerns about what you are feeding your pet!
Can I freeze gingerbread treats?
Yes! Freeze treats in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
How to store gingerbread treats?
Store these treats in an airtight container at room temperature.
Can people eat these cookies?
You *can* eat them if you want, but you probably won’t want to. They’re very dense, pretty crunchy, and not very sweet.
More Dog Treat Recipes
- High-value Dog Treats
- Watermelon and Yogurt Frozen Dog Treats (Pupsicles)
- 2-ingredient Pupsicles (3 ways)
More Christmas Recipes (for People!)
- White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha
- Chai Sugar Cookies with Eggnog Glaze
- The Best Crockpot Hot Chocolate
- Small-batch Snowball Cookies with Kisses
- Small-batch Cut-out Sugar Cookies
Easy Horse and Dog Gingerbread Treats
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
- In a small bowl, whisk together molasses, water, and oil. Using a wooden spoon, slowly mix liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, stirring until well-combined and uniform in color (some times I work the dough a little by hand to make sure all streaks of flour are mixed in--see recipe notes on dough texture).
- On an a clean, smooth surface, roll or pat dough to ¼-inch thick and cut out shapes, gathering dough and re-rolling as necessary. Bake for 20 minutes and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Slightly Adapted From Dog Treat Kitchen
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Kate says
I just recommended this recipe to a friend, as I have several times in the past. She needs a low fat recipe, so I told her I substitute applesauce for the oil and the treats come out great. Thanks for a healthy treat recipe that dogs love!
Debbie Fletcher says
My dog Caleb loves these! He goes to the cupboard asking for them several times a day.
Tracy says
Lol! So glad he enjoys them!!!
Rhiannon says
Hi! I’m wondering what the texture of these is like after they cool. Are they crunchy or soft? I’d love a crunchy treat for my little chihuahua.
Tracy says
Hi, Rhiannon, they’re crunchy cookies. Hope your pup enjoys them!
Kate says
I used this recipe for stamped cookies for a local dog group. They worked well, and the people and dogs loved them. Wish I could post a photo so you could see how cute they turned out.
Star says
Hi I’m making these for my horse cause he loves food can I substitute honey for molasses? I just ran out. Thankyou!
Tracy says
Using honey, the cookies won’t have that dark gingerbread color, but texture-wise, it should work. If the dough is a little too wet or dry, just add a tiny bit more flour or water to compensate. Hope your horse enjoys them!
Kathy says
This is the second time I’ve made these for my Doberman and this time I doubled the recipe.. I don’t give my boy treats per se but he doesn’t drink enough water. That’s dangerous living in the desert so I grind dog treats to a fine powder in my Vitamix, making “Magic Dust” which I sprinkle on 1/2 cup of water at a time to get him to drink. His favorite Magic Dust Mix is the one made from these Gingerbread Cookies…when I get out the “Gingerbread Cookie” container of “Dust” he lights up and can’t wait for me to sprinkle it in his water bowl! These are easy to make, I found the dough very workable and my boy loves them. I make a few big ones for my daughter’s horse and pass some out to dog friends too. I don’t ice them and plain they freeze beautifully in a zip loc bag, keeping for at least 3 months. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
Anne says
Can’t wait to try this! I just bought a 3 year old wild mustang a few weeks ago. Her name is Ginger.
Tracy says
Hope she enjoys them. And congrats on the new horse. That’s such a big, exciting project!!
Holly says
I like giving Sunshine (my pointer mix rescue.)
https://photos.shutterfly.com/gallery/6f2f4ad7-4223-43dc-bccf-f88683d98aaa?type=shared&cid=SHARPHEMAIL
There is no way I couldn’t share a picture :). Anyway, I like giving her homemade treats because I know what goes into them and I always have my sister look at the recipe before hand to tell me if it’s okay for her to eat (she’s a vet tech). I also really enjoy making them. For her 2nd year gotcha day I made homemade treats and gave them out to friends and I plan to do the same for Christmas and I am going to make a variety of flavors and shapes. This recipe will be a nice addition and they will definitely be in the shape of a gingerbread man!
I use whole wheat flour when baking for my dog because it’s recommended since it’s a healthier option than ap. Hopefully I won’t have any problems using this whole wheat with this recipe. I would love for you to post more dog treat recipes! Thank you for the recipe! It’s perfect for the holidays!
Tracy says
Aw, what a cutie! And whole wheat should work just fine, but you might need to add a little extra water it the dough isn’t coming together. Hope your girl enjoys them!