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Baking your own dog biscuits is easy if you stick to a few basic rules: you choose the ingredients yourself, leave out sugar, salt and spices and avoid foods that are toxic to dogs. According to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association WSAVA, treats should stay below 10 % of daily calories, and according to hundeo.com biscuits without meat keep for 2 to 3 weeks in an airtight container (as of March 2026).
- Full control over every ingredient, ideal for allergies
- Off limits: chocolate, xylitol, raisins, grapes, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts
- Five basic recipes, one of them for dogs with allergies
- Treats always count towards the daily ration
It smells of cinnamon, there is a tray in the oven, and next to you sits someone with four paws who has never guarded a kitchen door so attentively in their whole life. Welcome to Advent with a dog.
If this year you want to bake not only cookies for the family but also biscuits for your four-legged friend, you are in the right place: we show you why baking yourself is worth it, which ingredients are off limits for dogs and five simple recipes, including one for dogs with food intolerances.
Why is it worth baking dog biscuits yourself?
The first reason is control. With shop-bought treats you read the ingredients list, when you bake you decide it. How important that is shows the dog snack test by Stiftung Warentest (the German consumer testing foundation): almost half of the tested snacks lacked a note to reduce the main food accordingly, and a single pig ear can provide more than a third of the daily energy needs of a 15 kg dog (as of January 2026).
When you bake yourself, you know exactly what is in every biscuit and can do without sugar, salt, flavourings and preservatives. That helps above all dogs that don't tolerate certain ingredients. How important a short ingredients list is for allergies is shown in our guide to dog food allergies and protein sources.
The second reason is the joy of making something. Baking biscuits is a cosy activity for grey afternoons, and homemade biscuits in a jar make a personal gift for dog lovers.
Which ingredients are off limits for dogs?
Before you switch on the oven, it is worth looking at the ingredients that can be dangerous for dogs. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control, chocolate and cocoa contain methylxanthines, most of all baking chocolate and cocoa powder. Xylitol, a sugar substitute in sugar-free baked goods and sweets, can cause dangerously low blood sugar and liver damage. Raisins and grapes can damage the kidneys.
Onions, garlic and chives are also off limits because they can damage red blood cells, and macadamia nuts can cause weakness, tremors, vomiting and fever in dogs. Many dogs also tolerate dairy poorly because they largely lack the enzyme lactase. Be careful with Christmas spices such as nutmeg: according to the Pet Poison Helpline, the myristicin it contains can cause disorientation, a racing heart and seizures in larger amounts. So simply leave it out of dog biscuits.
Which 5 simple dog biscuit recipes always work?
All recipes are basic recipes for small amounts. Bake a small batch first to see whether your dog likes and tolerates the biscuits. The baking times are guide values and depend on the thickness, the biscuits should become dry inside and out, but not dark. According to hundeo.com, hard-baked biscuits keep longer than soft ones.
| Recipe | Flour or flakes (g) | Oven (°C, top and bottom heat) | Baking time (minutes) | Contains meat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liver sausage biscuits | 200 | 170 | 15 to 20 | yes |
| Pumpkin and oat biscuits | 150 | 180 | around 20 | no |
| Banana and spelt biscuits | 200 | 175 | 18 to 20 | no |
| Carrot and quark biscuits | 200 | 175 | around 20 | no |
| Allergy-friendly version | 150 | 170 | 20 to 25 | yes |
Our own basic recipes, amounts for a small batch. Store biscuits with meat in the fridge (see shelf life).
Recipe 1: Liver sausage biscuits
You need about 200 grams of wholemeal spelt flour, one egg, 100 grams of liver sausage for dogs and three to four tablespoons of water. Mix all ingredients into a spreadable dough, fill it into the mat or roll it out and bake the biscuits at about 170 degrees top and bottom heat for around 15 to 20 minutes.
Recipe 2: Pumpkin and oat biscuits
For this version you need about 150 grams of cooked pumpkin puree without spices, for example from Hokkaido, 150 grams of fine rolled oats, one egg and one tablespoon of oil. Mix everything, shape it and bake at around 180 degrees for about 20 minutes. Pumpkin has a mild taste and gives the dough a lovely colour.
Recipe 3: Banana and spelt biscuits
Mash one ripe banana and mix it with 120 grams of rolled oats, 80 grams of spelt flour and one egg. At about 175 degrees the biscuits bake for around 18 to 20 minutes. The banana brings natural sweetness, so these biscuits are more of a special treat than an everyday snack.
Recipe 4: Carrot and quark biscuits
Knead one finely grated carrot (about 100 grams) with 100 grams of low-fat quark (a German fresh cheese), 200 grams of wholemeal flour and one egg. Bake at around 175 degrees for about 20 minutes. Dogs that don't tolerate dairy well are better off without these biscuits.
Recipe 5: Allergy-friendly version with one protein source
This version does without egg, dairy and wheat. You need about 100 grams of cooked, pureed sweet potato, 150 grams of rice flour, around 80 grams of cooked and finely pureed meat of a single kind that your dog already tolerates well, for example horse, plus about 50 to 80 millilitres of water and one tablespoon of oil. Mix everything into a dough you can shape and bake at about 170 degrees for around 20 to 25 minutes.
Why these ingredients? In an analysis by Mueller, Olivry and Prélaud (2016) of 297 dogs with food allergy, the most common triggers were:
| Trigger | Affected dogs (number) | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 102 | 34 |
| Dairy | 51 | 17 |
| Chicken | 45 | 15 |
| Wheat | 38 | 13 |
| Egg | 11 | 4 |
| Rice | 5 | 2 |
Source: BMC Veterinary Research, Mueller, Olivry and Prélaud 2016. A dog can react to more than one trigger.
If your dog is currently on an elimination diet, discuss homemade treats with your vet first, because even one biscuit can upset the diet.
Which baking mats make cutting out unnecessary?
Anyone who has rolled out dough and cut out a hundred little bones knows how long it takes. Collory solves this with silicone baking mats for dog biscuits: you spread the dough into the mould, scrape off the excess and bake. No cutting out needed, and the biscuits get even shapes such as hearts, paws, bones or flowers.
According to the shop, there are single mats in many shapes, a 4-piece and a 6-piece value set, plus accessories such as a silicone scraper, dough bottles, reusable baking sheets and a foldable funnel. According to the manufacturer, the mats are made of food-grade platinum silicone, heat and cold resistant from minus 40 to plus 240 °C, and every order comes with 5 simple recipes free as a PDF. Shipping within Germany is free (as of 26 October 2026).
One shape of your choice, for example heart, paw or bone for €28.99, themed mats up to €36.99 (as of October 2026).
Four mats for €78.39 (as of October 2026). More shapes and larger batches at once, handy for gift biscuits.
Six mats for €119.99 (as of October 2026). For anyone who bakes a lot or wants sizes for small and large dogs.
Our code for you: With FLICKY you get 10 % off all products at Collory.
You can find all current offers on our Collory coupon page and here:
Now at ColloryAll codesHow long do homemade dog biscuits keep?
Homemade biscuits contain no preservatives and therefore only keep for a limited time. According to hundeo.com, biscuits without meat keep for 2 to 3 weeks in an airtight tin once they have cooled completely. Biscuits with meat, which includes liver sausage, only keep for a few days and belong in the fridge.
If you bake larger batches, you can freeze some in portions, and according to hundeo.com they then keep for several months. If the biscuits seem damp or soft or smell odd, it is better to throw them away.
How do you wrap dog biscuits as a gift?
Dog biscuits are easy to wrap nicely: in screw-top jars, kraft paper bags or small tins, with a tag showing the dog's name. Important is a short note with the ingredients and the baking date, so the recipients know what is inside and how long the biscuits keep. That is especially helpful if the dog receiving them has allergies.
No time to bake? In our Cookies Laden review we introduce a ready-made alternative for dog biscuits. With the code Hunde10 you get 10 % off your next order at Cookies Laden.
Treats count towards the daily ration
As lovely as biscuits are, they have calories. According to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association WSAVA, treats should always make up less than 10 percent of daily calories. With the pet food calculator you can find out how much your dog needs in total per day and count the biscuits in with the main meal. For overweight dogs or health questions, please talk to your vet.
And if your dog takes over kitchen supervision, the first biscuit off the tray is already spoken for anyway, at the latest once it has cooled. Have fun baking and a cosy Advent season!
Sources
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets, retrieved on 26 October 2026
WSAVA: Feeding treats to your dog (PDF), retrieved on 26 October 2026
Pet Poison Helpline: Nutmeg and Cinnamon Toxicity, retrieved on 26 October 2026
Mueller, Olivry, Prélaud (2016): Common food allergen sources in dogs and cats, BMC Veterinary Research, retrieved on 26 October 2026
Stiftung Warentest: Dog snacks, snacking with risk (2026) (in German), retrieved on 26 October 2026
hundeo.com: Baking biscuits and treats yourself (in German), retrieved on 26 October 2026
Collory: Shop (in German), retrieved on 26 October 2026
Collory: Heart baking mat (in German), retrieved on 26 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
Which ingredients are off limits for dogs when baking?+
Chocolate and cocoa, xylitol, raisins and grapes, onions and garlic and macadamia nuts are dangerous for dogs. Better leave out nutmeg too. If you suspect poisoning, call your vet immediately.
How long do homemade dog biscuits keep?+
According to hundeo.com, dry biscuits without meat keep for 2 to 3 weeks in an airtight tin. Biscuits with meat or liver sausage only a few days in the fridge. Frozen, they keep for several months.
How many biscuits can my dog have per day?+
According to WSAVA, treats should always stay under 10 percent of daily calories. Count the biscuits in with the main meal, the pet food calculator helps you with the daily amount.
What do I need to bake dog biscuits?+
Flour, a binder such as egg or puree, an ingredient for flavour such as pumpkin or carrot, an oven and a mould. With silicone baking mats from Collory there is no need to cut out.
How much does Collory cost, and how do I save?+
According to the shop, a single mat costs €28.99 to €36.99, the 4-piece set €78.39 and the 6-piece set €119.99 (as of October 2026). With the code FLICKY you save 10 % on all products.
Can I also bake dog biscuits for dogs with allergies?+
Yes, if you choose ingredients your dog tolerates and use a single protein source. If an elimination diet is running, discuss homemade treats with your vet first.
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