How to Make Frosting for Dog Treats

Frosting and other sweet treats are not part of a carnivore's natural diet, but a dog can easily learn to crave them.
Feeding Frosting to the Dog image by Kalani from Fotolia.com

By making your own dog treats and decorating them with homemade frosting, you can provide your dog with occasional tasty indulgences you can feel good about. Many commercial frosted dog treats contain large amounts of fat and sugar. If you want to give your dog some special frosted treats, you can use ingredients such as organic yogurt, carob chips and egg yolk to create healthier alternatives to the commercial products.

Yogurt Frosting

Step 1

Spoon the contents of a 6-ounce container of yogurt into a food processor. You may use plain yogurt or any flavor you like, but keep in mind it is not a good idea to develop a sweet tooth in a dog. For the healthiest frosting, choose organic or natural yogurt that does not contain sugar or artificial sweeteners. You may also use low- or non-fat yogurt.

Step 2

Add 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter to the food processor. Mix the ingredients until smooth.

Step 3

Apply the yogurt frosting to homemade dog treats that have been baked and cooled completely. You may brush the frosting over the treats with a pastry brush, use a pastry bag to spread it, or dip the treats in the frosting. This recipe should frost about 30 dog treats.

Step 4

Store the frosted dog treats in the refrigerator, because the yogurt mixture may not harden completely.

Egg Paint Frosting

Step 1

Separate one egg and pour the yolk into a small bowl. To easily separate the egg, crack it in half and hold it over a bowl. Transfer the yolk from one half of the shell to the other, allowing the egg white to drip into the bowl, leaving the yolk in the shell.

Step 2

Add 1/4 teaspoon of water to the egg yolk, and whisk the mixture thoroughly to combine it. Egg yolk contains vitamins A, D, K and E, which are important in a balanced diet for your dog.

Step 3

Squeeze one or two drops of food coloring into the bowl, and stir it to distribute the color.

Step 4

Paint the frosting mixture onto uncooked dog treats, using a pastry brush or regular paint brush. For more detailed work, use smaller brushes or toothpicks.

Step 5

Bake your dog treats according to the recipe. The egg paint frosting will harden during the baking process and will come out of the oven looking glossy and colorful.

Carob Frosting

Step 1

Pour 1 cup of carob chips into the double boiler over low heat. Carob chips are mildly sweet, but do not contain all the fat and sugar of regular chocolate. They also do not contain theobromine, the chemical that makes chocolate toxic to dogs. Read the label on the carob chips you select, as some have more added ingredients than others.

Step 2

Let the chips sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then begin mashing them with a wooden spoon. Gradually add 1/2 cup of water to the chips as you mash them.

Step 3

Add 1 teaspoon of canola oil to the melting chips if you want your frosting to have a glossy appearance.

Step 4

Stir the chips slowly and constantly until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency. This could take some time, so be patient. Do not turn up the heat, or you risk burning the chips.

Step 5

Dip your baked dog treats into the carob frosting, or brush it over the tops of the treats. This recipe should frost between 15 and 30 homemade dog treats, depending on their size.

Step 6

Sprinkle chopped nuts into the cooling carob frosting for a decorative touch. Allow the frosting to cool completely before giving the treats to your dog.

Cornstarch Icing

Step 1

Combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of cold water in a small bowl.

Step 2

Mix the cornstarch and water using a whisk or fork, adding more water if necessary to achieve a milk-like consistency. Do not add too much water at once -- only add about 1/2 teaspoon at a time.

Step 3

Squeeze in one or two drops of food coloring, and stir the mixture to distribute the color. If you plan to make several colors of frosting, separate the cornstarch mixture into bowls and color each batch separately.

Step 4

Paint the cornstarch frosting onto unbaked dog treats using a pastry brush. You may also choose to dip the treats into the frosting.

Step 5

Bake your dog treats according to the recipe, and allow them to cool completely before offering them to your dog.

Warnings

  • Do not use traditional icing or fondant on your homemade dog treats. Traditional icing contains a large amount of sugar, and it is not healthy for dogs.

Tips

  • If you are using the carob frosting recipe, only make as much as you plan to use at one time. Carob does not respond well to reheating.

  • If you want to create frosting patterns on your dog treats but do not have a pastry bag, you can make your own out of a plastic bag. Fill a plastic bag with frosting, and squeeze it all into one corner. Snip the corner, and squeeze the bag to apply the frosting.

Items You Will Need

  • Yogurt
  • Food processor
  • Natural peanut butter
  • Baked dog treats
  • Pastry brush
  • Pastry bag
  • Egg
  • Small bowl
  • Water
  • Whisk
  • Food coloring
  • Regular paint brush
  • Toothpick (optional)
  • Carob chips
  • Double boiler
  • Wooden spoon
  • Canola oil
  • Chopped nuts
  • Cornstarch

References

Resources

About the Author

Katherine Barrington has written on a variety of topics, from arts and crafts to pets, health and do-it-yourself projects. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English with a creative writing concentration from Marietta College.

Photo Credits

  • Feeding Frosting to the Dog image by Kalani from Fotolia.com