If you are looking for an easy, no-bake treat recipe that your dog will love, these frozen dog treats are for you! These homemade Frozen Pumpkin Dog Treats with Apple can be whipped together quickly and frozen for a dog treat that’s ready anytime. They are made with three ingredients, which makes them super easy.
The yogurt and pumpkin have a creamy texture similar to ice cream without the added sugar. The apple adds a little soft crunch or texture variation. In grocery stores, frozen dog treats or doggie ice cream often have added sugar and preservatives that are not good for dogs’ digestion.
Since it’s pumpkin and apple season is here, these treats are perfect for this time of year! Check out some of our other pumpkin treat recipes such as our Banana Pumpkin Dog Treats, and Pumpkin Dog Treat with Flaxseed!
Ingredients for Frozen Dog Treats
Pumpkin: 1 cup of pure pumpkin puree, either canned or fresh cooked pumpkin. Pumpkin contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals that benefit your dog’s diet. When using canned it is important to use only pure pumpkin, DO NOT use pumpkin pie filling as it contains added sugar and ingredients that are not good for dogs.
Yogurt: 1 cup of plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt. Read the label to ensure it does not contain artificial sweeteners. Yogurt has many different benefits for dogs and provides added nutrients.
Apple: 1/2 cup of chopped apple. Apples are a source of vitamins and potassium. Remove the skin so that it is easier for your pup to digest. As well as, the core and seeds. The seeds contain cyanide, which can be harmful to dogs.
Equipment needed:
Large mixing bowl
Ice cube tray or silicone molds that have fun dog treat shapes such as these molds for smaller dogs. We use these molds that are XL as they are for larger dogs.
How to Make Frozen Treats for Dogs
1, Begin by peeling and removing the core of the apple. Then, chop it into small chunks.
2. Add the yogurt and pumpkin to a large mixing bowl and stir until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the apples to the bowl and stir to incorporate.
4. Carefully pour or spoon the mixture into your silicone molds or ice cube trays. Silicone molds work particularly well for this because they are flexible, making it easy to pop the treats out once frozen.
5. Place the filled molds in the freezer and allow the treats to freeze completely, which typically takes about 4–5 hours, depending on the size of your molds. Leave them in the freezer overnight for best results to ensure they are fully set.
6. Once the treats are frozen solid, they’re ready to serve! Simply pop them out of the molds and hand one to your pup. They’ll love the refreshing taste and cool texture, especially on a warm day.
Storage
After the treats are fully frozen, you can remove them from the mold or ice cube trays and transfer to a freezer container or freezer bag. These remain in the freezer and are best when used within 3 months.
Why these treats?
These treats are simple, nutritious, and low in calories for your pup. They are very convenient are they are ready anytime once frozen. You can omit the apple and just use the combination of pumpkin and yogurt. You can even layer these treats starting with adding the yogurt to the mold or ice cube tray, then chopped apple, and finish with a layer of pumpkin on top.
As I’ve stated in many posts, making your frozen pup treats ensures that you know what you are giving your beloved friend. The turning point for us was when the store-bought treats that we had three huge boxes of, were recalled. We decided then that the “conveniences” of purchasing from the store were not worth the risk. So, we made our freezer the convenience. We now batch make our treats and store them in the freezer, which makes this frozen treat recipe super easy.
Want to make this a Pup Cup? Instead of using a mold or ice cube trays, you can use dog friendly cups, such as this Non-slip Frozen dog cream holder. Or you can use any 4oz disposable paper cups.
How many treats should I give?
First, I would recommend checking with your veterinarian for the number of treats for your dog as it varies according to size, weight, and age. We obviously have big dogs! But we still limit the number of treats we give in a day. For Magnus, who is currently a year and a half and weighs 160 pounds, we give him 1-2 treats/day. We vary the treats, so he gets these treats a couple times in a week and then will rotate with other homemade treats.
Magnus, loves ice cubes! He’s obsessed! He knows how to use the ice cube machine on the refrigerator, which is fun until there’s ice all over the floor! 😂 Check our Instagram for some videos of that!
All joking aside, he loves these frozen treats, not only on a hot summer day but all year round. We always make sure we have a batch in the freezer for him.
We hope your furry friend loves these treats as much as ours!
Enjoy!
Other Homemade Dog Treats
Homemade Soft Dog Treats – Reader Favorite!
Frozen Stuffed Bell Pepper Dog Treats
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, canned or cooked
- 1 cup Greek yogurt, plain unsweetened
- ½ cup apple, chopped
Instructions
- Begin by peeling and removing the core of the apple. Then, chop it into small chunks.
- Add the yogurt and pumpkin to a large mixing bowl and stir until smooth and creamy.
- Add the apples to the bowl and stir to incorporate
- Carefully pour or spoon the mixture into your silicone molds or ice cube trays.
- Place the filled molds in the freezer and allow the treats to freeze completely, which typically takes about 4–5 hours, depending on the size of your molds.
- Leave them in the freezer overnight for best results to ensure they are fully set.Once the treats are frozen solid, they're ready to serve! Simply pop them out of the molds and hand one to your pup.
