St. Patrick’s Day Dog Cupcakes (Pupcakes)

If you love celebrating St. Patrick’s Day ☘️ with festive treats, your pup will too! These St. Patrick’s Day Dog Cupcakes (Pupcakes) are the perfect way to treat your furry friend—not just for the holiday, but any time of year. They are fun and easy-to-make. Made with wholesome, dog-friendly ingredients and contain no added sugars or food colorings.

I originally made these green pupcakes while planning a birthday celebration for Magnus, our Great Dane—yes, we absolutely celebrate our dogs’ birthdays! 😊 I literally made these ☘️ St. Patrick’s Day Dog Cupcakes and our Carrot Cake Pupcakes five times before I got the texture I was looking for (not too dense and not too crumbly). When his birthday came around, Magnus and his friends devoured them!

Beyond being pup-approved, these pupcakes are made with nutritious ingredients. The yogurt and spinach topping not only adds a festive touch but also provides a gut-healthy boost for your dog.

Ingredients

Pupcake

Flour: 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour.

Baking Soda: 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Gives the pupcake that rise while baking.

Yogurt: 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt – full fat. Adds moisture.

Applesauce: 3/4 cup of unsweetened plain applesauce. Add moisture along with the yogurt while also adding a natural sweetness.

Egg: One large egg – holds the cupcake together.

Coconut oil: 1/4 cup of melted and cooled coconut oil. (not shown in photo above)

Kale: 1 cup of freshly minced kale. You can substitute with de-frosted frozen spinach, making sure to squeeze out most of the moisture.

Frosting

Yogurt: 1 cup of plain greek yogurt full-fat not low fat. Why? Full fat will hold together on the top of the pupcake and not drip down the sides.

Spinach: 1/2 cup of frozen spinach defrosted. Why am I using spinach vs. kale in the frosting? The spinach blends better into the yogurt from my experience, creating that green hue. However, you can substitute with steamed minced kale. The green might not bleed into the yogurt as much but still works great.

Equipment

• Muffin pan – regular 12-cup size
• Paper liners for pupcakes
• Hand-held mixer or wire whisk
• Mixing bowls
• Large spatula/spoon and pastry spatula or butter knife

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Line a regular muffin tin with cupcake liners or oil the muffin tins to prevent sticking. 

Pupcakes:

In a medium mixing bowl, add the egg, coconut oil, applesauce and yogurt. Beat together using a hand-held mixer or whisk. 

In a large mixing bowl, using a whisk, blend together the flour and baking soda.

Add the wet ingredients (applesauce, egg, yogurt, coconut oil) to the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda) and mix together using a hand-held mixer or large spoon. Mix until just batter forms – it will be thick. 

Add the minced kale and incorporate it into the batter. 

Spoon the pupcake batter into the muffin cups, about 3/4 the way full.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle come out clean.

Cool cupcakes to room temperature on a wire rack while you make the frosting. If you used cupcake liners, remove them once cooled to prevent sticking. 

Pro-tip: Evenly smooth the top of the batter to ensure a nice, polished finish once baked. You can do this by using the back of a spoon or dip fingertips in water and run over the surface of the batter to smooth it out.

Frosting:

In a medium mixing bowl, add the yogurt and spinach. Mix and blend together using a large spatula or spoon.

Frost the pupcakes with a pastry spatula, spoon or butter knife.

You don’t need to wait until St. Patty’s Day ☘️ to serve your pup these festive treats as they will enjoy them anytime of year!

Storage

These dog cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week if they are not frosted and 3 months in the freezer. Frosted pupcakes will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

These green dog pupcakes have a bit more dense texture than a cupcake, and they hold together when your pooch devours it, so there are fewer crumbs! As seen in the photos of Magnus eating the whole pupcake in one mouthful! 😂

Serving size

Serving size is truly dependent on your dog’s weight, age and size. As you can see above, Magnus, our Great Dane, can handle one pupcake for his size, age and weight. He is 2 years old, active and weighs about 170 lbs. For smaller dogs, you may want to cut in half or quarters.

While these homemade pupcakes use all natural ingredients, they are still considered a “special” occasion treat. We give Magnus these treats on special occasions but not daily. I generally keep a few in our freezer to take out when we have a special occasion, and I don’t want to have to make a full batch.

Important note: Always check with your veterinarian with any new foods, particularly if your dog is prone to allergies.

If your pup likes this recipe, be sure to check out our Carrot Cake Pupcake with Peanut Butter Frosting!

I hope your pup loves these St. Patty’s Day Dog Cupcakes as much as Magnus does! Please feel free to comment below as we love feedback! Happy Pup Baking!