Recipe: Dog-Friendly Pumpkin Ice Cream

27 Oct | Posted by Cassandra Corrado | no comments |

It’s can be tempting to give your pup just one little piece of food from your Halloween haul or your Thanksgiving table. I mean, who can resist this face peeking over your plate?

Be feeding your pup leftovers can be just as risky as it is dangerous. Many holiday foods contain ingredients that are toxic for dogs, and high amounts of sugar just aren’t safe for pups of any age.

This dog-friendly pumpkin ice cream recipe will help you feel like your pup is included in your autumnal smorgasbord and as a perk, it’s healthy too.

Dog ice cream is actually dog-friendly frozen yogurt. It can be helpful for helping teething puppies feel a little more comfortable and here in south Florida, ice cream can help your dog cool down after a long walk outside (yes, even in late autumn). The ingredients are affordable and making it is as simple as mixing together the ingredients and freezing them (we promise, no ice cream maker is needed here).

(If homemade stuff isn’t your thing, you can also get some scrumptious treats for your dog here.)

Pumpkin Ice Cream for Dogs: Step-by-Step Recipe

Note: This recipe calls for plain Greek yogurt, which is unsweetened and unflavored. Do not substitute it with vanilla Greek yogurt or lightly sweetened Greek yogurt; you want to avoid giving your dog the excess added sugar. The banana and pumpkin will give natural sweetness.

Steps:

1. Using the back of a fork, mash the banana in the mixing bowl until it is mostly mashed (some chunks are okay).
2. Add the cup of Greek yogurt to the bowl and use the fork to mix thoroughly with the banana.
3. Add the pumpkin puree and use the fork to mix again.
4. Evenly split the mixture between each of your baking molds. If you’re using smaller molds (for dogs under 40 pounds), you’ll end up with around 8 portions worth. If you’re using larger molds, you’ll end up with around 4-6 portions worth.
5. Freeze for at least 4 hours or until frozen solid. Once frozen, store in a freezer-safe Ziplock bag or storage container.
6. Before serving, pop the treat out of the baking mold and place it into your dog’s bowl (otherwise, it’ll start to melt and make a mess)!

This recipe is easily adaptable, so if you want to make a peanut butter-flavored ice cream, just swap out the 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree for 1/4 cup of peanut butter and follow the same instructions. Alternatively, you could substitute the pumpkin puree for an equal amount of sweet potato puree.

Bon appetit!