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What better way to show your pup birthday love than homemade dog cupcakes? These “pupcakes” are loaded with veggies, then topped with a peanut butter frosting that’s sure to be a hit with all of your fur baby friends!
We originally developed these puppy cupcakes to celebrate Berry’s 3rd birthday. His 8th birthday is now just around the corner (where does the time go?), and it’s time to celebrate another year of Berry in style.
These homemade dog treats are made with 100% dog-friendly ingredients and are vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free. We made sure to load them up with both fruits and veggies, so they were a special treat that was still on the healthier side for your pup’s birthday!
Bonus: We also taste-tested these doggie treats, and honestly, we would eat them! They aren’t nearly as sweet as a regular cupcake, so if you want to make them for yourself, I suggest adding up to 1/2 cup of coconut sugar and pairing them with a sweeter frosting, like our Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.
If your dogs love homemade treats as much as Berry and Louie, browse these recipes next: Dog-Friendly Ice Cream Sundae, Puppy Spice Latte, and Homemade Dog Biscuits.
Ingredients Youโll Need
for the pupcakes
- Chia egg: Acts as a binder, replacing traditional eggs in these pupcakes.
- Mashed ripe banana: Adds natural sweetness and moisture that helps keep these pupcakes fluffy.
- Unsalted peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter provides a rich, nutty flavor that dogs love and helps bind the ingredients. Please make sure to use NATURAL peanut butter with NO XYLITOL. Xylitol is highly TOXIC to dogs and often found in processed peanut butter.
- Grated veggies: Carrots and zucchini add texture, moisture, a touch of sweetness, and nutrition!
- Unsweetened almond milk: Adds moisture to the batter while keeping it dairy-free. We used our Homemade Almond Milk, but you can use store-bought non-dairy milk.
- Apple cider vinegar: Reacts with the leavening agents to help the cupcakes rise.
- Oat flour: A nutritious, gluten-free flour that adds fiber and structure to the cupcakes while keeping them wheat-free.
- Chickpea flour: Adds protein and helps bind the cupcakes together.
- Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda are safe for dogs and help the cupcakes rise and become fluffy.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds a hint of warmth, flavor, and anti-inflammatory benefits for pups!
for the frosting
- Plain vegan coconut yogurt: The source of creaminess and healthy fats.
- Peanut butter: Enhances the flavor and helps thicken the frosting. Again, use NATURAL peanut butter (no xylitol!).
- Chickpea flour: Acts as a stabilizer that helps give the frosting structure.
Equipment Needed
How to Make Dog Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350ยฐF and line a cupcake pan with cupcake molds, or lightly grease the pan with coconut or avocado oil. Set aside.
- Prepare the chia egg. In a large bowl, mix the chia seeds with water and set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Mix wet ingredients. Once the chia seeds have thickened, add the mashed banana, peanut butter, shredded carrots, zucchini, almond milk, and apple cider vinegar. Stir until the mixture is uniform.
- Add the dry ingredients. Add the oat flour, chickpea flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon to the wet ingredients. Mix well to combine.
- Fill cupcake molds. Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scooper, evenly distribute the batter into the silicone cupcake molds or paper liners, filling each about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
- Bake. Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake these dog-friendly cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool cupcakes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare frosting (optional). In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegan yogurt and peanut butter until smooth. Gradually add the chickpea flour, mixing until the frosting is thick and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag with a star tip if desired.
- Frost cupcakes. Once the peanut butter cupcakes have cooled, frost them using a piping bag or butter knife.
- Serve. Finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon, coconut flakes, or crumbled dog treats, if desired, then serve! Happy birthday to your furry friends!
Serving Suggestions
If your dogs are small, like Berry and Louie, we recommend cutting up the cupcake and putting it in a bowl for them. Larger dogs could probably gobble these up in one go!
Storage Instructions
These cupcakes will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Unfrosted cupcakes can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To keep them as moist as possible, wrap each cooled cupcake individually in plastic wrap then place the cupcakes together in a large, freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature when ready to serve.
More Dog-Friendly Recipes YOur Pup May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
Dog Cupcakes Recipe (Pupcakes!)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 cupcakes
Description
What better way to show your pup some birthday love than with homemade dog cupcakes? These “pupcakes” are loaded with veggies, then topped with a peanut butter frosting that’s sure to be a hit with all of your fur baby friends!
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 chia egg (1 tablespoon chia seeds seed + 3 tablespoons water)
- 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
- 1/4 cup unsalted peanut butter
- 1/4 cup grated carrot
- 1/4 cup shredded zucchini
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1/4 cup chickpea flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Frosting (Optional)
- 1/2 cup plain vegan coconut yogurt
- 1/4 cup unsalted peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven.ย Preheat your oven to 350ยฐF and line a cupcake pan with cupcake molds, or lightly grease the pan with coconut or avocado oil. Set aside.
- Prepare the chia egg.ย In a large bowl, mix the chia seeds with water and set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Mix wet ingredients.ย Once the chia seeds have thickened, add the mashed banana, peanut butter, shredded carrots, zucchini, almond milk, and apple cider vinegar. Stir until the mixture is uniform.
- Add the dry ingredients.ย Add the oat flour, chickpea flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon to the wet ingredients. Mix well to combine.
- Fill cupcake molds.ย Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scooper, evenly distribute the batter into the silicone cupcake molds or paper liners, filling each about 2/3 to 3/4 full. We only filled 8 cupcake molds.
- Bake.ย Tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake these dog-friendly cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool cupcakes.ย Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare frosting (optional).ย In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegan yogurt and peanut butter until smooth. Gradually add the chickpea flour, mixing until the frosting is thick and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag with a star tip if desired.
- Frost cupcakes.ย Once the peanut butter cupcakes have cooled, frost them using the piping bag or butter knife.ย
- Serve.ย Finishย with a sprinkle of cinnamon, coconut flakes, or crumbled dog treats, if desired, then serve! Happy birthday to your furry friends!ย
Notes
- Chia seeds: Ground flaxseed works in place of the chia seeds.
- If your dogs are small, like Berry and Louie, we recommend cutting up the cupcake and putting it in a bowl for them. Larger dogs could probably gobble these up in one go!
- Storage: These cupcakes will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freezing: Unfrosted cupcakes can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To keep them as moist as possible, wrap each cooled cupcake individually in plastic wrap then place the cupcakes together in a large, freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature when ready to serve.ย
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dog Recipes, Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free
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Also would recommend using coconut flour if chickpea flour is unavailable. Came out great anyways!
Made these for my Labrador’s 3rd birthday! He absolutely loved them, they tasted great! Thank you :).
Sooo stinking cute! I’m going to use this recipe for sure! Thank you so much!
I can’t wait to make these! My Walter is turning 15 next week and I’ve been searching for a healthier pupcake recipe! Thank you both so much!
Happy birthday, Walter! We hope he loves them ๐
Do you know If this would work okay as a cake recipe?
It should, but the cooking time may vary!
Any idea how much the cooking time would vary to make this as a cake?
We haven’t tested it as a cake, sorry about that!
Any substitutes for chickpea flour? Could I only use oat or use something like almond or coconut?
Oat flour would work as a replacement for the chickpea flour!
Any substitute for baking soda and baking powder it’s highly toxic to dogs I wouldn’t want my furbabies having gastrointestinal issues or seizures
From the research we’ve done, baking soda and powder can be used in small quantities in dog treats. It’s when they’re used to brush a dog’s teeth or if a dog consumes them straight or in large quantities, is when they become toxic. However, we totally understand if you do not want to include them in your dog treats. You can simply omit them from the recipe. They may not come out as fluffy, but I am sure your fur babies won’t mind ๐
Baking powder/soda is only dangerous if your dog has eaten a large amount. A large amount, in this case, is roughly one teaspoon per pound of body weight.
Thank you, recipe looks so easy, I will make it for my daughter’s dog
Hi! Is there anything I could sub for the banana? I’m allergic and can’t even cook with it if I’m not eating it ????
Applesauce or mashed sweet potato would be good in this! ๐
Hey I have made these for my dogs a few times now – they adore them!! I work in a vegan cafe and today I decided to test them out for human consumption! I used a full banana, flax-egg instead of chia and a lil bit more oat/chickpea flour, adding maple syrup and a pinch of salt! In the frosting I used oatflour instead of the chickpea and I sprinkled the tops with toasted nuts!! So yummy!! I am calling them โdog bunsโ thatโs an Adventure Time reference lol anyway.. thanks for the recipe and Iโm so glad I found you guys. Have a great weekend!! xo
Ahh we are so so happy to hear this! Thanks for sharing ๐