10 Frozen Dog Treats Your Dog Will Love. -

Last summer, Bruno spent most of July flopped on the kitchen tile trying to find the coolest spot in the house.

We do not have air conditioning in every room, and by early afternoon he was panting even after just a short walk.

Our vet mentioned that frozen treats are a simple, safe way to help dogs cool down and stay hydrated, as long as they are made with the right ingredients and given in reasonable portions.

That one comment turned into a small obsession.

I started freezing everything from plain broth to mashed fruit in silicone molds, testing what Bruno actually liked and what held up well in the freezer without turning into a rock hard block he could not enjoy.

A year later, these ten treats are the ones we make on repeat, especially once the weather warms up.

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Amazon Shopping List You Need

Silicone Dog Treat Mold (Bone or Paw Shapes)
Makes perfectly portioned frozen treats and releases them easily after freezing.
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Natural Peanut Butter (Xylitol-Free)
Adds healthy fats and flavor—safe for homemade dog treats.
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Plain Greek Yogurt (Unsweetened)
A creamy, probiotic-rich base for healthy frozen dog snacks.
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Pumpkin Purée (Unsweetened)
Adds fiber and digestive support to frozen treats.
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Frozen or Fresh Blueberries
Packed with antioxidants and natural sweetness dogs enjoy.
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Before You Start Freezing

A few things worth knowing before you start making these.

Frozen treats are meant to be an occasional extra, not a meal replacement.

Most of these recipes are low in calories, but they should still count toward your dog’s daily treat allowance, generally no more than about ten percent of total daily calories.

Peanut butter shows up in a couple of these recipes and it is worth double checking the label every time.

Some peanut butters contain xylitol, which is highly toxic to dogs, so always choose a plain peanut butter with no artificial sweeteners.

Portion size matters more than it seems. A large ice cube sized treat is fine for a big dog but far too much for a small one, so I make smaller molds for Bruno and adjust the size based on your own dog’s weight.

Let treats sit for a minute or two after taking them out of the freezer so they are not uncomfortably hard on your dog’s teeth, especially for puppies or senior dogs.

Quick Overview

Treat	Main Ingredient	Prep Time	Freeze Time
Peanut Butter Banana Bites	Banana	10 minutes	4 hours
Pumpkin Yogurt Bites	Pumpkin	10 minutes	4 hours
Watermelon Mint Pupsicles	Watermelon	10 minutes	5 hours
Blueberry Coconut Bites	Blueberries	10 minutes	4 hours
Chicken Broth Cubes	Chicken broth	5 minutes	3 hours
Strawberry Yogurt Bark	Strawberries	10 minutes	4 hours
Carrot Ginger Bites	Carrots	15 minutes	4 hours
Sweet Potato Frozen Bites	Sweet potato	20 minutes	4 hours
Apple and Oat Pupsicles	Apple	10 minutes	5 hours
Blueberry Spinach Smoothie Bites	Spinach	10 minutes	4 hours

The Treats

1. Peanut Butter Banana Bites

These were the very first frozen treat I made for Bruno and they are still the one he responds to fastest when he hears the freezer door open.

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas. Provide natural sweetness along with potassium and fiber, and mash easily into a smooth base. Peel and mash well with a fork until mostly smooth.

1/4 cup plain peanut butter. Adds flavor dogs love along with healthy fats, as long as it contains no xylitol or added sugar. Check the label carefully before using.

1/4 cup plain yogurt. Helps bind the mixture together and adds a bit of probiotic support. Use unsweetened yogurt with no added flavoring.

Instructions

Mash the bananas in a bowl until mostly smooth.
Stir in the peanut butter and yogurt until fully combined into a thick, even mixture.
Spoon the mixture into small silicone molds or an ice cube tray, filling each about three quarters full so it does not overflow as it expands slightly.
Freeze for at least 4 hours, until solid, before serving.

A note on texture: if your mixture seems too thin to hold its shape, add a tablespoon more peanut butter rather than more banana, since banana adds moisture and peanut butter adds structure. This is the batch I most often had to adjust when I was first testing it.

2. Pumpkin Yogurt Bites

A gentle, stomach friendly treat that also works well for dogs who get a little carsick or nauseous.

Ingredients

1 cup plain canned pumpkin. Adds fiber and helps support regular digestion. Use unsweetened pumpkin with no added spices.

1/2 cup plain yogurt. Adds probiotics and helps the mixture freeze into a smooth, scoopable texture. Use unsweetened yogurt with no added flavoring.

1 tablespoon honey, optional. Adds a touch of natural sweetness dogs tend to enjoy. Use sparingly and skip entirely for dogs who need to avoid added sugar.

Instructions

Combine the pumpkin, yogurt, and honey if using in a bowl until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into small silicone molds or an ice cube tray.
Freeze for at least 4 hours, until solid, before serving.

This one doubles as a mild upset stomach remedy in our house. If Bruno has had a rough day digestively, I will sometimes give him a small unfrozen spoonful of this same mixture straight from the fridge instead of freezing it, since plain pumpkin is often something vets recommend for that anyway.

3. Watermelon Mint Pupsicles

Our go to on the hottest days, since watermelon is mostly water and genuinely helps with hydration.

Ingredients

2 cups watermelon, seedless and cubed. Provides hydration and natural sweetness with very few calories. Remove any seeds and rind completely before cubing.

1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped. Adds a light, refreshing flavor in a small enough amount to be safe. Chop finely so it blends evenly through the mixture.

Instructions

Blend the watermelon in a blender until smooth.
Stir in the chopped mint.
Pour the mixture into small silicone molds or paper cups with a treat sized stick if desired.
Freeze for at least 5 hours, until fully solid, before serving.

If you want to make these a bit more visually interesting for a hot afternoon on the porch, I sometimes drop a few extra small watermelon cubes into the mold before pouring in the blended mixture, which gives the finished pupsicle a bit of texture and looks nicer if you are sharing photos of the process.

4. Blueberry Coconut Bites

A small, antioxidant rich treat that Bruno gets a couple of times a week during summer.

Ingredients

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen. Provide antioxidants and a naturally sweet flavor dogs tend to like. Rinse fresh blueberries thoroughly before using.

1/2 cup plain coconut yogurt or plain yogurt. Adds a creamy base and helps the treat freeze into an easy to bite texture. Use a plain, unsweetened variety with no added flavoring.

Instructions

Blend the blueberries and yogurt together until mostly smooth, leaving a few small chunks if desired for texture.
Spoon the mixture into small silicone molds.
Freeze for at least 4 hours, until solid, before serving.

Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh here and are often cheaper and available year round, so this is one of the treats I make even in winter when fresh berries are harder to find.

5. Chicken Broth Cubes

The simplest treat on this list and one of the most useful, especially for encouraging a dog to drink more water on a hot day.

Ingredients

2 cups low sodium chicken broth, no onion or garlic. Adds flavor and hydration in a very low calorie treat.

Check the label carefully to confirm there is no onion, garlic, or added salt.

Instructions

Pour the broth into an ice cube tray or small silicone molds.
Freeze for at least 3 hours, until solid, before serving.

I keep a batch of these in the freezer year round, not just in summer.

On days when Bruno seems a little under the weather and does not want to drink much water, dropping a broth cube into his bowl encourages him to lap at it, which has been a genuinely useful trick during recovery from a mild stomach bug.

6. Strawberry Yogurt Bark

A treat that looks impressive but takes almost no effort, and it is easy to break into smaller pieces for portion control.

Ingredients

2 cups plain yogurt. Forms the base of the bark and adds probiotics along with a creamy texture. Use unsweetened yogurt with no added flavoring.

1 cup strawberries, sliced. Add natural sweetness, vitamin C, and a pop of color throughout the bark. Rinse and slice thinly so the pieces freeze evenly.

Instructions

Spread the yogurt in a thin, even layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, aiming for a layer about a quarter inch thick.
Scatter the sliced strawberries evenly across the yogurt.
Freeze for at least 4 hours, until fully solid.
Break into pieces sized for your dog before serving, and store extras in a sealed container in the freezer.

This is the treat I reach for when we have guests over with their own dogs, since it is easy to break into a variety of sizes on the spot depending on who is getting a piece.

7. Carrot Ginger Bites

A slightly more grown up flavor combination that surprised me by becoming one of Bruno’s favorites.

Ingredients

1 cup carrots, steamed and mashed. Provides beta carotene and a naturally sweet flavor once cooked down. Peel and steam until soft, then mash well.

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated. Adds a very mild warmth and can help settle a sensitive stomach in small amounts. Grate finely and use sparingly.

1/2 cup plain yogurt. Helps bind the mixture and adds a creamy, freezable texture. Use unsweetened yogurt with no added flavoring.

Instructions

Combine the mashed carrots, grated ginger, and yogurt in a bowl until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into small silicone molds.
Freeze for at least 4 hours, until solid, before serving.

If your dog has never had ginger before, I would treat this the way I treated it with Bruno the first time, starting with a smaller batch and watching how he did over the next day before making it a regular option.

8. Sweet Potato Frozen Bites

A heartier treat that works well as a small reward during training since it holds its shape nicely once frozen.

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, steamed and mashed. Provides fiber and beta carotene in a naturally sweet, filling base. Peel and steam until fully soft, then mash well.

2 tablespoons plain peanut butter. Adds flavor and healthy fats, as long as it contains no xylitol or added sugar. Check the label carefully before using.

1/4 cup water. Helps loosen the mixture to a scoopable consistency. Add gradually until the texture is easy to spoon.

Instructions

Combine the mashed sweet potato, peanut butter, and water in a bowl until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into small silicone molds.
Freeze for at least 4 hours, until solid, before serving.

Because this one is denser and more calorie rich than most of the others on this list, I use a smaller mold for it and count it more toward Bruno’s actual meal portions on training days when we are working through a lot of treats.

9. Apple and Oat Pupsicles

A crunchy textured treat once frozen, and one that Bruno seems to genuinely enjoy working at rather than just gulping down.

Ingredients

1 apple, cored and diced small. Adds fiber and natural sweetness, with the core and seeds removed since apple seeds contain trace amounts of a compound toxic to dogs.

Dice small so the pieces freeze evenly throughout.

1/4 cup rolled oats, cooked. Adds fiber and a bit of texture to the finished treat. Cook plain in water, then let cool before mixing.

1/2 cup plain yogurt. Binds the mixture together and adds a creamy base. Use unsweetened yogurt with no added flavoring.

Instructions

Combine the diced apple, cooked oats, and yogurt in a bowl.
Spoon the mixture into small silicone molds or paper cups with a treat sized stick if desired.
Freeze for at least 5 hours, until fully solid, before serving.

I tested a version of this with cinnamon added, since it is generally considered safe for dogs in small amounts, but Bruno was not particularly interested in it, so I left it out here. It is worth experimenting with if your own dog seems to like more warming spices.

10. Blueberry Spinach Smoothie Bites

A slightly more nutrient dense treat I make when I want to sneak a few extra greens into Bruno’s week.

Ingredients

1/2 cup spinach, packed. Adds vitamins A, C, and K along with iron and antioxidants in a small, easy to hide amount. Wash thoroughly before blending.

1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen. Provide antioxidants and enough natural sweetness to balance the spinach. Rinse fresh blueberries thoroughly before using.

1/2 cup plain yogurt. Adds creaminess and helps the mixture freeze into an easy to bite texture. Use unsweetened yogurt with no added flavoring.

Instructions

Blend the spinach, blueberries, and yogurt together until smooth.
Spoon the mixture into small silicone molds.
Freeze for at least 4 hours, until solid, before serving.

The color of this one is a deep purple that always gets a comment from anyone who sees it in the freezer, and it has become the treat I recommend most to friends who want something that feels a bit more like an actual nutritional boost rather than just a fun snack.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A few things I got wrong early on that are worth knowing before you start.

Overfilling the molds is probably the most common mistake, since most of these mixtures expand slightly as they freeze.

Filling molds about three quarters full gives room for that expansion and makes the finished treats much easier to pop out cleanly.

Using flavored yogurt instead of plain is another one I made more than once before I started reading labels carefully.

Flavored yogurt often contains added sugar and sometimes artificial sweeteners, which defeats the purpose of making a healthy treat from scratch.

Skipping the softening step before serving led to more than one overly enthusiastic bite from Bruno on a treat straight out of the freezer.

Letting treats sit for two or three minutes makes a real difference in how comfortable they are to eat, especially for a dog who tends to bite rather than lick.

Making a full batch before testing a new ingredient is the mistake that stings the most, since it usually means an entire tray goes into the trash if your dog does not like the flavor or has a reaction.

I now always make a very small test batch, sometimes just two or three cubes, before committing to a full tray of something new.

Extra Tips Before You Start

A few things I learned through trial and error that make these easier to get right.

Use silicone molds instead of plastic ice cube trays when you can.

They pop out cleanly and come in a range of sizes, which makes portion control much easier, especially if you have dogs of different sizes.

Make a big batch at once. Since these all freeze well, I set aside twenty minutes every couple of weeks to make three or four recipes at a time and keep a rotating stock in the freezer so there is always something ready.

Label containers with the date. Most of these treats are best used within one to two months for the best texture and flavor, and it is easy to lose track of how long something has been sitting in the back of the freezer.

Start with small portions if your dog has never had a particular ingredient, especially fruits like watermelon or strawberries, to make sure there is no digestive upset before making it a regular part of the rotation.

Keep an eye on your dog while they enjoy a frozen treat, especially the pupsicle style ones on a stick, in case they try to swallow a larger piece too quickly instead of working through it slowly.

Adjust mold size to your dog. I use small silicone molds for Bruno, but a larger dog can usually handle a bigger ice cube sized portion without it being too much for one sitting.

Common Questions

Are frozen treats safe for dogs with sensitive stomachs? Many of these recipes use gentle ingredients like pumpkin and plain yogurt, but any new food should be introduced slowly and in a small amount first.

If your dog has a known sensitive stomach or a diagnosed condition, check with your vet before adding a new treat.

Can puppies have frozen treats? Generally yes in small amounts, but very young puppies and dogs with dental issues may find fully frozen treats too hard.

Letting the treat soften for a few minutes before serving is a simple way to make it gentler.

How many frozen treats can my dog have in a day? Treats in general should make up no more than about ten percent of your dog’s daily calories, so one small to medium sized frozen treat is usually a safe amount for most healthy adult dogs, though your vet can give you a more specific number based on your dog’s size and diet.

Can I use xylitol free peanut butter safely in these recipes? Yes, as long as you check the label every single time, even on a brand you have used before, since some manufacturers have changed their recipes over time.

If a label lists xylitol or any sugar alcohol, do not use it.

How long do homemade frozen dog treats last? Most of these keep well in the freezer for one to two months in a sealed container.

After that, the texture tends to change and ice crystals can form, so it is best to make smaller batches more often rather than one huge batch that sits for months.