Everyone loves the holidays, but we especially love making cookies and candies! Your pets don’t’ want to be left out, so here is a fun, easy way to make Candy Canes for your dogs!
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 chicken or beef bouillon cube
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp red or green food coloring (or use a natural alternative)
- 1/2 tsp peppermint oil flavoring (optional, my girls loved it)
- 1 large egg (for an egg wash)
Instructions:
First you want to whisk together the flour, powdered milk, and baking powder. This can be done by hand or with the whisk attachment on your Kitchen Aid. In a separate bowl, mix the warm water and the bouillon cube until dissolved (if the cube does not dissolve, place it in the microwave for a few seconds to help it along). Now whisk the two eggs in with the booth mixture. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until combined, and then kneed into a dough. If dough is sticky, then add more flour.
Separate the dough in half. Set half aside, and with the other half, form a small well in the dough. Add your choice of food coloring, and the peppermint oil (optional). For this next step, I highly advise gloves! Food coloring will get all over your hands if you don’t wear food safe gloves! Kneed the dough until it turns a nice red color. Now place both dough balls into two separate bowls, and put them in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
Once the dough has cooled, preheat your oven to 350° F. Divide each dough ball into smaller balls, about 1 tablespoon in size. We ended up with 12 of each small dough ball. Then roll out one of each color of the dough into long strands. We made our strips 12 inches long. Twist together one white strip with one red strip. The long strand in half (now you have two 6 inch strands), and curl the ends into a candy cane shape. Place on parchment paper on your cookie sheet.
Take your last egg, and whisk it in a dish, then use a brush to coat your candy canes with a nice egg wash. Now you are ready to bake them! Place them into the oven for 10 – 12 minutes. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Once cooled your dogs can test them and tell you what they think! Our girls absolutely loved them! Store your treats in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 90 days. Enjoy! And don’t forget to share with your friends! Have a Pawsome day!
* Please note that I’m neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist, so it’s advisable to consult with your own authority when trying new foods, and also to ensure that your dog’s home cooked diet is balanced & includes all of the nutrients that are necessary for your dog’s health.
