Featuring wholesome ingredients like applesauce, peanut butter, honey, eggs, and whole wheat flour, these dog cupcakes are the best sweet treats to make for your dog’s birthday, holidays, or just to show how much you love them! This dog-friendly cupcake recipe is easy to make and the perfect snack for your furry friends!

a dog cupcake on a white marble table.

5-Star Review

“Becky, my babies love these cupcakes!! I made them yesterday and gave them each half of one yesterday and today.” – Lorena

Pro Tip: Some dogs are allergic to flour/wheat. If you want to make these wheat-free, you can use rice flour or coconut flour as a replacement. These alternate flours will work but might change the consistency a bit. 

Recipe Card

Dog Cupcakes Recipe

4.84 from 12 votes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Author: Becky Hardin
featured dog cupcakes.
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Equipment

  • Kitchen Scale (optional)
  • Cupcake Tin
  • Hand Mixer
  • Piping Tip Set (optional)

Ingredients 

For the Cupcakes

  • cup unsweetened applesauce 167 grams
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter 135 grams (see note)
  • cup honey 117 grams (see note)
  • 2 large eggs 100 grams
  • ¼ cup coconut oil 50 grams, melted
  • ¾ cup water 170 grams
  • cups whole wheat flour 170 grams (see note)
  • teaspoons baking powder 10 grams

For the Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese 227 grams, room temperature (1 brick). Plain cream cheese only.
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter 135 grams
  • 12 small milk bones optional, for topping

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-count cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the applesauce, peanut butter, honey, eggs, and oil together until smooth.
    ⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, ⅓ cup honey, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup coconut oil
    wet ingredients for dog cupcakes in a glass bowl.
  • Add the water and mix again.
    ¾ cup water
    whisked wet ingredients for dog cupcakes in a glass bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together.
    1½ cups whole wheat flour, 2½ teaspoons baking powder
    dry ingredients for dog cupcakes in a glass bowl.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined.
    dog cupcake batter in a glass bowl.
  • Spoon into the cupcake tin and bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean (or with a few crumbs but no batter).
  • Cool completely on a wire rack.
  • While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Add the cream cheese and peanut butter to a bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat until smooth.
    8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup creamy peanut butter
    frosting for dog cupcakes in a glass bowl.
  • Once the cupcakes are cool, use a wilton 1M tip, or simply cut the end of the piping bag (or ziplock), to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
  • Top each cupcake with a milk bone.
    12 small milk bones

Becky’s Tips

  • Peanut Butter: Some peanut butter brands are including xylitol to cut the sugar in their peanut butter. Do not use any peanut butter containing xylitol as it is toxic to dogs. Just check for natural peanut butter and check the ingredients.
  • Honey: Do not feed honey to immunocompromised dogs or dogs under 1 year old.
  • Flour: Some dogs are allergic to flour/wheat. If you want to make these wheat free, you can use rice flour or coconut flour as a replacement. These alternate flours will work, but might change the consistency a bit. 
  • Dogs can have food allergies, just like humans! If you’re unsure about any ingredient, check with your vet to keep your pup happy and healthy.
  • In place of the applesauce, you can use 100% pure pumpkin puree or mashed bananas.
  • In place of the coconut oil, you can use sunflower oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil.
  • In place of the whole wheat flour, you can use rice flour, coconut flour, or all-purpose flour.
  • For smaller cupcakes, you can bake these in a mini cupcake tin instead. Just reduce the baking time!
  • Nutritional information does not include milk bones.
Storage: Store dog cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 330kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 9gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 253mgPotassium: 227mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 304IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Dog Cupcakes Step by Step

Mix the Wet Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-count cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together ⅔ cup (167g) unsweetened applesauce, ½ cup (135g) creamy peanut butter, ⅓ cup (117g) honey, 2 large eggs (100g), and ¼ cup (50g) melted coconut oil until smooth. Add ¾ cup (170g) water and mix again until fully combined.

wet ingredients for dog cupcakes in a glass bowl.
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Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1½ cups (170g) whole wheat flour and 2½ tsp (10g) baking powder until evenly incorporated.

dry ingredients for dog cupcakes in a glass bowl.

Combine the Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.

dog cupcake batter in a glass bowl.

Bake the Cupcakes: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake tin. Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or with a few crumbs but no wet batter). Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Fluffy baked dog cupcakes in a cupcake tin with a hand holding the side

Peanut Butter Frosting

Make the Frosting: In a bowl, beat together 8 oz(227g) room-temperature cream cheese and ½ cup (135g) creamy peanut butter using an electric hand mixer until smooth.

frosting for dog cupcakes in a glass bowl.

Frost and Decorate: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M tip (or simply cut the end of the bag). Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake. For an extra special touch, top each cupcake with a small milk bone as an optional garnish.

overhead view of dog cupcakes on a white marble table.

Pupcake for One

This recipe makes enough cupcakes for a dog’s birthday party! If you’re looking to make a smaller batch, you can halve the recipe or bake this in a mini cupcake tin to make smaller cupcakes.

For a single dog cupcake, use the following measurements:

  • 1 tablespoon applesauce (16 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons peanut butter (11 grams)
  • ½ tablespoon honey (10 grams)
  • 1 small egg yolk (8 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil (4 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon water (14 grams)
  • ⅛ cup whole wheat flour (14 grams)
  • Pinch baking powder (~1 gram)
  • Frosting: ⅔ ounce cream cheese (19 grams) + 2 teaspoons peanut butter (11 grams)

How to Make Ahead and Store Doggy Cupcakes

The cupcakes can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to enjoy. The frosting can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Store leftover dog cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let your pup enjoy them cold or at room temperature.

How to Freeze Cupcakes for Dogs

Freeze dog cupcakes tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving to your dog.

a halved dog cupcake on a white marble table, the halves are leaning against one another.

Trademark Note: In the spirit of transparency, I want to note that some of these ingredients are trademarked products. Milk Bone is a proprietary brand that I want to acknowledge and give credit to.

More Pet treat recipe to try

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.84 from 12 votes (10 ratings without comment)
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Marla
Marla
August 22, 2023 5:49 pm

Hi- This was so easy. I cut the recipe in half and used an overripe banana and unsweet strawberry apple sauce. Instead of the flour I used gluten-free pancake mix. I shared one with my furbaby Lola. It’s a gift for our neighbor-Sophie as she is turning 10 tomorrow. I topped it with some soft heart-shaped doggie bite treats. Thank you- it really tasted good for humans as well!5 stars

doggie cupcake.jpg
Samantha Marceau
August 24, 2023 4:51 pm
Reply to  Marla

That looks great, Marla! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it!

nikki
nikki
August 12, 2023 10:12 pm

i loved this recipe Becky, so did my husky! And we even added a penut butter and honey drizzle to it. He is going to be dancing around when we give it to him.

Samantha Marceau
August 16, 2023 3:32 pm
Reply to  nikki

We’re so happy to hear that, Nikki!

Lorena Wilson
Lorena Wilson
February 24, 2023 7:32 pm

Becky, my babies love these cupcakes!! I made them yesterday and gave them each half of one yesterday and today.5 stars