Last summer, my dog got into my store-bought ice cream and got the worst stomach ache. I couldn’t help but think, “There has to be a better option!”
However, with golden retrievers, you will be begged for the treat. They will stare and put their whole head in your lap until you finally break down and share your dessert. You will feel guilty saying no but you also feel guilty saying yes because most store bought treats are filled with sugar and other artificial junk.
So, I decided to try making my own homemade dog ice cream and it is awesome!
Your girl doesn’t have to melt on the couch while you watch your pup chow down on a boring bowl of kibble while you eat a bowl of ice cream. These recipes are super simple and safe for your dog. Some of them even smell good enough to eat yourself.
8 food recipes that your dog will lose its mind over.
#1: Frozen Peanut Butter Popsicle for Dogs
Yep, that look your golden retriever gives you on a hot day – tongue hanging out, eyes begging, practically melting onto the floor. That’s when this recipe comes in handy!
This frozen pup popsicle is so simple I almost feel like cheating. You will need a popsicle mold with a plastic handle (I like the blue one in the picture), creamy peanut butter, and a few staples from your pantry.
Here’s How to Make It
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (unsweetened)
2. 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (xylitol-free — always check the label)
3. 1 tablespoon honey
Mix the yogurt, peanut butter, and honey together until smooth. Pour the mixture into your popsicle mold, filling it just below the rim so that it doesn’t overflow when it freezes. Snap the handle into place and set the mold flat in the freezer and let it freeze for at least 4 hours (overnight is better). To release the popsicles from the mold, run warm water over it for 10 seconds.
The best part: The Greek yogurt adds a creamy touch to make it freeze firm enough to last a licking session without it dripping everywhere.
Keep this in mind: peanut butter with xylitol is toxic to dogs — always flip over the jar and read the ingredients.
They go perfectly with my 13 Homemade Dog Treats: Budget-Friendly Recipes Your Pup Will Devour for some easy Summer treat recipes!
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Freeze Time: 4 hours | Serving Size: 1 popsicle
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @barneytheclumberdoodle
#2: Puppy Ice Cream Cups (Vanilla & Veggie Swirl)
Your dog probably has that face he makes when he just wants a bite of whatever you’re eating. Mine has that same exact face every summer afternoon.
This little treat is in an adorable polka-dot paper cup. The paper cup is white with rainbow dots. This cup is cute enough to take a picture of and safe enough to let her eat. The filling is a fluffy vanilla based filling with small veggie pieces folded into the dough.
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat, no xylitol)
2. 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
3. ¼ cup finely chopped cucumber or zucchini
4. 1 tablespoon honey
How to Make the Puppy Ice Cream Cups
Mix the yogurt and cream cheese together until it’s smooth. This will make it thick and scoopable, and it will hold its shape in the cup. Then add the veggies and mix gently. Spoon it into the paper baking cups and freeze it for at least 2 hours.
Once these are out, let them sit for 3 minutes and serve. My dog lost her mind the first time I made these.
Prep Time: 10 mins | Freeze Time: 2 hours | Serving Size: 4 cups
Greek yogurt is a probiotic, which is great for helping with digestion and lessening bloat — so your puppy will feel comfortable after his snack. Need some more treat ideas? Check out 13 Homemade Dog Treats: Budget-Friendly Recipes Your Pup Will Devour.
Take the cucumber and substitute it with steamed carrots, in winter when they freeze better and add a little sweetness to your dog’s diet.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @love
#3: Frozen Peanut Butter Pup Cups (The One Mine Goes Absolutely Feral For)
You know that moment on a hot afternoon when your golden is just literally melting into the grass and panting as if she ran a marathon? Yeah, that’s when this comes in handy.
Last summer I made this bowl for my neighbor’s Shih Tzu. It seems her dog was not too ashamed to stuff the whole snout into the cup. Hee Hee.
Ingredients:
1. ½ cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free — this matters)
2. ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
3. 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
4. 1 tablespoon honey
How To Make Them
Mix the peanut butter, yogurt, applesauce and honey together in a bowl until smooth. Fill 2 ounce clear plastic portion cups (same kind in picture) with the mix, filling them almost to the top. Freeze for at least 4 hours. When they are frozen, you can let your little one go to town on one.
Also no drama cleaning up the cup is easy, as everything that drips goes into it.
Prep Time: 5 min | Freeze Time: 4 hours | Makes: 8–10 cups
These homemade peanut dog treats are super simple to make, and of course, the pups love them.
I keep a batch of these in the freezer to pull out when I want something sweet. They can last up to 2 weeks in a sealed container (plastic wrap).
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @jensfeltedfriends
#4: Frozen Raspberry & Peanut Butter Yogurt Bark
my girls get that look when i hold something good in my hand (nose starts twitching) sometimes mine will do it too and if its a hot afternoon nothing beats giving her something cold she goes crazy for.
Frozen Raspberry Peanut Butter Yogurt Bark
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups plain Greek yogurt (unsweetened, no xylitol)
2. ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
3. 3 tablespoons natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)
How to Make It
Lay out a piece of parchment paper on a 9×13 inch baking sheet. Spread the yogurt evenly in an even layer, about ½ inch thick. Top the yogurt with the spoonfuls of peanut butter and use the back of a spoon to press the raspberries into the peanut butter. The peanut butter will look cute ribbons running through the white yogurt. But, really it looks so Pinterest-y that you just want to take a picture before you freeze it.
Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover it, and let it sit for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, until it is hard. Then break it up into palm-size pieces.
A yogurt base provides probiotics to support gut health, so the treat feels indulgent but is actually doing something good for you.
Prep Time: 5 min | Freeze Time: 4 hrs | Serving Size: 8–10 pieces
storing leftovers in a zip lock bag in the freezer. they are good for up to 3 weeks and she will ask to have them for lunch every day.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @odie_de_doodle
#5: Three-Flavor Ice Cream Loaves (Mango, Caramel Bacon & Coconut)
It’s happened to the best of us…your dog gives you those “puppy dog eyes” on a hot afternoon and you just cave. Last summer I made a batch of frozen treats for my neighbor’s dog. She sat by the freezer door for two days straight. So we are doing this right.
These 3 loaves of bread are exactly what summer needed. You’ve got a mango cream, a caramel bacon swirl, and a coconut dream – all frozen in clear plastic loaf containers (roughly 9×4 inches) and waiting to be devoured on your counter.
How to Make All Three Loaves
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Freeze Time: 6 hours | Serving Size: Each loaf makes about 8 slices
Mango Cream Loaf
1. 2 cups plain Greek yogurt (unsweetened)
2. 1 cup ripe mango, blended smooth
3. 2 tablespoons raw honey
Stir the ingredients together until well blended. Spoon the mixture into your loaf pan. The yogurt gives the yogurt bread its pale yellow colour. No food dye is needed. Freeze flat.
Caramel Bacon Swirl Loaf
1. 2 cups plain yogurt
2. 3 tablespoons dog-safe peanut butter, melted slightly
3. ¼ cup cooked turkey bacon, crumbled fine
For the bottom layer, I pour in the yogurt. Then, I drizzle the warm peanut butter over the top in long lines, which hardens as it hits the cold yogurt, leaving a pretty caramel-colored swirl pattern. I sprinkle the bacon crumbles right after so that they stick (The peanut butter kind of locks them in place, and no pieces fall off when you slice it!). As you can see in the picture, your dog gets a crunchy-creamy bite with every single bite.
Coconut Dream Loaf
1. 1 cup coconut milk (full fat)
2. 1 cup plain yogurt
3. ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
I whisk the coconut milk and yogurt together first because the fat content in the coconut milk makes the yogurt extra creamy. I fold in the shredded coconut last so that it stays on the top to give it that pretty white loaf look. This freezes into that soft white loaf on the right.
Oh, the most important part is to let them all sit on the counter for 4-5 minutes before slicing. They cut so much cleaner that way and your golden won’t be waiting an extra ten minutes while you slice it up.
They’re super cute and would pair nicely with dog cookies recipes if you were looking to turn it into a little dessert party for your pup.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @petparadisenaples
#6: Peanut Butter Banana Frozen Yogurt Bites for Dogs
Ah yes. My golden gives me that look every hot afternoon when she flops down on the kitchen floor and stares at me like I’ve personally failed her. Same girl. Same.
This three-ingredient treat is what I make in bulk every Sunday. It’s plain Greek yogurt, ripe bananas, and natural peanut butter – nothing weird or processed.
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup Good & Gather Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt (or any xylitol-free brand)
2. 2 ripe bananas
3. 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (xylitol-free — always check the label)
How to Make It
Throw all three ingredients into a blender and blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour the mixture into a silicone mold or a muffin tin (I use a mini muffin tray) and freeze for at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight. The yogurt will freeze firmer than ice cream, so let it sit out on the counter for 2-3 minutes before serving your girl.
Why this works: Greek yogurt, banana, peanut butter…come to mama. These 3 ingredients are my favorite and she loves them so it is a win win!
Prep Time: 5 min | Freeze Time: 4 hrs | Makes: ~24 mini bites
Keep a batch in a zip-lock freezer bag — it will stay good for up to 2 weeks.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @aridelmonico.ntp
#7: Frozen Peanut Butter & Gingerbread Dog Bone Treats
My golden looks at me from the kitchen floor with her tail going a million miles a hour and her nose already working. I know that look, she is thinking “mom, what are you making and can I have some?”.
These frozen bone treats are perfect for a summer day.
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (unsweetened)
2. ½ cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)
3. 2 tablespoons honey
4. ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
5. 2-3 crushed dog-safe gingerbread biscuits (for topping)
How To Make These Bone-Shaped Frozen Treats
Whisk together the Greek yogurt, peanut butter, honey and cinnamon in a bowl until smooth. Pour into a bone shaped silicone mould tray (this teal one I have is absolutely perfect and makes six bones at once), crumble the gingerbread biscuits on top and freeze.
I just put the tray in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Once they are firm enough, they pop out of the silicone molds very easily.
The silicone part means ZERO mess sticking, so your treats are clean every time you pop it out!
I like to freeze them in batches on Sunday for easy use the rest of the week.
Prep Time: 10 min | Freeze Time: 4 hours | Serving Size: 6 bones
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @the_larson_homestead
#8: Matcha Green Tea Frozen Dog Treats (Paw & Dino Shaped!)
So imagine trying to keep your golden from getting bored one hot afternoon, and she’s staring at you with those big brown eyes like you are personally responsible for the weather.
These little green bites of heaven saved me last summer. I made a batch, popped them in the freezer and my neighbor’s lab thought they were the best thing ever!
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups plain Greek yogurt (full-fat works best)
2. 1 tablespoon culinary-grade matcha powder
3. 3 tablespoons raw honey
4. ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
How To Make These Adorable Frozen Treats
To make the ice cream, take a whisk and just whisk the matcha into the coconut milk. This way it’s a little broken up before you add the yogurt. Add the yogurt and honey to the matcha/coconut milk mixture. Whisk until it’s a uniform color throughout. Pour into a paw or dinosaur shaped silicone ice cream mold. (I found mine on Pinterest but seriously the best purchase. I have a lot.) Freeze for a minimum of 4 hours, overnight is better. Remove from the molds by pressing from the bottom. If you force them out they will crack.
Now get this…the matcha gives your heart a big ole antioxidant boost, the yogurt feeds your gut health, and your pup gets a treat that actually means something (besides sugar).
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Freeze Time: 4 hours | Serving Size: 12-16 treats
Store extras in a zip freezer bag for up to 3 weeks and they’ll be waiting for you to refill that treat dish on your kitchen counter.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @woofwoofbarkery
The Freeze-Time Secret That Saves Every Batch (And Your Dog’s Stomach)
The biggest mistake I have seen people make when making their own dog ice cream is they freeze it in a single container and scoop it like regular ice cream.
Don’t do that.
Not that all dogs minds, but plain yogurt or a blended banana base will freeze back up between uses and your dog will be either left with a melted puddle or a frozen brick. Either way, it’s not pretty on the eyes, and your golden will not be thanking you.
Pour the mixture into silicone molds or an ice cube tray before freezing. This will make it easier to take out individual portions, and therefore avoid having to re-freeze portions that have melted. I like to put mine in the fridge to let them thaw out before I try to take them out, to avoid making a mess in my Pinterest-worthy couch (speaking of which, the best couches for dog owners are genuinely a game-changer for exactly this reason).
Also, (I know, I’m slow) always throw in a little coconut oil to the mix to keep it scoopable and creamy, as it can freeze up a little otherwise.
Small tweak. Huge difference.
Your Floors (and Your Sanity) Deserve This
Not that I’m complaining, I’m just saying, a golden retriever is the best dog ever. But the mud, the fur, and the constant chaos that they bring in with them? Not so much. A good rug pad isn’t glamorous but it is the thing standing between your Pinterest-worthy living room and your floor looking like a dog park.
Choose the one that fits your space and just order it. Then future you – the one who is vacuuming without having to move the rug every five seconds – will be so grateful.
If you are also dreaming of a space for your dog, make sure to check out this list of the best dog backyard ideas for a safe and fun outdoor space for your pooch.
What room in your house needs the most saving right now? 😉
Amr Mohsen is a software engineer who traded his keyboard for a leash — at least on weekends. His love for dogs inspired him to share what he learns as a dog owner and enthusiast, bringing a detail-oriented, research-driven perspective to every article he writes. If it’s about dogs, he’s probably already looked it up twice.
