DIY Halloween Dog Treats

Halloween brings plenty of sweet treats for us, but our dogs can join in the fun too. Keep the candy bowl out of reach and make them something special with these homemade Halloween dog treat ideas.

With a few wholesome, natural ingredients and some spooky cookie cutters, you can get creative in the kitchen and make homemade treats for your dog.

Before you get started, explore our pet-safe Halloween guide for more tips on including your pets in the celebrations.

Here are four Halloween dog treat ideas to make at home, from homemade biscuits to a themed treat platter.

Ingredients for homemade Halloween dog treats

Pumpkin, carob and the chews featured in our Halloween treat platter bring a mix of flavours, colours and textures to these spooky creations:

• Pure pumpkin purée: packed with soluble fibre, pumpkin is incredible for digestion and gives your homemade treats a rustic, warm hue. Ensure you use 100% pure pumpkin, not spiced pie filling. For more on pumpkin and other healthy ingredients, explore our guide to 101 superfoods for dogs.
• Totoniks dried venison blood formula: a true New Zealand-made superfood innovation. Totoniks uses blood from grass-fed deer, a by-product of meat production that would otherwise go to waste. This iron-rich ingredient adds a dark, blood-red element to your Halloween treats.
• Carob powder: the pet-safe alternative to chocolate. Carob is naturally sweet, rich in vitamins and gives your baked goods a deep, moody colour ideal for bat-shaped biscuits.
• Premium New Zealand air-dried chews: lean into New Zealand's world-class natural pet pantry. Single-ingredient, air-dried treats and chews offer an authentic "witch's cauldron" vibe while supporting dental health and providing mental enrichment.

Recipe 1: Totoniks vampire red velvet bites

Leaning heavily into the "vampire" aesthetic, this recipe utilises New Zealand's own Totoniks formula to create a nutrient rich biscuit with a Halloween twist.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 sachet of Totoniks dehydrated powder (any variant, such as the Original or Gut Health formula)
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a small cup, whisk the Totoniks powder into the warm water until completely dissolved to activate the rich, natural crimson colour.
3. In a bowl, combine the oat flour, apple sauce and your activated Totoniks liquid. Stir thoroughly until a firm, deep-red dough forms.
4. Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 5 mm.
5. Use a coffin or teardrop "blood droplet" cutter to stamp out the shapes.
6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Idea 2: a spooky ‘bark-erie’ treat platter

For a no-bake option that looks straight out of a gothic feast, curate a "spooky charcuterie" board using premium New Zealand air-dried treats and chews. The raw, structural textures of these single-ingredient chews provide a macabre aesthetic that perfectly fits the theme.

How to assemble:

• The skeletal frame (rib bones & neck pieces): arrange a few air-dried lamb or venison rib bones on a dark platter.
• The goblin features (snouts & ears): add curiosity with naturally air-dried pork snouts or furry deer ears. The natural textures look wonderfully eerie and provide fantastic glucosamine and chondroitin to help support canine joint health.
• The midnight organs (dehydrated liver, kidney & lung): scatter pieces of air-dried beef liver, venison kidney or lamb lung bites around the board. These function as the nutrient-rich "garnish" that will command absolute focus from your pup.
• The finishing touch: drizzle a tiny amount of your activated Totoniks venison blood formula over the platter for a dramatic "vampire" finish.

Recipe 3: minimalist pumpkin ghost biscuits

These crisp, clean biscuits are incredibly simple to make and store well in an airtight glass jar.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oat flour
• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin purée
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C and line a tray with baking paper.
2. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until a smooth dough forms. If the mixture is too dry, add a teaspoon of water.
3. Roll the dough out between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 5 mm.
4. Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out the biscuits.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until firm and lightly golden. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Recipe 4: midnight carob bat bites

Capture the dark, moody essence of Halloween with these rich carob bites.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oat flour
• 3 tablespoons carob powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C and prepare your baking tray.
2. Whisk the flour and carob powder together, then stir in the apple sauce and maple syrup.
3. Roll the dark dough out to a thickness of 5 mm and cut into bat or diamond shapes.
4. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the treats inside for an extra 5 to 10 minutes to achieve a perfectly crisp, crunchy texture.

For more baking inspiration, read about my Stodola dog-patterned rolling pin.

Halloween traditions for the modern pet home

Making Halloween treats for the family dog is a fun way to include them in the celebrations. These beginner-friendly recipes are also a great way to get the kids involved! Whether you bake spooky biscuits or put together a Halloween treat platter, there’s plenty of scope to get creative and add your own personal touch.

Keep portions small, choose ingredients and chews that agree with your dog, and supervise them while they enjoy their treats. Most importantly, have fun making something special for your four-legged family member.

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Show us your culinary creations! Did you build a spooky charcuterie board or bake a batch of Totoniks red velvet bites? Share a video of your pup enjoying their Halloween treats on Instagram using the hashtag #ThePetEdit for a chance to be featured in our next seasonal gallery.

Want to capture the moment? Explore our Halloween pet photography guide for inspiration.

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