Dog Cupcakes

By Becky Hardin

Updated Feb 28, 2025

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

5-Star Review

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

I’ll admit—I’m a bit of a doting pet parent, and I love showing my fur baby just how special they are with homemade treats. That’s why I’m obsessed with these Dog Cupcakes: they’re made with wholesome ingredients like applesauce, peanut butter, honey, eggs, and whole wheat flour. Every time I bake a batch, I’m reminded how easy it is to make a sweet, special snack that’s totally dog-safe and full of love. These are my go-to for birthdays, holidays, or even just because—nothing makes me happier than baking something that brings my pup’s tail to wag!

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.

Ingredients1x2x3x

For the Cupcakes

▢ ⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce 167 grams
▢ ½ cup creamy peanut butter 135 grams (see note)
▢ ⅓ cup honey 117 grams (see note)
▢ 2 large eggs 100 grams
▢ ¼ cup coconut oil 50 grams, melted
▢ ¾ cup water 170 grams
▢ 1½ cups whole wheat flour 170 grams (see note)
▢ 2½ tsp baking powder 10 grams

For the Frosting

▢ 8 oz. 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

Video

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
Add the water and mix again. ¾ cup water
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together. 1½ cups whole wheat flour, 2½ tsp baking powder
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined.
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 oz. cream cheese, ½ cup creamy peanut butter
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

Equipment

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

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.

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

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. - 6

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. - 7

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

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 - 9

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. - 10

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. - 11

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. - 12

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.

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Equipment

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