Holiday Homemade Dog Treat: Faux Red Velvet Truffles

By Stephanie Brown

Updated

Apr. 30, 2025

The holidays wouldn’t be complete without some homemade treats. Even if baking isn’t your strong suit, you can still whip up a delicious DIY dog treat for all the four-legged good boys and girls on your list this season.

We’ve created a dog-friendly spin on one of our favorite human treats: truffles. Truffles traditionally are made with chocolate, which can be toxic to dogs. Our DIY dog treat replaces the chocolate with dog-safe carob chips. To create the red velvet color, we used beets for a red so bright Rudolph would be jealous. The best part? We’ve hidden a tasty surprise in the center—it’s the gift that keeps on giving.

What you’ll need:

Photos: Chewy Studios

Ingredients

1 large beet
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
American Journey Training Bits Beef Recipe Dog Treats
3 tbsp carob chips
2 tbsp all-natural peanut butter* (Note: Make sure your peanut butter does not contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.)

Supplies

Medium pot
Blender
Measuring spoons
Large mixing bowl
Large spoon
Plate
Storage container
Cutting board
Chef’s knife

Yield:
24

Serving size:
One treat per pup

Prep time:
35 minutes

Refrigeration time:
20 minutes

Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a medium pot.

Peel beet and cut into cubes. Boil for 15 minutes until beet can be easily pierced with a knife.

Drain water and puree beet in a blender until smooth. (This should yield ¾ cup of beet puree.)

Add carob chips to beet and blend until smooth. (The heat from the beets should melt the chips.)

Pour mixture into bowl and stir in peanut butter and flour.

Roll pieces into bite-sized balls.

Press the American Journey dog treat into the center of each ball and pinch hole closed.

Roll ball in shredded coconut.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm. (Store in refrigerator for up to a week.)

NOTE: This recipe does not contain any chocolate or cocoa. DO NOT give your dog any chocolate. Also, please be aware that beets may turn stool or urine a reddish color.

This recipe was reviewed by a veterinarian. It is intended as a treat or snack. Treats should only constitute a small percentage of your pet’s daily food. If your pet is sensitive to fats, has any other health issues, or if you have any concerns, consult your pet’s veterinarian before offering this food item.

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Attributions

Stephanie Brown

Stephanie Brown is the Executive Editor of the Chewy blog, Chewy Education. From a very young age she’s loved animals and has had the honor

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