Hot days are rough on dogs. They can’t grab a popsicle from the freezer or pour themselves a cold drink — they’re just stuck being hot, waiting for you to notice.
The good news? Homemade frozen dog treats take about five minutes to make, cost almost nothing, and your dog will lose their mind over them. No special equipment, no obscure ingredients — just things you probably already have at home.
Nuggy goes absolutely feral for these on warm afternoons. Here are the 10 recipes we keep coming back to.
Why Homemade Frozen Treats Beat Store-Bought
Most store-bought frozen dog treats are fine, but they tend to be expensive for what you get — and they often contain preservatives, artificial flavors, or sweeteners your dog doesn’t need.
When you make them at home, you control exactly what goes in. You can adjust for allergies, use up ripe fruit that’s sitting on the counter, and batch-make a week’s worth in one go. Once you’ve made a tray of these, you’ll never buy the packaged version again.
One thing to keep in mind: always check that your ingredients are dog-safe before you start. If you’re unsure about a specific food, our guide to what dogs can and can’t eat covers the most common ones.
What You’ll Need
Equipment:
- Equipment:
- Silicone ice cube tray — easiest to pop treats out of
- Popsicle molds (optional, great for larger dogs)
- Blender or fork (depending on the recipe)
- Freezer bags for storage
Common ingredients across these recipes:
- Plain Greek yogurt (unsweetened, no xylitol — check the label)
- Peanut butter (xylitol-free — this is important, xylitol is toxic to dogs)
- Ripe bananas
- Pumpkin purée (plain, not pie filling)
- Low-sodium chicken or beef broth
- Dog-safe fruits: blueberries, strawberries, watermelon (seedless), carrots, apples (no seeds)
Most of these you can mix and match freely. The base is usually yogurt or broth — everything else is flexible.
10 Easy Frozen Dog Treat Recipes
1. Peanut Butter & Banana Pops
The classic. Dogs love this combination and it couldn’t be simpler.
Ingredients: 2 ripe bananas, 3 tablespoons xylitol-free peanut butter
Method: Mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Mix in the peanut butter. Spoon into an ice cube tray and freeze for at least 4 hours.
These are rich, so keep them as occasional treats rather than daily snacks. For more peanut butter treat ideas, check out our homemade peanut butter dog treats.
2. Blueberry Yogurt Bites
Light, refreshing, and packed with antioxidants. These are Nuggy’s summer favorite.
Ingredients: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Method: Stir the blueberries into the yogurt. Spoon into a silicone mold or ice cube tray. Freeze overnight.
The yogurt gives these a creamy texture dogs love, and blueberries are one of the best dog-safe fruits for antioxidants.
3. Watermelon Cubes
Pure summer in a cube. Super hydrating and almost no prep.
Ingredients: 2 cups seedless watermelon, cut into chunks
Method: Option 1 — freeze the chunks directly on a baking sheet, then transfer to a bag. Option 2 — blend the watermelon and pour into an ice cube tray for a smoother treat.
Remove all seeds before freezing. The flesh is perfectly safe; the seeds and rind are best avoided.
4. Chicken Broth Ice Cubes
The easiest recipe on this list. One ingredient, five minutes, done.
Ingredients: Low-sodium chicken broth (check that it contains no onion or garlic)
Method: Pour broth into an ice cube tray. Freeze for 4–6 hours.
These are brilliant for picky dogs who won’t eat fruit-based treats, or as a simple hydration boost on a hot day. You can also drop one into your dog’s water bowl to encourage drinking.
5. Pumpkin Yogurt Treats
Great for digestion as well as cooling down. Pumpkin is one of the most dog-friendly ingredients out there.
Ingredients: ½ cup plain pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling), ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon peanut butter (optional)
Method: Mix everything together, spoon into a tray, and freeze. That’s genuinely it.
If your dog has a sensitive stomach, pumpkin is worth keeping in your freezer year-round — it’s as useful as a treat as it is as a digestive aid.
6. Strawberry & Coconut Pops
Slightly fancy, still easy. The coconut adds a subtle richness dogs seem to enjoy.
Ingredients: ½ cup fresh strawberries (hulled), ½ cup coconut milk (unsweetened, plain)
Method: Blend the strawberries and coconut milk together until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds or an ice cube tray and freeze until solid.
Coconut milk is safe for dogs in small amounts — don’t go overboard, but a cube or two is perfectly fine.
7. Carrot & Apple Bites
Crunchy when thawed slightly, great for dogs who like to chew.
Ingredients: 1 medium carrot (grated), ½ apple (grated, no seeds or core), 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
Method: Mix the grated carrot, apple, and yogurt together. Pack firmly into an ice cube tray. Freeze for at least 5 hours.
Both carrots and apples are excellent dog-safe snacks — low calorie, good for teeth, and most dogs love the natural sweetness. Just make sure you remove all apple seeds, which contain trace amounts of cyanide.
8. Mint & Yogurt Fresheners
A functional treat — these help with dog breath while cooling your dog down.
Ingredients: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves (finely chopped), optional: a few blueberries
Method: Stir the chopped mint into the yogurt. Pour into a tray or mold and freeze.
Fresh mint is safe for dogs in small quantities and genuinely helps with bad breath. Skip mint extract or mint-flavored products — just use fresh leaves.
9. Peanut Butter Kong Freezes
Not a tray recipe — this one uses a Kong toy, which turns a frozen treat into a 20-minute enrichment activity.
Ingredients: 2–3 tablespoons xylitol-free peanut butter, optional fillers: banana slices, kibble, yogurt
Method: Plug the small hole at the bottom of the Kong with peanut butter. Fill the Kong with layers of banana, yogurt, or kibble. Seal the top with more peanut butter. Freeze overnight.
A frozen Kong on a hot afternoon will buy you a solid chunk of peaceful time. It’s one of the best enrichment tools for bored or anxious dogs — if you want more ideas like this, our list of DIY enrichment activities has plenty more.
10. Simple 2-Ingredient Banana Bites
When you have five minutes and a ripe banana — this is the one.
Ingredients: 1 ripe banana, 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
Method: Slice the banana into rounds. Dip each slice in yogurt. Place on a parchment-lined tray. Freeze for 2–3 hours.
These are bite-sized, low-calorie, and take almost no cleanup. Perfect as a quick treat or a training reward during warm-weather sessions.
Tips for Storing Frozen Dog Treats
Once your treats are fully frozen, pop them out of the molds and transfer to a zip-lock freezer bag. Label it with the date — most homemade frozen treats keep well for up to 3 months, though they rarely last that long once your dog knows they’re in there.
A few practical notes:
Let large treats thaw slightly before serving. A frozen-solid treat straight from the freezer can be hard on teeth, especially for older dogs or dogs with dental issues. 5–10 minutes on the counter is usually enough.
Introduce new ingredients slowly. If it’s your dog’s first time eating yogurt or a new fruit, start with a small amount and watch for any digestive reaction before making it a regular treat.
Keep portions reasonable. Even healthy frozen treats add calories. For most medium-sized dogs, 1–2 cubes a day is plenty. Adjust based on your dog’s size and overall diet.
What You’ll Need (Quick Links)
Here’s everything mentioned in this post, in one place:
- Silicone ice cube tray — easiest for popping out frozen treats
- Popsicle molds — great for larger dogs
- Xylitol-free peanut butter — always check the label
- Freezer bags — for storing batches
- Kong Classic — for recipe #9
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — it helps keep Nuggy in treats.
The Simplest Summer Upgrade You Can Make
You don’t need to buy fancy dog ice cream or order anything special. A couple of bananas, some yogurt, and a standard ice cube tray — that’s all it takes to give your dog a genuinely great summer afternoon.
Pick whichever recipe looks easiest, make a batch tonight, and see which one gets the best reaction. Nuggy’s current ranking: peanut butter banana at #1, blueberry yogurt a close second.
For more ideas on keeping your dog happy and healthy at home, browse the rest of NuggysDogDiary.com.