Homemade pie is one of those things that SEEMS really hard, but once you try it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. And what better time to try than National Pi Day? Sure, that celebrates the great 3.14159265359 (etcetera), but it’s also a great excuse to nosh on pie.
But can your dog partake? Of course. Just make sure you skip the sugar and other non-dog-friendly ingredients. We searched for the best dog-friendly pie recipes around, and discovered a foolproof method that you can tweak to make any flavor imaginable. Cranberry chicken. Pumpkin peanut butter. Apples ‘n cheddar.
If you don’t have time for baking, you can always get your pup this adorable pup-pie to mark the occasion.
But really, baking a pie for dog is as easy as one, two, three.
Step One: Crust
At its most basic, pie crust has three ingredients. You’re likely to have them on hand…
- flour
- water
- butter or shortening
Optional add-ins: crack in an egg for protein and extra-malleable texture. Try grated cheese for dairy lovers. Oatmeal is healthy. Or applesauce. Going gluten-free? Try a meat “crust” of beef, minced veggies, egg, and a handful of oats.
Mix it up by cutting the fat into the flour with your fingers, a pastry cutter, or a food processor. Then roll, cut as needed, and bake.
For most unfilled crusts, baking for 20 or so minutes at 350 degrees should suffice.
Step Two: Form Factor
Tempting as it might be to put all of this in a regular 9” or 10” pie dish, that size is a little much for most dogs.
For extra style, use a dog-themed baking mold, like this $7 silicone one.
Pro tip: use a muffin tin to make snack-size pies. For extra style, use a dog-themed baking mold, like this $7 silicone one.
Step Three: Filling
Here’s where you can get creative. Many fruits are good for dogs, from blueberries to apples. Blend in some chicken, some peanut butter, some beef … really, you can go places with your pie filling. Simplest of all? Plain old pumpkin. Buy a can—not the sugary pie filling, though—spoon it into your crusts, and voila. As promised, it’s impossible to mess up.
Baking time varies a bit depending on the type of filling and whether you’ve precooked the ingredients. Generally, 20 minutes at 350 degrees should do, just as above.
Want more details? You’ll find great dog-friendly pie recipes here, here, here, and here.
These little beauties from Beagles and Bargains look pretty tasty, don’t they? Blueberry + chicken. Mmmm. Okay, for your dog.
