The Master Pie Recipe for Dogs That Anyone Can Make

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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. But can your dog partake? Dog-friendly pie—is that a thing?

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 and cheddar. Blueberry + chicken. Mmmm. Okay, for your dog.

How to Make Pie for Dogs

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.

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 of pumpkin—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.

Step four: Topping

Your topping can be as simple as a dollop of unflavored yogurt, but if you’re feeling fancy, pop a can of coconut milk in the fridge a few hours in advance, and then use your whipped cream maker for the ultimate dairy-free sugar-free topper — coconut whipped cream.

Want more details? You’ll find great dog-friendly pie recipes here, here, here, and here. This video is also a great step-by-step tutorial for a dog-friendly pumpkin pie.

Finally, if you don’t have time for baking, you can always get your pup this adorable pup-pie to mark the occasion.