Beets are a great surprise in baked goods for dogs: they provide vibrant color without resorting to artificial colorings and bring vitamins and minerals. Once cooked and blended, they easily mix into a dough of whole wheat flour, honey, and coconut oil. Cut into heart shapes, these cookies are perfect for romantic occasions like Valentine's Day, but you can make them in any shape and at any time of the year.
Ingredients
- 225 g of cooked beets (plain, without salt or vinegar)
- 140 g of whole wheat flour (or flour of choice)
- 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) of baking powder
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of honey
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of coconut oil
For the icing
- 60 ml of sour cream
- 5 ml of honey
- 5 ml of cornstarch
- 5 ml of water
- One teaspoon of beet puree for natural pink coloring (or natural food coloring)
Procedure
- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blend the cooked beets until smooth. Set aside a teaspoon of puree for the icing.
- In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, beet puree, honey, and coconut oil. Mix until well combined without overworking it.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of half a centimeter.
- Use cookie cutters to shape the dough and place the cookies on the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 cm apart.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then let the cookies rest on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
- For the icing, mix sour cream, honey, cornstarch, and water in a small bowl, adding the beet puree to achieve a natural pink color.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with the icing, spreading it with a spatula or using a piping bag.
Notes
Peeled, packaged cooked beets are a convenient choice. Always check the label to avoid pickled or smoked variants. If your dog doesn't tolerate dairy well, you can serve the cookies without icing.
Storage
Store the cookies without icing in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week. Iced cookies will stay fresh for a few days in the fridge.