If you’ve ever tried to lay out quilt blocks while your dog plops right in the middle… or attempted to press seams while your cat supervises from the ironing board… you know: quilting with pets is a whole experience.

And since December’s Quilt Scouts Badge of the Month is the Creature Comforts Badge, we’re leaning all the way into celebrating our furry sidekicks — with a big batch of homemade treats they’ll love just as much as your quilts.

This post includes:
🍪 dog-friendly recipes using oats, pumpkin & cinnamon
🐟 cat-approved treats with tuna, chicken & sardines
✨ ingredient swaps + health benefits
⚠️ important safety notes
🦴 fun extras like bone-shaped + fish-shaped cookie cutters

Let’s get whisking (and whiskering).

🐶 Dog Treat Recipes

Dogs love simple, wholesome ingredients — especially ones you probably already have in your pantry. These recipes focus on oats instead of flour, pumpkin, banana, and a dash of cinnamon (safe in small amounts), making them budget-friendly and tail-wag approved.

⭐ Why Use Oats Instead of Flour?

• Oats are gentler on sensitive stomachs
• Naturally gluten-free (for pups who need it)
• Higher in fiber + nutrients
• Bind well when mashed with pumpkin or banana

⭐ Pumpkin = A Dog’s Best Friend

Pumpkin is high in fiber, soothing for digestion, vitamin-rich, and excellent for dogs who need a little belly balance.

1. Pumpkin Oat Cinnamon Bites

Soft, cozy, and perfect for December.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin purée (plain, unsweetened)
• 1 ½ cups rolled oats (pulse in blender for finer texture, if desired)
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Optional: 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin, egg, cinnamon, and peanut butter (if using).
3. Stir in oats until the mixture forms a thick dough.
4. Scoop teaspoon-sized portions and roll into balls, or flatten into small coins.
5. Place on the tray and bake for 15–18 minutes, until firm around the edges.
6. Cool completely before serving.

Storage

Refrigerate 5–7 days or freeze up to 3 months.

2. Apple Cinnamon Oat “Breakfast Cookies”

Crunchy, lightly sweet, and so easy.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ cup finely diced apple (peeled)
• ¼–½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Combine oats, egg, applesauce, diced apple, and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Mix until everything is evenly coated and slightly sticky.
4. Drop tablespoon-sized mounds onto the baking sheet and flatten slightly.
5. Bake 20–25 minutes, until golden and firm.
6. Cool completely before serving.

Storage

Fridge 1 week / freezer 3 months.

3. No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Balls

Soft, quick, and great for senior pups.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats
• ⅓ cup natural peanut butter (NO xylitol)
• 2–3 tablespoons pumpkin purée or mashed banana

Instructions

1. Stir peanut butter and pumpkin/banana together in a bowl.
2. Add oats and mix until a thick dough forms.
3. Roll into tiny bite-sized balls (¼–½ teaspoon each).
4. Place on a plate or tray and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
5. Serve chilled.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days. (No-bake treats don’t freeze as well.)

4. Soft Pumpkin “Pupcakes”

Perfect for dog birthdays or cozy holiday treats.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups oat flour (blend oats until powdery)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a mini muffin tin or use liners.
2. In a bowl, whisk pumpkin, peanut butter, applesauce, and eggs.
3. Add oat flour and cinnamon, mixing until smooth and thick.
4. Spoon batter into mini muffin cups (fill about ¾ full).
5. Bake 12–14 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool fully before serving.
7. Optional “frosting”: Mix a spoonful of PB with plain Greek yogurt.

Storage

Refrigerate 3–4 days / freeze up to 2 months.

5. Banana Oat Chewies

Two-ingredient, soft + simple.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup rolled oats
• Optional: pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Mash banana until smooth.
3. Stir in oats and cinnamon (if using).
4. Press mixture into a thin layer (around ¼”) on the baking sheet.
5. Score lightly with a knife into small squares.
6. Bake 20–25 minutes, until firm and lightly golden.
7. Cool fully, then break apart along score lines.

Storage

Fridge 5–7 days / freeze up to 3 months.

⚠️ Dog Safety Notes

• Cinnamon is safe in small amounts — avoid overdoing it
• NO nutmeg (toxic)
• Use unsweetened pumpkin only
• Avoid peanut butters with Xylitol
• Treats should make up no more than 10% of a dog’s diet
• Always introduce new treats slowly

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🦴 Fun Extras for Dog Treat Baking

Add some cute festivity to your pet treats!
Use cookie cutters like:

• Dog Bone Cookie Cutters
• Paw Print Cutters
• Tiny Assorted Cookie Cutters

🐱 Cat-Friendly Treat Recipes

Cats can be a little more… particular. These recipes lean heavily on protein, catnip, and simple whole ingredients.

⭐ Why Cats Love These Recipes:

• High-protein
• Soft or chewy textures
• Catnip = instant hit
• Sardines + salmon = Omega-rich + great for coat health
• Oat flour is used sparingly to bind

1. Tuna + Catnip Crunchies

Instant feline fan-favorite.

Ingredients

• 1 can tuna in water, drained well
• 1 egg
• ¾–1 cup oat flour
• 1 teaspoon dried catnip

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Mash tuna thoroughly with a fork.
3. Add egg and catnip, mixing well.
4. Add oat flour gradually until mixture becomes a sticky dough.
5. Pinch off pea-sized pieces and roll into balls or flatten slightly.
6. Bake 12–14 minutes, until set and lightly browned.
7. Cool fully before serving.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.

2. Salmon “Jerky Bites”

One-ingredient, high-protein goodness.

Ingredients

• 1 salmon filet, skin removed
• Optional: pinch of catnip

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°F (low + slow).
2. Cut salmon into tiny ½-inch cubes.
3. Place on a parchment-lined sheet; sprinkle lightly with catnip.
4. Bake 2–2.5 hours, flipping halfway, until chewy but not hard.
5. Cool completely.

Storage

Refrigerate 3-4 days or freeze up to 2 months. Because these are chewy, not fully dehydrated, they should be refrigerated promptly.

3. Chicken + Catnip Bites

Soft, shredded, savory.

Ingredients

• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken (plain, unseasoned)
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth (no garlic/onion)
• 1 tablespoon oat flour (more if needed)
• ½ teaspoon catnip

Instructions

1. Cool before serving.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet.
3. Mix shredded chicken, egg, broth, and catnip in a bowl.
4. Add oat flour to help bind mixture.
5. Drop tiny ½-teaspoon mounds onto the baking sheet.
6. Bake 10–13 minutes, until set and lightly golden.

Storage

Refrigerate 3–4 days or freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.

4. Chicken + Blueberry Bites

Unexpected, antioxidant-packed treat.

Ingredients

• ½ cup cooked shredded chicken
• ¼ cup mashed blueberries
• 1 egg
• 2–4 tablespoons oat flour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Combine chicken, blueberries, and egg.
3. Add oat flour until the mixture can be shaped.
4. Scoop tiny portions and place on a lined sheet.
5. Bake 12–15 minutes until firm.

Storage

Refrigerate 3–4 days or freeze up to 2 months. These freeze well but may soften a bit as they thaw.

5. Sardine Snack Squares

Super smelly = super popular with cats.

Ingredients

• 1 can sardines in water, drained
• 1 egg
• ½ cup oat flour
• Optional: catnip

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Mash sardines well.
3. Mix with egg, oat flour, and catnip.
4. Spread thinly (about ¼”) on a parchment-lined sheet.
5. Score into tiny squares using a knife.
6. Bake 15–18 minutes, until firm around edges.
7. Cool completely, then break apart.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months. Because sardines are oily, these may have a stronger smell — store in a well-sealed container!

⚠️ Cat Safety Notes

• NO garlic, onion, or seasoned meats
• Limit fish-based treats for cats with kidney/urinary issues
• Keep treats to 10% or less of daily calories
• Avoid dairy-heavy recipes
• Use only plain, unseasoned meats
• Always cool treats completely before serving

🐟 Fun Extras for Cat Treat Baking

Make treat time extra cute:

• Fish-Shaped Cookie Cutters
• Tiny Assorted Cookie Cutters

Creature Comforts Badge

If you’re inside the Quilt Scouts membership, these recipes pair perfectly with the December Creature Comforts Badge, where we’re:

• Sewing quilted pet beds
• Making patchwork bandanas
• Sharing photos of our quilt-hogging companions
• And documenting our favorite quilting-with-pets memories

Want to join us this month?
👉 Try Quilt Scouts FREE for 7 Days

Pets bring so much heart to our creative lives — and now you can bring them a little homemade snack right back.