I love when people give homemade gifts from their kitchens during the holidays — cookies, fudge, toffee…you know they spent a bunch of time making them, and if you get one of these gifts, you must have done something right that year. Baking for our four-legged friends is just as special and even easier (dogs are not picky when it comes to edible gifts). We have made these Bacon Grilled-Cheese Bones for our dogs several times, as well as for the sweet pups at the Richardson Animal Shelter. The best part is you can dump everything into a food processor and cut into whatever shapes you like.

Bacon Grilled-Cheese Bones (Adapted from The Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook)

Enough rolled oats to make 1 cup of flour

6 slices of bacon

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 egg

1/2 cup water

Grind the oats in a food processor to make oat flour.  Measure out 1 cup and set aside.  Cook and cool the bacon, then place in the food processor and pulse a few times until it is roughly chopped.  Add the oat flour and remaining ingredients and process until a ball of dough forms (you can also do this with your hands in a bowl if preferred).

Roll out the dough to about 1/4″ thickness, using extra oat flour as needed so the dough doesn’t stick.  Cut out shapes (we have bone and fire hydrant cookie cutters!) and place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until the cookies are golden.  Cool on a wire rack and store in the fridge.

It’s hard to wait patiently when the house smells like bacon

Baking for the Richardson Animal Shelter

Romeo and Mouse, the taste testers