Lickimat Buddy Recipe Idea: Halloween Frankenstein Dog Treat

When I first discovered lickimats for dogs I was in awe of all of the creative lickimat recipes I was finding. So many people were creating remarkable art on their dog’s lickimats and it looked like so much fun! Now don’t get me wrong, some days, the extent of my dog lick mat recipes are a mashed banana or some smeared dog safe peanut butter, ha! But on other days I like to show my creative side and make some fun and healthy Lickimat recipes for my dogs.

In this post, I’m sharing one of my favorite Lickimat recipe ideas yet, my Halloween Frankenstein Lickimat recipe on the Lickimat Buddy size Large. I know it might look intimidating, but it only has 5 ingredients, it takes around 10 minutes to make, and most of the steps take only seconds to do! Not bad at all right? Let’s get started!

P.S. Want a beginner Lickimat recipe using the Lickimat Soother? Check out my 3 Ingredient Yogurt Dog Treat Recipe With Lickimat Soother blog post. 

Frankenstein Halloween Lickimat Recipe Ingredients:

This lick mat recipe for dogs only has five ingredients, many of which you probably already have in your fridge or pantry. Below are the ingredients plus some more health information on some if you’ve never used them before:

• 1 Lickimat Buddy (I’m using the Lickimat Buddy size large to make the design fit the best!)
• 1 Bag Frozen Peas
• 1-2 Tablespoons Pure Pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 1-2 Tablespoons Plain Greek Yogurt
• Half a Container of Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/3 Cup of Peanut Butter (No Xylitol. Could use slightly more or less)
• 1 Barkbox Chew Stick (or chew/dog treat of your choice for Frankenstein’s bolts)

P.S. Want to know more things you can put on a dog lick mat? I’ve created 20+ easy-to-make dog lick mat recipes in my new What To Put On A Lick Mat: The Ultimate Dog Enrichment Cookbook (only $12.99)! This cookbook is a digital download so you can prop it up on your phone or iPad as you’re making tons of healthy dog lick mat ideas for your pup!      

Can My Dogs Eat Peas?

To create Frankenstein’s green face on my Lickimat Buddy, I needed a green vegetable that was safe for dogs. If you’ve never given your dog peas before and are wondering “can my dog eat peas?” the answer is yes!

When it comes to dogs and peas, the safest option is fresh, thawed or frozen peas for dogs. You’re probably wondering well, can dogs eat canned peas? Unfortunately, many canned peas contain a ton of salt which isn’t safe for dogs (or us honestly!). 

Another common question is “can dogs eat pea pods?”. According to this article from AKC, Can Dogs Eat Peas, “if humans can eat the pod, so can your dog.” The main thing they note is to be cautious since they can get stuck in your dog’s throat and if you’re feeding garden peas, they should always be shelled.

Peas have a ton of health benefits including vitamins A, K and B plus minerals like zinc, potassium and magnesium!

Is Pumpkin Ok For Dogs?

You’ve probably either heard or used pumpkin for your dogs upset stomach or constipation (of course you should always consult your veterinarian with any concerns**).

Pumpkin is not only great for your dog’s skin and coat and an upset stomach but also digestion! You’ll find many healthy dog treat recipes with pumpkin across Pinterest and the internet, and of course in today’s Lickimat recipe!

Now let’s get into the step-by-step instructions (with visuals!) on how to make this Frankenstein Lickimat recipe for dogs.

How To Make Halloween Frankenstein Lickimat Buddy Recipe:

Step 1: Grab your pure canned pumpkin and create a square at the bottom of your Lickimat Buddy. I used the width of the word Lickimat and went up 3 big squares. The pumpkin is his t-shirt (in the full picture, the purple on the sides is his jacket, based off a cartoon graphic I found!).

Step 2: Cook/steam your frozen peas and mash them in a bowl. You’ll only use maybe a cup from the entire bag but there’s more if you need it. 

*To mash, I actually use a cocktail muddler. I use this all the time to mash my avocados for my breakfast and to mash ingredients for my dog treat recipes!*

Step 3: Make a square outline of Frankenstein’s head. I left 4 squares on both sides of his face and I left a few rows above his head (see images below). You’ll need space at the top to do his hair.

Step 4: Fill in your outline with mashed peas.

Step 5 (optional): Place your Lickimat buddy in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. This is completely optional since this recipe can be done in 10 minutes. I give this option if you want the mashed peas to be a little harder before you move on to the next steps that involves the peanut butter and yogurt. Sometimes the peanut butter can stick to the mashed peas, but they’re going to be covered with blueberries anyways, so it will work either way!

Step 6: Grab your peanut butter and start smearing three rows above the mashed peas and one row on top of the mashed peas (see below).

Step 7: Grab your blueberries and start layering them on top of the peanut butter to create Frankenstein’s hair.  

Step 8: Grab your Barkbox chew or dog treat/dog chew of your choice and cut into 2-3 inch pieces. Add a little peanut butter to the back of both and stick one on each side of the head to make the bolts.

Step 9: Blend one to two small handfuls of blueberries with a little water (this completes his jacket!).

Step 10: Grab a spoon to help guide the blended blueberries across both sides of the pumpkin to make his jacket. 

Step 11: Grab your plain Greek yogurt and make two circles for the eyes, a small upside down smile for the nose and a big smile face for the mouth.

Step 12: Grab two blueberries and put one in each bottom corner of the eyes to complete the face!

Step 13: Freeze for a one to two hours (if you’d like the blended blueberries to freeze and to make a frozen Lickimat for your dog) and give to your dog!

Even though this Halloween Lickimat recipe had a handful of steps, most of them were done within seconds, right? I honestly had so much fun creating this Frankenstein Halloween Lickimat recipe and I know Annie absolutely loved it! If you make this, please tag me on Instagram in your photos so I can see your amazing creativity @sparklesandsunshineblog !

If you loved this Lickimat recipe, check out more of my lick mat recipes for dogs including my Dog Enrichment Cookbook to discover the benefits of lick mats for dogs, what to put on a Lickimat and other cool dog treat recipes like:

• What To Put On A Lick Mat: The Ultimate Dog Enrichment Cookbook (only $12.99!)
• 3 Ingredient Yogurt Dog Treat Recipe With Lickimat Soother (The perfect beginner lickimat recipe)
• 3 Ingredient Homemade Pupsicle Recipe  (Super refreshing! One of my faves!)
• Peanut Butter, Yogurt & Banana Homemade Dog Popsicle Recipe 
• 3 Ingredient Dog Treat: Tropical Dog Popsicle Recipe 
• Frozen Yogurt Fruit Dog Popsicle Recipe (Perfect patriotic/Fourth of July dog treat!) 
• Plato Pet Treats Review: Air Dried Dog Treats (The thinker sticks in this post are another great option for the Frankenstein bolts!)
• Dog KONG Stuffing Recipe: Puppermint Bark (Perfect for the howl-i-days)

Plus, don’t forget to check out some of my most recent posts below & subscribe to my newsletter to get more lick mat recipes for dogs delivered straight to your inbox:

Photography: Kate Kelley Collection