Cold Treats For Hot Dogs

It’s been a hot summer, and sometimes you need more than a big glass of water to cool off—especially your four-legged friends. These yummy pup-sicles from the June 2023 issue of Better Homes and Gardens are super easy to make and will help your hot dog cool off.

Here’s the recipe:

Makes 8-10 pup-sicles.

• ½ cup blackberries
• 2 sliced bananas, frozen
• ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup plain unsweetened yogurt
• 10 Milk bones (optional)

In a food processor, purée blackberries until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl, rinse food processor bowl. In the rinsed bowl add bananas, peanut butter, and yogurt. Cover and process, adding water as needed until mixture reaches a soft-serve ice cream texture.

Layer blackberry purée and peanut butter mixture in ice pop molds or small disposable paper cups. Swirl as desired. Optional step: insert Milk Bones for an edible handle.

Freeze at least four hours or until solid. Let pops sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving to ensure they aren’t too hard to eat. Pops can be stored, tightly covered in the freezer, for up to one month.

Note: avoid ingredients that contain the sweetener xylitol, sometimes found in peanut butter and yogurt. It can be toxic to pets, even in small amounts.

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