Viewed from above, twelve golden mini pupcakes form a giant paw print on a white platter: four toe cakes above a rounded eight-cake pad. Each cake has a creamy white swirl, tiny red apple stars, jewel-like blueberries, and orange carrot flecks resembling colorful city lights.

Big Apple Paw Parade Pupcakes

Name: Big Apple Paw Parade Pupcakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 36 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 medium medium apple Peel and core 1 apple, finely grate it, and thinly slice the remaining 1/2 apple for garnish; discard all seeds and cores; 1 1/4 cups certified gluten-free oat flour; 1/2 cup plain pumpkin puree; 1/3 cup natural, unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter, guaranteed xylitol- and birch-sugar-free Divide; 1 large large egg; 1/2 cup plain unsweetened Greek yogurt, or lactose-free plain yogurt; 1/4 cup blueberry Rinse and halve; 2 tablespoons carrot Finely grate; optional; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1 to 2 tablespoons water Add only if needed

Apple-oat mini pupcakes with peanut-butter yogurt paw-print frosting.

Category Pet Food

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 16 minutes

Style American

Technique Mixing

Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily recipe · August 26, 2026

A little about this dish

These festive Big Apple pupcakes turn National Dog Day into an edible NYC celebration. Apple provides the signature New York nod, while pumpkin, oat flour, and xylitol-free peanut butter create soft, naturally sweet mini cakes. A tangy yogurt-peanut butter frosting, blueberry accents, carrot flecks, and apple stars make the platter especially photogenic.

Ingredients (for 12)

Medium apple — 1 1/2 medium — Peel and core 1 apple, finely grate it, and thinly slice the remaining 1/2 apple for garnish; discard all seeds and cores
Certified gluten-free oat flour — 1 1/4 cups
Plain pumpkin puree — 1/2 cup
Natural, unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter, guaranteed xylitol- and birch-sugar-free — 1/3 cup — Divide
Large egg — 1 large
Plain unsweetened greek yogurt, or lactose-free plain yogurt — 1/2 cup
Blueberry — 1/4 cup — Rinse and halve
Carrot — 2 tablespoons — Finely grate; optional
Baking powder — 1/2 teaspoon
Water — 1 to 2 tablespoons — Add only if needed

Preparation

Step 1 — 🔥🍎

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup mini muffin tin. Peel and core one apple, grate it finely, and thinly slice the remaining apple for garnish. Discard all seeds and cores.
Step 2 — 🥣🥚

In a large bowl, stir together the plain pumpkin puree, egg, and 1/4 cup of xylitol- and birch-sugar-free peanut butter.
Step 3 — 🍏🥄

Fold the finely grated apple into the pumpkin mixture.
Step 4 — 🌾🧁

In a separate bowl, whisk together the certified gluten-free oat flour and baking powder.
Step 5 — 🥕💧

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Fold in the grated carrot. If the batter is unusually stiff, add water 1 tablespoon at a time, using up to 2 tablespoons only as needed.
Step 6 — 🧁⏲️

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 mini muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out without wet batter.
Step 7 — ❄️🧁

Cool them in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack and cool completely.
Step 8 — 🥛🥜

Stir the plain unsweetened Greek yogurt with the remaining 1/3 cup peanut butter until smooth. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 9 — 🫐⭐🐾

Pipe or spoon frosting onto each cooled pupcake. Cut tiny stars from the apple slices, or dice them finely. Decorate with the apple, halved blueberries, and carrot flecks. Arrange four pupcakes as toes and eight in a rounded cluster for a paw print. Remove liners before serving; offer one pupcake per serving or cut it into smaller pieces for small dogs.

A final fox tip

National Dog Day is celebrated on August 26 and was founded in 2004 by Colleen Paige. These treats contain approximately 1,420 calories per batch, or about 118 calories each. Serve as occasional treats, not meal replacements. Always verify that peanut butter and yogurt contain no xylitol, birch sugar, chocolate, raisins, or artificial sweeteners. Refrigerate frosted pupcakes for up to 3 days, or freeze unfrosted cakes for up to 1 month. Dogs with dairy, peanut, or grain sensitivities should skip the relevant ingredient or consult a veterinarian.