Homemade Doggie {BIRTHDAY} Donuts

I've already told you all about the slight obsession I have with my puppy.

It's hard to believe, but April marks Lola's first birthday. To my surprise she really has seemed to mellow out a few notches, practically overnight. Could the puppy-to-dog transition really happen that quickly? Either way, I'm so in love.

Although we don't know her specific birth day (she was rescued from a puppy mill at 4 months and didn't have much paperwork), we kicked off the month with a big old treat. And, because she is my daughter pet, I knew just what she wanted for her birthday: DESSERT.

These doggie donuts were a huge hit for Lola (and all her dog friends in our apartment building). The base of the donut was actually delicious and totally human-edible (Sam and I definitely snacked on the piece that was "accidentally" broken.). Basically a granola bar of sorts. The pink frosting was made by mixing cooked beets and yogurt – and although this part of the treat wasn't too appealing to the humans, it sure did complete the look of the birthday treat. And Lola sure seemed to love it. And, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I thought the veggie "sprinkles" were pretty darn cute.

Homemade Doggie Donuts

 {with Pink Beet Frosting and Veggie Sprinkles}

Makes 6-8 donuts

2 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut + 1/2 cup for topping
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup agave syrup
1 roasted red beet
6 oz plain yogurt
1/2 mixed colorful vegetables, minced (I used broccoli and carrot slaw as a base)

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix the oats, coconut and cinnamon in a bowl. Combine peanut butter and agave in a separate bowl and mix with a fork. Then pour into  dry mixture and continue mixing/mashing with a fork (or, feel free to throw it into your Kitchenaid if you prefer). Scoop and mash into greased donut pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, and let cool in pan slightly before removing to ensure mixture sets. In the meantime, puree beet and yogurt in food processor until smooth. Pour into a large ziplock bag and cut off the tip to dispense frosting. Decorate with frosting and sprinkles!

Recipe adapted from this Pawcurious Bronuts recipe.