Winter warmer: How to make a puppuccino at home
Whether you're remote working or trying to cut down on your daily expenses, making barista-style coffee at home is a great alternative to visiting coffee shops to get your caffeine fix. But as you whip yourself up a treat with your coffee maker, you might be wondering how to get your four-legged friend involved in the fun too!
The puppuccino, a Starbucks secret menu item, is the answer to this. Unlike a cappuccino, a puppuccino is dog-friendly and doesn't contain any actual coffee. But when you're helping yourself to a treat, it's a good way to include your dog too.
Fortunately, puppuccinos are not only easy to make at home, but the recipe can be altered in many ways to make a custom cup for your pup. Below, pet food supplier Webbox will share some fun ideas for doing a DIY drink for your dog inspired by the puppuccino.
Plain puppuccino
Despite being one of the most popular secret menu items available at your local coffee shop, making a puppuccino at home is surprisingly simple as they're actually made from just one ingredient — whipped cream! All you need to do is squirt the cream into a small takeaway cup or espresso mug, and you have one puppuccino made and ready to go. But, as long as you're waiting for your own coffee to brew, why not dress up your pup's accompanying treat with some extra flavours and toppings?
Pumpkin puppuccino
Pumpkin spice lattes are one of the most famous — and delicious — seasonal coffee drinks, and the great news is that your four-legged friend can join in the fun too with their very own pumpkin puppuccino inspired by the PSL. Pumpkin is not only safe for dogs to eat but it's full of healthy vitamins and nutrients, so try applying a layer of plain pureed pumpkin to the bottom of your cup before adding the cream. If using tinned pumpkin, make sure that it's 100% pure pumpkin without additives like sugar and spices. Alternatively, you can add chopped raw or cooked pumpkin to a plain puppuccino for a more textured treat.
Other flavours
There are plenty of other flavoured coffees you can recreate for your pet at home. If you're a fan of gingerbread lattes, why not add some ground ginger to your dog's cup — this healthy root can even help soothe a poorly tummy! As for hazelnut-flavoured coffees, hazelnuts can be risky for dogs to consume — but xylitol-free peanut butter is a much safer option (though it contains quite a lot of salt). So, a blob of peanut butter in their puppuccino can be a nice nutty treat on occasion.
Try not to use caramel sauce, syrups, or extracts in your canine-friendly creations. Too much sugar is not just unhealthy, but many extracts such as vanilla have a high alcohol content which can be toxic too.
Toppings
You may be tempted to dust your puppuccino with some spices to add a little zing or even make a pattern on top, like you would with your coffee. Unfortunately, there are a few powders you should completely avoid for the sake of your dog's health.
Nutmeg is toxic and harmful to dogs, as is cocoa powder. Cinnamon, on the other hand, isn't toxic at all and while it's unlikely to have any particular health benefits for your dog in such small quantities, its strong flavour might add some extra appeal to their puppuccino treat.
Other toppings your pooch might enjoy are plain popcorn, puffed rice, or even a carrot 'flake'. However, you can always keep things simple with their favourite treats sprinkled on top, or a dog biscuit garnish!
Julie Butcher, Head of Marketing at Webbox said:
"The humble puppuccino was introduced as pup-friendly option for people visiting their local coffee shop, but if you're looking to get your caffeine fix at home, it's nice to know your pet can continue to enjoy a puppuccino too.
"It's so easy to make a puppuccino at home, as all you really need is whipped cream and a little serving cup. But if you really want to treat your pet, why not add some of their favourite treats and snacks?
"From healthy dog biscuits to fruits and vegetables, the puppuccino you create can not only be tasty, but also a way to introduce more vitamins and nutrients to your dog's diet between meals. Give it a go!"
