Six ingredients that sit in many holiday baking cabinets appear on the ASPCA’s list of people foods to avoid feeding pets: chocolate, xylitol, raisins, macadamia nuts, raw yeast dough and alcohol. The FDA’s holiday hazards advice for dog and cat owners flags three of them: chocolate, xylitol and alcohol. The ASPCA says to note the amount eaten and contact a veterinarian or poison control, and the FDA says to call a veterinarian right away.
1. Chocolate, Especially Baking Chocolate and Cocoa Powder
The ASPCA groups chocolate, coffee and caffeine together because the concern comes from compounds called methylxanthines. The darker the chocolate, the greater the concern, and white chocolate has the lowest concentration. Baking chocolate and cocoa powder have the highest. The FDA’s holiday page makes the same point, saying unsweetened or baking chocolate is especially dangerous to pets.
Pet Poison Helpline’s chocolate page lists brownies, cakes, fudge, cocoa powder and hot cocoa among chocolate foods. It also warns that chocolate candy and baked goods may contain other poisonous ingredients, such as macadamia nuts, raisins or xylitol. Its 24-hour number is (855) 764-7661, and the page notes that its content is not veterinary advice. Frenz Hub has a post titled 15 Human Foods Dogs Can Eat.
2. Xylitol in Sugar-Free Mints and Baked Goods
The ASPCA says xylitol is used as a sweetener in gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. The FDA adds that seemingly harmless holiday mints can cause life-threatening problems for dogs if they contain it, and that it is also found in some peanut butters.
The FDA’s separate xylitol advisory notes that the sweetener can turn up in cakes, muffins and pies, often because a baker is swapping another sweetener for sugar, and that bakeries sell items made with it. Its advice for dog owners is to check the ingredient label, especially on products advertised as sugar-free or low sugar. The agency says cats appear to be less affected, while ferrets are not. Wikipedia’s xylitol entry describes the compound as a sugar alcohol used as a sugar substitute in many sugar-free products, which explains why it shows up in so many unexpected places. CraftingYourHome.com has a post titled 10 Apple Varieties Bakers Reach for in the Fall.
3. Raisins, Currants and Other Dried Grapes
Dried fruit is a staple of holiday baking, and the ASPCA lists grapes and raisins as a problem for dogs. It says tartaric acid is speculated to be the toxic component, and that because dogs cannot process it, exposure can lead to kidney damage. Frenz Hub has a post titled Best Practices for Seasonal Storage.
.jpg?width=1600)
Pet Poison Helpline’s grapes page names more than the raisin. It lists Corinthian currants, Zante currants and sultanas along with common and muscadine grapes, and says the fruit is toxic to dogs. Because currants and sultanas appear in many traditional recipes, the ingredient list is worth checking on anything that includes dried fruit.
4. Macadamia Nuts and Other Rich Nuts
The ASPCA names macadamia nuts as a concern for dogs, with weakness, tremors and other effects. It says signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion, with recovery expected within 24 to 72 hours. The ASPCA also says nuts such as almonds, pecans and walnuts contain high amounts of oils and fats, which can upset a pet’s stomach and, in some pets, lead to pancreatitis.
White chocolate and macadamia cookies are the kind of recipe that combines two items on this list. Pet Poison Helpline’s macadamia nut page also lists these nuts as toxic to dogs and notes that the amount involved matters. Frenz Hub has a post titled 12 Things Human Do That Dogs Hate So Much.
5. Raw Yeast Dough
Raw dough for rolls, braids or stollen can be a hazard before it ever reaches an oven. The ASPCA says yeast dough can rise and cause gas to build up in a pet’s digestive system, which can be painful and cause the stomach to bloat and potentially twist, a life-threatening emergency. The yeast also produces alcohol as a by-product.
Pet Poison Helpline’s bread dough page says unbaked dough expands in the warm, moist environment of the stomach, and that the fermenting yeast produces carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. The takeaway from both: dough rising on a counter should sit well out of reach until it is baked. CraftingYourHome.com has a post titled 8 Things Never to Put in a Garbage Disposal Before Thanksgiving Cooking.
6. Alcohol in Baking and Holiday Drinks
The ASPCA says alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, incoordination, tremors, difficulty breathing and in the worst cases coma and death. Alcohol is absorbed rapidly, so it says prompt veterinary attention matters. The FDA likewise tells owners to keep pets away from alcohol.
A reality check applies to all six items. Pet Poison Helpline says the amount eaten, the size of the animal and other factors determine what is toxic to a particular pet. The FDA holiday page is marked as current as of December 17, 2025, and the ASPCA’s hotline number is (888) 426-4435. The FDA also flags salt-dough ornaments, which contain a great deal of salt, as a separate holiday hazard.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Trogain – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
