Healthy, delicious, homemade dog treats for all your canine friends. With just 5 ingredients, they’re an easy alternative to store bought treats!
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These homemade dog treats have been a hit for pretty much every dog I’ve made them for. I’ve made them at the holidays and gifted them to co-workers and just last year my friend asked me to make some for her wedding reception where puppers were welcome guests. They’re easy to make and completely customizable depending on the size dog you’re treating!
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin-canned works best
- Carrots-finely shredded
- Peanut Butter-regular ‘ole peanut butter works just fine
- Eggs-to bind everything together
- Whole wheat flour-just a little healthier than all-purpose
Is pumpkin good for dogs?
In most cases-yes! Pumpkin is a good source of fiber for your dog. Fiber helps keep everything moving the way it should in the digestive tract. It’s also low in calories, making it an ideal snack food item, especially for plump pets.
What kind of peanut butter is safe for dogs?
Generally speaking, regular peanut butter is totally safe for dogs. Xylitol, a common artificial sweetener that can be found in peanut butter, is poisonous to dogs, so check the label on your peanut butter before use. These 4 brands of peanut butter are known to contain xylitol: Go Nuts, Co, Krush Nutrition, Nuts ‘N More, and P28. Plain ‘ole grocery store Jif peanut butter does not.
Can you use regular flour in homemade dog treats?
Sure can! I suggest whole wheat flour because it is marginally healthier than plain all-purpose flour but there is no reason to go buy special flour for this one project. Swap even amounts of all-purpose flour for the whole wheat flour. The dough may be a little bit stickier, because the whole wheat flour tends to absorb more liquid than all-purpose flour.
How long do homemade dog treats last?
- Counter-3-5 days
- Fridge-2-3 weeks
- Freezer-2-3 months
There are no preservatives in these cookies, so they are more prone to mold than store-bought cookies. If you aren’t using them right away, stick them in your fridge or freezer.
Tips for success:
- Shred your own carrots-store bought shredded carrots are too big and you’ll have pieces sticking out everywhere and the pieces will burn. I just use the smallest sized holes in my box grater.
- Bake them for a long time to get a crunchy cookie. They’ll also last longer because moisture increases the speed at which they’ll get moldy.
- Use different cookie cutters depending on the occasion! Dog bones for every day but maybe hearts for Valentine’s or trees for Christmas?
- Poke holes in the cookie before baking-helps to prevent too much puffing
Homemade Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 2/3 c. canned pumpkin
- 1 cup finely shredded carrots about 1 large carrot
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment or grease them. If using a stand mixer, fit with paddle attachment. (I typically mix these by hand but a mixer works great too).
- Stir together pumpkin, carrots, and peanut butter.
- Mix in flour. Dough will be stiff.
- Turn out onto floured work surface. Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick
- Cut into shapes as desired.
- Polk holes in the cookies or else they will blow up fat.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes depending on how crispy you like them. I baked them long because I was looking for a crunchy cookie. Allow to cool completely before feeding to your canine friends.
Notes
**Always consult your veterinarian before feeding your dog “people food” especially if there is concern about allergies or illness.
Enjoy making cut out cookies? Try these easy rolled sugar cookies or these soft sour cream cookies!
Did you make this recipe? Tag me @bakincareofbusiness on Instagram so I can see what you made!
Happy Baking!
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