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Apples, Cinnamon, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin…these are the flavors of the season. We go crazy for lattes, pie, cookies, candles, everything and anything containing those ingredients or scents. All the while, someone close to you is feeling very left out. Your best friend! Staring at you with those big eyes (I have an expert beggar on my hands), hoping you’ll be kind enough to share a bite.
Don’t leave your dog out when you’re celebrating the tastes of the season! Apples, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin are actually all very common ingredients in homemade dog treats. Dogs love these flavors and they are really healthy for your pup. Homemade dog treats are super simple to make and you can easily tailor the recipe for any special diets. So next time you’re in the baking mood, whip up a quick batch of healthy homemade dog treats for your pooch!
Olive was very patient in letting me photograph her before eating these cookies. They are her new favorite treat!
I just know your pooch will love these biscuits as much as Olive did, so don’t let fall pass without baking them up at your house too. They’re also great as hostess gifts for pet-loving pals. Imagine the delight when your friends get to indulge in pumpkin cheesecake trifles and their pooch gets a mason jar full of homemade dog treats!
Homemade Dog Treats
Ingredients:
For Peanut Butter Pumpkin Treats:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup oats (optional if your dog is on a grain free diet, sub an extra 1/4 cup grain free flour)
- 3 cups whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, or gluten free flour
- 3 tablespoons of all natural peanut butter
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
For Sweet Potato Treats:
- 1 cup of canned sweet potato (you can sub fresh if you want)
- 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, or gluten free flour
- 1 egg (beaten)
For Apple Carrot Treats:
- 1 cup of whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, or gluten free flour
- 1 cup of grated carrots
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
Directions:
For Peanut Butter Pumpkin Treats:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In small bowl, stir together the flour, oats, and cinnamon.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin and peanut butter until combined. Stir wet ingredients into dry.
- Pour onto a floured surface and roll dough out to 1/2 thick. Cut out using cookie cutter.
- The dough will be a little sticky, a dusting of flour for your hands and the rolling pin will help! Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
- Place on cooling racks and let cool thoroughly. They will harden as they cool.
For Sweet Potato Treats:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Stir ingredients together in a large bowl until dough forms.
- Roll dough into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Press dough down slightly so the biscuits are about about 1/4 inch thick. Bake until golden brown and let cool on a wire rack.
For Apple Carrot Treats:
- Preheat oven 350°F.
- Mix ingredients together until dough forms.
- Roll dough into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press dough down slightly so the biscuits are about about 1/4 inch thick.
- Bake until golden brown and let cool on a wire rack.
Notes:
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Treats:
- These are the treats that are pictured.
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt can be added to these treats to help extend the shelf life but, it is optional.
- Cinnamon is fine to use in recipes for dogs, however do not use a pumpkin spice blend or anything that could contain nutmeg. It is toxic to dogs and even in small amounts can make them sick.
Sweet Potato Treats:
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt can be added to these treats to help extend the shelf life but, it is optional.
For Apple Carrot Treats:
- If the dough is really sticky, add a few more tablespoons of flour.
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt can be added to these treats to help extend the shelf life but, it is optional.
- Peanut Butter Pumpkin Treats are adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen.
- Sweet Potato Treats are adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.
- Apple Carrot Treats are adapted from For the Love of Pooch.
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We just made this for our pooch and she loves it! Can’t wait to try another recipe!
Great to hear, Lisa!
I have to try these
Olive is so adorable. I love those photos. These treats look yummy. I’ll need to buy a cute bone cookie cutter!
I just got a silicone sheet of dog bone cutouts. Can I use this instead of a cookie sheet?
I don’t see why not, Thomas. Let me know how they turn out!
These treats look so good (and healthy). My pup is going to love the peanut butter and pumpkin treats. I’m also thinking about making those apple carrot treats, although they may not be appreciated as much as the peanut butter ones. Still worth a try. Thanks for such good recipes without too many ingredients.
You’re welcome, Didi!
Sometimes I have trouble finding whole pack pumpkin during summer so I’ve started making these occasionally with puréed garbanzo beans. I mash up the beans and their liquid in a Nutriblast. Then follow the recipe adjusting moisture/flour as needed. I roll them out in a silpat, cut into squares with a pizza wheel, and bake until crispy. Of course at Christmas I go the whole blown doggie bone cutter route. But my corgi doesn’t mind the square shape and I love that she gets nutritional treats.
Great suggestions, Martiey! Thank you!
Hi Jamie,
My Bichon has allergies. I want to make treats that are like a biscuit, hard not soft. I want to use blueberries and pumpkin and I have to use almond flour. If eggs are needed I use duck eggs.
I make his food and it is soft like a burger pattie. He will chew on his elk antler, but besides brushing his teeth I would like a crunchy dog treat.
If you could help with this I would appreciate it.
Thanks,
Beverly
Hi, Beverly. My advice would be bake these until they become the desired crunch you like. I hope this helps!
This is a silly question…but I do not have parchment paper…do I HAVE to use that? Can’t I just place the biscuits right on my cookie pan?
Hi, Kelli! Not a silly question at all! You do not have to use parchment paper. I think you’ll find the treats turn out just fine!
What a great idea! I’m going to share this with my group of friends when we get together next week to watch the Bachelor. Between all 5 of us, I think we have 6 dogs!
Great idea, Kerri!
You’re dog is gorgeous :) How did you get him to pose like that!? I want to try out one of these recipes this weekend – which one does your dog seem to like the best?
Thank you, Katherine! I think she enjoys the peanut butter ones a lot! I hope your dog loves them as much as Olive does!