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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.
Follow Jamie on Instagram. We love to see what you're baking from MBA! Be sure to tag @jamiemba and use the hashtag #mbarecipes!
Thinking about trying garbanzo flour for grain-free dog treats. Supposed to have highest level of protein. Noticed many premium dry dog foods are now using garbanzo as a main ingredient. Garbanzo flour available at Whole Foods. Have you tried it instead of brown rice flour or other typical grain-free flours?
Hi Cheryl,
I haven’t tried the garbanzo flour but let me know how it turns out if you try it!
-Jamie
Thanks for sharing your recipes…my dog and his pals in our neighborhood just love the peanut butter & pumpkin treats!
Glad the recipe is working for you. Thanks for stopping by!
-Jamie
Just made the pumpkin peanut butter treats for my two labs and they are a big hit. I am planning on giving some to the neighbors today too for their dogs, since the recipe yields plenty to share. The dogs on our block will all be happy today. Thanks!
I’m wondering, may I use sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin puree?
Hi,
How long will it last for the treats before they expire? Planning to make a couple of pieces to be given on Thanksgiving but since I want to start baking as early as August. :)
I made the pumpkin treats today and my standard poodle puppy really likes them. I made them into very small squares thinking I could use them as quick treats during her puppy training class. They were so crunchy that it took her too long to eat them, so that won’t work. No problem. We’ll just use them as fun treats. We also have a chinchilla who loves pumpkin seeds. My husband suggested we give him one of the treats. He threw down the seed he was eating to grab this treat. He munched on it for quite a while and loved it!
Made the sweet potato ones today for our Rottie-Shepherd mix. We are a vegan household, and didn’t have eggs, so I subbed 2 really ripe bananas. Also used sweet potato instead of pumpkin (we didn’t have pumpkin) also used some coconut oil and used 1 less cup of brown rice flour. He loved them!!! This made a lot of treats. I’m sure he would have eaten the entire batch if I let him! I had a bite myself & they were yummy! :) They were between chewy and hard. Didn’t want them super crunchy b/c of his teeth.
Thanks for the great recipe!!
Hi! Can I use dog friendly frosting to decorate these treats? Thank you!
Ginny, I don’t see why not, but I honestly don’t know what a dog friendly frosting would be made from.
– Jamie
Lindsay: Thanks so much for the dog treat recipes. My black lab loves them all !! Do you happen to have a recipe that includes cranberries?? I purchase dog biscuits that are made with cranberries to prevent his urine from burning my grass. Thanks!! Linda
I’ve got the 2nd batch of the Pumpkin and Peanut Butter treats in the oven right now! My pups (also an Olive, and Nelly) love them. There is a glut of butternut squash at the moment here in South Africa so I baked and pureed a load of squash and froze it in 1 cup portions so I can make the biscuits again for them. I love that I can make healthy tasty dog biscuits for so much less than shop bought ones!