Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.
The easiest homemade dog treats ever – simply mix, roll and cut. Easy peasy, and so much healthier than store-bought!
Featured Comment
I know. Dog treats on Damn Delicious? I never thought I’d see the day. But I’ve been spending a lot of time and money shopping for good-quality dog treats for Butters here, but then I thought, why not just make them at home?
reasons to make homemade peanut butter dog treats
- So stinking easy to make
- Short 4 ingredient list, most of which you probably have on hand
- Healthier ingredients – no added preservatives, fats or chemicals
- Economical and cost-effective
- Freezer-friendly to extend shelf-life
- Guaranteed favorite with your pups
- Makes for great gifts for pup friends, birthdays and holidays
Ingredients
Pumpkin puree
Pumpkin puree is great for digestive health for your pup. Always use pure pumpkin puree with no added sugar, salt, fat or spices.
Peanut butter
A hero ingredient here! Always opt for natural, unsalted peanut butter without added sugar or artificial sweeteners such as xylitol.
Eggs
Not only are eggs a nutritious source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, but they also serve as a binding agent to hold the dog treats together.
Whole wheat flour
We prefer whole wheat flour as it contains more nutritional value than all-purpose flour. Rice flour can also be used as a gluten-free option.
tips and tricks for success
- Use your favorite cookie cutters. Bone-shaped cookie cutters are so much fun to work with but you can really use any kind of cookie cutter on hand – hearts, stars, dog houses, paws, etc.
- Adjust baking time as needed. The longer they bake, the crunchier they are.
- Shorter shelf life. Homemade peanut butter dog treats have a shorter shelf life as they lack preservatives compared to store-bought treats, making them susceptible to spoil relatively quickly.
- Feed in moderation. As always, give treats in moderation to avoid potential health problems such as diabetes and obesity.
- Consult with a vet. Please consult with your pet’s veterinarian regarding possible allergies, dietary restrictions and health concerns your pup may have.
freezing and storage
Storage
Homemade dog treats can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Freeze after baking
Let the dog treats cool completely. Transfer the dog treats to an airtight, resealable freezer bag, thawing overnight. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months.
pro tip
Use dog safe peanut butter.
Use peanut butter without added sugar or artificial sweeteners such as xylitol. Xylitol is added to peanut butter as a low-calorie sweetener. While safe for humans, xylitol is toxic to dogs, causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death.
more homemade dog food recipes
Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but all-purpose flour is high in carbs and does not offer much nutritional value.
Rice flour is often times used as a gluten-free option. It is easier to digest and can help with stomach issues.
These can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat pumpkin puree, peanut butter and eggs on medium-high until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually add 2 1/2 cups flour at low speed, beating just until incorporated. Add an additional 1/4 cup flour at a time just until the dough is no longer sticky.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 3-4 times until it comes together. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Place into oven and bake until the edges are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.*
- Let cool completely.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
I made these this weekend and my pup LOVES them! How long do you think they’ll keep if stored in either a zip-lock bag or an airtight container?
These can be kept at room temperature for a few days but I recommend storing them in the fridge (or freezer) to extend shelf life. But methods for optimal food storage and shelf life should be based on good judgment and what you are personally comfortable with. Hope that helps, Stephanie!
These treats are so easy to make and are delicious (for my dog!) It’s my dog Boo’s birthday and he’s in love with these treats! Thank you for the great recipe.
Awwwww, happy birthday, Boo!
How many treats does this make?
I am a teacher and am looking for a learning service project and though about making dog treats for the homeless shelter for those with pups.
It’s really hard to say – it all depends on the size of the cookie cutters that you use.
I have used this recipe a few times as gifts for friends/clients. Each time they say the dogs love them, and I can confirm that the recipe is super easy! Thanks so much for posting it.
Quite unexpectedly, the texture of the dough reminded me of pasta dough. I though, “What the heck,” and made some linguine today with the leftover dough. To my surprise, it made a pasta with great texture that tasted quite nice, as well… I just added some butter to the cooked pasta to try it out.
Dog Treat Pasta. Who would have known?
I made these for Christmas as a gift to all of the fur babies I know. So far, each one of them love them & beg for more. My babies kept begging for them as them were baking. If your fur babies have a wheat allergy, there are many different flour substitutes you can use. My dogs highly recommend these!
Love it!
These are awesome! I made a batch for my 2 pups to taste test & they were a big hit. I have a dog boarding business so am going to make more to give to my customers for Christmas gifts 🙂
I made this receipt using a greyhound cookie cutter.Came out great.Dogs really loved them.
I absolutely love this recipe, I’ve even made some variations using this as my base. I was curious if you have a cat treat recipe, my cat is picky and I’ve made a few different recipes and none of them she likes. So I was curious if you had one for cats!
We do not at the moment. 🙁
My puppies are digging these treats! I made them with my Christmas cookie cutters and dog bones and paw prints. Too cute!
Awwwww – how cute!
Hi! Do you think I can opt out the pumpkin puree and only use peanut butter? Thanks!
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
These were perfect for Winnie! We made Christmas tree shapes, gingerbread shapes, oven mitt shapes, and lots of mini clovers. She loves them! I think they are a bit chewy for her taste and the prep time was more like 40 minutes but it was so worth it and lasted weeks in our little dog treat jar.
Thanks for sharing this healthy treat, I used sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin. I don’t buy anything canned for me so my baby can’t have canned either. They turned out fine (I tasted them [dont tell anyone], bland but ok) and Tanner kept begging. I’ll try the chia or flax seed next time. Again thanks.
I tried these last night. My dog likes them, but I wanted to decorate them like Christmas cookies and they got bubbles when they baked, not nice and flat like yours. Do you know why that would happen?
It’s hard to say as a few factors can be at play but here is a forum worth checking out regarding bubbles in cookies!
http://cookieconnection.juliausher.com/topic/air-bubbles-in-cookies
Hope that helps!
hello… you do have such lovely recipes, and i really do hate to rain on your parade here, i’m sorry… but i have to say – wheat, gluten, and grains are terrible for dogs… much healthier to use gluten free flours and ground seeds in homemade dog foods and treats (and crispier!)… eggs, on the other hand, are absolutely excellent for dogs! true, less shelf life, but just keep them in the fridge or freezer… i’m sure these are yummy, and yes healthier than most commercial brands, and i doff my hat to you for wanting to take better care of your furry friend, but please… no grains and gluten, and really, more eggs instead of less! i’m vegan myself, so i don’t eat eggs, but my puppy does (only good ones from happy chickens)
I made these a my dogs love them.
Next time I will double the recipe being I have 2 large, spoiled yellow labs
In your recipe for dog treats it calls for whole wheat flour. Can I substitute the whole wheat flour with oats? I really want to fix something special for my fur grand baby but I don’t want to have to spend a lot on food that will just lay around and eventually get thrown away, like wheat flour.
Thank you in advance.
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Thank you.
How long do they last if refrigerated immediately?
These can be kept at room temperature for a few days but I recommend storing them in the fridge (or freezer) to extend shelf life. But methods for optimal food storage and shelf life should be based on good judgment and what you are personally comfortable with.
Ousted 2 1/2 cups flour and the dough seemed pliable without being sticky…..and baked for the full 25 minutes….they’re a beautiful color but seem like they could not be crunchy all the way through…..is this ok? Should I have used more flour? Baked them longer?
Totally fine, Peg! You can bake for longer for more crunchy treats! 🙂
Hello I am wondering the best way to store these?
I prefer to store these in an airtight container either in the fridge or freezer to extend shelf life.
I did exactly as you said and pup wont eat them. Sucks cause I made 2 batches……
Hi Heather! Thanks for trying my recipe but unfortunately, I cannot speak for your pup’s dietary preferences. Some pups can just be super picky!
How my will these last on the shelf?
Methods for optimal food storage and shelf life should be based on good judgment and what you are personally comfortable with. Hope that helps!