Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats
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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?
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My treats aren’t hard. Are they supposed to be like traditional biscuits or is this consistency good? They’re a little firmer than bread
If your pup prefers a chewier treat, I recommend decreasing the baking time to 10-15 minutes. If your pup prefers a more crunchier consistency, you can increase the baking time as needed.
I am making dog treats as a Christmas gift for all the dogs in my family. I made a “practice batch” tonight and let my two dogs sample them. I have a chocolate lab, who will eat anything, and of course he loved them. I also have a Shih tzu, who is pretty picky, and he also loved them! I don’t have a mixer and was able to mix everything by hand with no problem! I used a bone shaped cookie cutter and cooked them for 22 minutes. They were perfect! Now I’m ready to made a couple more batches for gifts! Thanks for the great, simple recipie!
Mine bubbled up and had air pockets 🙁 any ideas??
Often cookies like this will puff up if you use large cookie cutters. If that seems to fit your situation, poke them with a fork in a regular patern around every 1/4 inch or so – a bit like a saltine cracker, and that should do it. It’s called docking and is often recommended for larger rolled cookies and crackers.
Can they be frozen a stored? Thanks
Yes, they can be placed in the freezer to extend shelf life.
Can brewers yeast and fishing oil be added?
Unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment.
I made these but mine turned out rubbery. Any tips?
If your pup prefers a chewier treat, I recommend decreasing the baking time to 10-15 minutes. If your pup prefers a more crunchier consistency, you can increase the baking time as needed.
I used coconut flour, but the dough won’t roll, or stick together. It is crumbly. I can barely get a teaspoon full to stick together. Any ideas? I would appreciate any advice. My dogs have been watching me the whole time anxiusly. Can’t wait to let them try it!
Unfortunately, I do not have much experience using coconut flour. Can you try making this again with whole wheat flour?
I use only coconut flour but you have to add liquid to it to get it to form. I make my dog biscuits with pumpkin puree, peanut butter, eggs, kefir, honey and coconut oil. Coconut flour is extremely dry so the added moisture works great and all of the ingredients are great for any dog. I will even put a little apple cider vinegar in the mix for good measure.
I have been making my dogs biscuits now going on 4 years, and they love them. I use gluten free flour. They sit in the kitchen waiting for them to come out of the oven. It takes me about and hour to get them all done, they love love love them.
I have 2 Mini Dachshunds. 1 is highly allergic to beef, lamb & yeast. I have made them Peanut Butter treats for years. One ingredient that has been Vet approved for them is ground flax seed. It is healthy and good for them. I am anxious to try your recipe and will decrease the flour a little and add the flax seed. Can you tell me how long these can be safely stored?
Thanks you for sharing your recipe. I am sure my girls are going to love them.
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.
Love the dog bone cutter. I used to cut biscuits for breakfast when my kids were small. They loved having “dog biscuits” for breakfast.
Just wondering if I can freeze the dough and thaw out when I want to bake fresh ones?
Couldn’t find it in the comments:)
Unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. Please use your best judgment.
Hi, I know this is a stupid question but what exactly is pumpkin puree? Do you have to make it from a pumpkin or is it the same as canned pumpkin ? Thanks!
Not a stupid question at all! You can use canned pumpkin puree (not to be confused with canned pumpkin pie filling).
I’m so glad you asked that! I have been reading all the comments trying to see if someone else asked!
Is there any substitutes for the Pumpkin Puree??
Ash, the pumpkin puree is one of the key ingredients in this recipe so I do not recommend any substitutes. But if substitutions must be made, please use your best judgment.
Thanks for the recipe! I am so excited to make these for my golden named, Max. I can’t wait to go out and get a bone cookie cutter……Max is gonna love these – I just know it! Thanks for the healthy recipe!
I had some leftover butternut squash, and it seemed to work out great. You can see what I did here:
http://heathershobbystop.blogspot.com/2015/07/to-dogs.html
I made a large batch, but I don’t see why they won’t freeze?
Yes, you can definitely freeze these to extend shelf life.
If a dog is being fed on raw meat, would these biscuits be alright for them?
This may be best answered by your veterinarian.
How come my cookies puff or bubble up?
I am not entirely sure – did you follow the recipe exactly as written without any substitutions? What size cookie cutters did you use?
Mine did too! I used AP flour, but other comments said that was fine. Otherwise nothing else was changed.
I was looking for a cookie recipe that I could ice with frosting, so they need to be flat 🙁
Hi, your dog is so cute!!! may i know what’s the breed?
Thank you! Both my pups are Pembroke Welsh Corgis.
can i use all purpose flour???
You can substitute all-purpose flour but it is not as healthy as whole wheat flour. I would also check with your pet’s veterinarian to check for any possible allergies.
I wonder if I could use Brown Rice Flour? I understand that it’s better for a dog’s digestive system. Thanks so much for sharing! I’m always looking for new doggie treat recipes.
Rice flour is a great alternative for dogs who are sensitive to wheat products. You can read more about the types of flour that can be used for dog biscuits here.
can i get away with not using the pumpkin puree? if so , how can i tweak the recipe?
Without further recipe testing, I cannot advise how to tweak the recipe by omitting such a key ingredient. Please use your best judgment.
I used baked butternut squash…. And white flour…. Mixed it with spatula and then by hand… And a shot glass as a cookie cutter. (Don’t use hand mixer; that will add a step you do not want to take.)
Watch the oven because they are easy to burn. Mine puffed up after ten minutes, and i pulled them out as soon as I was happy that the egg was probably cooked.
They were sort of chewy in the middle, and my very picky English Bulldog liked them. I think any squash veggie will do, just make sure it isn’t to wet (simply drain it).
Great and super easy recipe.
unsweetened applesauce would probably work well too. Just IMHO