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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I’ve been toying with making my own dog cookies for a while now and this just looks so simple. How long do you think the cookies would stay good?
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.
You can also vacuum pack them and they will last even longer.
I don’t even roll & cut them! Just plop a spoonful on a (PAM sprayed) baking sheet (spread gently, for uniformity) bake n serve!!!!
Hehe I might use this short cut, I hate using a rolling pin, me and it never have quite gotten along lol.
I’m the same way but this dough is super easy to work with!
I’ve made these several times, but rather than using the eggs, I used 1/4 cup water and also added 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon.
Rolling out, I use a pizza cutter and bake on parchment paper. Super easy!
Thank you for the idea for removing the egg. Do you think with removing the egg, that would extend the shelf life of the cookie?
I vacuum pack them and they last for months then. After vacuum packing you can freeze them and they will last even longer.
No it’s the pumpkin that molds but egg (or applesauce) is what holds it together
As an egg substitute you can use flax or chia seed mixed with water. This will work as a binder like an egg would. Sorry I don’t remember the amounts.. Google it
It is 1-1 , 1 tsp. flax seed meal – 1 tsp. water. I use the flax seed meal, as I have not used the chia, but it would work the same.
I also used a pizza cutter on the rolled out dough. So I much easier than using cookie cutters and I can make real small treats for my little dogs.
Thanks Linda F. l am going to try it that way. Trying to put weight on my Great Pyrenees Mix.
~Heidi
I know this is quite an old post, but hopefully this will get bounced around. Will this dough do ok through a pampered chef squeeze handle cookie gun, with all of the different
shape circles?
Unfortunately, without trying the Pampered Chef cookie gun myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
How many calories in the small dog bones?
I try my very best to provide nutritional information for my recipes. However, if they are not available, it is best that you use free online resources at your discretion (you can gooogle “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information. Also, nutritional information will vary depending on the size and thickness of the treats.
Thanks for posting this! I was using another peanut butter dog treat recipe that was so much more complicated. I can’t wait to make these for my fur babies!
Thank you for sharing this! I love the idea of baking something healthy and delicious for my pup!
These sound great for dogs! I remember making some wholemeal dog biscuits too for a dog I was looking after for the day, and he absolutely loved them! I even tried one myself just to see what they’d be like. And with easy ingredients that you use in your day-to-day life, s’all good 😀 Love the cookie cutters! x
How long are they good for once they are baked?
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.
Do they require refrigeration since you used the puree?
Ive recently been trying to make treats for my furbabies and a lot of the recipes ive seen say “refrigerate.” I know when you bake a cake even though you use eggs it doesn’t have to be so I’m curious. Thanks for the help.
They do not require refrigeration but placing them in the fridge will extend shelf life.
I put 10 bones in a mini ziplock and freeze the rest. I fill my bag as needed and nothing goes to waste. Our dog loves them fresh or thawed from the freezer.
What do you do with the left over pumpkin pure?
So many things! You can check out all my other pumpkin (human) recipes here. 🙂
I measured out 2/3 Cup pumpkin, put it in a ziplock bag and froze it. I’ll take it out and thaw it when I make the next batch!
Could you make this without peanut butter?
why so short of shelf life. shouldnt they last as long as cookies do?
No idea!
There is no added sugar. Sugar prolongs shelf life.
Sugar does prolong the shelf life but there is no point because dogs cannot taste sweetness and too much sugar is bad for dogs
The pumpkin puree especially will attract mold and will cause a short shelf life. This annoyed me. I’m not a cook, but I did some research and found that if I added a bit of oil with vitamin E (I chose sunflower oil), the shelf life will be extended a very long time. They last me months now. For this recipe, I added maybe three teaspoons of the sunflower oil. Apparently sunflower oil is also used as a common preservative. I found it listed on the ingredients of several “healthy” dog treats in the store. Hope this helps!
No preservatives
Can i use coconut oil in this recipe? I heard it is also goid for animals digestive system and hair.
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, we cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I also used my bone cookie cutter to make sugar cookie cutouts for my veterinary. Big hit
Do these need to remain in the oven after baking for dehydrating or are they supposed to be a softer treat?
There’s no need to dehydrate. 🙂
Hi can I ask you a question can I use rice flour too
Thank
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Love this, but I only used 2 cups flour – 3 would have been way too much!?
That’s absolutely fine – sometimes, I use 2.5 cups and other times I use 3.5 cups.
I’m a dude….. I have a long haired mini-wienie and an aussie. after 3 years of canine carryout and begin strips they started getting digestive problems, I researched it and found propylene glycol as an additive to these treats. I am a master diesel mechanic and I can tell you that is basically giving your dogs engine coolant in small doses, so I found this site researching healthy substitutes. I have not baked since jr. high 28 years ago, and this was a 15 minute job for me. Add a few cause I don’t keep track of measuring cups. I dont’ need them for the grill. The entire time I was mixing the dough I had eyes staring through me. They knew what was going on. These are their new treats! They absolutely went nuts over these. Thanks for the recipe. My pups thank you too.
How many treats can you make in one batch
It’s really hard to say – it all depends on the size of the cookie cutters that you use.
I have a 8 pound Maltese (Molly) and we make a treat she just loves. The treats are very easy to make. I take 2 sweet Potato, cut them in round slices, bake the round slices on a cookie sheet at a lower temp so they don’t burn.
around 250. Bake until they are crisp. These are better for your dog, last for a long time and they just love them. Easy to make, Molly just loves em. Give it a try.
Bruce Remington
Wow, great idea Bruce. I will try this as easy and healthy is very appealing to me!
How long do the sweet potato treats last?
Are these good for human consumption?
I made them, dog loved them, but definitely safe for people as well since it’s just peanut butter, flour, eggs and pumpkin puree. A bit bland(I was curious) but hey, my dog loves them!