Tails Will Wag When You Bake These Treats
We don’t have a dog, but we do have four delightful granddogs who live nearby and who we love to “dogsit.” These pumpkin dog treats are perfect to keep on hand for those visits. I always look forward to spoiling them with something homemade.
The pups are expert beggars and I’m a soft touch for those pleading faces. These treats give me a healthier alternative to offering cheese or other human foods. They’re simple to prepare and made with wholesome ingredients dogs enjoy.
I’d been meaning to try this recipe for a while but kept putting it off for the silliest reason: I couldn’t find a dog-bone cookie cutter locally. Of course, shapes don’t matter to the dogs—they’d happily accept rounds or stars—so don’t let a missing cutter stop you.
While having coffee with friends this morning, Kari from K-town Cakery kindly loaned me her cutter. The bone shape is adorable, but feel free to use whatever cutter you have or simply cut the dough into small squares.
Why Your Pups Will Love This Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe
These pumpkin dog treats use only five simple ingredients: pumpkin puree, peanut butter, whole wheat flour, a little cinnamon, and eggs. They’re quick to make and use pantry staples, resulting in wholesome snacks your dog will eagerly accept.
How To Make Pumpkin Dog Treats
Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir until a stiff, slightly sticky dough forms. A sturdy whisk or wooden spoon works well to bring the mixture together.
Use natural peanut butter when possible. If you use a processed peanut butter, double-check the label to ensure it does not contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is toxic to dogs. Regular peanut butter varieties sweetened with sugar or molasses are safe options.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, roll to about 1/4″ thickness, and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. The dough rolls out easily and releases cleanly from the cutter. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut again until all the dough is used.
Place the shapes on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes. They don’t spread much, so you can bake many on a single sheet. Bake longer if you prefer crunchier treats.
The aroma while baking is delightful and entirely edible for humans, though these treats are formulated for dogs and lightly sweetened. I sampled a tiny scrap—tasty enough but not overly sweet.
Our daughter took the first batch home to the granddogs and returned with reports of four wagging tails. Our youngest granddog, Cash, even pouted when he was allowed only one—clearly a hit. I’ll be baking more for the next visit.
Dog Treats With Pumpkin
An easy recipe for healthy dog treats using pumpkin, peanut butter, eggs, whole wheat flour, and cinnamon.
5 minutes
20 minutes
25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (or a variety without artificial sweeteners)
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. The dough will be stiff and slightly sticky. Turn it onto a floured surface and roll to 1/4″ thickness.
- Cut shapes with a cookie cutter or cut into small pieces.
- Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut until all dough is used.
- Bake about 20 minutes; bake longer for crunchier treats.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month or freeze for up to six months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 77
Total Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 16mg
Sodium: 43mg
Carbohydrates: 12g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 1g
Protein: 3g
I’ll bake a few more batches to share with the granddogs when they visit for the holidays. I’m looking forward to having all four here with the family this Christmas.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear about the treats you make for the holidays. Happy baking and tail wags!
Love, GB (Betty Streff)