4 Easy Recipes for Healthy Homemade Dog Treats Your Pup Will Love

I don't know about you, but don't you find that homemade treats just taste better? Maybe it's the fact you've put in some hard work, or it's that loving touch, but I've always found that when you make a homemade treat, everyone's a big fan.

So why can't we apply this to our pups too?

Many people feel intimidated by the idea of making their own dog treats because they think it's going to be really complicated (spoiler: it's not) or they're going to have to buy some crazy exotic ingredients. But that's 100% not the case!

These recipes (both my own and some great ones I've sourced online) contain all-natural ingredients that you can buy at the grocery store! They're also very simple to make, so there's no need to get overwhelmed!

1. All-Natural Peanut Butter Dog Treats Recipe

This recipe is an absolute staple! With only 6 ingredients, it's easy to put together and I haven't found a dog that doesn't like them. Made primarily from peanut butter, whole wheat flour and wheat germ, these treats can be made in under an hour.

Tip: Since this recipe is the most similar to "human" cookies, while I often like to cut them out in the shape of dog bones (with a cookie cutter of course!), you can use any shape you like. I've made these for holiday treats in the shape of snowflakes, and hearts for valentine's day.

Your dog may not realize how cute they go with the current holiday, but any friends or family that you gift them to will!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1⁄2 tsp. baking powder
• 1⁄2 cup natural, no sugar added applesauce
• 1 cup natural smooth peanut butter*
• 1 egg
• 1⁄4 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, wheat germ and baking powder. Add in remaining ingredients and stir until dough comes together. Roll out dough on a floured surface to about 1⁄4” thick.
3. Use a cookie cutter or just cut out squares.
4. Place on a parchment-covered baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until the biscuit is golden brown and crisply.

*Note: Make sure to read the ingredients to avoid anything that contains xylitol (otherwise known as birch syrup). This ingredient is toxic to dogs, and commonly found in popular nut butters.

2. No-Bake, Wheat-Free Peanut Butter Balls Recipe

Feeling crunched on time? Or no access to an oven? This recipe is even EASIER to make and doesn't contain any wheat! I know some dogs have a hard time digesting wheat, so if your pup is one of those, this peanut butter-based recipe is the one for you.

What I love about this recipe is that you can make them in under 15 minutes (though they do need time to set)! So they're great as a last-minute treat to give your pup (especially if they've been particularly good that day).

This recipe was created by Chungah Rhee over at Damn Delicous so I can't take the credit for that, but it's such a great recipe I had to share! She also has amazing (human) recipes too if you're in a cooking frenzy. For full directions (and picture-by-picture instructions) you can check it out here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 cups old fashioned oats, divided

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat pumpkin puree, peanut butter and milk on medium-high until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats at low speed, beating just until incorporated.
2. Using a small cookie scoop, roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch balls, forming about 20. Dredge balls in remaining 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, pressing to coat.
3. Cover and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.*

3. Grain-Free Pumpkin Coconut Dog Treats Recipe

So I know the last recipe was wheat-free, but what about all those dogs who can't have ANY grains? I'm looking at you bullies and mastiffs (though there are actually quite a few different breeds that have a hard time with grains).

If your pup is one of those with a sensitive tummy, these grain-free pumpkin coconut dog treats are absolutely amazing! If you didn't know, pumpkin is incredible for helping with digestion (and it really is a treat on its own), so these dog treats are perfect to make your pup feel special, while still feeling 100%.

This recipe came from Cassie at Wholefully. She's a Certified Holistic Nutritionist so she knows what she's talking about! For full directions (and images) of how to make these you can find them here.

Some people have had issues with this recipe, so they have an in-depth comments section to troubleshoot! This recipe may take a bit of trial-and-error to get it perfect but if your dogs love it, it'll be worth it.

Ingredients:

• 1 15-ounce can of Pure Pumpkin
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup melted pure coconut oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 2/3 cups coconut flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, peanut butter, coconut oil, and eggs until smooth.
3. Add in the turmeric, cinnamon, and coconut flour. Mix until well combined. Let rest for about 5-10 minutes to thicken. Coconut flour NEEDS this time to absorb the moisture. If your dough is too moist, let it sit longer.
4. Layout a piece of parchment paper and place the dough on top. Then place another piece of parchment on top of that. Roll the dough between the parchment sandwich until the dough is about 1/4” thick.
5. Remove the top layer of parchment paper, and then cut using cooking cutters. Remove the dough scraps (but leave the cutouts behind), and transfer the parchment sheet with the cutouts directly to a large baking sheet.
6. Combine the scraps, place between two sheets of new parchment, and roll, cut, and place on a baking sheet.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the cookies are dry and hard. Let cool completely.
8. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.

4. Frozen Yogurt Dog Treats Recipe

With summer having pretty much arrived, I'm sure your dogs have been experiencing the heat! Especially after a big run or dog park excursion. Wouldn't you like to offer them a quenching frozen treat?

This recipe contains only THREE ingredients and requires any mould or ice cube tray. What's great is you can make a big batch and then store them in the freezer for the summer! Created by Jen at Peel with Zeal, you can find the full recipe and substitution recommendations here.

(by the way, these treats are human-friendly too, so you get something out of it as well!)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup blueberries
• 3/4 cup greek yogurt low fat preferably
• 1/2 banana, ripe

Directions:

1. Gather all ingredients and equipment.
2. Add all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend until fully incorporated, about 90 seconds.
3. Pour into moulds. Freeze until solid, about 5 hours.
4. Remove from moulds and give as treats. 

Did you give any of these recipes a try? Let me know how they went for you and if your pup loved them as much as I hope they would! Drop me a comment below to let me know how it went.

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