Here are three recipes for healthy, homemade dog treats that Bodhi loved, just in time for the holidays!
These homemade dog treats are easy to make. Where available, I used only healthy, organic, or unprocessed ingredients. The recipes can be adjusted to suit dietary restrictions and tastes.
Peanut Butter Treats
We have yet to meet a dog who turns his nose up to these treats!
Ingredients:
- 2 c. whole wheat flour
- 1 c. rolled oats
- 1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes (or 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 c. water (or beef broth)
- 1/2 c. non-fat dry milk
- 1 c. organic peanut butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°.
In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs lightly.
Add water and peanut butter to the eggs.
Gently combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.
Knead with your hands until you have a smooth ball of dough. You can use a Kitchen Aid or other powerful mixer to speed up the process.
If dough is too dry add a little more water.
Use a rolling pin and flatten out the dough.
Use a cookie cutter to cut out fun shapes. If you’re feeling lazy, just leave the dough as is and bake it like one whole cookie. You can always break it up after it’s cooked.
Make sure you use a non-stick baking sheet or spray the cookie sheet with something like Pam.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. If you want the dog treats to be softer, take them out 10 minutes earlier.
You can find fun-shaped cookie cutters at grocery stores, baking shops, online, and at few pet stores. We found great dog-shaped cookie cutters at Fishs Eddy in New York City on Broadway between 19th and 20th Streets. (Click here for my post on the Urban Dog blog about more fun dog-related products from Fishs Eddy.)
So… How Did They Taste?
Well, Bodhi gobbled them up!
Me? I had a slightly different reaction!
Here are two more recipes that Bodhi loved. The Pumpkin Spice treats are particularly appropriate for Holiday time (they smell like pumpkin pie!) And the Rosemary Cheese treats smell kind of like Christmas trees.
Pumpkin Spice Treats
- 1 1/2 c. oat flour
- 1 1/2 c. brown rice flour
- 1/2 c. pumpkin (canned or fresh)
- 2 tbsp. molasses (regular or blackstrap)
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 egg
- 1/2 c. water (or beef broth)
Preheat oven to 350° degrees.
As with the peanut butter treats, whisk all dry ingredients together. Then add wet ingredients (except water.) Once mixed, slowly add water until a dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water.
Bake for 22 minutes to 27 minutes or until golden.
Rosemary Cheese Treats
- 1 1/2 c. oat flour
- 1 1/2 c. brown rice flour
- 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 c. parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp. rosemary
- 1/2 c. oat bran
- 1 egg
- 1/2 c. water (or beef broth)
Preheat oven to 350° degrees.
As with the peanut butter treats, whisk all dry ingredients together. Then add wet ingredients (except water.) Once mixed, slowly add water until a dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water.
Bake for 20 minutes to 25 minutes or until golden.
Storage
Remember, these treats are made with fresh ingredients and with no preservatives, so they will go bad if they are not stored properly. They can’t be left out like processed treats. They will keep for a few days unrefrigerated, but it’s probably best to store them in the fridge in a plastic bag or in a container like Tupperware. You can freeze them if you are not going to serve them up right away. I find that Bodhi likes them frozen.
