19a Best Recipes for Homemade Dog Treats (2024)

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19a Best Recipes for Homemade Dog Treats (1)Ivis EstradaUpdated: Mar. 10, 2023

    Your fur baby deserves the best, especially when it comes to food. Keep 'em happy and healthy with these delish dog treat recipes!

    1/19

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    Peanut Butter Carob Cups

    This recipe is for a dog-friendly version of peanut butter cups! Made with only four ingredients (carob chips, coconut oil, peanut butter and honey), these homemade treats are ready in 30 minutes and will easily be your pup’s favorite. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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    2/19

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    Classic Dog Biscuits

    You won’t need much to bake this dog cookie recipe: wheat flour, wheat germ and of course, your pup’s favorite peanut butter. Your canine pals will fur-sure go crazy over these. —Shannon Norris, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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    3/19

    Kate Morgan For taste of Home

    Sweet Potato Dog Treats

    To make chewy sweet potato treats, simply peel and slice your sweet potatoes, coat them in coconut oil and turmeric and then roast them in the oven for a few hours. They’re the perfect pick-me-up snacks for your pup. —Kate Morgan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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    4/19

    Molly Allen for Taste of Home

    Peanut Butter Frozen Dog Treats

    This dog treat recipe is so refreshing! Combine peanut butter, Greek yogurt and a ripe banana in the blender and you’ll have treats on hand for when your dogs are behaving paws-itively perfect. You can even customize this treat with fruit like blueberries, strawberries or pumpkin. —Molly Allen, Hood River, Oregon

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    5/19

    Chicken Dog Treats

    Your dog’s tail will wag for these homemade chicken dog treats. Made with healthy, whole food ingredients like chicken, sweet potatoes, oat flour and chicken broth, these treats will be gobbled right up. You can even store them in the freezer for up to three months. —Kate Morgan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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    6/19

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    Cheddar Dog Treats

    Any pampered pup will be lucky to fetch these cheese dog treats for Christmas. The yummy strips are made with real cheese, which most dogs can’t resist.—Lydia Driscoll, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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    7/19

    Molly Allen for Taste of Home

    Peanut Butter Pupcakes

    Spoil your best friend with homemade dog cupcakes, aka “pupcakes.” This recipe uses creamy peanut butter for a burst of dog-friendly flavor in the cake and frosting. Sprinkle crushed dog biscuits on top for decoration. —Molly Allen, Hood River, Oregon

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    Is your dog turning another year older? Gather your two- and four-legged friends and celebrate with fun dog birthday party ideas.

    8/19

    Peanut Butter Coconut Oil Treats

    Three ingredients are all it takes to makethese creamy canine confections. Kelly Rowe of Live Laugh Rowe mixes peanut butter, cinnamon and coconut oil for these homemade treats. Use a cute paw print silicone tray and your dogs will go mutts over them.

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    9/19

    Kate Morgan For taste of Home

    3-Ingredient Dog Treats

    Nothing tells your four-legged friend how much you love them like homemade treats. With only three ingredients—apples, peanut butter and oats—and 15 minutes of bake time, these treats will teach you how easy it is to make dog treats at home. —Kate Morgan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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    10/19

    Molly Allen for Taste of Home

    Dog Birthday Cake

    Celebrating your furry friend’s birthday? Whip up this homemade dog cake with simple ingredients like applesauce, bananas and peanut butter. Be sure you stick to safe baking ingredients that don’t have artificial sweeteners that can be toxic to your dog. —Molly Allen, Hood River, Oregon

    Psst: Serve this cake with Dairy Queen’s pup cup to go all out!

    11/19

    Peanut Butter Bacon Dog Doughnuts

    Not only are these dog doughnuts by Laura of Sunny Day Family made of ingredients you already have at home, but they have bacon which makes everything better. Top these treats off with some Greek yogurt, toss them in the freezer and bone appetit!

    And if you run out of these dog doughnuts, head to Tim Hortons for a treat from the secret dog menu.

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    12/19

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    Pumpkin Ginger Dog Biscuits

    The best thing about these bone-shaped biscuits? You already have all of the ingredients in your pantry (and you can finally use up that can of pumpkin). Feed these to Fido when his stomach is upset, as ginger helps relieve nausea. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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    13/19

    Elizabeth Harris for Taste of Home

    Peanut Butter Dog Treats

    Looking for a healthy dog treat recipe that won’t have you running to a specialty store for any ingredients? This is the one! Add a bit of parsley for a natural breath freshener and look forward to all the puppy kisses you’ll get for making these delicious dog treats. —Elizabeth Harris, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

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    14/19

    Oat and Apple Dog Pretzel Treats

    With chewy rolled oats and fruity applesauce,these pet-approved pretzelsby the Cookie Rookie are sure to have even the most stubborn pups sitting and staying. The treats even use gluten-free flour (which you can swap for coconut flour, too) so they’re healthy and hearty.

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    15/19

    Breath-Freshening Treats

    Bad breath? There’s a treat for that.These good-for-Fido greenies by Health Starts in the Kitchen are packed with parsley, mint and activated charcoal to prevent those stinky smooches that every dog parent is familiar with. An added plus is that you can customize the size to make them giant for larger dogs or teenie for smaller pooches.

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    16/19

    Carrot Peanut Butter Pupcakes

    Puppies +cupcakes= pupcakes.These doggy dessertsby Shweta Arora of Shweta in the Kitchen are exactly what you need to celebrate a special occasion, like Scout’s first birthday or Bella’s graduation from obedience school. Shweta’s secret tip is adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey to the frosting to make these party treats mildly sweet. Don’t forget the party hats!

    You’ll want to find a perfect gift for your dog, too.

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    17/19

    Healthy Pumpkin Puppuccino

    For the dog who’s as PSL-obsessed as his mom, this Starbucks-inspired sip (coffee not included) by Cooking with Janica is a great alternative when the Starbucks puppuccino isn’t available. This recipe is pumped with vitamins and high in fiber from the pumpkin, making it a healthy treat for your dog.

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    18/19

    Kate Morgan For taste of Home

    Bacon Dog Treats

    Regular dog treats are no match for this bacon dog treat recipe. A twist on the traditional dog biscuit, this recipe adds oats, bananas and bacon (of course) to make paw-some dog treats. —Kate Morgan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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    19/19

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    Ginger and Spice Dog Biscuits

    These homemade dog treats are soft with a hint of spice. Grab some ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves and molasses and whip up a batch of these howl-iday bones. —Megan and Natalie Stanson, Frazeysburg, Ohio

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    Originally Published: December 18, 2018

    19a Best Recipes for Homemade Dog Treats (21)

    Ivis Estrada

    Ivis recently completed her first year as assistant editor at Taste of Home, where she's been writing and updating content about cooking trends, food news and cleaning and organizing. She also works on behind-the-scenes projects that help keep the Taste of Home team ticking along. Still learning how to cook elaborate meals, she's an expert when it comes to finding and trying beginner recipes.After hours, you can find Ivis out looking for the best restaurants in Madison (especially those that serve authentic Mexican food) or taking her dog for scenic walks.

    19a Best Recipes for Homemade Dog Treats (2024)

    FAQs

    Can you use regular flour for dog treats? ›

    In general, we recommend staying away from all purpose flour for your dog. It's not going to hurt them in small amounts, but it just doesn't have the nutritional value that you can get from other kinds of flour.

    How do you make a good dog treat? ›

    The easiest homemade dog biscuits use equal amounts of peanut butter and pumpkin puree (not pie filling) mixed with just enough flour to make a rollable dough. Roll it out about 1/4″ thick and cut it into bite size (for your dog) pieces. Bake in a 350°F oven until crisp and brown — about 15 minutes.

    What is the main ingredient in dog treats? ›

    Dog biscuits come in all shapes, sizes, and quality levels. When you take a closer look at their labels, you'll notice most are made from corn, wheat, and other fillers. Those famous bone-shaped biscuits--their top ingredients are wheat flour, wheat bran, bone meal, and poultry by-product meal.

    How do you make homemade dog chews long lasting? ›

    A Homemade Longer Lasting Dog Chew for Teething Relief

    Soak the towel in water or in a mix of water and salt-free bouillon. Wring out the towel thoroughly and twist it into a long sausage shape. Put it in the freezer until frozen. Give it to the puppy and let him chew!

    What is the healthiest flour for dog treats? ›

    Whole wheat flour: is packed with fiber, and protein, and is a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin E, copper, iron, manganese, and selenium. You could alternatively substitute this with oat flour or another dog-safe flour.

    What is the safest flour for dog treats? ›

    Best Flour for Dog Treats
    • Almond flour. At The Dog Chef I'm very fond of almond flour. ...
    • Tapioca flour. Like almond flour, tapioca flour is both grain and gluten-free. ...
    • Buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is a pseudograin. ...
    • Oat flour. ...
    • Coconut flour. ...
    • Best flour for dog treats.

    Is it cheaper to make your own dog treats? ›

    Why homemade dog treats? They will be a lot cheaper than most commercial treats and you can guarantee the ingredients are healthy for your dog! Say goodbye to artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors that may cause unwanted – and unnecessary – health issues for your beloved canine.

    What are the healthiest dog treats? ›

    Consider treats that contain dog-safe fruits and vegetables like carrots, green beans, apples and bananas that offer very few calories and have good nutritional value, experts say.

    What baking ingredients are safe for dogs? ›

    Ingredients that are safe for your dog:
    • Peanut butter: As previously mentioned, some peanut butters can contain xylitol. ...
    • Flour and oats: These can be good sources of fiber and help with digestion.
    • Pumpkin: This is a great source of fiber. ...
    • Yogurt: Small amounts are okay to give to your dog.

    What ingredient should not be in dog treats? ›

    6 Ingredients To Avoid When Buying Dog Treats
    • Glycerin. ...
    • Sodium Tripolyphosphate (aka STPP or E451) ...
    • Vague 'Catch-All' Terms. ...
    • Wheat. ...
    • Butylated Hydroxyanisole (aka BHA or E320) & Butylated Hydroxytoluene (aka BHT or E321) ...
    • Potassium Sorbate (aka PSG or E202)
    Feb 28, 2019

    What are the best foods to put in homemade dog food? ›

    Good homemade food for healthy dogs includes all the vitamins, calcium, proteins and minerals your pet needs to stay healthy. You can add ground beef, chicken, lamb or venison, as well as vegetables, such as zucchini, carrots, parsnips, beets, yams, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes.

    Why do they put vinegar in dog treats? ›

    Aiding Digestion

    Pets on grain-based diets can have trouble digesting their food, resulting in higher-than-healthy levels of pH, says Morgan. “If you add vinegar to the food, they'll digest it better and lower the pH, which allows good bacteria to thrive in the body,” she says.

    What is a natural preservative for homemade dog treats? ›

    Many ingredients of our organic dog treats have great nutritional profiles, and some can also help to preserve food. Examples of the natural preservatives that we include in our recipes are ginger, lemon, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, oregano, and star anise.

    How do you keep homemade dog treats from going bad? ›

    Airtight containers

    And if, as I do, you use preserve jars, leave the lid popped open for a while before sealing. Providing they are fully dried out, most dog treats will happily keep in an airtight container for a couple of months. Always keep an eye on them though, just in case.

    Is peanut butter good for my dog? ›

    ' The good news is that regular peanut butter is safe to give your dog as a treat. Just make sure to avoid peanut butter with Xylitol, a sugar substitute found in lower or sugar-free products. Xylitol is the only ingredient in peanut butter that's bad for dogs.

    Can you use regular flour instead of wheat flour for dog treats? ›

    The good news is that none of the flours you're likely to see on your store shelves are actually dangerous for your dog. However, white flour is highly processed and has no nutritional value whatsoever, so please don't use that in Fido's treats.

    Can you use regular flour instead of oat flour for dog treats? ›

    Technically you could use all-purpose flour in this recipe. That being said, it is a good idea to consider your specific dogs dietary needs. Some dogs have a wheat allergy or sensitivity. In those cases it is a good idea to substitute oat flour, chickpea flour, or whole wheat which offers more nutritional value.

    Can I use white flour instead of whole wheat flour for dog treats? ›

    We recommend whole wheat flour because it has more nutrients than regular white flour. But both will work well in your homemade dog treats.

    Can you use bread flour for dog treats? ›

    Common household flour, bread flour, and cake flour can give dogs a dangerous spike and drop in blood sugar. If you don't have any whole grains on hand, it's better to skip that recipe for the time being and try something else.

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