Homemade Pumpkin Pie Dog Cookies
Store-bought bags of doggie desserts boast taste, health, and premium quality – but more often than not, dog cookies have no real benefit to them at all. With loads of sugar and a base of wheat, soy, and corn, many name brand treats taste great in the moment but end up being hard for your pup to digest.
Skip the preservatives and fillers that have no nutritional value – and ultimately the treats that may be harmful to your dog’s digestive system – by making your own dog cookies at home. Check out our latest quick and easy homemade dog treat recipe: Pumpkin Pie Dog Cookies!
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How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Dog Treats
When you make dog treats and dog cookies at home, you control what goes into them. Dog cookies can be more than a treat – they can actually enhance your dog’s diet by adding key nutrients. Are you ready to give it a try? Here’s how to make healthy pumpkin pie dog cookies.
What You’ll Need:
- 2 cups buckwheat flour
- 1 ¼ cup almond milk (preferably with no added sugar)
- ¼ cup unsalted peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons pureed pumpkin (available in cans at the supermarket)
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of turmeric
- Large mixing bowl
- Silicone dog treat pan (available on Amazon)
Instructions:
- Spray the silicone dog treat pan lightly with olive oil spray to ensure treats won’t stick.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix all ingredients except the buckwheat flour together in the mixing bowl.
- Slowly pour in the buckwheat flour while stirring to evenly distribute it.
- Make sure the recipe is mixed well.
- Pour the fresh batter into the sprayed silicone dog treat pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Adjust baking time based on your oven. Start checking after 40 minutes.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the counter before serving them to your dog.
Storing the Dog Treats
Since these dog cookies have no preservatives, they will spoil quickly. Unless you can use them all in two days, store the unused portions in the freezer. If you use an airtight container, you can store them for up to six months. When you’re ready to give your dog one, remove a few from the container and let them thaw on the counter for about 15 minutes.
What are the Health Benefits of Pumpkin Pie Dog Cookies?
For one, you save money when you make your own dog treats, and you certainly make your four-legged friend happy! Just as important are the health benefits. Not only do these cookies lack additives and preservatives, the ingredients have health benefits:
- Pureed pumpkin – a good source of vitamins A, C, E, and potassium. It also contains soluble fiber to optimize bowel movements. Plus, the fiber in pumpkin helps promote the growth of gut-healthy bacteria that help your dog’s digestive tract stay healthy.
- Unsalted Peanut butter – a good source of protein, healthy fat, vitamin E, and some B-vitamins. Unsalted means your dog doesn’t get the excess sodium in many brands of peanut butter.
- Buckwheat flour – Buckwheat is a berry, not a grain, so dogs that are sensitive to grains can still eat it. It’s also a good source of fiber, B-vitamins, magnesium, and potassium. Plus, it contains natural compounds called bioflavonoids that help reduce inflammation.
- Maple syrup – real maple syrup is rich in minerals, including zinc to support healthy immune function.
- Tumeric – a spice with anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is believed to be a driving force behind a number of chronic diseases in human and animals. The active ingredient in turmeric, called curcumin, helps calm inflammation, based on a number of studies. Tumeric is especially beneficial for dogs with joint pain and inflammation due to arthritis.
Additional Tips & Considerations
When you buy ingredients for dog treats and cookies, read the label carefully and make sure they do NOT contain xylitol, a sweetener used in some sugar-free products. Xylitol is toxic to dogs and can even be fatal if a dog ingests it.
There’s no doubt your pup will enjoy these tasty homemade dog treats, and you’ll appreciate treating him with something healthy and homemade! After you get through this recipe, try out another! Your dog will love our recipes for Sweet Potato Chews and Fruity, Frozen Dog Treats!
