You don’t have to wait for Halloween to whip up a batch of our Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats. Whether they’re just for you to enjoy at home or whether you’re headed to a doggie party, these treats feature seasonal ingredients and just take a few minutes to make!
This recipe, which appears in our The Healthy Hound Cookbook, has been one of our most popular–not only with the numerous magazines which have run the recipe but with the dogs who have enjoyed the finished product!
It was even included in USA Weekend–with our dear Irie as our model:
What Kind of Pumpkin Should You Buy?
The pumpkin you’ll need is canned pumpkin…but not pumpkin pie filling (which has too many spices and too much sugar).
You’re looking for just plain, ol’ canned pumpkin. Mine was in a 15-ounce can so there’s plenty more in the refrigerator now for the next batch of treats.
Want to make your own pumpkin from scratch? We’ve got a recipe on making pumpkin puree.
How to Make Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats
This recipe is quick and easy to make–and involves no special equipment.
Mix all your ingredients except the water then add it sparingly. Depending on the amount of oil in your peanut butter, you may need the entire 1/2 cup…or not.
The dough should turn out sticky but not dry; if it feels dry, you need a little more water. If it’s too sticky (if it’s sticking to your fingers), you need a little more flour.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface; I used pumpkin-shaped cookie cutters but you can use any shape then placed them on a greased cookie sheet.
Recently I started subscribing to Martha Stewart Living so I was inspired to take a few extra minutes and get a little fancy with the treats (I think Martha would be proud of me!) I bought a set of tiny Halloween cookie cutters…
…and used them to make indented shapes on the top of the treats:
Next, the treats were ready for the preheated 350 degree oven:
After baking for about 20 minutes, they were ready to take out and cool.
Be sure to cool the peanut butter and pumpkin dog treats completely before serving or refrigerating. You can refrigerate the treats for about a week or, if they’ll be around longer than that, freeze part of the batch.
Be warned: the smell of these treats baking is frighteningly good! You just might have to test one before giving it to your dog!
Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup pumpkin
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (organic if you have it)
- 1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup water as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except the water then add it sparingly since the amount of water will depend on the oil content in the peanut butter.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into fun shapes.
- Bake on cookie sheets for about 20 minutes then remove and cool. Be sure to cool the treats completely before serving or refrigerating.
Looking for more recipes? Be sure to check out the Dog Treat Recipe index with a one-page list of all the great recipes on DogTipper!
Cooks: Don’t miss our My Dog Says I’m a Great Cook™ cookbook with over 100 dog treat recipes from the publishers, readers and fans of DogTipper! This paperback book is available in our PawZaar gift store!
