Made with whole wheat flour, pumpkin puree, and peanut butter - these homemade dog biscuits are sure to be a huge hit with the four-legged loves in your life.
Yes, I am crazy enough to make homemade dog biscuits, are we even a little surprised? You think I’d stop at pupcakes? Oh no. No, no, no. Not when it’s Edgar’s birthday!
Five! Can you believe it? Five whole years he’s been on this Earth (and three whole years I’ve had him)! How lucky are we?
Homemade Dog Biscuits
Such an auspicious occasion calls for a very special treat. That treat would be homemade. Because Edgar is worth it. And I kind of bungled his birthday last year. Between the wedding and the move and my total lack of preparation – he didn’t get anything homemade last year.
Treat your dog to something special
I was racked with guilt (you can ask Seth to confirm). So, to drown out my conscience I did what any self-respecting dog-parent would do – took him shopping! We spent the day at PetCo and he got his favorite food, a new toy, and some tasty treats. All in all, I think he had a pretty good day. (And probably didn’t realize I’d forgotten to make him a treat for his birthday – this is the same dog who barks at the doorbell on television shows, after all.)
A simple recipe for homemade dog treats
This recipe requires only a handful of ingredients and a teensy amount of time. To impress your pupper you’ll need:
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Peanut Butter*
- Pumpkin Puree
- Eggs
- Beef Tallow (optional)
*A word on the peanut butter – natural is the best, best, best option. Most importantly – it cannot contain xylitol which is a chemical sweetener that is toxic to dogs.
Making the dough
The dough comes together in no time at all. First you stir together the wet ingredients and then add in the flour. The dough is thick and easy to work with.
Making the treats
On a lightly floured surface, you’ll roll out the dough (I did it in two batches) to about ¼ of an inch in thickness. Now, I found these adorable dog bone shaped cutters at Goodwill ages ago and knew I’d be using them to make homemade dog biscuits, but any sort of small cutter will work. Hearts, squares, cirlces, etc.
Once you cut out the shapes, you’ll bake them at 375 for 25 – 30 minutes (for the big bone shape, less time for the smaller guys). This bake time results in a perfectly chewy biscuit that Edgar prefers (he’s a diva about crunchy treats). Cooking them longer (which you can totally do), will lead to a crispier biscuit if that’s what your dog prefers!
Glazing the biscuits
The glaze is entirely optional. I wanted his birthday treat to be extra special, so I whipped it up to make the biscuits look extra festive. It’s simply half a cup of peanut butter melted together with a tablespoon of beef tallow. I love, love, LOVE Epic Brand’s Grass Fed Beef Tallow (their pork lard and duck fat are also delicious options for human consumption). The next batch I make him will probably just be left plain – so don’t stress if you don’t have beef tallow lying around.
Storing the biscuits
These are sure to go fast, but it’s ill advised to let your furry friend eat all of them in one sitting. I divided this batch into two containers and threw one in the freezer and left one on the counter for easy access snacking. Un-glazed biscuits will keep easier and longer, as will ones that are baked to crispy perfection. Less moisture leads to a longer shelf-life. Try them a few different ways in a few different sizes and let me know what you, and your dog, think!
Homemade Dog Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups peanut butter divided
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups whole wheat flour divided
- 1 tablespoon beef tallow
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup peanut butter, pumpkin puree and eggs until smooth. Add two cups of the flour and stir to combine. Slowly add in the remaining 1 cup until a thick but malleable dough forms (you may have a bit remaining, that’s ok!).
- Lightly dust work surface with additional whole wheat flour and roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness.
- Using a dog bone shaped cutter (or whatever cutter you prefer), cut out biscuits and place ½ inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes (less time for smaller treats or more time for crispier, crunchier treats). Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.
- While cookies cool, prepare the glaze, if using: melt remaining ½ cup peanut butter and beef tallow in the microwave until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let stand until glaze sets (that’s what the beef tallow is for).
Dawn says
We made these dog cookies and the recipe was great! We added some chopped bacon to ours, about 1/4 of a cup. We also substituted lard for the beef tallow, I honestly don’t know the difference but the drizzle turned out fine. Thank you for the great recipe!
Amanda says
Hi Dawn! That's so great to hear! The difference between lard and tallow is just the animal it comes from. Pork versus beef. So happy to hear you and your pooch liked them!
Anne says
Hi Amanda!!! I have not made these for my pup yet but will be doing so shortly. I was wondering how long these treats stay fresh and are good for in an air tight container. Also, do they need to be refrigerated ? Thank you in advance....I am really looking forward to making these.
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Anne! The biscuits are good at room temperature for two or three days. In the fridge they'll last for a week or two. You can also freeze the baked biscuits and thaw a few at a time for your pup! This works best when they aren't frosted, but if you don't mind some squished frosting, you can freeze them after they've been frosted, too. Hope this helps and I hope your pup loves them! <3