Easy Peasy 4-Ingredient Dog Treat Recipes

Between the recalls and the rumors about the quality and safety of many popular store-bought dog treats, a lot of pet parents are considering making their own. And, while you only want the very best for your furriest family, complicated, time-consuming, and expensive-to-make recipes aren’t always an option.

Luckily, although these recipes contain just a few simple, safe, and healthy ingredients (most of which you’ll already have in the pantry), they’re really big on taste!

First, You’ll Need These Basic Supplies:
Though these easy-peasy recipes only contain 4 ingredients each, you’ll still need a few basic supplies. They are:

Measuring Cup
Mixer or Spoon & Mixing Bowl
Parchment Paper
Rolling Pin
Cookie Cutters (Think of fun shapes your dog will enjoy!)
Cookie Sheet

Pumpkin Crunch Cookies

Pumpkin is a great source of fiber for dogs! In fact, many dog owners include pumpkin as a part of their dog’s daily diet to keep the digestive system healthy. These drool-worthy Pumpkin Crunch Cookies bake up crisp and crunchy, just how dogs love them. To top it off, they’re a breeze to make!

You’ll need:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat or all purpose flour
1 cup 100% pure pumpkin, canned
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg

Important: When buying canned pumpkin, check the label carefully to make sure ONLY 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling which could contain nutmeg, a toxin for dogs.

If you prefer a grain-free treat, this recipe can be made using an alternative flour, like coconut flour. However, grain-free flour alternatives will typically change the outcome of the cookie. Coconut flour, for example, will require additional moisture while chia flour will result in a cookie that may not crisp up, but will remain softer after baking. Have fun playing with alternative flours and please, share your favorite grain-free baking tips in a comment below!

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 350°F.
2. Combine pumpkin, cinnamon and egg in a bowl. Mix until well blended.
3. Add flour 1/2 cup at a time into the mixture until a stiff dough forms.
4. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shape and size treats. Line treats 1/2 inch apart on a non-greased cookie sheet. Because these treats don’t expand during cooking, they’ll hold their shape well and can be baked fairly close together.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until treats are golden brown.
6. Turn the oven off, but leave the cookie sheet of treats inside for about 1-2 hours to allow them to become crunchy.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.

These crunchy cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, in the refrigerator for up to a month, or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Biscuits

Have you ever met a dog that didn’t simply beg for peanut butter? These easy-peasy peanut butter and oatmeal biscuits bake up to a perfect crunch and, since you’re selecting the ingredients yourself, you’ll know they’re healthy and safe.

You’ll need:
2 cups whole wheat flour (or an alternative as mentioned above)
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup natural peanut butter, chunky or smooth
1 1/4 cups hot water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 350°F.
2. Mix together flour and rolled oats.
3. Gradually mix in peanut butter and hot water until dough forms. If you find that the dough is too sticky to knead, add flour as needed.
4. Knead the dough well.
5. Roll out dough into ¼ inch thickness and cut into shapes with cookie cutters.
6. Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 40 minutes.
7. Turn the oven off, but leave the cookie sheet of treats inside overnight to allow them to completely cool and become crunchy. (Although, if you simply can’t wait to give your dog a taste, pull a couple out of the oven and allow them to cool before serving. They’ll taste great, but won’t have the biscuit texture just yet.)

These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about one week, in the refrigerator for 3 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Carrot & Apple Cookies

Both carrots and apples are the perfect low-calorie, healthy, fiber-rich snack, but some dogs are bored by fresh produce and would rather nibble on a cookie instead. (Some humans are the same way!) These super easy, super healthy, drool-worthy cookies will definitely quench your dog’s cookie craving.

You’ll need:
1 cup of whole wheat flour (or an alternative flour as mentioned above)
1 cup of grated carrots
1 egg
1/2 cup natural, unsweetened applesauce

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 350°F.
2. Combine ingredients in bowl and mix together until dough forms.
3. By hand, roll dough into small balls and arrange 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Flatten dough balls so that the cookies are about about 1/4 inch thick.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until treats are golden brown.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. You may speed up the process by moving the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

These Carrot & Apple Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about one week, in the refrigerator for 3 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

And, the most important step in all 3 recipes above…. Enjoy!