How to Make Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Updated: Feb. 02, 2023
You can learn how to make peanut butter dog treats in less time than it takes to run to the pet store.
Friends, high-quality dog treats are expensive. And they disappear quickly, at least in this two-dog household. I never remember to put dog treats on my grocery list, so I had to learn how to make peanut butter dog treats.
It’s a must for me that homemade dog treats, dog cupcakes or dog cakes be easy to make and use ingredients that I have at home. I skip anything that requires a trip to a specialty store or calls for pricey ingredients I won’t use for anything else. I look for simple, healthy, economical recipes—like this one. If you love easy-to-make recipes, try this 3-ingredient dog treat recipe.
What Kind of Peanut Butter Can Dogs Eat?
Though there are many foods you shouldn’t share with your pup, peanut butter isn’t one of them. Look for healthy peanut butter with no additives or extra ingredients. (That includes added sugar.) Steer clear of peanut butter that contains artificial sweeteners such as xylitol, which can be dangerous, or even fatal, to your pup.
Peanut Butter Dog Treats Recipe
These ingredients are all wholesome and dog-safe. And parsley is a natural breath freshener for dogs, so you can look forward to all the puppy kisses you’ll get!
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup water
Directions
Step 1: Combine the ingredients
While your oven preheats to 350°F, combine flour, eggs, peanut butter and applesauce in a large bowl. Add water until dough is workable but still stiff.
Step 2: Roll out the dough
On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter.
Editor’s Tip: You can also use a pizza slicer to cut into rectangles—quick and easy!
Step 3: Bake
Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 30-35 minutes. Your pups won’t mind if they’re a little well-done.
Step 4: Share with your pup
Make sure your treats are fully cooled before serving them to your dog.
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Use healthy flour
While you can use other types of flour for homemade dog treats, whole wheat flour won in this recipe because it’s easy to find in most stores and has some nutritional value. All-purpose flour will work, but won’t add much by way of nutrients. Oat flour and coconut flour are common options for dog treats, too, but you may have to adjust the water in your recipe to get the texture right.
Store in an airtight container
Keep these treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, in the fridge for up to 2 months or in the freezer for 6-8 months.
Play with the ingredients
Some homemade dog treat recipes use only peanut butter. But seeing as my pup won’t leave me alone anytime I eat an apple—a great “people” food for sharing with dogs—I just had to add applesauce. Feel free to swap out the applesauce for pumpkin puree or extra water to soften up your dough. (You can even use pureed carrots or sweet potatoes, if you have baby food around.)
