Trick or Treat: 3 Fall Inspired Dog Treat Recipes
With a season change in the air and the first official day of Autumn quickly approaching, pumpkin flavored everything is back on trend. Hop on the bandwagon, embrace the sweater weather and check out our 3 favorite fall inspired dog treat recipes that will keep your pup wagging for more.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is one of the most underrated dog treat ingredients! Pumpkin seeds and flesh have nutrients that support canine urinary health and digestive health. A scoop of organic, unsweetened, canned pumpkin can help settle your dog’s stomach and stop diarrhea. Plus, pumpkin is low in calories so it’s a great substitute for any high fat or high sugar treats that are part of your dog’s current diet.
Check out this grain-free pumpkin treat recipe from A Cozy Kitchen that we love:
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups garbanzo bean flour
- 2 ½ tablespoons of peanut butter (Xylitol free!)
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup canned, organic, unsweetened pumpkin puree
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium bowl, add the garbanzo flour, peanut butter, eggs and pumpkin puree. Mix until completely combined.
- The dough will be sticky, so flouring everything is important: the wax paper, rolling pin, cookie cutter and your hands. Transfer the dough to the floured piece of wax paper and roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Transfer the dough to the floured piece of wax paper and roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out the cookies using a cookie-cutter of choice. Re-roll the scraps and cut out more cookies. (I used the pumpkin and dachshund cookie cutter and ended up with about 16 cookies.)
- Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. These cookies won't spread so you can place them close together without worrying. NOTE: If you don't want to roll out the dough, you can always scoop a teaspoon of dough onto a baking sheet, flattening the cookie a bit and baking it from there.
- Bake the cookies for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the cookies to come to room temperature on a cooling rack. Cookies will be good for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Turmeric
Turmeric is one of the most beneficial and multi-functional plants for full body human and canine health! The benefits of Turmeric include but are not limited to: reducing inflammation, lowering oxidative stress, joint pain relief, intestinal health and cardiovascular health.
This turmeric and flax seed dog treat recipe from Lola The Pitty is wheat free and your dog will love it.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1 cup Rice Flour
- 3 Tablespoons Turmeric (ground)
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Flax Seed
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp peanut butter
- ¼ cup water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients
- Mix until crumbly
- Form into two large balls and roll out
- Cut into shapes with cookie cutters
- Place onto prepared baking sheet
- Bake for 25 minutes, turn off oven and leave in the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until crisp
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is an awesome alternative for dogs who are sensitive to wheat or other grains. Oats are chock-full of linoleic acid which helps keep hair and skin healthy. Oats are a binding agent and a source of soluble fiber that help regulate your dog’s digestive health.
These yummy oatmeal and blueberry dog treats from The Little Epicurean are a great source of antioxidants and gut health all rolled into one paw-licking good treat.
Ingredients:
- 4 oz container apple blueberry puree baby food
- 1/4 cup mashed blueberries
- 1 cup gluten-free flour, or whole wheat flour
- 1 Tablespoon ground freeze dried blueberries (optional, provides additional flavor and slight violet color)
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 large egg, beaten
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine apple blueberry baby food, mashed blueberries, flour, rolled oats, ground freeze dried blueberries, and honey. Use a sturdy spatula to combine everything together. Dump contents onto a lightly floured working surfaced and knead dough together.
3. Roll out into a thickness of about 1/4 to 1/2-inch. Use desired cookie cutters to punch out shapes. Stick to one or two similar sized shapes to ensure even baking.
4. Place cutouts on prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops of cutouts with beaten egg wash.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until biscuits are crisp and golden in color. Rotate pan midway through baking. Let treats cool before giving to your dog.
Happy Baking!
Everything in Moderation
Just because something is good for your dog, doesn't mean they should eat excess amounts of it.