Dog Biscuits: Pumpkin and Peanut Butter
A simple, crunchy dog biscuit with five ingredients and no mixer: whole wheat flour, pumpkin, peanut butter, and eggs. Makes about 3 dozen 2-inch biscuits.
Two label checks before you start.
- Peanut butter must have no xylitol. Xylitol (sometimes labeled “birch sugar”) is toxic to dogs. Plain peanut butter with just peanuts and maybe salt is the safe choice; check the label even on brands you trust.
- Pumpkin must be 100% pure puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling has sugar and spices (nutmeg is harmful to dogs in quantity).
Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 2½ cups | whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting |
| ½ cup | 100% pure pumpkin puree |
| ¼ cup | natural peanut butter, xylitol-free (unsalted if you can) |
| 2 | large eggs |
| ½ tsp | ground cinnamon (optional) |
| 2–4 tbsp | water, only if the dough is too dry |
Equipment
- Large bowl and a sturdy spoon
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter (about 2 inches), or a knife or pizza wheel for squares
- Parchment-lined baking sheets
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In the bowl, whisk the pumpkin, peanut butter, and eggs until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon if using.
- Add the flour a little at a time, stirring until a stiff dough forms. If it is crumbly and won’t come together, add water a tablespoon at a time; if it is sticky, work in a little more flour.
- Roll it out on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Cut out biscuits and set them on the sheets, close together; they don’t spread.
- Bake 20–25 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway, until the biscuits are firm and the edges are lightly browned.
- Dry them out for a crunchier biscuit: turn the oven off and leave the biscuits inside for 1–2 hours, or until hard. Cool completely on a rack.
Storage
- Airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week (they are drier and last longer if you did the oven-off step).
- In the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks.
- In the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Treat these as treats, not a meal. As a rule of thumb, treats should be no more than about 10% of a dog’s daily calories.
- If your dog has a wheat or egg allergy, or you’re not sure these ingredients are right for them, check with your vet first.
- Skip raisins, chocolate, onion, garlic, and xylitol in any variation of this recipe; all are harmful to dogs.
- For a wheat-free version, swap in oat flour (or ground rolled oats) and expect a slightly crumblier dough; add a little extra flour if it is sticky.