homemade dog treats

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While you're whipping up some pumpkin treats for your family, how about making some cookies for your dog? These dog cookies use wholesome, pet-friendly ingredients to create a healthy snack for your dog. While these ingredients are fine for most dogs, you should check with your veterinarian if your pooch has some health or dietary restrictions.

You make these like cut-out cookies. You can use a cookie cutter like this one, which is about 3 inches long (7.5cm) or smaller, smooth-edged cutters (avoid sharp cornered treats) You also can use a pizza or pastry wheel to cut into strips in two directions to make little bit-size rectangles.

We poked indentations in some of our biscuits to give them a little pizzazz. We used a very rare and fancy tool - the end of a chopstick! 

These make a great holiday gift for neighbors, teachers with dogs and even pet shelters. If you give them as a gift, be sure to include the ingredient list.

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ingredients

• 1/2 cup (113g) canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 cup (130g) creamy peanut butter
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups (240g) whole-wheat flour, plus a little more for rolling out the dough
• 1-2 Tablespoons (15-30ml) milk, as needed
• rolling pin
• cookie cutters or pizza/pastry cutter for cutting small treat strips

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directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
2. In your stand mixer, combine the pumpkin, peanut butter and egg together until smooth. Stir in the flour all at once and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms. If the mixture is too shaggy and won't come together, add milk one Tablespoon at a time. The dough will be very thick and a little sandy.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about a 1/4 inch (6mm) thickness. Re-roll the remaining dough and cut out additional shapes. 
4. Transfer to lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches (6cm) between biscuits. The dough will puff a little, but won't get when bigger when baking.
5. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges.
6. Remove from oven, letting biscuits cool on the baking trays for about 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

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STORAGE
Baked dog cookies will keep for about a week at room temperature in a sealed container; two weeks in your fridge.
You can freeze baked biscuits for 3 months. Don't forget to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before giving them to your pooch.
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Recipe is adapted from Sally's Cooking Addiction.