Easy Thanksgiving Treats to Make for Your Dog

It’s officially November, kitchens and cooks all over the nation are getting prepped for the big day including those who want to make some easy Thanksgiving dog treats. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and it’s time to start planning your menu. This year make sure to include your dog in the menu by whipping some easy to make treats of their very own. Whether you’re an avid chef and baker or just starting out, you’ll find that you can at least make one or two of these homemade treat recipes.

The Easiest Ever Two-Ingredients Treats

Ingredients:

• 2 cups 100% organic whole wheat flour
• 2 (4oz) jars of pureed baby food** – beef, blueberry, sweet potato, chicken, etc.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix ingredients together to form a stiff dough. If necessary, add extra flour or water as needed.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out evenly until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut into the desired shape or a pizza cutter to make cubes.
4. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, place treats about 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
5. Allow them to cool completely before storing in a paper bag (storing in an air-tight container will make them soft, but they’re still edible).

Frozen Apple Smoothie Bites 

Ingredients:

• 2 Apples
• 1 Cup Greek Nonfat Plain Yogurt
• Water

Directions:

1. Slice 2 apples into small pieces but remove the seeds and the core.
2. Mix the apple slices, yogurt, and a splash of water in your NutriBullet or blender and blend until you get a liquid consistency.
3. Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze for a few hours or until hard.
4. Put the leftover treats into a Tupperware container and store them in the freezer.

Dog-Friendly Pumpkin Pie Bites

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. Canned Pumpkin (plain pumpkin– do not use pie filling)
• ½ Banana
• ¾c Flour
• ½c Oatmeal
• ¼ – ½c Water
• ¼c Plain Low-Fat Yogurt
• Cupcake or Muffin Tin
• Cupcake Liners

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix oatmeal and flour together in a large bowl.
3. Add enough water to get the dough to form a ball. Add water slowly, too much will make it too sticky, not enough and it will crumble.
4. Line cupcake tins. Take a chunk of dough and press into the bottom of the cupcake liner. The dough should go up sides a bit, about a 1/2″.
5. Bake crust for 8 mins, until firm and slightly brown.
6. Carefully take crusts out of the tin, cool on the rack. When cool, remove liners.
7. Mix pumpkin, banana, and half of the yogurt together.
8. Fill each crust with pumpkin banana mixture.
9. Freeze until firm. Serve Frozen.

Peanut Butter Molasses Treats

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Xylitol-Free Peanut Butter
• 1/4 cup Molasses
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
3. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
4. Knead dough into a ball
5. Roll the ball out onto a floured surface 1/4 inch thick
6. Take a pizza cutter and score the dough horizontally and then vertically to make a grid. Be careful to score the dough, not completely cut through.
7. Place on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
8. Cool and break into pieces, then refrigerate.

The best part of making your own easy Thanksgiving dog treats is that you know exactly what your dog is eating. Plus, they get to feel like a special part of the family on Thanksgiving. If you decide to add one or all of the recipes to your menu, let us know how they turn out!