Lahn Nguyen
As any dog owner knows, a four-legged friend can be the final piece of any family’s puzzle. Their unconditional love, affection, and loyalty are just some of their most redeeming qualities. Whether you want to reward them for good behavior or simply show them how much you care, making homemade dog treats is a great way to surprise your pup with something special. Best of all, our recipes feature better-for-you, everyday ingredients that even humans can eat—not that we’d recommend you do, though.
An instant favorite is our classic Homemade Dog Biscuits. Using only seven ingredients, this recipe makes a whopping five dozen, meaning you can fill your pup’s cookie jar in one go. The dough consists of flour, wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, salt, and canola oil and is baked in a 400-degree oven before getting brushed with low-sodium chicken stock. The final treats will have your dog’s nose working overtime. We also go so far as to cut them into the shape of a bone, but circles, squares, or any other cutters you have on hand work for these homemade treats.
For a trendy option that they’re sure to love, make Pupcakes. These cupcakes for your dog look so good, you might just want to steel a bite (and if you really want, you can! They’re made with wholesome, human-friendly ingredients). The cake calls for peanut butter, bananas, flour, egg, and rolled oats among other cooking essentials, while the frosting is made from a combination of peanut butter and Greek yogurt. Another sweet option that they’re sure to love is our Blueberry Dog Biscuits. As the name entails, they’re made with frozen organic blueberries for a mouthwatering surprise. Nutritious components like quinoa flour and flax meal round out the homemade indulgence.
Ahead, we’re showing you how to create more tasty treats at home for your canine companion.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup wheat germ
- 1/4 cup brewer’s yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 cup low-sodium canned chicken stock, plus more for brushing
How to Make Homemade Dog Biscuits
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Then, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, wheat germ, yeast, and salt before setting it aside. Next, place oil in a large bowl before adding the stock and flour mixture in three alternating batches, beginning and ending with stock and mixing well. Then, on a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to about 3/8-inch thick. Shape biscuits using a dog-bone-shaped cookie cutter or by cutting around a store-bought dog bone with a butter knife. Be sure to make biscuits that are appropriate for your dog’s size.
Because they’re homemade treats, you can customize them however you’d like. We recommend spelling out your dog’s name or a holiday message in the dough with a toothpick. A professional tip to ensure clean handwriting is to wet the toothpick first so it won’t stick. After your design is complete, transfer the shaped dough to parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat this with the remaining dough.
Finally, bake the biscuits for 10 minutes in the 400-degree oven. Then remove them and brush their surface with stock before rotating the baking sheets and baking for another 10 minutes. Afterward, turn off the oven, and let the dog biscuits stand in the oven with a closed-door until they are dried completely; about 1 1/2 hours. You can wrap them as a gift, or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
