16 Healthy Dog Treat Recipes - PatchPuppy.com (2024)

I have nothing against store bought treats for dogs, but sometimes it’s fun to make a healthy, homemade dog treat that doesn’t have any preservatives or shelf stabilizers.

Each of these healthy dog treat recipes contains wholesome, real ingredients and has been field tested with my dogs – Millie and Tillie.

(For a little less wholesome recipes check out my recipes for doggie pizza)

Fruit and Veggie Dog Treats

These treats in this section feature fruits and veggies. Dogs eat a lot of meat, but they are actually omnivores and as long as you avoid grapes, onions, and garlic including fruits and veggies in dog treats is part of a healthy diet.

Carrot & Banana Dog Treat Recipe

What’s really great about these banana carrot dog treats is that it has no added sugar since the bananas have enough sugar naturally.

Which is good, because… like anything else, moderation is the key for sugars and pups!Most dogs also LOVE bananas, so this healthy dog treat is very likely going to be a big hit.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 bunch fresh carrots, finely chopped or grated
• 2-3 fresh bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (*optional, we went without)
• 1/2 cup cold water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheets
2. Combine dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal & *brown sugar) in a large mixing bowl, then incorporate carrots, bananas, egg, oil, and water until well blended into workable dough.
3. Chop the carrots and bananas into large pieces, then slowly pulse them in thefood processor (like this one found on Amazon). This creates semi-regular sized carrot chunks and smooth banana mash to blend into the rest of the base ingredients.
4. Flour your workspace and roll out dough to desired thickness. About a 1/2 inch thickness allows for some expansion once baked. Cut cookies to desiredshape and size.
5. Place dog cookies on baking sheet and bake 35 minutes.
6. After baking, turn oven off and leave cookies inside for another 30-45 minutes until crisp. This step is important to make sure your treats harden up, otherwise, they will remain like soft cookies.
7. Once crisp, remove dog cookies from oven and let cool. Transfer to zipper bags or airtight containers and freeze to preserve freshness for your little one!

Since this recipe makes cookies, I like to use my bone shape cookie cutters which I bought on Amazon. They turn out super cute and my family doesn’t eat them by mistake. :)​Thanks to KeyIngredient for publishing this great treat recipe.

Cheddar Seaweed Dog Treat Recipe

Let’s talk about Cheddar Seaweed Dog Treats!

With a name like that, I just thought I had to try them. I know — it’s a little different. And where do you even find seaweed???

Well, even in my little nowhere town, you can now find nori sheets in the specialty foods section! I found the seaweed in the ethnic foods with the Asian ingredients. I couldn’t believe it!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1Nori Sheet (found on Amazon), finely chopped
• pinch Ginger
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1 cupBrown Rice Flour (You can find it on Amazon)

Instructions:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• 2. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
• 3. Knead dough into ball and roll onto the parchment paper or silicone baking mat 1/4 inch thick and take a straight edge and cut the dough horizontally and then vertically to make a grid (I used a pizza cutter).
• 4. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and open door slightly, allow the treats to harden in the cooling oven.
• 5. Break into pieces and refrigerate.

What do you think? I like trying new things, so this recipe was a lot of fun!

I’ve also read that nori is super nutritious, they’re even calling it a superfood. So, I’m thinking of using the leftover seaweed in a salad or pasta.

Let me know what your Pups think!!

This recipe came to us from the wonderful people at doggydessertchef.com.

Apple Carrot Dog Treat Recipe

If you are looking for healthy dog biscuits and your dog loves apples and carrots, this recipe is a great option. They are as easy to make as baking cookies and with the carrots and apples being naturally sweet your dog will love them.

​Ingredients:

• 1 cup of whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, or gluten-free flour
• 1 cup of grated carrots
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven 350°F.
2. Mix ingredients together until dough forms.
3. Roll dough into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press dough down slightly so the biscuits are about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Bake until golden brown and let cool on a wire rack.

Notes:

• If the dough is really sticky, add a few more tablespoons of flour.
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt can be added to these treats to help extend the shelf life but, it is optional.

This recipe has is from a site called My Baking Addiction by Jamie. She makes them for her dog, Olive. You can check it outHERE.

Even though two of three of these recipes contained veggies & fruit (dog’s like sweet stuff too), the next four recipes are specifically fruit based. So that leads to another question that I get asked quite often.

Fresh Apple Dog Treat Recipe

Each year during apple harvest, my family always ends up with extra apples that we aren’t quite sure what to do with. This healthy dog treat recipe is a great way to use up those extras and make our dogs happy at the same time.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 finely chopped or grated apple
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 cup cold water
• Bone shaped cookie cutter

Instructions:

1. Blend flour and cornmeal in a large mixing bowl, then incorporate apple, egg, oil, brown sugar, and water until well blended. Flour your workspace and roll out doughto desired thickness.
2. Cut cookies to desiredshape and size.
3. Place dog cookies on baking sheet and bake 35 minutes. After baking, turn oven off and leave cookies inside for another 30-45 minutes until crisp.
4. Once crisp, remove dog cookies from oven and let cool. Transfer to zipper bags or airtight containers and freeze to preserve freshness for your little one!

We found this awesome recipe at 17apart.

No-Bake Coconut Dog Treat Recipe

This no bake coconut dog treat recipe with only 4 ingredients is super simple to make. Just mix, roll them into balls, coat in coconut, and chill. It’s so easy that even the kids can make them.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 Cup Coconut Oil (You can find it on Amazon)
• 2-3 TablespoonsPeanut Butter (You can find it on Amazon)
• 2 1/2 Cups Rolled Oats
• 1/3 Cup Finely Shredded Coconut

Instructions:

• 1. Add Coconut Oil, Peanut Butter, and Rolled Oats to a food processor and mix until well combined.
• 2. Scoop out bite-sized pieces with a spoon and roll into little balls.
• 3. Toss each ball gently in the finely shredded coconut until well coated.
• 4. Place on a flat tray lined with baking paper, refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve.

Banana and Honey Dog Treat Recipe

Bananas, honey, and vanilla? That makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Your pup is sure to love the simple sweetness of these healthy dog biscuits and think of how divine your kitchen will smell as you make them.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets.
3. Combine water, mashed bananas, honey, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl.
4. Stir in whole-wheat flour and baking powder.
5. Beat dough with an electric mixer on medium speed until ingredients are thoroughly combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until no longer sticky, 5 to 8 minutes.
7. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into mini shapes with your favorite cookie cutter.
8. Place dough shapes on prepared baking sheets.Bake in preheated oven until cookies are lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
9. Turn off the oven and leave cookies until thoroughly dry and crisp, 30 to 40 more minutes.
10. Remove baking sheets from oven and allow cookies to cool on pans for 10 minutes.Transfer cookies to wire rack to fully cool.

We would like to thank AllRecipes.com for this sweet puppy treat.

Cherry Oatmeal Muffin Dog Treat Recipe

Cherry oatmeal muffins are a favorite at our house, but I always feel guilty not sharing our human version with our dog when he gives me those sad puppy eyes. This dog friendly version takes away that guilt and is a great way to share a delicious treat with our furry friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 cup frozen tart cherries, rinsed and roughly chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F
2. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray with flour.
3. Stir oats, flour, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
4. In a separate medium bowl, stir buttermilk, egg, and applesauce.
5. Pour buttermilk mixture into the oats mixture.
6. Stir just until moist.
7. Stir in cherries (no need to thaw, they can go in frozen).
8. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan on a wirerack.
11. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Notes:

The original poster mentions that these are a soft treat. Like any soft muffin, you’ll need to store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

We found this wonderful treat recipe on Dog Treat Kitchen.

Peanut Butter Dog Treats

The next set of healthy dog treats are ones that feature one of (most) dog’s favorite ingredients – peanut butter! But, before we get into the peanut butter healthy dog treat recipes, there are a few important things you should know about peanut butter.

When buying peanut butter, you may think that sugar free is the way to go, however the artificial sweeteners used in peanut butter can be toxic to your dog. Xylitol(an artificial sweetener) can be found in may products from ice creams to chewing gum, so please check the label when buying peanut butter for your dog.

Peanut Butter Bacon Dog Treat Recipe

Our dogs love peanut butter and bacon, and these bacon shaped treats are really easy to make. You can even adjust the size of them for smaller or larger dogs.

Ingredients:

• 3 pieces of bacon, precooked and chopped
• 1 egg
• ½ cuppeanut butter (You can find it on Amazon)
• ¼ cup beef or chicken broth
• 1 cupwhole wheat flour
• ½ cupquick cook oats (You can find it on Amazon)
• 1 Tbsp. honey

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°
2. In a medium-sized bowl combine all ingredients, using your hand works best to blend well.
3. Lightly flour surface, roll dough to 1/8- ¼” thick rectangle, using a knife cut dough into 1” wide by 3” long strips.
4. Spraycookie sheet(ike these from Amazon) with nonstick cooking spray or line with aluminum foil.
5. Run knife or spatula under dough strips to life from surface, ripple dough, so it resembles a ribbon, or a piece of bacon, as you lay it onthe baking sheet.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, allow to cool.
7. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

You can check out the original recipe at petcouponsavings.com.

Nutty Bacon Dog Treat Recipe

Here is another peanut butter and bacon dog treat that your dog is sure to love. This recipe makes more of a cookie or biscuit, where as the one above makes strips. Either way, I am sure the pups will love them.

Ingredients:

• 3 slices of bacon, diced
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup soy flour
• 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup wheat germ

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Fry the diced bacon until crispy. With a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon but save the fat. Allow the fat to cool slightly (2-5 minutes)
3. Add the egg, peanut butter, maple syrup and water to the bacon fat and mix thoroughly.
4. Add the flours and wheat germ and mix until combined. Stir in the crispy bacon pieces.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4″ thick. Cut into desired shapes. I used three different 1″ cookie cutters.
6. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes (for 1″ diameter shapes) until lightly browned.
7. Cool and make them beg for it.

This recipe comes fromDog Hill Kitchen.

Basic Peanut Butter Dog Treat Recipe

If you are looking for a simple and basic peanut butter dog biscuit recipe to make at home, this is the recipe for you. With only 4 ingredients and a 20 minute bake time, your dogs will be enjoying these delicious treats often.

Ingredients:

• 250g (9 oz) wholemeal flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 275g (10 oz) unsalted natural peanut butter
• 225ml (8 fl oz) skimmed milk

Instructions:

1. ​Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease baking trays. Stir together the flour and baking powder; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter and milk. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended.
3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
4. Roll out to 1cm thickness and cut into shapes using biscuit cutters. Place 2cm apart onto the prepared baking trays.
5. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown. Remove from baking trays to cool on wire racks.​

The original post for this recipe can be found at in.recipeninjas.com

Long Lasting Dog Treat Recipes

The longest lasting homemade dog treat recipes are almost always dog cookies and biscuits.

Because they’re relatively low in moisture they will keep for up to two weeks when stored in a sealed container. Just make sure that the treats are 100% cool before you store them in an airtight container – otherwise they can mold.

If you want to cover them while they are cooling simply wrap them loosely in a dish cloth so they can breathe.

Even with long lasting types of treats it’s a good idea to keep an eye on any healthy dog treat recipes you make at home, because they don’t have preservatives and won’t last as long as store bought treats.

These next 6 treats will typically last for a week or two in an airtight container.

Mint Extract Dog Treats

Our sweet chihuahua unfortunately has a horrible case of bad breath in his old age. You can’t just give a dog a breath mint, but you can make them these awesome mint extract dog treats.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 egg
• 6-8 sprigs of parsley
• 6-8 sprigs of mint
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup of beef broth
• 3 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 2-3 drops peppermint extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a food processor, chopper, or blender combine coconut oil, parsley, and mint until herbs are finely pureed. In a separate bowl combine; yogurt, egg, and broth. Add a drop or two of peppermint extract to increase mint smell. Stir in flour and coconut oil with herbs. Use your hands to mix until well combined.
3. Roll dough into ping pong sized balls. Press flat.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place cookies 1” apart on baking sheet. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until edges begin to turn golden.

This great recipe was found at petcouponsavings.com.

Oatmeal Dog Treat Recipe

This healthy dog treat recipe is a sweet treat that your pup will enjoy. With ingredients like banana, carrots, and apples, it has the perfect sweetness that you dog will love but without adding the sugars that they don’t need.

Ingredients

• 1 banana, ripe
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ⅛ cup water
• 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. Mash the carrots with the banana, then add applesauce and water.
3. Fold in the oats and gradually add the flour until a dough is formed.
4. Lightly sprinkle a countertop with some whole wheat flour and roll out the dough to about ½ inch thick.
5. Use a small biscuit cutter (or any cutter of your choice!) and place treats on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, and then turn off the oven and let the treats stay inside for an additional 2-3 hours. This will dehydrate them further, creating a chewy (or crunchy, depending on how long you let them dehydrate) treat with a longer shelf life!

You can check out the original for this recipe by visiting browniebites.net.

Beef Dog Treat Recipe

Dogs love the flavor of meat , but as dog owners, we don’t always know what ingredients or processes go into making commercial dog treats. Here is a great beef flavor dog treat recipe that your dog will love and you will know exactly what they contain.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cubes beef bouillon cube
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly grease one cookie sheet.
2. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water and allow to cool.
3. Combine the flour, dry milk, egg, oil, beef broth and brown sugar. Mix well and knead dough for 1 minute.
4. On a floured surface roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out bones and place on cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 30 minutes and allow to cool.

Notes:

I’ve also tried this recipe using chicken bouillon, and it was a hit. These cookies make great gifts, and they store well in an air-tight container for several weeks.

We are thankful to allrecipes.com for this meaty treat.

Beef Dog Biscuit Recipe

Most dogs love meat flavored treats, but buying commercial dog treats can get expensive and you don’t always know what’s in them. This simple beef dog biscuit recipe is made from ingredients that most kitchens already have so there is no need for an extra trip to the store and your dog will love them.

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups white flour (or whole wheat)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 chicken or beef bouillon cube
• ½ cup hot water
• baking sheet
• cookie cutter in the shape of a bone!

Instructions:

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350˚.Put the 1/2 cup of water into a microwavable bowl and heat it until it’s almost boiling. Then drop your bouillon cube in the water to dissolve.
2. Now throw all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and begin to stir until everything is combined.
3. Sprinkle some flour onto your work surface and begin to roll out the dough. Then grab your cookie cutter and start cutting out your dog biscuits.
4. Place the dog biscuits on the cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes!

This recipe came to us from diyprojects.com.

Cheese Dog Treat Recipe

We can’t even say the word cheese out loud in our house or our fur babies will come running. And what is not to love about this recipe? With only 5 ingredients and easy instructions, it’s sure to become a favorite.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups of wheat oroat flour (You can find it on Amazon)
• 1/2 cup of chicken or beef stock
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of cream cheese
• bacon bits

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in alarge bowl (like this one from Amazon) and mix until a dough forms.
2. Flatten the dough to about a one-half inch thick.
3. Cut into rounds.
4. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Bacon Cheese Dog Treat Recipe

Looking for a dog treat that is a little fancier to make for a party or event? You will want to give this puff pastry dog treat a try. And honestly, can you really go wrong with cheese and bacon?

Ingredients:

• 1 lb puff pastry, thawed
• 4 oz organic chicken baby food
• 1 tbspdried parsley
• 1/8 tspdried basil
• 1/8 tspdried oregano
• 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F
2. Thaw the pastry according to the package directions.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the chicken puree, parsley, basil, oregano, cheese,and cornstarch.
4. Unfold the pastry on a floured surface.
5. Spoon half of the mixture onto the dough and spread evenly.
6. Repeat the above two steps with the remaining pastry.
7. Cut into half inch thick slices.
8. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
9. Pick up one slice at a time and twist in opposite directions.
10. Place each twisted slice on the prepared baking sheet.
11. Bake for 20 minutes.
12. Turn off the oven and leave the twists in the oven to cool completely before serving.

This recipe of cheesy bacon goodness came to us fromdogtreatkitchen.com.

Wow! That was a super comprehensive list of healthy dog treat recipes! I hope you found at least a few that you’re going to try out with your dog. Let me know what you think and what your favorites are and if you’d like to see anything specific on Patch Puppy – I’d LOVE to hear from you.