These DIY Dog Treats are the homemade way to your dogs heart. They love them, and you can do all sorts of fun things with them.
I realized it might be fun to do something for the Dogs.
Why not do some DIY Dog Treats. Homemade dog treats are fun to make and the dogs love them.
I have a Shih-tzu, a PomkiePoo (Pomeranian, Yorkie and Poodle mix) and my big baby Finn, a Pitt mix.
Then my BFF has 3 dogs (a Chihuahua, a shih-tzu (from our litter) and a mix). I have plenty of dogs to spoil.
We often make our own homemade dog food, just to make sure they are getting a balanced diet.
With all the pet food recalls I get nervous sometimes. I want to make sure my dogs don’t get sick.
So yes, I take my time out to make them food.
Yes, from scratch. Yes it takes some time.
But they love it and they are happier and healthier because of it.
With my fear of the pet food recalls, I am always hesitant to buy dog treats that way as well.
So I decided to try my hand at making my own homemade version and I have dozens of different recipes for them.
But then I stumbled upon this two ingredient DIY Dog Treat recipe and I knew it was the one I’d make the most.
It originally called for baby food and that’s all fine and dandy, but even that I made homemade.
Just pureed my own vegetables.
You can do it either way and they will turn out great.
Have you made Homemade Dog Treats?
I included a rather gross looking photo of the dough when it was done mixing.
The reason I did this, is because it doesn’t look like typical dough and I don’t want you to think you are doing it wrong.
It’s very sticky, so if you need to, add a bit more flour until it is easy to roll out.
I used two different sized cookie cutters, one for the larger dogs and one for the smaller dogs.
Somewhere around here I actually have a dog bone cookie cutter.
I couldn’t find it that day so I went with hearts.
I like hearts and the dogs don’t really care what they look like. ha!
Are you ready to make your own DIY Dog Treats?
Also if you are looking for more fun treats for your pooch, check out our Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog Treats and our Peanut Butter and Jelly Dog Treats.
DIY Dog Treats – Two Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 cups 100% whole wheat flour
- 4 ounces pureed baby food I used 1 cup of homemade carrot puree
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour with the pureed veggies (or baby food) to form a stiff dough. If it’s too sticky add flour. If it’s too stiff, add some water.
- Lightly flour your work space and roll out the dough until it’s about 1/4″ thick.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.
- Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
- Place the treats about 1/4″ inch apart on the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
- We store ours in a dog cookie canister and it sometimes makes the cookies softer but the dogs like them that way.
- If you want them to stay hard, you might want to store them in a paper bag.
- They keep for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
See more great dog treat and food ideas here.
I love how easy these are to make! I’m definitely making these for my lil’ pup, Lucy.
Aw, please let me know if Lucy loves them. They are wonderful, and I don’t feel bad about giving them a few extras, since they don’t have any nasty ingredients. 🙂
I made them for my Lucy and my Roxie today…. And they LOVED them:) my Roxie is very overweight so I am hoping that they are less fattening than the ones I have been buying… Which are Purina Healthy Snackers, my girls LOVED the homemade ones sooo much better:)
Baby food! What a great idea. I’ve used canned pumpkin, but I can see how baby food would work great too.
Canned pumpkin is kinda genius as well Kari, I hadn’t thought of that and I bet the dogs love them!
Yes, I’ve used canned pumpkin too and I add some organic ceylon cinnamon. My dog loves them!
I just made them and my dog absolutely loves them!!! I used two small jars of sweet potato chicken baby food and whole wheat flour; total hit!!! Thanks so much for this!!!
You’re very welcome! I love that you can change them up to fit the season, etc. I’ve also recently discovered that canned pumpkin puree works too. haha
Thanks for this recipe, my dog has just been diagnosed with pancreatitis and diabetes and cannot have any fat or added sugars, I think these treats will be perfect for him.
Thanks for this recipe, my dog has just been diagnosed with pancreatitis and diabetes and cannot have any fat or added sugars, I think these treats will be perfect for him.
Can cats also eat this?
I suppose if cats like this sort of thing they totally could. But, mine wouldn’t. Maybe yours will?
Nothing in this is good for cats. they are obligate carnivores – please don’t give them veggies and grain.
I’m glad I found this. It’s just kind of really genius. But I do have a question… would meat puree work as well or just stick to vegetables?
I have not tried the recipe with meat puree, so I don’t know how it would work. I would imagine it might be okay although meat puree isn’t quite as liquidy as the veggies. If you do decide to try it, please let us know your results, I’d be eager to know. 🙂
I just made them with pureed carrot baby food and with “chicken and gravy” baby food. the dough was really nice to work with and my dog seems to like them. I would think you could use any kind of baby food that your dog would like.
This is pretty much true, for sure. I have tried all kinds of endless combinations and both of my dogs LOVE them!
My dog and quite a few others are allergic to wheat. Use rice flower or oat flower for a more hypo allergenic recipe. 😀
My dog and quite a few others are allergic to wheat. Use rice flower or oat flower for a more hypo allergenic recipe. 😀
I have made these and used porridge oats… I just put the oats in the food processor and blitzed them into a flour like powder and my furry babies loved them.
Have you tried to make a bunch at one time and freeze them for later? I am so busy it would be nice to make a big batch but I wouldn’t want them to go bad before they ate them all.
I have not tried that yet Heather, but I am thinking the only thing that probably would happen is that the consistency would change. As it is when you first make them, they are quite soft. I would imagine freezing them would just make them harder when they thawed out, but that’s how most dog biscuits are anyway. If you decide to freeze them, let us know how that turns out please. Good luck!
Is it okay to use all purpose flour?
I it okay to use whole wheat pastry flour?
I am not sure, as I have not tried making them with whole wheat pastry flour. If you decide to try it, please come back and let us know how it worked for you.
Ive used whole wheat pastry flour and my pups love them!
Yes, I’ve used canned pumpkin too and I add some organic ceylon cinnamon. My dog loves them!
When I make these no matter how I store them within a couple days they grow mold. in fridge, tuberware, paper bag, any suggestions? Dane loves them though
Perhaps try cooking them a little longer in the oven? Remember all oven times are different and altitude can play a big part. The longer you cook them, the more they dry out. If you’re worried about them burning, turn your oven down to it’s lowest setting and let them “dry” rather than bake, after the initial cook time. I have had to do this depending on where I lived at the time and my oven.
I bake the biscuits the suggested time in the recipe but then I turn off the oven and leave them in. They get nice and crispy and keep for a long time!
What is the shelf life for these treats?
What is the shelf life for these treats?
Two weeks. 🙂 But probably linger if kept in an air tight container in the fridge.
I make homemade treats often and they usually last a week in a half in airtight container left on counter, 2ish weeks if refrigerated. You can freeze for up to 6 months and thaw 10 min before serving. I also use a dehydrator on mine that slowly takes the moisture out. (No different than cooking on low setting to dry out as previously suggested) The tend to last around 4 weeks that way…… If your dog doesn’t eat them before then.
Can I use them for horses too?
I don’t see why they wouldn’t work. Let us know what the horses think! 🙂
Can I use steel cut oats instead of flour?
Can I use steel cut oats instead of flour?
I did not try it this way, so I’m not sure. I am not sure it would hold together as well to be honest. But if you decide to try it, let us know how you do. Good luck!
These are fantastic. I have a small dog, 7lbs, and I can cut these into 1/2 ” to 1″ squares for her. I make a large batch and put them in small snack bags and freeze them because she doesn’t eat very many. They last several months in the freezer. I usually only have to make them 4 times a year. Thank you so much for this time saving and healthy treat recipe!
my Dogs are very accustomed to the milk bone snacks, but they do prefer a softer snack…
Can anyone recommend a tweet in this to make the snack a little softer? Or is this recipe already soft enough?
Could I use silicone mold tray instead of cutting them with cookie cutter?? Will the cook time or temp be different ?
I am not really sure how that will work out in the end. I believe it would work, however I would think it would not have the smooth appearance it has from rolling it out first – which probably won’t matter much to your dogs because they really don’t care what their food looks like. 🙂 I also have a recipe for some treats that can and should be made in a silicone mold. Let me know if you try the silicone mold instead of the cookie cutter for this recipe. I’d be interested in how it turns out. https://dailydishrecipes.com/pumpkin-peanut-butter-dog-treats/
I’m going to try these with my gluten free oat flour instead of wheat flour. I will be cutting the recipe in half because I have a tiny dog.. (Assume it will still turn out correctly.) I’m still unclear if biscuits should be stored in canister in refrigerator, as baby food carrot jar says use within 3 days. You mention can they can be stored up to 2 weeks. Does the baking alter this time frame?
Yes baking anything makes it last a little longer than using something raw, and in the case of baby food carrots, they are technically raw. We haven’t had a single problem with our dogs keeping them up to two weeks, though they usually don’t last that long – since they are healthy treats, we tend to give them a little extra. Good luck! Hope your dog loves them as much as ours do.
I bake the biscuits the suggested time in the recipe but then I turn off the oven and leave them in. They get nice and crispy and keep for a long time!
I’ve made these biscuits a number of times. I tried chick pea flour and found that the biscuits looked burned–they were very dark but my dog didn’t seem to mind. After that experiment I’ve stuck with whole wheat. I start with one cup of whole wheat flour and some of the baby food. I gradually add the rest of the baby food and some of the second cup of flour. Some baby foods are very liquidy and some not, so the amount of flour I use of the second cup will vary. When I use a meat baby food I use less flour than when I use fruit. Once you’ve done it, it’s easy to judge when to stop with the flour…and you can always add more as you go. I bake for the recommended time then turn off the oven and leave the biscuits in for an hour or two. They come out really nice and crisp and will keep for a really long time. I put a small dish of them out on my counter and the rest in the fridge or freezer. I also use parchment on the cookie trays–easy clean up! LOVE this recipe!!!
I’ve made these biscuits a number of times. I tried chick pea flour and found that the biscuits looked burned–they were very dark but my dog didn’t seem to mind. After that experiment I’ve stuck with whole wheat. I start with one cup of whole wheat flour and some of the baby food. I gradually add the rest of the baby food and some of the second cup of flour. Some baby foods are very liquidy and some not, so the amount of flour I use of the second cup will vary. When I use a meat baby food I use less flour than when I use fruit. Once you’ve done it, it’s easy to judge when to stop with the flour…and you can always add more as you go. I bake for the recommended time then turn off the oven and leave the biscuits in for an hour or two. They come out really nice and crisp and will keep for a really long time. I put a small dish of them out on my counter and the rest in the fridge or freezer. I also use parchment on the cookie trays–easy clean up! LOVE this recipe!!!
Hi Vivian, so glad you were happy with this recipe. I love making dog treats for my dogs and I’ve even made up some of my own fresh puree… not actual baby food, so the possibilities are definitely endless and the pups love them!
I’ve been making these dog treats for several years, and my dog loves them. They’re a treat I can feel good about giving her, because I know what’s in them. If you add up the price of store bought treats, and compare it with the cost of these, it’s a huge savings too! I also like making my own puréed veggies, as it’s less expensive than buying the baby food. I found that keeping the treats in the oven for about 15 minutes longer at 300 degrees, and then letting them sit makes them nice and crispy too.
I’ve been making these dog treats for several years, and my dog loves them. They’re a treat I can feel good about giving her, because I know what’s in them. If you add up the price of store bought treats, and compare it with the cost of these, it’s a huge savings too! I also like making my own puréed veggies, as it’s less expensive than buying the baby food. I found that keeping the treats in the oven for about 15 minutes longer at 300 degrees, and then letting them sit makes them nice and crispy too.
Just made these for my chihuahuas. I did change it up just a little. Found some vege/beef toddler baby food, two 5 oz container for $1 at my grocery. Mostly purée but with tiny bits of veggies. Only used one container and about 1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. Was too dry so I added a couple spoonfuls of melted bacon grease. I have a large jar in fridge since I’m a southern girl, ? and my pups love them some bacon! They came out great and pups love them! Also, I got over 8 dozen bite sized treats out of that one batch! Saves me a lot because I didn’t buy dog treats from the pet isle (don’t like some of the junk they put in there), their favorite treat has been maple bacon people jerky and a few ounces cost $6.98 every week. I’m not working right now so budget needed to be tightened up anywhere possible. So thanks so much for the recipe. Maybe next batch I’ll add a little maple flavor too. They might not even miss those expensive treats! ????
Just made these for my chihuahuas. I did change it up just a little. Found some vege/beef toddler baby food, two 5 oz container for $1 at my grocery. Mostly purée but with tiny bits of veggies. Only used one container and about 1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. Was too dry so I added a couple spoonfuls of melted bacon grease. I have a large jar in fridge since I’m a southern girl, ? and my pups love them some bacon! They came out great and pups love them! Also, I got over 8 dozen bite sized treats out of that one batch! Saves me a lot because I didn’t buy dog treats from the pet isle (don’t like some of the junk they put in there), their favorite treat has been maple bacon people jerky and a few ounces cost $6.98 every week. I’m not working right now so budget needed to be tightened up anywhere possible. So thanks so much for the recipe. Maybe next batch I’ll add a little maple flavor too. They might not even miss those expensive treats! ????
I have plenty of dogs to spoil. I want to make sure my dogs don’t get sick, so yes, I take my time out to make them food.
I have plenty of dogs to spoil. I want to make sure my dogs don’t get sick, so yes, I take my time out to make them food.
What is the shelf life for these treats?
Yes, I’ve used canned pumpkin too and I add some organic ceylon cinnamon. My dog loves them!
My dog and quite a few others are allergic to wheat. Use rice flower or oat flower for a more hypo allergenic recipe. 😀
Thanks for this recipe, my dog has just been diagnosed with pancreatitis and diabetes and cannot have any fat or added sugars, I think these treats will be perfect for him.
I bake the biscuits the suggested time in the recipe but then I turn off the oven and leave them in. They get nice and crispy and keep for a long time!
I’ve made these biscuits a number of times. I tried chick pea flour and found that the biscuits looked burned–they were very dark but my dog didn’t seem to mind. After that experiment I’ve stuck with whole wheat. I start with one cup of whole wheat flour and some of the baby food. I gradually add the rest of the baby food and some of the second cup of flour. Some baby foods are very liquidy and some not, so the amount of flour I use of the second cup will vary. When I use a meat baby food I use less flour than when I use fruit. Once you’ve done it, it’s easy to judge when to stop with the flour…and you can always add more as you go. I bake for the recommended time then turn off the oven and leave the biscuits in for an hour or two. They come out really nice and crisp and will keep for a really long time. I put a small dish of them out on my counter and the rest in the fridge or freezer. I also use parchment on the cookie trays–easy clean up! LOVE this recipe!!!
Can I use steel cut oats instead of flour?
I have plenty of dogs to spoil. I want to make sure my dogs don’t get sick, so yes, I take my time out to make them food.
I’ve been making these dog treats for several years, and my dog loves them. They’re a treat I can feel good about giving her, because I know what’s in them. If you add up the price of store bought treats, and compare it with the cost of these, it’s a huge savings too! I also like making my own puréed veggies, as it’s less expensive than buying the baby food. I found that keeping the treats in the oven for about 15 minutes longer at 300 degrees, and then letting them sit makes them nice and crispy too.
Just made these for my chihuahuas. I did change it up just a little. Found some vege/beef toddler baby food, two 5 oz container for $1 at my grocery. Mostly purée but with tiny bits of veggies. Only used one container and about 1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. Was too dry so I added a couple spoonfuls of melted bacon grease. I have a large jar in fridge since I’m a southern girl, ? and my pups love them some bacon! They came out great and pups love them! Also, I got over 8 dozen bite sized treats out of that one batch! Saves me a lot because I didn’t buy dog treats from the pet isle (don’t like some of the junk they put in there), their favorite treat has been maple bacon people jerky and a few ounces cost $6.98 every week. I’m not working right now so budget needed to be tightened up anywhere possible. So thanks so much for the recipe. Maybe next batch I’ll add a little maple flavor too. They might not even miss those expensive treats! ????
so today is my dogs birthday and i was wondering if i could use pumpkin puree inted of baby food or meat
I think you could probably use whatever you choose to use or that your dog may love. I would think the only main issue would be the texture of the completed recipe and most dogs don’t care.
If you decided to try it, please share with us your results. Thanks!
I love these! My dogs loved them and they’re so easy to make. I used pumpkin baby food and it worked great. Do you think adding a little peanut butter would mess up the recipe?