Can you relate to the moment when your golden tracks mud across your just-cleaned rug and you are already in a mood? Well, add in the guilt of grabbing another bag of store-bought treats that probably have ingredients you can’t even pronounce.
That was me last fall. Standing in the pet aisle, squinting at the label and wondering what even the heck that is.
I know you are thinking that making your own pumpkin dog treats sounds like a lot of work but it really isn’t.
These 5 recipes are stupid simple. One bowl, real ingredients and a dog who will absolutely lose her mind over them.
No mystery ingredients. No weird aftertaste that you feel bad about. Just cozy fall flavors your dog will go crazy for.
#1: Apple Oatmeal Dog Cookies Packed with Chunky Apple Pieces
My dog Koda went absolutely feral the second I pulled these out of the oven. Like, sniffing at the oven door, pawing my leg, the whole dramatic performance. Sound familiar?
These cookies are made with whole wheat flour, rolled oats and fresh apple chunks. The warm, golden brown color is courtesy of unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon. No weird ingredients here!
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. 1 cup rolled oats
3. 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
4. 1 medium apple, peeled and diced into small chunks
5. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
6. 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
7. 1/4 cup water (add more if dough feels dry)
How to Make Apple Oatmeal Dog Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You’re going to want to combine your dry ingredients (flour, oats, and cinnamon) in a large bowl first so that your cinnamon doesn’t clump up.
Add the applesauce and melted coconut oil into the dry mix. Add the apple pieces in last. The dough should feel a little dense, but also sticky. This is good!
Roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes and put on your baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges go firm and the tops are a deep golden.
Let them cool completely on a wire rack before handing one to your pup! Make sure they are completely cooled, warm cookies can cause an upset tummy!
Real talk: With rolled oats, the cookies contain a fiber boost that does wonders to my digestion, which means less of that fun clean-up that you’re probably used to if you’re a golden retriever mom.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for later. If you like this ideas, visit Homemade Dog Biscuits Recipes: Healthy and Delicious Treats for Your Pup.
Slice the apple pieces small, 1/4 inch or smaller, so that every cookie gets an even distribution. My dog ate the apple and left the cookies. Been there, done that.
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 28 minutes | Serving Size: About 24 cookies
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @spoiledhounds
#2: The “Giant Bone + Birthday Cake” Bernese Mountain Dog Party Spread
You know that moment when your dog gives you those eyes – the “but where’s my special thing?” eyes on her birthday? Well, this Bernese Mountain Dog’s humans figured it out and I’m taking notes for us both.
The spread is the simplest kind: a white-frosted carrot cake with a topping of shredded cheese and a handful of candles sat next to the most gloriously massive roasted bone I’ve ever seen. And the birthday hat? That yellow “Happy Birthday” cone just makes it.
How To Make Your Dog’s Birthday Spread
Ingredients – Cake:
1. 1 cup whole wheat flour
2. 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3. 2 eggs
4. 1/3 cup peanut butter (xylitol-free)
5. 1 tsp baking soda
6. Cream cheese frosting: 4 oz plain cream cheese, softened.
Ingredients – Bone:
1. 1 large beef femur bone (ask your butcher)
2. 2 tbsp olive oil
3. Salt free seasoning
Heat oven to 350°F. Mix all cake ingredients just until blended; over-mixing will make cake tough. Pour into an 8-inch round pan. Bake 25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting with whipped cream cheese. I frosted one cake before it was cool and it was just a big mushy mess.
If you plan on serving the bone, brush it with olive oil and roast at 400F for 45 minutes, turning it once after 15 minutes. The marrow will get golden and fragrant and your dog will go crazy before it even gets to the table.
The best part: Cream cheese is naturally soft, so it spreads like a dream and gives you that Pinterest-white look without any hassle.
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Serves: 1 very lucky dog
Top with shredded mozzarella or yellow cheddar instead of sprinkles. The dogs can actually eat it and it looks great in pictures. Always supervise the dogs when chewing bones. Especially with larger breeds, you want to make sure they don’t bite off too much at once. Femur bones are hard, so I like to rotate it out after 20 minutes.
I am sure that if I had more treats to give her she’d go crazy for these homemade dog ice cream recipes, but with the birthday setup below, these treats will do just fine.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @bhindifries
#3: Bone-Shaped Carrot Cake Dog Treat Sandwich
Your dog is staring at you while you eat. That stare, you know the one you feel guilty for having a snack that isn’t hers.
This bone-shaped carrot cake sandwich from @barkorganix is what all Pinterest dreams are made of. Layers of baked dog biscuits, shredded carrot, and cream filling – it looks like something you’d find in a dog bakery charging $18 a slice.
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. 1 cup shredded carrots (fresh, not canned)
3. 2 eggs
4. ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
5. 2 tablespoons coconut oil
6. ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (for the cream filling)
7. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
How To Make Your Dog’s New Favorite Thing
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, shredded carrots, eggs, applesauce and coconut oil together until a firm dough forms (should not be sticky at all). Mix until a firm dough forms and then roll to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut with a bone shaped cookie cutter. If you wish you can press in some text or paw prints (I used a stamp- so fun!). Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden and firm. Let them cool completely before assembling and spreading a little Greek yogurt in between two of the cooled biscuits. Gently press together and then use your fingers to coat the edges with shredded carrot. Assemble as many layers as you want.
Keep this in mind: thicker dough makes a crunchier biscuit. more likely to hold up and not fall apart in my dog’s mouth.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 22 minutes | Serving Size: 6-8 sandwiches
Not only is it pretty to look at, but the carrots are high in fiber and low in calories. This treat not only looks cute, but it will also help your dog’s digestion.
If your girl goes crazy for these, you’ll definitely want to try out these Homemade 3-Ingredient Dog Treats: Easy, Healthy Recipes Your Pup Will Love next!
I freeze my extras in a single layer on a baking tray, then transfer them to a bag. They hold their shape better, and will last up to 3 months.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @barkorganix
#4: Pumpkin Dog Treats (Round & Pumpkin-Shaped Mini Bites)
If your dog ever looks at you with a “are we really not sharing?” look while you’re eating fall snacks on the couch, these little bites are for that.
They’re super warm, brown, and slightly matte from the whole wheat flour I coated them with. I made them in two different shapes – round discs and mini pumpkin cut-outs (but really, they could be straight from a fall Pinterest board).
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. ½ cup pure pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
3. 2 eggs
4. 2 tablespoons peanut butter (xylitol-free)
5. ½ teaspoon cinnamon
How to Make These Pumpkin Bites
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Mix the pumpkin, eggs, and peanut butter until smooth. The dough will be easier to work with if the wet ingredients are combined well before adding the dry ingredients. Add the flour and cinnamon, then knead until a firm dough forms. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a cookie cutter or a mini pumpkin cookie cutter. Bake for 25 minutes until firm and dry to touch. Let them cool on a rack.
Small change: Since it’s not a plate, I let them cool completely on a wire rack which keeps them crispy instead of soft and crispy treats last longer in the jar.
These delicious treats are high in fiber and beta-carotene, which are great for your dog’s digestion and immune system. Fewer vet visits mean more couch cuddles with your pup.
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Serving Size: ~40 mini treats
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @pebblesandtoast
The Pumpkin Treat Mistake That’s Secretly Upsetting Your Dog’s Stomach
OK, I made this mistake for months before I figured it out.
A lot of people just grab that orange can at the store and don’t bother to check the label. You have to be careful though, because pumpkin pie filling looks very similar to pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling has nutmeg in it, and nutmeg is toxic to dogs.
Always use 100% canned pumpkin. One ingredient! That’s it.
Tip: We freeze our pumpkin treats instead of baking them! To make this, mix a little pumpkin with plain Greek yogurt and pour into ice cube trays. Freeze and your golden retriever will enjoy that satisfying chew and it will keep them busy on hot days!
Oh, and pumpkins are high in fiber, so be careful when feeding it to your pup. Start small (say, with a mini treat) and especially if your pup has a sensitive gut, or else you might be dealing with a mess all over your Pinterest-perfect rug.
For more homemade treat ideas beyond pumpkin, the Ultimate Guide to Oven Dog Treats: Healthy, Homemade Recipes for Your Pup is genuinely worth bookmarking.
Your Pup Deserves a Treat Today — Go Make It Happen
Oh, and that’s it. It’s just you and your dog. And suddenly he’s looking at you as if you hung the moon.
Pick one recipe to make this week. Just one. Make a small batch and see how fast those tails will wag and I bet you can’t wait to make another one. If you’d like to continue experimenting, try out the carrot dog treats or apple dog treats.
Making your own sometimes doesn’t have to be that complicated. It just has to be made with love and perhaps with some flour on your counter.
hello dear 😀 what flavor are you going to try first? <3
Amr Mohsen is a software engineer who traded his keyboard for a leash — at least on weekends. His love for dogs inspired him to share what he learns as a dog owner and enthusiast, bringing a detail-oriented, research-driven perspective to every article he writes. If it’s about dogs, he’s probably already looked it up twice.
