Well… you caught me. My dog, Maple, began limping a little last winter and I was spiraling. It’s not fair, she’s only four! I saw turmeric everywhere… on Pinterest boards, on dog mom Facebook groups, on my fyp! But I just brushed it off at first.
Then I remember my aunt who swears by natural remedies for everything sat me down and said “just try it”. And I did.
And girl. The difference.
I have no idea how to give this to her! Do I sprinkle it in her food? Do I bake something with it? Is it even safe to give to her?
As the health craze of turmeric is still going strong, I thought it was time to do a little guide on turmeric dog treats. So I’m going to talk about the benefits of turmeric, as well as some of the simple recipes you can make and the safety stuff you need to know before you feed your pup anything new.
#1: Dog-Shaped Birthday Cookies for Oscar’s 8th Birthday
I know the feeling, the moment your golden gives you those eyes on their birthday and you just want to do something special. Who wants to give their dog a store bought treat?
These cookies are adorable! I’ve seen the bone shaped ones and the dog face stamp cookies, but not the “Birthday Boy” round shaped ones. They are so cute! I made the cookies and wrote a personalized message on one that says “Happy 8th Birthday Oscar”. They come in a paw print box with a cupcake print bandana on top. They are definitely Pinterest ready!
Here’s how to make them:
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Makes: 20–24 cookies
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. ½ cup rolled oats
3. ⅓ cup peanut butter (xylitol-free)
4. 2 eggs
5. ¼ cup water
Preheat oven to 325 °F (165 °C). Mix the dry ingredients and then the peanut butter and eggs. Add water a little at a time, until a firm dough is formed. It should be stiff enough to hold the cookie cutter shapes without spreading too much.
Roll your dough to 1/4 inch thick. Use a small stamp or cutters to stamp or cut out your cookies. Bake on a lined sheet for 22-25 minutes until golden and firm. Let cool completely on the sheet before placing in airtight containers.
You can store the homemade dog biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze them. These homemade dog biscuits are more shelf stable than soft treats, so they are perfect for gifting.
Thicker dough = crunchier cookie. I know my golden will go absolutely feral for these.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @beecraftygifts
#2: Heart-Shaped Charry’s Blueberry & Activated Charcoal Dog Treats
My dog gives me that look (tongue out, eyes on my hand) and I just give her the cookie. Same.
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup whole wheat flour
2. ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries (mashed)
3. 1 tablespoon activated charcoal powder
4. 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
5. 1 egg
6. ¼ cup water (add gradually)
Let’s Make These Happen
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mash the blueberries in a bowl until they’re mostly a purple paste. It smells delicious, by the way.
Mix in the egg, the melted coconut oil and the activated charcoal powder. The charcoal powder turns the biscuit dough a deep, moody black colour – but it’s totally safe for dogs!
Add the flour slowly and mix until a dough forms. If the dough feels too stiff, add a little water at a time until it can be rolled out. Roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick on a floured surface and cut out with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.
Bake on a lined sheet for 12-15 minutes until firm. Cool completely, and offer a piece to the other one.
Real talk: Activated charcoal is good for the gut, blueberries have some amazing antioxidants, and the coconut oil keeps his coat shiny, so this is a win-win-win on a busy Tuesday.
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Serves: 20-24 treats
If your girl likes to inhale her treats, make the cookies slightly thinner so they will snap easier and slow her down just a bit.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @chaitotherescue
#3: Grain-Free Pumpkin Dog Biscuits from Barn for Furry Friends
You know when your golden retriever is looking up at you with those eyes – those eyes that say “please, I’ve been so good today” and you want to give her something that really feels worth it?
These little biscuits from Barn for Furry Friends are just that.
Ingredients:
1. Pumpkin puree (organic, unsweetened)
2. Coconut flour (grain-free base)
3. Eggs (binding agent)
4. Turmeric (for joint support)
5. Ginger (soothes digestion)
6. Coconut oil (adds moisture and coat benefits)
How to Make These at Home
Mix 1/2 cup of coconut flour with 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and a pinch of ginger and mix until it becomes a soft dough. Roll it out to a thickness of 1/4 inch and cut into rounds. Bake in the oven at 350F for 18-20 minutes until they are firm and golden. Let them cool completely as a warm biscuit will not be firm on the inside and I like to share the crispy outside with the girls.
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Serving Size: ~18 biscuits
The grain free flour is helping to keep wheat out of her belly, which means less grumbly tummy on the living room floor. And turmeric is a hero for aging joints.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks or freeze half of it. Thinner biscuits will crisp up faster and stay crunchier longer.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @bffpetwash
#4: Pumpkin Oat Dog Treats With Turmeric & Coconut Oil
My golden’s nose hits the kitchen doorframe before I’ve even finished mixing. That moment when their tail starts to go full helicopter and their eyes get hopeful, that’s why I started making these at home.
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups Meijer Old Fashioned Oats (ground into flour or left whole)
2. ½ cup Meijer 100% Pure Pumpkin (canned, not pie filling)
3. 2 tablespoons True Goodness Organic Refined Coconut Oil (melted)
4. 1 egg
5. ½ teaspoon Sauer’s Turmeric
6. ¼ teaspoon Meijer Ground Black Pepper (helps activate the turmeric — don’t skip this)
Let’s Make These Treats
Preheat your oven to 350F. Stir together the oats, turmeric and pepper in a bowl. Add the pumpkin, coconut oil and egg and stir until you have a firm dough. If your dough is very sticky, add a little oats at a time until you can roll it out.
Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Press your bone-shaped cookie cutter through the dough — there’s something so satisfying about doing that. Arrange the cuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and firm.
Cool them completely before giving them to your girl. If they are warm when you give them to your girl, they will get crumbly, which is not good.
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 28 min | Serving Size: ~24 bones
The mixture can be kept for up to one week in an airtight container or in the freezer for one month. The turmeric is not only trendy, but good for the dog’s joints too, which means less stiffness on your morning walk together. If you enjoy making such simple recipes for your dog, you may also like Homemade 3-Ingredient Dog Treats: Easy, Healthy Recipes Your Pup Will Love.
Don’t try to be too clever and use unrefined coconut oil here instead. Unrefined has a strong coconut smell and some dogs won’t touch it.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @doggonedriven
#5: Pumpkin Oat Dog Cookies (Soft-Baked & Golden)
You know how your dog looks at you with those big eyes when you’re snacking? Yeah, my dog used to do the same thing and I felt so guilty eating in front of her.
I made these cookies with pumpkin purée and rolled oats and they are basically not scary. The warm orange color is from the pumpkin, no dyes or weird stuff here.
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup pumpkin purée (plain, not pie filling)
2. 2 cups rolled oats
3. ¼ cup whole wheat flour
4. 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Let’s Bake These Golden Beauties
Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin and coconut oil together first, then the oats and flour and stir until a thick dough forms. Roll into ½-inch thick rounds and press down with your palm to flatten. Bake for 15-18 minutes until firm and golden. Allow to cool completely before serving!
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 18 min | Makes: ~24 treats
Good for older dogs as they’re soft, but hold their shape. The oats give a bit of fiber and better digestion. Less of that smell on long car rides.
If you want to store them for longer, put them in an airtight jar and they will keep for up to one week, or pop a batch into the freezer to enjoy later. You can stack them which makes them Pinterest-worthy enough to leave on the bench.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @pookspantry
#6: Peanut Butter Frosted Cupcakes for Dogs
Molly is staring at me while I frost these for her. She’s giving me that look. You know the look, where I swear she’s going to ask for one. So last fall I made her her own batch. She ate them all before I even sat down.
these are peanut butter cupcakes with a whipped peanut butter frosting packed in the most pinterest-worthy cupcake liners ever and put in a clear plastic container, just the thing to bring out your best dog mom skills.
Ingredients
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. 1 tsp baking soda
3. 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)
4. 2 ripe bananas, mashed
5. 2 eggs
6. 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
7. 1/3 cup water
For the frosting:
1. 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2. 4 oz plain cream cheese, softened
3. 1 tsp cinnamon
Let’s Bake These
Set your oven to 350°F. In a bowl, mix the mashed bananas, eggs, peanut butter, and applesauce until smooth. It doesn’t matter if there are a few lumps. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and water until just combined. Don’t overmix.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and fill about two-thirds full. Bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let them cool completely. Warm cupcakes will cause the frosting to melt into a sad puddle.
To make the frosting, I beat together the peanut butter and cream cheese until fluffy and spread it on top with a piping bag or zip-lock bag with one corner snipped off. I added a touch of cinnamon for a warm depth that my dogs are crazy for.
i made these yesterday and they were a big hit. i used applesauce instead of the butter because they are low fat. i think i might make them again.
Store extras in the same airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. My friend Sarah told me her dog sat in front of the fridge for 3 days straight after she made these. I believe her.
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 22 min | Serves: 12 cupcakes
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @mind.body.dog
#7: Golden Chicken Strip Treats Your Pup Will Go Absolutely Feral For
It’s a special look. The one where your Golden stares at your hand like you’re holding a map to the meaning of life. Yes, this treat gives me that look.
These are my dehydrated chicken breast strips. Thin, chewy, golden-brown and kind of perfect. There are no fillers or weird stuff in them, just chicken.
Let’s Make Them
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 3–4 hours | Serving Size: 20–25 strips
1. 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 8 oz)
2. 1 tablespoon coconut oil (melted)
3. Optional: ¼ teaspoon turmeric for that golden color
Slice the chicken breast against the grain into 1/8 inch strips. If you want chewy jerky, go as thin as you dare. I ruined my first batch by going too thick and the darned things took forever to dry. Brush with coconut oil then lay the strips out flat on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
Bake for 200°F for about 3 to 4 hours. Flip them over half way through. You want them dry and leathery but not crispy. Pull one out, and bend it, it should flex but not break.
Because they are single-ingredient treats, dogs with sensitive stomachs are able to digest these treats without the drama. The high protein content helps keep your golden healthy and happy. This is the whole point, after all.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for later use. If your pup is still a baby, you might want to slice them even thinner so they are easier on those little teeth.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @puppupbear
#8: Paw-Shaped Peanut Butter Dog Treats in a Glass Bowl
You know that moment when your pup gives you those eyes after you’re done baking something? Mine did that last week and I almost gave in and shared my snack with her. I decided she deserves her own batch.
These little paw-shaped cookies are so cute, and photographed so well in my cute, little ribbed glass bowl on a cute, round olive wood board. Very Pinterest-y. Very you.
How to Make Paw-Shaped Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Makes about 40 small treats
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. ½ cup natural peanut butter (unsalted, xylitol-free)
3. 2 eggs
4. ½ cup water (add gradually)
5. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Set the oven to 350°F. Mix together the peanut butter and eggs, then add in the flour and cinnamon. Add water until you have a firm but not sticky dough. If the dough holds its shape when pressed, it’s ready.
Roll it out to 1/4 inch thick. Use a paw-print silicone mold or cookie cutter to make paw prints. Press the dough firmly so that details appear crisp and cute. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and dry to the touch. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
And, finally, the use of whole wheat flour lends structure to the bars which, in turn, allow them to retain paw detail for longer and stay crunchy longer. This crunchiness helps to remove plaque from your dog’s teeth.
You can store the pears in a glass jar or airtight container for up to two weeks. If you want to store them longer, you can freeze them. They thaw quickly.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @whiskersandwishesltd
The Black Pepper Secret Nobody Tells You About Turmeric Treats
This is what changed everything for me when I started making these for my sister’s dog.
Studies have shown that a dog’s body only absorbs a tiny fraction of the turmeric that goes in its food. In fact, the curcumin (the compound that is the true anti-inflammatory) does not get absorbed into the body at all. HOWEVER, a tiny pinch of black pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon per batch) will increase turmeric absorption by up to 2,000%!
But the biggest mistake people make is not being cautious enough when using turmeric. It’s easy to think that more is better, but the turmeric will stain anything and everything… cutting boards, your hands… your golden’s adorable white muzzle fur… Start with one teaspoon per batch, maximum.
Turmeric also happens to be fat soluble, so mixing it with coconut oil or peanut butter not only enhances the flavor, but it also helps his body absorb the turmeric.
Now, if you’re into making wonderful, wholesome stuff from scratch, then homemade dog treats using easy recipes to follow are just the same.
Your girl deserves treats that work, not just look cute.
Your Golden Deserves a Clean Home Too
flickr.com/photos/21142815@N03/ If you’re an animal lover, you don’t need to choose between loving your dog and loving your space. You can do both. Fully.
Pick one product, just one. Anything. I just started with one washable throw blanket for my couch and it has made my whole living room feel like a new place!
Our house can smell good, and look good, and still be a Golden Retriever’s house. That slobbery, muddy, perfectly lovable chaos is our heaven.
How about you? What are you grabbing first?
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.
