soft dog treat recipes

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated November 19, 2024

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Recipe: Soft Dog Treats with Pumpkin

Many pets prefer soft dog treats over crunchy biscuits. Some dogs simply need a softer treat, like those with dental problems or missing teeth. No matter what type of treat you offer your dog, be sure they're made with quality ingredients. This soft dog treats recipe is made with pumpkin, peanut butter and a few other nutritious ingredients.

Making your own dog treats is more time consuming, but it's also the best way to avoid harmful chemicals and potentially toxic ingredients. The biggest problem with commercial dog food and treats is the lenient health requirements. While there are a fewrules and regulations, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is not nearly as stringent about pet food as it is about food for human consumption.

Soft Dog Treats Recipe with Pumpkin

Homemade dog treats eliminate the risk of unsafe ingredients. You'll be able to choose which ingredients you want to include and how they are prepared. You can cater homemade dog food and treats to your pet's specific nutritional needs and their personal preferences.

Soft Pumpkin Dog Treats

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If you'd like to make this recipe in bulk, you can also store the cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like this option because it means that I can still provide homemade treats for my dogs without having to take the time to make them every few days.

Author: Samantha Randall
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 8 treats 1x
Category: Desserts
Method: Refrigeration
Cuisine: Treats

1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup milk
3 cups old fashioned oats

Beat the pumpkin, peanut butter and milk on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add 2.5 cups of old fashioned oats while mixing on low speed.

Roll the mixture into 1-2 balls depending on your dog's size. You can also use a small cookie scoop. Coat each ball with oats and place them on a plate or cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Refrigerate the dog treats until firm (about 2 hours).

Once they've hardened, you can feed them to your pup. Remember that these treats will add a few extra calories to Fido's diet, so only feed him 1 or 2 treats per day. You can store leftover treats in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

For More Information

We publish many homemade dog food and treats recipes every month. For more recipes, pet food cooking tips and advice, see our Recipes section. If you're new to home cooked dog food subject, I recommend you read more about How Much To Feed to understand serving sizes, What Supplements To Use to create well-balanced meals, and How To Store for tips on simple and easy homemade dog food storing in a fridge or a freezer.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Soft Dog Treats

To your dog, these peanut butter pumpkin soft dog treats are the best treat they have ever eaten! They will want seconds, and thirds, (or pretty much the entire batch!).

Forget about waiting for dog treats to bake in the oven this easy soft dog treat recipe involves no baking at all! In fact, your furry friends will gobble them up as soon as they are rolled and ready!

FYI This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Best Things About These Homemade Soft Dog Treats

These are the perfect peanut butter dog treats to give to senior dogs, dogs with no teeth, or as puppy treats. Since they are so soft, they are easy for weaker dogs to chew (as opposed to all those crunchy treats out there).

They are also wonderful training treats; you can hide pills in them too. Plus, they are vegan, so they are a great way to give your dog plant-based nutrition.

When you make your own dog treats, you know exactly what is in them. Store-bought treats can have questionable ingredients. This way, you can control how sweet they are or make substitutions if your dog has food sensitivities or allergies.

I love that this simple recipe for easy homemade dog treats uses my dogs favorite foods. Peanut butter and pumpkin is a healthy combination that is also super delicious for your dogs.

The best part is that this doesnt require any baking! Just roll them up and they are ready to share with your fur baby.

Benefits of Peanut Butter for Dogs

Lots of dogs love peanut butter and that is one of the main ingredients in these delicious treats. Peanut butter is high in protein which can help your dog build muscle.

Peanut butter also contains healthy fats that benefit brain and muscle development.

When you use natural peanut butter to make healthy dog treats you should only use unsweetened peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter makes smoother cookies.

Benefits of Pumpkin for Dogs

These pumpkin treats are really high in vitamin A, beta carotene, and fiber. Canned pumpkin is just as good for dogs as fresh pumpkin puree.

Even a small amount of pumpkin is good for dogs. Its a great source of fiber, which supports your dogs gut health.

Soft Dog Treats for Pills

If you have a dog that refuses to take pills, hide them in these nutritious treats. It is a great recipe to hide medication. They are the best homemade pill pockets for dogs!

Recipe Ingredients

Here is a bit more information about the simple ingredients I used in these homemade treats.

Natural Unsweetened Creamy Peanut Butter Do not use peanut butter that has added sugar.
Pumpkin Puree Plain canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling with spices. You could use pumpkin baby food if you have it.
Coconut Oil A healthy fat that adds some moisture and helps hold the treat together.
Oat Flour store-bought or easily made with old-fashioned rolled oats.

All of the ingredients can be found at regular grocery stores.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

When you make this easy soft dog treats recipe, here are a few notes to keep in mind:

Do not use peanut butter that contains xylitol because it is toxic to dogs.

To make soft dog treats without peanut butter, substitute the peanut butter with SunButter (sunflower seed butter). Make sure it does not contain xylitol or any artificial sweeteners.

You can substitute the oat flour with coconut flour. While you can use all purpose flour or whole wheat flour, I do not recommend them for these treats. Do not use rice flour because raw rice flour can cause choking and digestive issues in dogs.

If you want to make organic soft dog treats, use organic ingredients.

Equipment Needed

Another great thing about this recipe is you only need a few kitchen items to make these no-bake peanut butter pumpkin dog treats.

Measuring Cups
Mixing Bowl
Tray or Baking Sheet

I rolled these treats into balls. It saved me tons of time. If you want to create shaped treats, then use either some silicone molds or a small ice cube tray. They are too soft to use cookie cutters.

How to Make Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats

Here are the recipe steps for these easy to make dog treats with no baking:

Melt the coconut oil and combine it well with the peanut butter and the pumpkin puree in a large bowl.
If using rolled oats, blend them in a blender or food processor until it reaches a flour consistency.
Add the oat flour and combine well using a hand mixer or a spoon.
Form balls with the mixture, about 1-inch thick for smaller treats and up to 2-inches thick for larger treats.
Place the balls on a tray or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Use a fork to press a crosshatch design into the treats if desired.

Baked Soft Dog Treats

If you want, you can bake these treats at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The baking time will vary depending on the size of the treats.

Serving Size

Even though this easy dog treat recipe is good for your dog to eat, it is still a treat. Pay close attention to the size of your pet when deciding how much to give them. Tiny dogs should only eat one of these treats a day. Larger breeds like Great Dane can eat more. It all has to do with the total calories they are eating that day.

You can also adjust the size of the treat by making larger or smaller size balls.

Any time you introduce new recipes to your pet, watch for signs of an upset stomach, just in case they are sensitive to one of the ingredients. Start with small pieces.

How to Store Soft Dog Treats

Store the treats in an airtight container or heavy zip-top plastic bag in the refrigerator. Do not store them at room temperature (unless you baked them).

You can freeze the treats for longer storage. Heres how to freeze them:

Place them on a tray so they are not touching.
Put the tray in the freezer until the treats are frozen solid.
Transfer the frozen treats to a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag.
Store them in the freezer.

How Long Do Homemade Soft Dog Treats Last?

The treats will last up to 4 days in the fridge.

The treats will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Can Humans Eat These Soft Treats for Dogs?

Yep, they sure can! All the ingredients are safe for human consumption. However, I doubt any person would enjoy them because theyre not sweet.

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More Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

Want to make more tasty treats for your dog? Take a look at these:

Not in the mood for making homemade dog treats? Check out myfavorite dog treatson myAmazon dog treatslist.

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Soft Dog Treats

Homemade Peanut Butter Pumpkin Soft Dog Treats are a tasty snack for your furry friend!

Prep Time 13 minutes minutes Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Unsweetened Creamy Peanut Butter or SunButter
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 cup Oat Flour or Uncooked Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

Instructions

Melt the coconut oil and combine it well with the peanut butter and the pumpkin puree in a bowl.
If using rolled oats, pulse them in a blender or food processor until it has a powder/flour consistency.
Add the oat flour and combine well using a hand mixer or a spoon.
Roll the mixture into balls, about 1-inch thick for smaller treats and up to 2-inches thick for larger treats.
Place the balls on a parchment paper lined tray.
Use a fork to press a crosshatch design into the treat if desired.
Store the treats in the refrigerator.

Notes

Do not use peanut butter or SunButter that contains xylitol, a sweetener toxic to dogs.Be sure to use plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling because it may contain spices toxic to dogs.The treats will last for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.Freeze the treats for longer storage. They will last up to 6 months in the freezer. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.You can bake the treats at 350F for about 20 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

Nutrition

10 Homemade Dog Treat Recipes (Vet-Approved)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

Learn more

Want to learn how to make homemade dog treats from the comfort of your home? Youll be able to choose each ingredient, save money, and cook specifically for your pups preferences. The best news is that dog treat recipes are typically simple and easy to follow.

Keep reading to find 10 amazing dog treat recipes for dogs of all ages. Spoil your dog with healthy and delicious homemade dog treats! Whether you want to make a healthy dog treat, replace your pups favorite brand of dog biscuits, or cook up a soft dog treat, weve got you covered.

Keeping your dog healthy is important, so youll want to choose a healthy dog treat recipe. That means avoiding ingredients that arent good for dogs! Scroll down to find our favorite healthy treat recipes:

The Top 10 Homemade Dog Treat Recipes:

Healthy Dog Treat Recipes

1. Oat and Apple Pretzel Dog Treat Recipe

What could be cuter than a doggie pretzel? This easy recipe just needs four ingredients: oat flour, rolled oats, applesauce, and an egg. So healthy and simple, you might want to try one!

2. Cranberry & Oat Treats

Whether or not its a special Day, your pup will appreciate these delicious and healthy cranberry dog treats. Made with gluten-free oats, flaxseed, and antioxidant-rich cranberries, these dog-friendly cookies come together in minutes.

3. Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Help your pup celebrate fall with these tasty treats! While you sip on a PSL, your dog can enjoy treats made with pumpkin and peanut butter. The best news? These treats are a lot like cookies, so youll have no trouble throwing them together quickly.

4. Breath-Freshening Dog Treats

Does your dog have bad breath? This recipe from Health Starts in the Kitchen has some unusual ingredients (like parsley and activated charcoal), but it will approximate Greenies and save you quite a bit of money!

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuit Recipes:

If youre looking for traditional dog biscuitrecipes, youre in the right place! These easy recipes will help you make crunchy biscuits with all kinds of shapes and flavors!

5. Peanut Butter Dog Biscuit Recipe

With the help of a fun cookie cutter, you can whip up peanut butter biscuits pretty enough to give as a gift! Throw these simple biscuits in the oven and youll have crispy treats in about 20 minutes.

6. Bacon Glazed Biscuits

These biscuits are pretty, full of great ingredients, and easy to make. But what puts them over the top is the glaze, a mixture of peanut butter and bacon fat. What dog could resist that?

7. Spinach, Carrot, & Zucchini Dog Biscuits

If youre looking for something a little more veggie-heavy, you might want to try this recipe. It incorporates carrots, spinach, and zucchini, plus pumpkin, peanut butter, and oats, into a classic-looking dog biscuit!

Soft Dog Treat Recipes:

Does your dog prefer soft treats? Here are some of the best soft dog treat recipes, including donuts and cupcakes!

8. No-Bake Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Looking for a soft dog treat recipe thats quick and easy? Try this one from Live Laugh Rowe, which uses coconut oil and peanut butter. Your dog will thank you!

9. Carrot Peanut Butter Pupcakes

If you and your dog are celebrating, why not roll out the pupcakes? These soft, dog-friendly cupcakes have a tasty peanut butter yogurt frosting and you can top them with homemade dog biscuits for extra flair!

10. Peanut Butter Bacon Donuts

These doggie donuts look sweet and good enough to eat but dont be fooled! Theyre savory treats made with oats, peanut butter, and a sprinkling of bacon bits. Guaranteed to be a hit!

Homemade Dog Treats: Conclusion

Now you know how to make homemade dog treats with these 10 delicious recipes! Whether youre looking for soft dog treats or homemade dog biscuits, these recipes will turn you into a doggie chef before you know it. What you feed your dog is important, and this way you can control every ingredient. Just remember these are still treats and as such, they should only be fed in moderation since they are not a complete and balanced diet and they do add up the calories. Gone are the days of having to buy expensive dog treats!

Prefer to skip the cooking? Choose from our favorite dog treat brands!

Featured Image Credit: The team at Hepper