Easy Homemade Pet Treats

Our pets are our best friends and family members, so it just makes sense that we want to make sure we’re feeding them healthy food. With so many manufacturer recalls of pet food and treats, it can be hard to know if those treats we get at the store are really good for our beloved fur companions. Many of the processed treats we buy can be full of preservatives and other less than optimum ingredients, as well as being dangerous for pets who have food allergies.

Making your own pet treats can be a great solution to this dilemma, and it’s easy to combine items from your own kitchen to make delicious doggy (or kitty) cookies that you’ll feel good about feeding them. These pet treats are simple to make, delicious and can even be a fun gift for pet-owning friends! Plus, you’ll have the comfort of knowing exactly what is in the treats they’re eating.

This recipe calls for carob chips, which you can usually find in bulk at your neighborhood health food store. Carob chips are the pet alternative to chocolate, giving them that chocolatey taste they crave while still being safe to consume. If carob’s not your thing, you can also substitute other ingredients you might have on hand, such as shredded cheese or finely diced turkey jerky. If you have pets with allergies, you can tweak the recipe in a variety of ways to fit their needs, subbing 1/2 cup of pumpkin or unsweetened applesauce for the egg, or plain water for the chicken stock. Get creative, your pets will love you for it!

Crunchy Carob and Peanut Butter Pet Treats

Ingredients:

1 cup unbleached flour (can substitute wheat, coconut or almond flour if you prefer)

1 1/2 cups quick oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

1/2 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup chicken stock

carob chips

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats and baking powder.
• Add the egg and peanut butter and mix until combined.
• Slowly add the chicken stock, mixing as you go (depending on the kind of flour you use, you may not need the full 3/4 cup).
• When all is combined, stir in the carob chips.
• Sprinkle a smooth flat surface and a rolling pin liberally with flour, then roll out the dough until it’s about a quarter of an inch thick. If the dough feels too sticky to roll out right away, form it into a ball and wrap in plastic, placing in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Using a bone-shaped cookie cutter, or any fun shape of your choice, cut out biscuits.
• Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the cookies are firm and lightly brown on the bottom.
• Makes approximately 36 treats, depending on the type of cookie cutter you use.