If you own a dog, you know every day is Spoil Your Dog Day.
But Aug. 10 is National Spoil Your Dog Day, and if you’re looking for a new way to spoil your pup, try these easy homemade peanut butter and pumpkin dog treats.
My dog, Pippi, loves these. Granted, she is the least picky eater in the world and loves all treats, but I like to tell myself that these are her favorites because—excuse the cheese— they’re made with love. (She also loves cheese. That is her actual favorite.)
These don’t have cheese, but they are chock-full of pumpkin and peanut butter, both of which Pippi eats by the spoonful as often as I’ll give them to her. All the ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find. And you certainly don’t need a cookie cutter in the shape of a dog bone—or your dog—but it never hurts.
I made these for the first time in December and, once they were well-received by the canine critic, almost immediately made a
second batch to give as Christmas gifts to family and friends whose dogs are as spoiled well-loved as mine.
Two things to remember: You want these to be super crunchy; a dog trainer told me the crunchy cookie edges help clean your dog’s teeth. I like to roll these thinner than the recipe recommends, or cook for another 10 minutes or so. Secondly, these will continue crisping up after you take them out of the oven and they cool, so you don’t need to take them to the brink of burned in the oven.
Happy ba(r)king!