Homemade Dog Treats Recipe + Ideas
Baking homemade dog treats is a great way to make delicious treats for your pup and, if I’m being honest, do a little fridge clean out. Let me share with you my cheese and oat dog treat recipe, along with some homemade dog treat ingredients and ideas that are a little less structured!
As I type this, Hynda is barking furiously at my feet and Szuka is breathing heavily at my elbow. I’ve been eating the homemade dog treats I baked for them all day, and they can smell the cheese and oats on my breath.
Homemade Dog Treat Ingredients:
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oats
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup broth
- 3 eggs (beaten)
I thrifted the cutest dog-themed cookie cutters, which is a good idea if you need to make it clear who these treats are intended for…
How to Make Homemade Dog Treats:
- Measure out the ingredients
- Mix together the oats and flour with a wooden spoon*
- Stir in the cheese, broth, and eggs
- Combine with your hands until you can form the dough into a ball
- Knead on a floured cutting board for a minute
- Roll flat with a rolling pin
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes for the smaller size and 20-25 minutes for the larger cookies
*(If it’s a little dry, you add a bit more water or broth and if it’s too wet, add a scoop more of flour or oats).
These are very durable cookies and I have baked itty bitties with giant ones together – they’re not delicate like a human cookie and they won’t burn easily at all, so don’t stress about the thickness, just adjust to your pup’s preference. Once rolled out, cut out with cookie cutters.
How to Bake Homemade Dog Treats:
Bake these at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes for the smaller size and 20-25 minutes for the larger cookies. I liked to use parchment paper or a silicon mat. When I bake them for this long, I use them up pretty quickly. If you want to store them safely for longer, double the baking time and really let them dry out and get hard.
How to Store Homemade Dog Treats:
These are “fresher” than store bought dog treats – think of them more like bread, than dog cookies that can last forever. These aren’t rock hard. So store them in the fridge and try to consume within a couple of weeks.
Pairing Suggestions for Human Consumption:
These homemade cheese and oat dog biscuits are (intentionally) a little more bland than a human cookie or cracker, but actually still quite satisfying – especially if you’ve recently fallen off the low-carb wagon and feeling snacky. I topped these with a slice of cheese and some salami, with a side of cherry tomatoes, for a quick lunch time bite. The dogs sat there staring at me, like “what. the. heck?” In my defense, they eat my food all the time.
Can we just talk for a minute about Szuka’s self control?
Seriously, look at this!
Hynda, on the other hand, LOST her mind for these cookies – and I almost lost a finger in the process. How are those tiny teeth so sharp?! I tried to snap an adorable photo of her chowing down on these cheesy treats but every photo was a blur. Once she’d gobbled five cookies while I tried to snap the perfect pic, I managed to get this clear shot. Does that look like a contented pup with a full belly, or what?
More Homemade Dog Treat Recipes Ideas:
If you are a more adventurous person in the kitchen, like me, and don’t like to follow a recipe, let me give you some looser ideas. Because homemade dog treats can be a great way to use up leftover ingredients in the fridge.
I call them “kitchen sink cookies” because I don’t use a recipe. Here are some ingredients I reach for (always double check that an ingredient is dog-safe and isn’t a known allergen to your pup). Be sure to consider their overall caloric intake and offer these sparingly. For more ideas, I look at the ingredients on the wholesome doggy biscuits I’ve bought for inspiration.
Excellent DIY Dog Biscuit Ingredients:
- Shredded carrots
- Unsweetened pumpkin puree
- Bits of bacon
- Bacon grease (secret ingredient she salivates for)
- Chicken broth
- Bouillon cubes
- Unsweetened peanut butter
- Shredded cheese
- Oats
- Dried Blueberries
- Mushed banana
- Apple pieces
How to Turn Random Ingredients into Homemade Dog Cookies:
I’ll pick a few ingredients from the list above, then add an egg or two, some flour (whole wheat, preferably), a little chicken broth or bacon grease, and mix until the dough is firm enough to roll out onto a floured cutting board. I use a cute, dog-approved set of cookie cutters and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned (usually about 10-15 minutes). For a crunchier treat, you can try baking longer.
What’s in This Batch of DIY Dog Treats?
The batch pictured has pumpkin puree, oats, peanut butter, flour, eggs, and a bit of water.
She must recognize her cookie cutters because when I’m baking for her she seems to know it, and she’ll watch the oven the whole time. Maybe just making sure I don’t eat them all.
I hope you like these ideas for making dog treats. Chat with your Vet if you have any concerns about ingredients, diet, weight, or allergies.
If you’ve got a recipe of your own (or a secret ingredient), I’d love to hear it!
These look great! Totally wholesome ingredients, too. My dog will eat anything and everything so I don't have much of a problem with treats. If anything my problem is that we run out too fast! Love the idea of just working with what ingredients you have at home. What a nice way to spend a couple hours 🙂
I used to have a Jack Russell who had that kind of appetite. It was so weird discovering szuka is a picky eater. Didn't know there were dogs like that! Wholesome dog treats can be so expensive, so if you're going through a lot, baking them might save you a few bucks!
I'm terrible with following directions, so this is my kind of recipe! I usually just buy a large box at Sam's club since my dog will eat ANYTHING, but I'll have to try making our own instead.
Haha, I hear ya! I don't think I've ever followed a recipe to the letter. If I don't make substitutions, then I play fast and loose with measurements!
Hey Tanya, I would be a bit careful with the bananas, as they can be bad for their teeth!
That is good to know, thanks! I try to give her everything in moderation (wish I could follow the same rule myself – ha!) but I will be sure to skip bananas next time.
Have you tried raw feeding your dog, Tanya? The great thing about it is that you can bulk it up with a lot of the good stuff so you get a good healthy mix, and plenty bang for your bucks! I feed my boys once a day, and like yourself bake my own bickies for them, as well as mix and freeze tasty concoctions in their kongs. Lucky boys mine! 😉 Happy to pass on my mix to you. Just shout out. (heather at micanip dot com)
Hi Heather,I have thought about switching to raw because our friends switched their dog and he seems happier and healthier (shinier coat, etc). But I'm so nervous that once we switch, she'll never go back! We travel quite a bit with her and I just can't imagine her eating raw on the road. But I feel incredibly guilty every time I eat meat and she stares at me like, "hey, that's what I'm supposed to eat…"