Peanut Butter Dog Treats

I'm making a package of goodies to send to my cousins in celebration of their dog, Tottie's, new found viral internet fame. How could that package be complete without some treats for Tottie herself (and her furry siblings)? This is a quick easy recipe for some dog treats you can make for the pups in your life! There are no preservatives, and you can substitute ingredients based on your dog's dietary needs.

To make these treats at home you will need (makes 30-40 treats):

2 cups whole wheat flour*
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats*
2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup peanut butter

*If your dog is on a grain free diet, you may omit the rolled oats and substitute coconut flour, or a mixture of grain free flours. You could also add carob chips to these if you feel like spoiling your pup (dogs should never, ever eat chocolate).

Start by whisking together your dry ingredients in a bowl to evenly combine them. Next, I put my peanut butter and water together in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 1 minute (two 30 second intervals) and stir them together into a melted mixture (this makes stirring the peanut butter into the dough much easier).

Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together to form the dough. You may need to add a bit more water if your dough is too dry (I add an extra teaspoon at a time). Once the wet mixture is mostly incorporated, I usually start kneading the dough with my hands to bring it together. You will end up with a dough that is very dense, and resembles a bread dough more than a cookie dough.

Pinch off small pieces of the dough and roll them into balls with your hands. Place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, about one inch apart and flatten with a fork. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and allow to cool inside the oven (this will aid in keeping the treats from gaining moisture while they cool and you will end up with nice crispy crunchy dog treats).

These treats will keep in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks. To elongate the shelf life, you can keep a few treats at room temp and put the rest in the freezer (in an air tight container) for up to 6 months- just allow the treats to thaw about 20 minutes before giving them to your dog.

You can change these up in lots of ways, substitute low sodium chicken broth or sugar free applesauce for the water (you could also add a thumbprint and give these to your dog with a little sugar free jam or preserves in the center for a special treat!

Package some up for the furry friends in your neighborhood for Halloween!