Homemade Dog Treats with Pumpkin
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Simple homemade pumpkin dog treats made with pumpkin puree, whole wheat flour, and bacon. These treats are also made without peanut butter, so they’re great for homes with a peanut allergy!
Your pup will love this Pumpkin Dog Treat Recipe
Bet you didn’t expect to see a pup on my website, did you? And I bet you’d be surprised these pumpkin dog biscuits are in the top 20 recipes on my entire website consistently.
That’s right– this website, which houses recipes for mostly sweets gets lots of visitors to this recipe all year long, all from people who are looking to make homemade dog treats without peanut butter for a whole host of reasons.
Is there a peanut allergy in your house? Does your dog have a peanut allergy? Do you just not like peanut butter?
It can be hard to find a recipe for dog treats without peanut butter around the internet, so many years ago during my annual pumpkin week, I used those issues to fill a gap I saw in the homemade pumpkin treats for dogs category of recipes.
Major shoutout to my assistant Lauren whose idea it was. She’s a dog owner herself, and when she suggested I create a recipe for pumpkin dog treats, I couldn’t get into the kitchen fast enough.
Here’s the interesting part… We do not have a dog. I’m not sure we will ever have a dog, but if our boys have any say in the matter… We might.
BUT, the truth is, I’m allergic to them and I don’t love pets in general.
The dogs on our street and in our neighborhood? LOVE THEM. Our boys ADORE this dog in particular that we borrowed for photos (hi, Reggie!), but I’m currently in the mindset of never wanting animal hair or fur in my house.
Please don’t hate me. But definitely invite me and my kids over to give lots of pets and belly rubs!
That said, I don’t particularly need or use this recipe, like, ever, but I know about 99% of the population of my readers probably do.
Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe ingredients
Before I developed this recipe, I did some research on dog treats all over the internet. I’d say the majority of them included peanut butter.
I decided I didn’t want to do that, not only because there were one million peanut butter pumpkin dog treat recipes out there, but also because we are actually a peanut butter free home.
No, no allergies and no opposition to peanut butter (HELLO, I STILL LOVE YOU PB + CHOCOLATE), but there is a legume sensitivity in our house, so we’re straight up almond butter people…
Except in my baking cabinet where you can find a jar of natural peanut butter as well as traditional peanut butter at any given moment because, well, peanut butter recipes are still quite abundant on my website despite the foods we keep in our house (see my ultimate peanut butter cookies or no bake peanut butter pie for starters).
All in all, I wanted to keep this peanut-free upon principal and also internet saturation!
For this dog biscuit recipe, you will need:
• bacon
• whole wheat flour
• baking powder
• pumpkin purée
• water or milk
• egg
Of course, you can make any basic adjustment to this ingredient list, like if your dog doesn’t consume milk or you would prefer to use all-purpose flour to whole wheat.
How to make Pumpkin Dog Treats
STEP #1
These pumpkin dog treats are mega simple. You’ll see the recipe calls for 4 strips of bacon and that you’re to keep the grease.
STEP #2
Know that you don’t need a specific amount of the bacon grease, it is just part of the whole pumpkin dog treat package. The additional water or milk is for helping the dough come together, so don’t worry if you don’t have all that much grease leftover from cooking.
STEP #3
Once your bacon is cooked, you’ll pour the grease off into a medium size bowl. Chop the cooked bacon and put it into the bacon grease.
STEP #4
Next, whisk in the pumpkin and the egg until the mixture is smooth (with bacon lumps, duh).
STEP #5
Lastly, whisk together the dry ingredients (the flour and baking powder).
STEP #6
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and then start mixing them together.
If you’re struggling with the consistency of your dough, add milk or water to achieve the desired workable texture.
STEP #7
The dough will come together just like you expect it to, similar to cut-out cookie dough, but depending on how much bacon grease you have, your dough could be on the drier side.
STEP #8
Any time I make these dog treats, I wind up adding a different amount of liquid based on the dough in front of me.
STEP #9
My best tip? Stir the dough, add about ½ to 1 Tablespoon of liquid, stir more, and add more liquid as needed.
STEP #10
You want to be able to roll the dough out without it being too sticky, but you don’t want it to fall apart. I usually wind up adding about 2 to 4 Tablespoons total of liquid.
ROLL AND CUT WITH A COOKIE CUTTER
STEP #11
Turn out the dog biscuit dough onto a floured surface and roll out to approximately ¼” thick.
STEP #12
Use the desired shape cookie cutter to cut shapes (I opted for the dog bone shaped cookie cutters, of course), reroll the dough, and cut again until there is no more dough left.
STEP #13
You’ll bake your dog treats for 30 minutes, flipping them over halfway through baking. They will harden as they cool.
ENJOY, DOGGIES!
This is normally the part in my recipe post where I tell you what the flavor profile is like, how much I liked it, what my favorite part was…
But here’s the thing: I made one batch of pumpkin dog treats, tasted one, decided I needed to try again, tasted that one, and then decided I am not a dog, so my opinion isn’t so great on that topic.
These homemade dog treats without peanut butter have gone, over the years, to dozens of different dog taste testers, and the consensus always is… There are never any dog treats left.
And I have realized I can never again taste-test dog treats. The dogs are much better judges.
Health benefits of Homemade Pumpkin Dog Treats
Side note: did you know pumpkin can be good for dogs? Pumpkin without added sugar or spice can be helpful to keep things moving in the digestive tract. Pumpkin for the win!
So there you are, friends. A little addition to pumpkin week that’s one for the pups. While we may never actually own a dog, I’m happy to know that I can supply a relatively healthy dog treat recipe to one if we ever decide to.
Looking for more ways to use your pumpkin purée? Try my savory pumpkin biscuits, pumpkin ice cream, or pumpkin pie smoothie next!
Homemade Dog Treats Pumpkin FAQs
Pumpkin Dog Treat Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon
- ½ cup (122g) pumpkin purée
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (323g) whole wheat flour all-purpose is fine; be sure to measure properly
- ½ Tablespoon baking powder
- 2 to 4 Tablespoons (30-60mL) water or milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Cook the bacon by your desired method until fully cooked. Remove the cooked bacon, place it on a plate or cutting board to cool a bit, then pour off the bacon grease into a medium size bowl.4 strips bacon
- Coarsely chop the bacon, then add it to the bowl of bacon grease. Add the pumpkin and the egg and whisk until smooth. Set aside.½ cup (122g) pumpkin purée, 1 large egg
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (323g) whole wheat flour, ½ Tablespoon baking powder
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently until everything is combined. Add about ½ to 1 Tablespoon of water or milk at a time until dough stays together (I usually wind up adding about 2 to 4 Tablespoons total). You will likely need to use your hands.2 to 4 Tablespoons (30-60mL) water or milk
- Turn out dough onto a floured surface and roll out to approximately ¼" thick. Use desired shape cookie cutter, reroll, and cut again until there is no more dough left. Bake dog treats for 30 minutes, flipping treats over halfway through baking. Store dog treats covered at room temperature. Treats may be frozen, up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
I can’t wait to try these! Canned pumpkin is a go-to for our dogs when they’re having stomach issues. Love the idea of bacon and bacon grease!
Lynn, This was an amazing dog treat recipe. I make some type of treat every year for 4 dogs and these were hands down the BEST!! The dough was a fabulous consistency to work with and the dogs went crazy for these. This will be the annual recipe for the holidays now. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never made dog biscuits but my son wants to make some for his older sister’s dogs for Christmas and these look amazing! With the bacon in them, do you know how long they keep? And do you refrigerate them?
You should not need to refrigerate them, and they will last awhile before going bad or stale. I’m honestly not sure because all of my taste testers ate them up pretty quick!
Dogs are lactose intolerant. Or are not able to digest it. So you may want to stick with water in the recipe. Just fyi!
Dogs are mammals, which by definition means they eat their mothers’ milk. You know your dog best.
Dogs are lactose intolerant and there’s a big difference between mothers milk and the milk that you buy in the grocery store
Ooh, these cookies look delicious!! My dog loves bacon and pumpkin — I bet she’ll love this combination. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I love your site!
Thanks so much, Chelsea!
Hello lynn,Tomorrow i will be having a go at your pumpkin treat receipe with bacon of course,but i have one question, will i need to cook the pumpkin before pulping it ? and can i add brown rice,that’s all,thanks linda
Hey, Linda! My recipe calls for canned pumpkin, so if you’re using that, too, no need to bake before. If you’re using fresh pumpkin then yes, you will want to cook it before mashing it. I don’t see a problem with adding brown rice, but I would pulse it in a food processor with the pumpkin before putting everything together.
I just made a double batch and so easy to make. The consistency was so easy to roll and cut with my bone cookie cutter. My boy Griffin loved them! This is definitely a keeper!I’ll proudly put some in bags for a few doggie friends!
Thanks so much for sharing 🐶
I love this! I’m so glad Griffin liked them and hope his friends do, too 🙂
my dog loves them soo much i will be making them again for sure!!
instead of bacon i used cheese cos that morning i had a bacon and egg roll
i gave some to my friend’s dogs they al loved it
I’m so glad to hear that 🙂
My 11 year old is trying to start up a business making dog treats. She made this one and I handed out samples at work. Everyone’s dogs LOVED them. She is so excited and we will be making MANY of these.
That’s so awesome, Megan! Good luck to your daughter!
I personally have never made any type of dog treat before, but my puppy graduated puppy training today so I decided I wanted to celebrate her success with a fun treat, she as well as my older goldendoddle loved these biscuit and I did as well! Highly recomend adding a little more baking powder so they become a airy treat. I will definitely be making these often!
Thanks so much, Olivia!
Look into adopting a Havanese or a Poodle or a Bichon – they have hair not fur and do not shed and most people are not allergic!
There is no need to add baking powder it is an Unnecessary ingredient. I bake dog cookies all the time for my 3 dogs and do not use baking powder or baking soda. These are not good for dogs And can cause intestinal problems
Hey, Cody– thanks for your concern. You’re right, ingesting large amounts of RAW baking powder or baking soda is not good for any mammal, but in baked goods or treats should be just fine, especially given how little is in these treats.
Just wondering… Can you freeze them?
I imagine so! I will add in freezing instructions. Thanks, Bonnie!
Can I omit the bacon? Will the dogs still enjoy it as much?
You can try it, but there will be significantly less fat and a pretty bland taste.
Any thoughts on using Ready-Bacon? I’m making these with a group of kids and I don’t want them to use the stove. I know there won’t be any bacon grease to add if we use microwavable bacon…do you think I’d need to add some additional fat like vegetable oil or shortening?
Hey, Heather! Great question– I’d probably just let it go, but you can assess the dough after adding everything and if it feels like it needs more moisture, you can add 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon of extra fat and see if that helps. Let me know how it turns out!
Hello, I don’t usually add comments, but felt I should in this case. My dogs have pancreatitis, caused by fat. Fatty treats, table scraps, high fat content dog food. Your readers should know that pork in any form is very bad for dogs. I know, I know, they all just LOVE bacon. Don’t we all. But really, you shouldn’t give it to your dogs. I have used a recipe like this for years, but am now trying to eliminate the fat from peanut butter- really shouldn’t substitute bacon grease! I will try the recipe with just the pumpkin, flour and eggs and see how that goes!
Gus the golden retriever loved these treats and it was so fun to make these for him! I dont make them often but it was super fun to have ‘cookies’ around for the doggo to have a treat while the rest of the family does.
If they’re good enough for our fav doggo, they’re good enough for all the doggos!
Thank you so much for putting out a nut free recipe. My children are severely allergic and it’s hard to find “special” treats for our puppy. We were able to make these together for her birthday and they were a big success. Thank you again from one nut free house to another.
Thanks so much, Jackie! I’m glad you found something that works for your family.
Hi Lynn, I know that this comment was a year ago, but I thought I would add in my thanks as well, I have a son with a peanut allergy and was also a little disappointed at the number of recipes with peanut butter in them. My kids are grown, and we just adopted a puppy (5lbs). So, I have a bit of time to spoil this new addition. I also saw a recipe that had plain gelatin and blueberries in it. I thought it would be great with the summer months coming up. Thanks again for this recipe, I can’t wait to give it a try!
This kind of stuff warms my heart! I’m so glad my recipe was able to serve you this convenience 🙂 thanks for letting me know!
How long do they last out of the freezer I dehydrated a lot of my dog treats
They should last as long as your dog still tolerates them (meaning, if they get stale and your dog will still eat them, that’s fine). They’re stable at room temperature until they’re gone!
Thanks for the recipe. Can’t wait to try it. Just one question but do you cook the bacon prior to adding it to the cookie mix?
Recipe calls for cooked bacon. Enjoy!