Home » Dog Treats » How to make Pumpkin Turmeric Dog Treats

How to make Pumpkin Turmeric Dog Treats

Pumpkin turmeric dog treats are made with 6 ingredients and contain anti-inflammatory ingredients that are perfect for senior dogs. Making homemade dog treats is less expensive than store-bought, with the added reassurance of knowing exactly what is in your dog’s food.

stacked pumpkin turmeric dog treats with oatmeal on marble countertop

These oatmeal pumpkin dog treats get their bright color not only from the pumpkin purée, but also from turmeric.

Quick and easy, these simple treats for your pup are ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Turmeric dog treats recipe

If you have a senior dog, or if you are over the age of 40, you are likely familiar with aching joints. Just like us, as our dogs age, they develop issues like arthritis, muscle stiffness and sore joints.

pumpkin dog treats with turmeric on table with dog treat container in background

Turmeric not only helps these ailments in humans, it works for dogs as well. There are turmeric supplements for dogs, if your pup needs a bit extra, but as always, consult your vet first.

I was glad to find this because my pup likes pumpkin, and I needed to find a treat with turmeric for her old joints. She gobbled it up, then promptly rolled over to earn a second one!

– Robin

Golden paste

Turmeric alone is not as effective as it is when combined with black pepper. Add to that mixture some coconut oil and a bit of water and now you have “golden paste”.

homemade dog treats with turmeric and pumpkin with oats

These treats contain all of the ingredients of the magic concoction that holds anti-inflammatory properties. Give them a try for a couple of weeks to see if your dog moves a little easier.

When introducing new foods, it’s always best to start in small quantities, especially if you have a pup with a sensitive stomach. These fresh breath dog biscuits aid in digestion, and calm upset tummies, in addition to helping with “puppy breath”.

How to make pumpkin turmeric dog treats

The first step in making these turmeric dog biscuits is grinding oatmeal. I use a food processor to grind the oats.

ding oats in food processor

Because this dough is a little sticky, it’s easier to use this small cookie scoop to make the treats instead of rolling it out. It is the exact one I used, it holds 1 tablespoon and makes a perfectly-sized treat for smaller dogs.

step by step instructions showing how to make pumpkin turmeric dog treats
  1. Measure out your ingredients.
  2. Mix everything together with a rubber spatula in a medium bowl. (The pumpkin and turmeric may stain, so choose your spatula accordingly)
  3. Use a small cookie scoop to portion out treats. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
  4. Flatten slightly before baking.

How to store homemade dog treats

Because I live in a warmer, humid climate, I’d only keep them on the counter for a few days, then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

stacked dog treats with oats on counter with dog treat container in background.

If you live in a cooler, less humid climate, you can store these treats in a cute dog treat jar on the counter for about a week.

You can also freeze them and take out a few at a time, which is what I do most of the time.

More dog treat recipes

If you’re looking for more, I have a dog treat recipes eBook. It is a full color, downloadable book with helpful tips and tricks, plus a shopping guide and more.

Here are a few of Sugar’s favorites treats:

These treats will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days on the counter. If you store them in the fridge, they will last at least a couple of weeks and in the freezer, they will last several months.

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Pumpkin turmeric dog treats

Cheryl Bennett
Pumpkin turmeric dog treats are made with 6 ingredients and contain anti-inflammatory ingredients that are perfect for senior dogs.
4.76 from 29 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Course Dog Treats
Cuisine Dog
Servings 25
Calories 39 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 tsp. turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil melted and cooled
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin purée

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas mark 4.
  • Measure 2 cups of oats, then pour them into a food processor. Let machine run for 2 – 3 minutes, until oats are almost flour consistency with a few big pieces left.
  • Add oats to medium bowl, then add turmeric and black pepper. Stir to combine spices with ground oats.
  • Whisk egg, then add it to the oat mixture with the coconut oil and pumpkin purée.
  • Using a rubber spatula, mix dough until it is uniform.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure to portion out treats, placing them on the lined baking sheet.
  • Using wet fingers, press the tops down to flatten slightly.
  • Bake for 18 minutes for chewy and soft treats. (See notes for crunchy, drier treats)
  • Cool completely before feeding to your pup.

Notes

For crunchy dog biscuits:

After baking for 18 minutes at 350°F, reduce oven temperature to 200°F / 93°C / Gas mark 1/4. Bake for an additional 35 – 40 minutes.
Yield will vary depending on the scoop you use. I used a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop.

Nutrition

Serving: 1treatCalories: 39kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 4mgFiber: 1g
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22 Comments

    1. Hi Carlee, I’ve never made dog treats in the Instant Pot, so I don’t feel confident in telling you whether or not it would work. The best advice I could give would be to test a small batch (not the full recipe) and see how it turns out. If you do, please let me know, I’d be curious to know the answer myself! 🙂

    1. Hi Katie 🙂
      I would say that is a question for your vet. They know your pups and their health, so they would be better equipped to answer that for you.

  1. These were great! I followed the recipe & the dough was not too sticky. I did add a little oat flour to wax paper before pressing out the dough. I used a dog bone cutter & it made over 20 biscuits. I followed the extended cooking time for crunchy treats & they were perfect! Will be my go-to recipe from now on. OX from Lotus & Nika my Aussie cattle dogs.

    1. How wonderful, Nanette! Thank you so much for the kind feedback. I’m so glad that the pups liked the recipe! Hugs to Lotus and Nika!

    1. Hi Tara, I would NOT recommend steel cut oats unless you precook them. They take much longer to cook than rolled oats. I hope that helps.

        1. Start with a teaspoon or two. As I haven’t done this, I can’t tell you for certain if you’ll need to adjust anything else, but I’d think it would be fine as is.

    1. Hi Wanda, just so I understand, are you asking if you can use fresh pumpkin? The canned puree is pure pumpkin, so I just want to clarify. If that is what you’re asking, yes you can 🙂

  2. Hi, what is the purpose of black pepper? I didn’t know dogs can eat pepper. Can we replace it with cinnamon or something?

    1. Hi Tiff, the purpose of the black pepper is this: when it is combined with turmeric, it helps the body absorb the turmeric much better. The curcumin absorption rate is WAY higher in combination with black pepper.

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