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Pook's Pantry Recipe Blog

A Life in Food by real-life Chef Cheryl Bennett

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March 11, 2020

Soft Pumpkin Dog Treats

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Soft pumpkin dog treats are perfect for older dogs or dogs with dental issues. Homemade pumpkin dog treats without peanut butter are low fat, which is also good for older dogs who aren’t as active.

These 4 ingredient pumpkin dog treats are similar to the banana pumpkin dog treats that I made a few years ago. I have yet to meet a dog (or human!) who doesn’t like them.

soft pumpkin treats for dogs with dog bone cookie cutter

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Soft treats for older dogs

My dog will turn 13 this year. She’s a senior dog and I lovingly call her my old lady. She’s also had a few teeth pulled and isn’t quite as active as she used to be.

soft pumpkin dog treats with bone shaped cookie cutter

I’ve been making treats for her since she was a puppy, but when I don’t have time to make them, I buy them.

I started to notice recently that she was having trouble with really crunchy or hard treats from the pet store, so I set out to create a soft dog treat for older dogs.

DIY dog biscuits

DIY pumpkin dog treats, like this oatmeal pumpkin dog treat recipe, are less expensive than store-bought treats and I feel better knowing exactly what is in them.

stacked pumpkin dog treats

Making dog biscuits is (or should be) really easy, and these are very easy.

Just a bit of mixing, rolling out and cutting cute dog bone shapes. They are the easiest cookies you’ll ever make.

soft pumpkin dog treats

This is a soft dough. It is very easy to work with and also quite forgiving. Which is helpful, because let’s be honest – we want to make these treats but we also don’t want it to be a huge hassle.

pumpkin dog treat dough

These soft pumpkin treats will puff up a bit when they are baked and they stay soft. The applesauce helps to make them moist and just a touch sweet.

Like these homemade dog treats with rolled oats, there are no preservatives in this dog biscuit recipe. You can leave them out on the counter for a few days, but after that, they should be refrigerated.

how to make pumpkin dog treats

You’ll need a few tools to make this recipe. The good news is that you probably already have everything. Just in case you don’t, this is what you’ll need:

  • a heavy wooden spoon or other sturdy spoon
  • a medium mixing bowl
  • a baking sheet
  • parchment paper (very helpful, but not mandatory, if you have nonstick cookie sheets)
  • a rolling pin
  • dog bone cookie cutters – or any cookie cutters you have already
pumpkin dog treat dough

In a medium bowl, you’ll mix the applesauce, pumpkin and egg together. Then stir in the flour until it forms a soft dough.

Lightly flour the counter or a cutting board, roll out the dough and cut shapes. Bake and cool before giving to your dog.

How to store homemade dog treats

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.

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.

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

Homemade dog biscuits

These pumpkin dog treats make great homemade gifts too. I like to make small dog treat bags to give away to friends and neighbors who have dogs.

pumpkin dog treats without peanut butter on counter

If you see the same neighbors walking their dogs in the neighborhood or at the dog park, getting homemade dog biscuits would be a welcome gesture.

And it’s something nice to do for someone (which we could all use a little more of). Plus, I guarantee their dogs would love it.

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Yield: 85 treats

Soft pumpkin dog treats

soft pumpkin dog treats

Soft pumpkin dog treats are perfect for older dogs or dogs with dental issues. They are also low fat, making them a great treat for less active dogs.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Bake Time 18 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup applesauce

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
    2. In a medium bowl, stir egg, applesauce and pumpkin together. Add flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated.
    3. Dust the counter with flour and knead the dough a few times to make sure it is uniform.
    4. Lightly flour a rolling pin, then roll out dough to approximately 1/8" and cut out treats.
    5. Lay on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 18 minutes. Cool completely before giving to your pup!

    Notes

    I used a 2" cookie cutter because my dog is small. If you use a larger cutter to make treats for a larger dog, you will need to increase baking time and the yield will be less than 85.

    Make sure you buy 100% pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. Check the can carefully!

    Apple sauce should be plain, no added sugar. Ingredients should be apples, water, vitamin C.

    These pumpkin treats are perishable - there are no preservatives. After a few days on the counter in an airtight container, you should refrigerate them for up to a few weeks.

    If the dough is too sticky to roll out, add a bit of extra flour until you can roll it out easily. If it is a humid day, you may have to add more flour.

    Recommended Products

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    • Dog Bone Cookie Cutters, Assorted Sizes, 4-Piece Set
      Dog Bone Cookie Cutters, Assorted Sizes, 4-Piece Set

    Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    85

    Serving Size:

    1

    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 22Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

    Nutrition information calculated by a third-party company as a courtesy. It is intended as a guideline only.

    © Cheryl Bennett
    Cuisine: Dog / Category: Dog Treats

    Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂

    cheryl

    Filed Under: Dog Treats Tagged With: 4 ingredient dog treats, canned pumpkin dog treats, DIY pumpkin dog treats, dog treats for older dogs, easy pumpkin dog treats, how to make pumpkin dog treats, low fat dog treats, pumpkin dog treats, pumpkin dog treats recipe, soft pumpkin dog treats

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    Reader Interactions

     

    Comments

    1. ND says

      June 8, 2020 at 3:41 pm

      By flour you mean all purpose flour or wheat flour ?

      Reply
      • pook says

        June 8, 2020 at 7:35 pm

        I used all purpose, but you can use whatever you have.

        Reply
        • Patricia Shears says

          December 4, 2020 at 3:41 pm

          My dog is a tea cup chihuahua. So will have to roll out very thin, since it will raise during cooking. So will I need to cut down the cooking time.

          Reply
          • pook says

            December 7, 2020 at 3:01 pm

            Yes, you will. Also, keep an eye on them if you are rolling out very thinly – they will bake quickly.

            Reply
    2. Katt says

      September 10, 2020 at 2:09 pm

      I made these today and my dog loves them! Thanks for an easy and yummy recipe!

      Reply
      • pook says

        September 15, 2020 at 9:32 am

        Thank you so much, Katt! I’m so happy that your pup loves them! 🙂

        Reply
    3. robin schmidt says

      November 5, 2020 at 4:45 pm

      The recipe calls for applesauce but the video says to add mashed banana. Can you use either one? How much banana?

      Reply
      • pook says

        November 10, 2020 at 1:01 pm

        Hi Robin, The video is for a different dog treat recipe (with banana), so just follow the directions in the Soft Pumpkin Treat recipe post. I hope this helps to clear the confusion! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Cynthia says

      November 24, 2020 at 6:45 pm

      What size can of pumpkin do you have to use??

      Reply
      • pook says

        November 29, 2020 at 4:09 pm

        The recipe calls for one cup of pumpkin puree. A smaller can is fine.

        Reply
    5. Minerva Ryan says

      November 29, 2020 at 1:12 am

      I made these for my dog today with some fresh pumpkin and he loves them! I tasted them and I agree with Fluffy that the treats are tasty.

      Reply
      • pook says

        November 29, 2020 at 4:06 pm

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    6. Anita Flores says

      December 9, 2020 at 3:22 pm

      Do you know if these are safe for goats? I know they can have the pumpkin but not sure on the rest.

      Reply
      • pook says

        December 9, 2020 at 7:44 pm

        Hi Anita, I’m sorry, but I have no idea if they are safe for goats 🙁
        I’d consult a veterinarian and see what she/he has to say.

        Reply
    7. Lesa says

      December 21, 2020 at 3:24 am

      I’ve read this page repeatedly and I see the ingredients needed but I don’t see where it tells you how much of each. Could someone please tell me the amounts of each ingredient? My dog has barely any teeth, doesn’t play with toys and can’t eat the store bought snacks she loved. So I wanted to make these for her for Christmas so she’d have something to enjoy. Can anybody help??

      Reply
      • pook says

        December 21, 2020 at 4:46 pm

        Lesa, the ingredients and full recipe are listed at the end of the post. Below is copied and pasted from the recipe card.
        3 1/2 cups flour
        1 cup pumpkin purée
        1 egg
        1/2 cup applesauce

        Reply
        • Lesa says

          December 22, 2020 at 1:37 am

          Thanks so much!!!

          Reply
          • pook says

            December 22, 2020 at 2:34 pm

            My pleasure! 🙂

            Reply
    8. Debbie T says

      December 22, 2020 at 3:12 pm

      Hi. Do you think I can use rice flour instead, for grain free purposes?

      Reply
      • pook says

        December 24, 2020 at 12:18 pm

        Hi Debbie, I’ve never used all rice flour before, so I’m not sure how they would turn out. If you are trying to avoid flour, try grinding oatmeal in the food processor and using that instead. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    9. Elizabeth Jordan says

      December 30, 2020 at 5:48 pm

      Just made these and they’re great! Wanted to add that I used an empty spice jar as my cutting shape and they turned out great following the same rolling and baking instructions. The texture and shape turned out like tiny pita pockets.

      Reply
      • pook says

        December 31, 2020 at 9:27 am

        Hi Elizabeth! That’s fantastic! And totally genius. I’m so glad you liked them and they turned out well 🙂

        Reply

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