Healthy Grain-Free Dog Treats recipe. For all canine lovers who want the best for their fur babies.
NO gluten, grains, artificial colours, chemical scents, sugars, fillers, additives, preservatives, or other undesirable ingredients commonly found in many packaged treats.
If your dog has gelatinous or streaky stools, this can be a sign of gut inflammation caused by inappropriate ingredients. Making your own treats lets you control what goes into your dog’s diet.
These biscuits are simple to make and genuinely wholesome. Taste them yourself, and take comfort knowing your best friend isn’t eating industrial rubbish.
Secrets of the Pet Food Industry
Many products labelled “natural” in pet stores still contain low-quality materials. Ingredients listed under vague terms can include leftover animal parts and other waste by-products. Attractive packaging and strong flavouring make these treats irresistible to dogs, but not necessarily healthy.
The pet food industry is driven by profit: cheaper raw materials and mass production reduce costs, which can come at the expense of quality. Long-term exposure to inflammatory or processed ingredients can quietly damage a pet’s health.
How to Make Healthy Grain-Free Dog Treats
These Healthy Grain-Free biscuits are intentionally low in carbs and are best used as treats alongside a species-appropriate diet rich in animal protein. They are not oily and won’t stain, so they’re convenient to carry for training rewards. Because they avoid inflammatory ingredients, they are gentle on digestion.
The recipe is straightforward: combine roasted pumpkin purée, smooth peanut butter and coconut flour, knead into a dough, roll and cut into shapes, then bake until set. If you prefer, substitute canned pumpkin purée (choose a pure product with no additives) or other well-drained cooked vegetables.
Coconut flour can be swapped for lupin, chickpea or gram flour, but quantities will vary because each flour absorbs liquid differently. If using a wetter purée or runnier peanut butter, add more flour gradually until you get a workable dough.
Shaping the biscuits takes a little time at first but becomes easy with practice. A bone-shaped plunger cutter makes neat treats quickly. Bake longer for crunchy biscuits or slightly less for softer ones if your dog prefers.
Completely dried treats keep for weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. If you bake them softer and they retain moisture, refrigerate and use within a shorter time.
Happy baking!
Healthy Grain-Free Dog Treats
Equipment
Ingredients
- 80 g pumpkin purée (or make your own — see notes)
- 70 g smooth peanut butter
- 50 g coconut flour
Instructions
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Line oven racks with non-stick parchment paper.
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Combine the pumpkin purée and peanut butter, stir in the coconut flour, then knead until a smooth, workable dough forms.
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Dust the pastry mat lightly with flour. Work with a portion of the dough at a time, cover with cling film and roll to about 5mm thickness, then cut shapes.
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Preheat the oven to 130 °C (static).
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Bake for 35–40 minutes, depending on whether you want crunchy or slightly soft treats.
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If baking a double batch, swap the top and bottom trays halfway through and add 10–15 minutes to the baking time.
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Open the oven door and let the biscuits cool inside the oven until completely cool.
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Store fully dried treats in an airtight container at room temperature. If they are slightly soft, refrigerate.
Notes
Slice fresh pumpkin, remove seeds and fibres, and roast skin-down at 200 °C until soft (about 30–40 minutes). Remove the skin and puree the flesh until smooth. Portion into 80 g portions and freeze for convenience.
Boiling alternative: You can boil pumpkin or other vegetables, then drain thoroughly and allow to cool so excess moisture evaporates before pureeing.
Other flours: Coconut flour can be substituted with lupin flour (use less) or chickpea/gram flour (quantities will vary). Adjust until the dough reaches the right consistency.
Peanut butter: Use a firmer, lower-oil peanut butter if possible. If the peanut butter is oily or runny, scoop the drier portion and add more flour as needed. Excess oil shortens shelf life.
Nutrition
This post previously mentioned affiliate links. Ingredient and equipment notes above are intended to help you choose pure products.