One of my favorite weekend hobbies is baking. There is nothing more rewarding than baking something and it not only looks pretty but also tastes delicious! Now, if your house is like mine, then you probably have a few “helpers” hovering around you while you play around in the kitchen. Finn, my adorable pup, has officially become my Sous-chef but as we all know, not all food is dog safe. So, I’ve started making treats for Finn to enjoy while I bake. The recipe I’m going to share with you is dog safe and easy-to-make! Before that, let’s talk about one of the main ingredients, peanut butter.

Puppy Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a favorite for many of our four-legged friends. But not all peanut butter is dog safe. It’s important to read the labels of your peanut butter and make sure it doesn’t contain Xylitol, a highly toxic sugar substitute to dogs and cats. So, when using peanut butter for your dog’s treats, just check to make sure it’s safe for their consumption.

Tasty Treat Recipe

Tools You’ll Need:

• 1 large bowl
• 1 large baking sheet
• A silicone baking mat or parchment paper
• Mixing utensil or mixer
• Cookie-cutter or something to cut the dough
• Rolling pin

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup peanut butter * No Xylitol. I use Smucker’s Natural Creamy.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour, whichever you have on hand
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line the baking sheet with your silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
2. In the large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, and peanut butter. Stir until completely combined.
3. Add in flour and cinnamon – stirring until completely combined.
4. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out dough to one quarter inch, using flour as needed to keep dough from sticking.
5. Cut shapes out of dough and place on prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 20 to 40 minutes – depending on desired level of crunchiness.
7. Remove treat from oven and let cool on a cooling rack. If you don’t have a cooling rack, then you can leave the treats on the baking sheet.
8. After cooling, store treats in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, 1 month in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.