Homemade Pumpkin, Apple & Oat Dog Treats

Treat your favorite pup to a batch of homemade biscuits, recipe developed with Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist®, Dr. Martha Cline. These Pumpkin Dog Treats with Apples and Oats are simple to make and are “Toby-approved.” Four enthusiastic paws up!

Pets’ dietary needs may vary. Please consult with your veterinarian before making changes to your dog’s diet.

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Of all the rooms in the house, Toby’s favorite place is the kitchen. I cook and bake constantly for the blog, and he’s made himself the official crumb hunter. I’ve wanted to make homemade treats for years but had questions about which ingredients and proportions are best, and how to keep treats nutritionally balanced for a dog.

When we began a home-cooked diet for Toby, we worked with Dr. Martha Cline at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital. Her guidance has given us confidence to prepare healthy, nutritionally balanced recipes using quality ingredients in our own kitchen.

Dr. Cline’s Pumpkin Dog Treats with Apples and Oats are formulated to be relatively low in protein, fat, phosphorus, and sodium. They make a lovely seasonal snack for dogs, and they’re easy enough to bake throughout the year.

Homemade treats also make thoughtful gifts for pet parents. Package a batch in a biscuit canister, tie a ribbon, and you’ve got a personal, hand-crafted present.

How to Make Pumpkin Dog Treats

For this recipe you’ll need whole wheat flour, canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), apples, rolled oats, a neutral oil such as canola or safflower, water, and a small amount of ground cinnamon. Measure and prepare ingredients before mixing for the smoothest process.

The method is straightforward: mix the wet ingredients with the pumpkin and apple, stir in flour and oats to form a dough, roll it out, and cut shapes with cookie cutters. Make larger biscuits for big dogs or smaller ones for tiny pups. These treats contain no preservatives and include fresh fruit, so they have a shorter shelf life than commercial treats; store and use accordingly.

Amanda’s Recipe Tips

1. Use any apple variety you like; finely chop the apple (remove the core, keep the skin). Large chunks will make the dough hard to cut. I tested grating the apple but it released too much juice and made the dough overly wet.
2. Baking time depends on cookie cutter size. Mini treats baked in about 20 minutes, while larger shapes required 35–40 minutes. The biscuits are done when lightly browned and dry to the touch.
3. Lightly dust cookie cutters with flour before each cut to minimize sticking and produce cleaner shapes.

Q&A with Dr. Cline

Q. How many treats should my dog have each day?
A. Treats and snacks should account for no more than 10% of a dog’s daily caloric intake. Pet food labels list calories in kcals (1 kcal = 1 Calorie).

Q. Which foods are dangerous for dogs?
A. Foods that can be toxic to dogs include grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, chocolate, alcohol, coffee, macadamia nuts, xylitol (a sweetener found in some gums and peanut butters), and raw yeast dough.

Q. What services does a Veterinary Nutritionist provide and when should you consult one?
A. A Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist can advise on diets for healthy pets to optimize wellbeing, and for animals with medical conditions that benefit from dietary management. Conditions that may be helped by nutrition include obesity, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal disorders, and osteoarthritis. Pets with multiple conditions or complex dietary needs can especially benefit from a formal consultation.

To find a Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist near you, consult professional veterinary organizations or ask your veterinarian for a referral.

Pumpkin Dog Treats — Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling; about 122 g)
• 1 cup finely chopped apple, cored, skin on (about 125 g)
• 1/4 cup water, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tbsp canola oil or safflower oil (about 21 g)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (about 1.3 g)
• 2 cups whole wheat flour (about 240 g)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (about 40 g)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, chopped apple, water, oil, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
3. Gradually add whole wheat flour and rolled oats, mixing until a cohesive dough forms.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, re-rolling scraps as needed.
5. Place shapes on an ungreased, parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 20–40 minutes depending on cutter size. Treats should be lightly browned and dry to the touch.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving or storing in an airtight container.

Notes

The smaller bone-shaped cookies pictured measured roughly 1-1/4″ x 2-1/8″ and took about 20–25 minutes; larger shapes took longer. These treats store well in a sealed canister at room temperature for up to three days, or refrigerated for about a week. Because they contain no preservatives, check for signs of mold before feeding.

Estimated Nutritional Analysis (per full batch)
Approximately 10.8% protein calories, 17% fat calories, and 68.4% carbohydrate calories.

Nutrition Estimate (per full batch)

Serving: 1 full batch | Calories: ~1266 kcal | Carbohydrates: 228 g | Protein: 39 g | Fat: 23 g | Fiber: 37 g | Sugar: 18 g | Sodium: 18 mg | Potassium: 1408 mg