DIY vegan dog treats: 4 tail-waggingly good tasty bites

These DIY vegan dog treats are so darn delicious that your hound will have no idea that they’re also super healthy! 

While the best dog treats are a convenient way to reward your pooch for good behavior, some brands come loaded with fillers and known allergens that dogs with sensitive stomachs might find difficult to digest. 

If you’re worried about your dog’s nutrition, or just wanting to show them a little extra love, whipping up some homemade dog treats can be a great way to go. And before you panic that doing some doggy baking is going to take up tons of time, we promise you that the recipes below are quick and easy, not to mention nutrient-dense.

All of our favorite DIY vegan dog treats are free from milk and eggs, and come packed with protein and fiber. There are even vegetables in there to get those all-important vitamins and minerals in. They’re great to use as a supplement alongside the best dog food as a reward for good behavior, or when training.

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PetsRadar's favorite DIY vegan dog treats...

1. Pumpkin Dog Treats

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup pumpkin puree 
• ¼ cup peanut butter 
• 2 tbsp ground flax meal
• 1 ⅓ cup oat flour 
• ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
   
2. Add the pumpkin puree, peanut butter, flax meal, and cinnamon (if using) into a food processor, and blend until combined.
   
3. Add in the oat flour, and process until a dough forms
   
4. Lightly flour a cutting board, and roll out the dough until it’s about ¼ inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out as many pieces as you can.
   
5. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking tray.
   
6. Gather the remaining dough and re-roll, continuing to cut shapes out until you’ve run out of dough.
   
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
   
8. Allow the treats to cool on a rack and then store in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Note: If you don’t have oat flour on hand, you can use rolled oats and blitz them into a flour in your food processor.

2. Spinach, Carrot, and Courgette Dog Treats

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2 ½ tbsp hot water (to replace the 2 large eggs usually used in this recipe)
• ½ cup oats
• 3 cups wholewheat flour
• 1 cup carrot, shredded
• 1 courgette, shredded
• 1 cup baby spinach, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
2. Pop ground flaxseeds in a bowl, and add in the water. Stir well to mix – a small whisk is great for this. Put the bowl in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.
   
3. Mix the pumpkin and peanut butter together. Remove your ‘flax egg’ from the fridge, and add that in until the three ingredients are fully combined.
   
4. Gradually add the oats and flour until a dough is formed – it must not be sticky.
   
5. Add the carrot, courgette, and spinach until all the vegetables are incorporated.
   
6. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough, and then roll out to roughly 1/4 inch thickness.
   
7. Cut into your desired treat shape, and place on the baking tray.
   
8. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the treats start to turn golden brown.
   
9. Remove from oven, and allow to cool before serving.

3. Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats

Ingredients:

• ½ cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup natural peanut butter
• 1 large ripe banana or 2 medium ones, mashed

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
2. Blitz the oats in a blender or food processor until you have a fine flour – you can also substitute oat flour if you’d prefer to save yourself a job!
   
3. In a large mixing bowl, smash the peanut butter and banana. Add in the oat flour, and continue to smash with a fork until you have a thick dough that’s well combined. If it’s crumbly, add 2-4 more tbsps of peanut butter. You want a dough that’s firm, sticky, and pliable.
   
4. Roll the dough out into a thin slab of about ¼ inch in thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. If you don’t have a cutter, roll bits of dough into 1 tbsp balls, and then flatten with your fingers.
   
5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly brown underneath.
   
6. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before sharing with your pup.
   
7. You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

4. Carrot and Custard Pie Treats

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wholewheat pastry flour
• 2 tbsp wheat germ
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup carrot juice
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 2 tbsp soy milk
• 1.5 tbsp powdered starch

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a dozen muffin tins.
   
2. Mix the flour, wheat germ, oil, and vinegar.
   
3. Once the mixture becomes dough-like without any dry pockets, roll into walnut-sized balls.
   
4. Use these balls to line the muffin tins, and bake for roughly 15 minutes until they are a golden brown color and dry in texture.
   
5. Whilst the cases are cooling you can create the filling. Start by mixing the carrot juice, apple sauce, soy milk, and starch in a pan over a medium heat until the mixture is smooth.
   
6. Allow the mixture to come to the boil, still stirring all the time.
   
7. Once the mixture has thickened remove it from the heat.
   
8. Pour the mixture into the cases, and allow to cool.
   
9. Once cooled, put in the fridge until they set. They will then be ready to serve.