National Dog Biscuit Day: It’s time to get baking!

Fasten your apron, get those mixing bowls out and grab your spatula because National Dog Biscuit Day is upon us once again and there’s never been a better time to spoil your canine companion with some delicious homemade treats.

National Dog Biscuit Day falls on February 23rd and while nobody is quite sure who started the trend, we’re pretty sure our furry friends are eternally grateful! From throwing a pooch party or having a picnic to posting recipe ideas on social media, there are tons of ways you can get involved in this delicious day.

To help feed your soul with inspiration, we’ve popped a few of our favorite recipes below with sweet and savory options that all use dog-safe ingredients. And don’t worry, for those of you who are too busy to bake, we’re pretty sure that dishing out a few of the best dog treats will go down equally well with your hungry hound.

• How to make your own homemade dog treats
• DIY peanut butter dog treats your pooch will love
• 3 delicious diabetic dog treat recipes

1. Cranberry oatmeal dog cookies

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole wheat flour 
• 1 cup regular rolled oats 
• ½ cup unsweetened dried cranberries, finely chopped* 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 egg 
• ¼ cup molasses 
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly 
• ½ cup water, as needed 
• ½ cup carob and/or yogurt coating chips, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, cranberries, baking powder, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, and coconut oil. Add egg mixture to flour and stir to combine, adding water, a little at a time, until a firm dough forms.
3. On a well-floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a dog bone cookie cutter, cut dough into shapes, re-rolling scraps as needed. Using a fork, poke 4 holes in the center of each cookie. Place shapes on prepared pans, spacing 1 inch apart. 
4. Bake treats for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let cookies cool inside for at least 1 hour (this will help make them crisp). Lightly drizzle cookies with melted carob and/or yogurt chips and let stand about 15 minutes or until set.

Note: *Do not substitute raisins for the dried cranberries. Grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. Dogs should eat cranberries in moderation. Limit 1–2 treats a day.

2. Easy-bake savory dog biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup carrots
• 2 pieces bacon, finely chopped
• 2 1/4 cups oat flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together egg and chicken broth.
3. Add finely shredded carrots and bacon bits (optional). Mix well.
4. Add flour and mix into dough.
5. Flour your work surface and roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
6. Cut into desired shape and place on a large baking sheet.
7. Bake for 40 min at 350F.
8. Let cool before feeding to your dog. Then enjoy!

3. Best of breed dog biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (227g) white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (89g) rolled oats, old-fashioned or quick-cooking
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup (56g) dry milk or nonfat dry milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (269g) peanut butter, crunchy or plain
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (128g) cold water, enough to make a cohesive dough

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease a couple of baking sheets, or line them with parchment.
2. Mix together the flour, oats, parsley, dried milk, and salt.
3. Add the eggs and peanut butter, stirring to combine; the mixture will be crumbly.
4. Add enough water to bring the dough together
5. To make biscuits using a dog-bone cutter, roll the dough about 1/4" thick, and cut with a 3 1/2" cutter (or the size of your choice). Gather and re-roll the scraps, and continue to cut biscuits until you've used all the dough.
6. To make dog "cookies," drop the dough in walnut-sized balls onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten them to about 1/4".
7. Bake the biscuits for about 40 to 60 minutes, baking the smaller cookies for a shorter amount of time. When finished, the biscuits will be dark golden brown, and will be dry and crisp all the way through.
8. Remove the biscuits from the oven, and cool right on the pans.