These homemade activated charcoal dog treats are made with brown rice flour, applesauce, and coconut oil. They are a tasty and healthy treat for your furry friend!
So if you are looking for a great recipe for charcoal dog treats, you’ve found it! Now you can make your own homemade dog biscuits with simple ingredients.
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Easy Charcoal Treats For Dogs Recipe
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of charcoal? Grilling? Campfire? Dog treats probably aren’t what pops up in your mind. Well, now it’ll be something at the top of the list.
Not only are they a break from the ordinary for your furry best friend, but they are a great way to help them with bad breath and the natural flavors settle an upset stomach.
There are a lot of health benefits of them, too. They are a fantastic source of folic acid, crude fibre, and vitamin b.
The Best Things About These Charcoal Dog Treats
Not only will your furry friend gobble up homemade charcoal dog biscuits, but this easy recipe is a fantastic way to save money too! These natural dog treats cost less than store-bought and have dog-safe ingredients with no preservatives.
It doesn’t take a lot of time to make these dental treats. Just a few minutes of prep time to get them in the oven.
These baked charcoal dog treats have a crunchy texture that is good for your dog’s teeth. They are full of wholesome ingredients that will help your dog maintain a healthy weight too.
Oh, and these black treats would be great for Halloween! Make a batch so you can share some with 4 legged trick or treaters.
Benefits of Activated Charcoal for Dogs
Activated charcoal is known for its detoxification properties in humans, but it also has several benefits for dogs. Here are a few ways activated charcoal can benefit your furry friend:
- It’s a natural blood cleanser.
- Remove toxins and impurities from your dog’s body, making it beneficial for dogs with kidney or liver problems.
- Alleviate digestive issues such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
- Freshen your dog’s breath and improve oral hygiene by preventing plaque buildup.
Recipe Ingredients
The entire list of ingredients, quantities of each, and the step-by-step directions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post – including nutritional information. First, I want to share a bit more information about the ingredients I used in the best homemade dog treats you’ll ever make.
Here’s a list of what you need for this charcoal dog biscuit recipe. If you want to make organic dog treats, make sure you use organic ingredients.
- Brown Rice Flour or Oat Flour – The base for the baked treats.
- Activated Charcoal Powder – The star of the treats.
- Fresh Curly Parsley – A healthy herb that also freshens a dog’s breath.
- Unsweetened Applesauce – Adds moisture and a little sweetness.
- Egg – Adds protein and is a binder to hold everything together.
- Coconut Milk – A dairy free milk full of nutrients and adds moisture to the dough.
- Coconut Oil – A healthy fat that’s great for your dog’s brain and skin
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
When you make this easy recipe for charcoal dog treats, here are a few notes to keep in mind:
Be sure to use curly parsley. Do not use Italian flat leaf parsley.
The kind of charcoal you use is important. Be sure to get food-grade activated charcoal powder. You can find it at health food stores, vitamin shops, or online. It’s also available in capsule form but I’ve found the loose powder to be easier to use for baking.
You can make your own brown rice flour or oat flour by placing uncooked brown rice or old-fashioned rolled oats in a blender and blending until it has the consistency of flour.
If you use any other type of flour, such as all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour, the end results may vary due to the difference in the flour. They will not be gluten-free if using flour made from wheat.
For some fun, top them with some peanut butter or add a bit of chicken fat to the treats for the health benefits.
Equipment Needed
You probably have most of the kitchen items you need to make these charcoal treats for dogs. You can use any silicone mold of your choice, but cute ones shaped like dog bones give these treats a fun look.
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Mixing Bowl
- Mixing Spoon
- Bone Shape Silicone Molds
- Cookie Sheet (helps stabilize the molds for easy transfer to and from the oven.
How to Make Charcoal Dog Treats
These are the recipe steps and photos of the process for making charcoal dog treats. I hope they help you make this recipe! You can scroll down to the bottom of this article for a printable recipe card.
- Place the wet ingredients in a bowl.
- Stir them until combined and smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture.
- Stir until everything is mixed together.
- Press the dough into the silicone molds.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the treats from the molds and place them on a wire rack to cool.
For a little extra crunch, after you remove the treats from the molds, place them on a baking sheet. Bake them at 200°F until they are your desired crunchiness.
If you want to make cutout treats, use ½ to 1 cup more flour and one more tablespoon of charcoal powder. Roll the dough out between parchment paper or on a lightly floured surface. Use a cookie cutter of your choice for cutting out the dough.
The number of dog treats this recipe makes depends on the size of your silicone mold cups.
Serving Size and Information
How many homemade dog treats should you give to your canine companion? That depends on what else they ate that day, because you need to consider their entire calorie intake as a whole. Being mindful of a dog’s food consumption is just as important as it is with a human family member.
It also depends on the size of your dog. Small dogs need fewer calories than larger dogs. Maintaining a dog’s healthy weight is important, so keep that in mind when feeding your dog treats in addition to their regular food.
Dogs also shouldn’t overeat too many carbs, including healthy homemade dog treats. For this reason, I suggest only giving your pup one treat per day. Or perhaps two on special days.
The best time to give a charcoal treat to a dog is a couple of hours after a meal or before bedtime.
How to Store Homemade Charcoal Dog Treats
Place the cooled treats in an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator.
How long do homemade charcoal dog treats last?
These homemade charcoal dog treats will last up to 7 days when stored in the fridge in a sealed container.
For longer storage, place them in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag and freeze them. They will last up to 4 months when frozen. You can also use a vacuum sealer if you have one.
Can humans eat these charcoal treats for dogs?
They sure can! Everything in these dog treats with activated charcoal is safe for human consumption. However, I doubt folks would like them.
More Homemade Dog Treat Recipes
Want to make more tasty treats for your dog? Check these out:
- Bacon Dog Treats
- Beef Dog Treats
- Brewers Yeast for Dogs
- Chicken Jerky for Dogs
- Chicken Liver Dog Treats
- Dog Treats for Sensitive Stomachs
- Duck and Blueberry Dog Treats
- Gelatin Dog Treats
- Ground Chicken Meatballs for Dogs
Find lots of easy recipes for dog treats right here on Spoiled Hounds!
Charcoal Dog Treats
Ingredients
- ½ cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- ⅓ cup Coconut Milk
- 1 Egg
- 1 tablespoon Melted Coconut Oil
- 1½ cups Brown Rice Flour or Oat Flour
- 2 tablespoons Activated Charcoal Powder
- ½ cup Chopped Fresh Curly Parsley (do not use flat leaf parsley)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the applesauce, coconut milk, egg, and coconut oil.
- Add flour, charcoal powder, and parsley. Stir to combine until a dough forms.
- Place the dough into a silicone tray with mold shapes of your choice.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the treats from the mold and place them on a wire rack to cool.
- Store the treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
For dog a dog 140 lbs and another 100 lbs. what size of cookie should I make and how many should they get ?
Thank you
You could use a mold that makes large dog treats. As far as how many, I would start with just one per day. I also recommend getting your vet’s recommendation on how many to give them.
I am looking for homemade soft treats with charcoal for dogs. Are these fairly easy for a dog with very few teeth to have?
These are crunchy treats so I don’t think they would be good for a dog with only a few teeth. You could make my peanut butter pumpkin soft dog treats and substitute 1 tablespoon of the flour with activated charcoal.
Thank you so much!
Nice recipe. Why not flat leaf parsley?
Large quantities of Italian flat-leaf parsley can be toxic to dogs. Plus it contains chemicals called furanocoumarins that can cause dermatitis and blindness.