Is there anything better than indulging in a luscious peanut butter cup? Well, now your furry friend can join in on the fun too! That’s right, here you’ll find a recipe for homemade peanut butter cups for dogs.
This candy is not only delicious but also made with wholesome ingredients that won’t harm your pup’s health. Plus, making these cups is a fun activity that you and your furry friend can do together! Both you can your dog can lick the spoons and bowls when you’ve finished making them.
So let’s get to some simple candy making and give your pup a special treat.
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- Why This Peanut Butter Cups for Dogs Recipe is the Best
- Why Make Peanut Butter Cups For Dogs?
- Benefits of Carob for Dogs
- Ingredients List
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Equipment Needed
- How to Make Peanut Butter Cups for Dogs
- Serving Size
- How to Store
- How long do they last?
- Can humans eat dog peanut butter cups?
- Popular Homemade Dog Treat Recipes
- Peanut Butter Cups for Dogs
Why This Peanut Butter Cups for Dogs Recipe is the Best
Your dog is going to love these peanut butter cups! And you won’t mind making them because it is so simple!
Whether you are making carob peanut butter cups for a holiday, special treat, gotcha day, or birthday, your dog will be so happy with this delicious candy treat.
When you want to make a delicious treat for your dog, this is the best of all dog peanut butter cup recipes!
You may already have all of the ingredients for these dog-friendly peanut butter cups. I used regular pantry items and simple ingredients found in a grocery store in this recipe.
Why Make Peanut Butter Cups For Dogs?
Human peanut butter cups are not good for dogs. They have lots of sugar and dogs shouldn’t consume sugary desserts. Too much sugar can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other health issues.
Many common ingredients found in commercial peanut butter cups may be harmful or toxic ingredients for dogs. When you make treats for your dog, you are in control of what goes into them.
Benefits of Carob for Dogs
Carob is a tropical pod that contains sweet, edible pulp and seeds. It comes from the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), which is a member of the legume family and native to the Mediterranean region.
After the carob pods are dried and roasted, the pulp can be ground into a powder that resembles cocoa. It is often used as a cocoa substitute in a variety of food products due to its sweet flavor and similar appearance. Unlike cacao beans, carob is naturally caffeine-free.
Carob provides a natural, wholesome, and harmless substitute for chocolate for our four-legged companions. Some of the advantages carob has for dogs:
- In contrast to chocolate, which has theobromine, a compound poisonous to dogs, carob is perfectly safe for dogs when consumed in reasonable amounts.
- Loaded with vital nutrients such as calcium, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin B6, carob aids in sustaining overall well-being in dogs.
- Rich in dietary fiber, carob supports a healthy digestive system and facilitates regular bowel activity in dogs.
- Packed with antioxidants, carob has anti-inflammatory properties defending against oxidative damage in dogs.
- Carob’s natural sugars offer a rapid energy surge, beneficial for active dogs.
Ingredients List
The exact ingredient amounts and step-by-step directions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. First, I want to share a list and some information about the natural and healthy ingredients in this dog peanut butter cup recipe.
- Creamy Peanut Butter – Natural and unsweetened.
- Unsweetened Carob Chips – A dog-safe alternative to chocolate.
- Coconut Oil – has healthy fats and helps harden the treats.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
When you make this simple peanut butter cups recipe, there are a few things to keep in mind:
You can substitute peanut butter with almond butter or SunButter (sunflower seed butter).
Do not use any peanut butter, almond butter, or seed butter that contains xylitol, an artificial sweetener toxic to dogs.
If you can’t find unsweetened carob chips at your grocery store, you can get these unsweetened carob chips for dogs on Amazon.
Equipment Needed
You probably have most of the kitchen items you need to make this recipe. But just in case, here’s a list:
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Microwave-safe Bowls
- Muffin Pan
- Cupcake Liners
If you want to make smaller cups, use a mini muffin pan and mini cupcake liners or a mini silicone mold.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cups for Dogs
These are the recipe steps and photos of the process of making peanut butter cups. 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 carob chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe dish.
- Microwave until it is melted, stopping to stir occasionally.
- Spoon the melted carob mix into a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners, reserving some for topping the peanut butter.
- Use the back of the spoon to push the mixture up the sides of the lines.
- Place the muffin pan with the coated cups in the refrigerator to harden the carob mixture.
- You can keep the remaining carob mixture warm in a double boiler or over a hot cup of water or microwave it again when needed.
- Microwave the peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl until it is liquid enough to pour from a spoon.
- Place the melted peanut butter over the hardened carob. Refrigerate it to solidify the peanut butter.
- Spoon the remaining melted carob mixture over the top of the peanut butter.
- Refrigerate the cups to harden them.
- Remove the cupcake liners before giving them to your dog.
Serving Size
How many of these peanut butter cups should you give your dog at once? It depends on the size of your dog and what else you gave your pet to eat that day. This might be a healthy candy for dogs, but too much of it is not a good thing.
Treats should not make up the majority of your dog’s calorie intake. They should be something they eat occasionally, along with healthy dog foods.
These peanut butter cups are about the same size as Reese’s peanut butter cups. They are a pretty big dog treat. For this reason, I suggest only giving 1 to large dogs, ½ to medium dogs, and ¼ to small dogs per day.
And always remember when introducing your dog to new foods, to only give a small amount to see how your dog handles it. And be sure to watch for any adverse reactions.
How to Store
Place the peanut butter cups in an airtight container or plastic resealable bag. Store them at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
You can freeze them in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag.
How long do they last?
The shelf life of this homemade peanut butter candy depends on how it is stored.
- Peanut butter cups stored at room temperature will last up to 3 days.
- Refrigerated peanut butter cups will last up to 1 week.
- Frozen peanut butter cups will last up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge.
Can humans eat dog peanut butter cups?
Sure thing, you can eat this candy! It’s made with human-grade ingredients. They are a great option for anyone who cannot eat chocolate or needs sugar-free treats.
Popular Homemade Dog Treat Recipes
Are you interested in making more desserts for your dog? Here are some great recipes to make:
- Apple Cupcakes for Dogs
- Carrot Cake for Dogs
- Cheesecake for Dogs
- Peanut Butter Popsicles for Dogs
- Strawberry Ice Cream for Dogs
- Valentine Dog Treats
Find more easy dog treat recipes here on Spoiled Hounds!
Want to get the best store-bought dog treats instead of making homemade ones? Check out these favorite dog treats on my Amazon dog treats ideas list. There’s also my list of the Best Treats for Whippets.
Peanut Butter Cups for Dogs
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Carob Chips
- ½ cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- 1½ tablespoons Coconut Oil
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil and carob chips in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time until melted, stirring to combine and mixture is smooth.
- Line a muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
- Using a small spoon, pour the melted carob into the liners about ¼ to ⅓ of the way full. Using the back of the spoon, push the melted carob up the sides of the paper liner to coat the sides. Reserve about half of the mixture for the top of the cups.
- Place the muffin pan into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to harden the carob layer.
- Melt the peanut butter in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time until it becomes more liquid.
- Remove the muffin pan from the fridge and spoon the melted peanut butter onto the hardened carob.
- Return the muffin tin to the fridge for a few minutes, until the peanut butter has solidified.
- If the leftover carob has hardened, melt it again. Spoon the remaining carob onto the top of the peanut butter.
- Place in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes until hardened.
Priyanshu jakhwal says
Thanks for the amazing reciepe. Can you tell that is coconut oil good for dogs health??
Renee Dobbs says
Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids, helps skin and hair, and can ease inflammation, and help digestion.
Donna Mitchell Mitchell says
Good morning I have the cacao powder how should I melt it should I add anything besides the coconut oil
Renee Dobbs says
Do not use cacao powder because it is toxic to dogs. I have not made it with carob powder. You could try equal parts of carob powder and melted coconut oil (1/2 cup of each) but I can’t guarantee that will work. It’s best to use carob chips.