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
Your dog is going to love these peanut butter cups! And you won’t mind making them because it is so simple!
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.
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.
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 to dogs. When you make treats for your dog, you are in control of what goes into them.
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 sunflower seed butter.
Do not use 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 Amount
Treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. Consult your vet if you are unsure of the portion size for your dog.
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
- Carob Candy for Dogs
- Carrot Cake for Dogs
- Cheesecake for Dogs
- Peanut Butter Balls for Dogs
- Peanut Butter Popsicles for Dogs
- Pretzels for Dogs
- Strawberry Ice Cream for Dogs
- Valentine Dog Treats
Find more easy dog treat recipes here on Spoiled Hounds!
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.
Thanks for the amazing reciepe. Can you tell that is coconut oil good for dogs health??
Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids, helps skin and hair, and can ease inflammation, and help digestion.
Good morning I have the cacao powder how should I melt it should I add anything besides the coconut oil
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.
how do we store them? are or can they be shelf stable?
Keep them in an airtight container. You can store them on the counter at room temperature, in the fridge, or freezer.
what is the shelf life of these beauties?
They will last up to 3 days at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer.
When I leave them out on the countertop, the peanut butter melts. How can I fix this?
That can definitely happen since peanut butter and coconut oil get soft at room temperature. The easiest fix is to keep the peanut butter cups stored in the fridge or freezer so they stay nice and firm for your pup. They’ll be just as tasty, and your dog will enjoy a cool treat that doesn’t melt on the counter.
If I were to use mini muffin tin (48) how would I adjust the recipe?
You can use a 48-cup mini muffin tin without changing the ingredient amounts; the cups will just be smaller and thinner. Simply pour less of each layer into each cup so the mixture stretches across all 48. The chill time should be the same, though smaller cups may set a little faster. If you want fuller/thicker mini cups, just double the recipe. Oh, and silicone mini molds work great too and make it easier to pop the treats out once they’re set.