To your dog, these peanut butter pumpkin soft dog treats are the best treat they have ever eaten! They will want seconds, and thirds, (or pretty much the entire batch!).
Forget about waiting for dog treats to bake in the oven – this easy soft dog treat recipe involves no baking at all! In fact, your furry friends will gobble them up as soon as they are rolled and ready!
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The Best Things About These Homemade Soft Dog Treats
These are the perfect peanut butter dog treats to give to senior dogs, dogs with no teeth, or as puppy treats. Since they are so soft, they are easy for weaker dogs to chew (as opposed to all those crunchy treats out there).
They are also wonderful training treats; you can hide pills in them too. Plus, they are vegan, so they are a great way to give your dog plant-based nutrition.
When you make your own dog treats, you know exactly what is in them. Store-bought treats can have questionable ingredients. This way, you can control how sweet they are or make substitutions if your dog has food sensitivities or allergies.
I love that this simple recipe for easy homemade dog treats uses my dog’s favorite foods. Peanut butter and pumpkin is a healthy combination that is also super delicious for your dogs.
The best part is that this doesn’t require any baking! Just roll them up and they are ready to share with your fur baby.
Benefits of Peanut Butter for Dogs
Lots of dogs love peanut butter and that is one of the main ingredients in these delicious treats. Peanut butter is high in protein which can help your dog build muscle.
Peanut butter also contains healthy fats that benefit brain and muscle development.
When you use natural peanut butter to make healthy dog treats you should only use unsweetened peanut butter. Creamy peanut butter makes smoother cookies.
Benefits of Pumpkin for Dogs
These pumpkin treats are really high in vitamin A, beta carotene, and fiber. Canned pumpkin is just as good for dogs as fresh pumpkin puree.
Even a small amount of pumpkin is good for dogs. It’s a great source of fiber, which supports your dog’s gut health.
Soft Dog Treats for Pills
If you have a dog that refuses to take pills, hide them in these nutritious treats. It is a great recipe to hide medication. They are the best homemade pill pockets for dogs!
Recipe Ingredients
Here is a bit more information about the simple ingredients I used in these homemade treats.
- Natural Unsweetened Creamy Peanut Butter – Do not use peanut butter that has added sugar.
- Pumpkin Puree – Plain canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling with spices. You could use pumpkin baby food if you have it.
- Coconut Oil – A healthy fat that adds some moisture and helps hold the treat together.
- Oat Flour – store-bought or easily made with old-fashioned rolled oats.
All of the ingredients can be found at regular grocery stores.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
When you make this easy soft dog treats recipe, here are a few notes to keep in mind:
Do not use peanut butter that contains xylitol because it is toxic to dogs.
To make soft dog treats without peanut butter, substitute the peanut butter with SunButter (sunflower seed butter). Make sure it does not contain xylitol or any artificial sweeteners.
You can substitute the oat flour with coconut flour. While you can use all purpose flour or whole wheat flour, I do not recommend them for these treats. Do not use rice flour because raw rice flour can cause choking and digestive issues in dogs.
If you want to make organic soft dog treats, use organic ingredients.
Equipment Needed
Another great thing about this recipe is you only need a few kitchen items to make these no-bake peanut butter pumpkin dog treats.
- Measuring Cups
- Mixing Bowl
- Tray or Baking Sheet
I rolled these treats into balls. It saved me tons of time. If you want to create shaped treats, then use either some silicone molds or a small ice cube tray. They are too soft to use cookie cutters.
How to Make Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats
Here are the recipe steps for these easy to make dog treats with no baking:
- Melt the coconut oil and combine it well with the peanut butter and the pumpkin puree in a large bowl.
- If using rolled oats, blend them in a blender or food processor until it reaches a flour consistency.
- Add the oat flour and combine well using a hand mixer or a spoon.
- Form balls with the mixture, about 1-inch thick for smaller treats and up to 2-inches thick for larger treats.
- Place the balls on a tray or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Use a fork to press a crosshatch design into the treats if desired.
Baked Soft Dog Treats
If you want, you can bake these treats at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The baking time will vary depending on the size of the treats.
Serving Size
Even though this easy dog treat recipe is good for your dog to eat, it is still a treat. Pay close attention to the size of your pet when deciding how much to give them. Tiny dogs should only eat one of these treats a day. Larger breeds like Great Dane can eat more. It all has to do with the total calories they are eating that day.
You can also adjust the size of the treat by making larger or smaller size balls.
Any time you introduce new recipes to your pet, watch for signs of an upset stomach, just in case they are sensitive to one of the ingredients. Start with small pieces.
How to Store Soft Dog Treats
Store the treats in an airtight container or heavy zip-top plastic bag in the refrigerator. Do not store them at room temperature (unless you baked them).
You can freeze the treats for longer storage. Here’s how to freeze them:
- Place them on a tray so they are not touching.
- Put the tray in the freezer until the treats are frozen solid.
- Transfer the frozen treats to a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag.
- Store them in the freezer.
How Long Do Homemade Soft Dog Treats Last?
The treats will last up to 4 days in the fridge.
The treats will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Can Humans Eat These Soft Treats for Dogs?
Yep, they sure can! All the ingredients are safe for human consumption. However, I doubt any person would enjoy them because they’re not sweet.
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More Homemade Dog Treat Recipes
Want to make more tasty treats for your dog? Take a look at these:
- Bacon Dog Treats
- Carob Dog Treats
- Homemade Dog Gravy
- Frozen Yogurt Dog Treats
- Homemade Waffles for Dogs
- Mixed Berry Pupsicles
- Pumpkin Dog Cookies
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Soft Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Creamy Peanut Butter natural, unsalted
- 1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1 cup Oat Flour or Uncooked Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
Instructions
- Melt the coconut oil and combine it well with the peanut butter and the pumpkin puree in a bowl.
- If using rolled oats, pulse them in a blender or food processor until it has a powder/flour consistency.
- Add the oat flour and combine well using a hand mixer or a spoon.
- Roll the mixture into balls, about 1-inch thick for smaller treats and up to 2-inches thick for larger treats.
- Place the balls on a parchment paper lined tray.
- Use a fork to press a crosshatch design into the treat if desired.
- Store the treats in the refrigerator.
My pups love these raw and cooked for a few minutes thanks
Made these for my 2 dogs and they love them. Give them out to other pets and they fo too! Thank u!
How long can they last if you bake them? And can you keep at room temperature on the counter if you bake them?
They will last for about 4 to 5 days if you bake them. Maybe a day or two longer if stored in the refrigerator. You can freeze the baked ones for up to 3 months.
The no bake version has been a life saver. My dog has to take 14 pills a day. It’s so nice to be able to make this quick recipe and hide her pills in yummy treats! Thanks for sharing!
Oh my, that’s a lot of pills. I’m so glad the treats help your dog to take them.
I have an elderly dog who is basically on hospice. Getting her to eat anything has been a struggle and this recipe has literally been a life saver!!! Thank you!!!!!
I’m so glad the treats are helping your dog!
Made these for my almost 12-year old boxer-pit Mickie, who was diagnosed with renal failure, and I make her food and treats now. She will love these, thanks!
I made these for my 2 1 year old pups. I made 7 instead of 15 so they would fit in the woof pupsicle containers. I give them as part of their meal, and to keep them busy!
Hi, can I substitutes the oats with almond flour? Thank you in advance 😌
You can substitute the oat flour or oats with almond flour. Just note that almond flour is high in fat and so is peanut butter. Use caution when giving really high fat treats and food to dogs as it may cause pancreatitis.
Thank you for the quick and informative response. 💛
Hi there-
Is there something I can substitute for coconut oil?
Thank you!
You can use olive oil.
Thank you SO much for your quick response! I will be making these this afternoon!
How many treats is the nutrition label for? I need for one treat
The nutrition is for 1 treat and based on making 15 treats from the dough.
Can you substitute sweet potato instead of pumpkin. And can you use baby foods with meat flavors like turkey or chicken.
Yes, you can use plain cooked sweet potato instead of pumpkin puree. I believe you can also substitute all or part it with meat baby food but not 100% certain. If you want to do that just give it a try and also let me know how it turned out. Oh, and make sure the baby food does not have any ingredients that are toxic to dogs.
Amazing, I recommend everybody to try this wonderful recipe. I tried the no bake way, and also put them in the oven. The pups enjoyed them both ways. 2 pitbulls happy, and also our chihuahua, loved them. Our chihuahua doesn’t like those hard treats. She loved them. The humans even liked them. Now to make these for the 2 pugs in our family. Can’t wait. Thank you so much for this recipe.
If don’t have rolled oats can I use quick oats?
Yes, you can use quick oats.
Want to make for my service dog Mommy 14 years old . This sounds good for her . Thank you
My puppy loves these treats! She has a tendency to get sick first thing in the morning from having an empty stomach, so I give her one at night before bed and then one first thing in morning. This has solved the problem!
Also, I have used canned butternut squash in place of pumpkin which works well too.
Such a great recipe – thank you!
Oh wonderful! I’m so glad your pup enjoys the treats and they are helping with her empty stomach issue.
My dog is having all of his teeth pulled. Are these soft enough for a toothless dog? I don’t want them to hurt his gums.
Yes, they are soft enough for a dog without teeth.
Just made these for our 2 small dogs of which one is a very picky eater, even when it comes to treats. She loves these and are so easy to make. Still had a few pie pumpkins left from the trip to the pumpkin patch and they are going to make alot of treats.
Oh fantastic! I’m so glad your dogs enjoy the treats!
Can I use peanut butter that has 1 gram of added sugar per tablespoon?
Yes, that’s a tiny amount of sugar. But it would be best to unsweetened if you can find it.