Treat your furry friend to the yummy goodness of homemade Pumpkin Muffins for Dogs! Made with nutritious and simple ingredients like oat flour, pumpkin puree, and applesauce, these dog muffins are tasty and healthy too.
These muffin dog treats are great for rewarding good behavior, celebrating special occasions, or just because! Your four-legged friends will gobble them up!
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- The Best Things About Pumpkin Dog Muffins
- Recipe Ingredients
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Equipment Needed
- How to Make Pumpkin Muffins for Dogs
- Recipe Variation – Pumpkin Pupcakes
- Serving Size
- How to Store Dog Muffins
- Can humans eat these pumpkin dog muffins?
- Great Dog Treat Recipes
- Pumpkin Muffins for Dogs
The Best Things About Pumpkin Dog Muffins
Have you ever sat down with a muffin, only to have your sweet fur baby beg with those sad little eyes? When you make dog pumpkin muffins, you can give Fido their own muffin to enjoy. It’s the perfect way to spend time together.
Not only does giving your dog a muffin make it feel like they are sharing breakfast time with you, but it’s good for your dog too. This dog muffin recipe is made with natural ingredients and no added sugar.
Making muffins ensures there are no artificial sweeteners in it. It’s important because the ingredient xylitol, is highly toxic to dogs. It also doesn’t have spices toxic to dogs.
Recipe Ingredients
The entire list of ingredients, step-by-step directions, and nutritional information are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. First, I want to share some additional information about the simple ingredients I used in this dog-friendly muffin recipe.
Here’s a list of what you need. If you want to make organic dog muffins, you must use organic ingredients.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree – The main flavor of the muffins.
- Eggs – Bind the batter and add protein.
- Applesauce – Adds sweetness and moisture to the batter.
- Coconut Oil – A little bit of this oil gives the muffins some healthy fats.
- Oat Flour – A healthy flour that’s great for making dog muffins and treats.
- Baking Soda – Helps the muffins rise and gives it a light texture.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
When you make this easy dog muffin recipe, here are a few notes to keep in mind.
Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. This is because pumpkin pie filling contains spices toxic to dogs.
Baking soda is safe for dogs in small amounts. They’ll only be eating a very small amount in a muffin.
For a touch of honey, you can add up to 1 tablespoon of honey to the batter.
You can use vegetable oil instead of coconut oil.
You can make oat flour by placing uncooked old-fashioned oats in a blender or food processor and blending until it reaches flour consistency.
You can make these pumpkin muffins with regular flour, like all-purpose flour. If you want to use whole wheat flour, you will need to reduce the amount to 2/3 cup of flour or less and possibly need to add more applesauce if the batter is too dry.
Equipment Needed
You probably have most of the kitchen items you need to make the muffins. But just in case, here’s a list of them:
- Blender or Food Processor if you want to turn oatmeal into oat flour instead of buying a package that is more expensive.
- Measuring Cups – for measuring.
- Mixing Bowl – to mix the batter in.
- Muffin Pans – either regular-sized or mini
- Wire Cooling Rack – for cooling the muffins.
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins for Dogs
These are the recipe steps and photos of the process of making the muffins. I hope they help you make this healthy pumpkin dog muffin recipe!
You can scroll down to the bottom of this article for a printable recipe card.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease muffin tins – You can use regular or mini muffin tin.
- Place the oat flour and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk or stir to combine the dry ingredients.
- Add the remaining wet ingredients to the flour mixture.
- Stir until the batter is just combined – do not overmix it.
- Fill the muffin cups until ⅔ full.
- Baking time will vary depending on the size of the muffins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes for regular-sized ones or 10 to 15 minutes for mini ones.
- Remove the muffins from the pan and place them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Recipe Variation – Pumpkin Pupcakes
Did you know you can also use this recipe to make homemade dog cupcakes? Pumpkin dog cupcakes are basically muffins with dog friendly frosting (and pups love them!).
Healthy pupcakes are a great way to celebrate a dog’s birthday, especially the first birthday. They would be a hit at dog birthday parties. They’re also a special treat for a dog’s Gotcha Day.
Here’s how to turn these homemade treats into pretty little cupcakes.
When preparing the muffins, line the cupcake pan with paper liners instead of greasing it.
Here are a couple of ideas:
- Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Frosting – 4 ounces of cream cheese and ½ cup of creamy peanut butter.
- Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Frosting – ½ cup each of plain Greek yogurt and creamy peanut butter.
Or use almond butter or SunButter (sunflower seed butter) instead of peanut butter.
Do not use almond, sunflower seed, or peanut butter that contains xylitol, an artificial sweetener toxic to dogs.
Simply combine the frosting ingredients in a small bowl. Spread the frosting on top of the muffins (or use a piping bag).
You can decorate the dog’s cupcakes with bacon bits or small dog treats.
Oh, and remember to remove the cupcake liners from the pupcakes before giving them to your dog. You sure don’t want to take the chance of your dog eating the liner.
Serving Size
How many homemade dog muffins should you give your dog at once?
It depends on the size of the muffins and the size of your dog.
Medium to large dogs can have one slice, but a small dog should only get half of a slice. Always be mindful of how many treats you give to your dog.
Dogs shouldn’t overeat. They should not consume too many carbs or calories. It is important to keep dogs at a healthy weight. A special treat like this dog-safe pumpkin muffin should only happen every so often, like a special occasion.
How to Store Dog Muffins
Store homemade dog muffins in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can freeze them for longer storage. Frozen muffins will last up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight.
Can humans eat these pumpkin dog muffins?
Oh yes, they sure can! All the ingredients in these muffins for dogs are safe for human consumption. But people probably won’t like them because they aren’t sweet. I suggest baking regular pumpkin muffins for people.
Great Dog Treat Recipes
Want to make more treats for your dog? Check out my easy dog treat recipes:
- Baby Food Dog Treats
- Banana Bread for Dogs
- Pumpkin Apple Dog Treats
- Pumpkin Dog Biscuits
- Pumpkin Dog Cake
- Pumpkin Pie for Dogs
- Sensitive Stomach Dog Treats
I hope your dog enjoys the muffins! Give belly rubs from me.
Pumpkin Muffins for Dogs
Ingredients
- 3 cups Oat Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking Soda
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- ½ cup Pumpkin Puree
- ¼ cup Coconut Oil melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease muffin pans with coconut oil.
- Place oat flour and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir or whisk to combine.
- Add the eggs, applesauce, pumpkin puree, and melted coconut oil. Stir to until just combined. Do not overmix, there may be lumps or streaks of flour.
- Pour batter into the greased muffin pans filling them until ⅔ full.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes for standard-sized muffins or 10 to 15 minutes for mini muffins. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the pans and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Looking very delicious.. I always wait for your blog where you provide us the recipes of these delicious looking food for our cute dog. Thanks for this. Waiting for more dog foods recipes