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I’ve always been an animal person. I begged for years to get my first dog, Holly, when I was five. We named her Holly because she was born right before Christmas and she was the best Christmas present ever!
Holly passed away years ago, but now I get to watch my own children enjoy our Golden Pyrenees (a yellow lab/great Pyrenees mix). Daisy faithfully watches over the children when they play in the yard and lets the one-year-old sit on her and “pet” her.
One day, my older kids asked if we could make “cookies for Daisy” with ingredients she would like. I’d been mulling over the idea of a dog treat recipe for a while, and that was my motivation to finally try some easy, homemade treats.
Homemade Dog Treats with Coconut Oil
We already give Daisy (and our cats Penelope & Tiger) coconut oil daily but I wanted to figure out a way to incorporate it into this easy recipe.
I stuck to vet-approved ingredients for dogs: sweet potato, coconut oil/coconut, eggs, coconut flour, and gelatin.
Really, any combination of those ingredients would work, but we found a particular ratio that Daisy seems to love. We also figured out a cat treat recipe for Penelope and Tiger.
My favorite part of this DIY recipe is that it is a convenient way to give Daisy her daily coconut oil and a fun treat for her. I also know exactly what is going into her dog biscuits.
Why Coconut Oil?
Many homemade treat recipes contain peanut butter, rice flour, all-purpose flour, or whole wheat flour. After we talked to our vet, we decided we wanted our biscuits to be grain-free and nut-free, but packed with healthy fats and veggies.
I built my recipe around coconut oil. According to the American Kennel Club, coconut oil is beneficial to dogs. It is over 90% saturated fat and is an antioxidant that helps with mineral absorption. It has Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs), which can provide energy and help create a glossy coat for your pet.
MCFAs also contain lauric acid, which has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. While coconut oil is full of health benefits for dogs (and dog lovers too!), consult with your vet before using large quantities especially if your pet has specific health problems.
One caution: Too much coconut oil can cause doggie diarrhea or an upset stomach. We found that one treat a day was the perfect amount.
Homemade Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (cooked and cooled)
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup gelatin powder (optional)
- ½ cup coconut oil (or bacon grease)
- 1 egg
- 1-2 TBSP water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients and mix until well incorporated. If needed, add a little extra coconut flour to get a dough that is slightly thinner than Play Dough.
- Form into 1-inch balls and flatten with hand.
- We made “paw print” shapes with our fingers to make them cute (totally optional). You can also use a rolling pin to flatten the doggie dough to create a cutout shape with a cookie cutter if you have extra prep time.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until slightly browned on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before removing.
Notes
Tips for Keeping Dog Treats Fresh
The last thing you want to see after spending time creating healthy snacks for your fur baby is mold growing on your yummy treats.
Since these treats are homemade, they do not contain preservatives. They will need to be stored in a cool, dry place to avoid spoiling or encouraging mold growth.
Here are some tips to keep treats dry, fresh, and ready to go:
- Serve or store these doggie treats immediately after they cool. Give your pup a sample and then put the rest of them away.
- I prefer to store a handful in a mason jar in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to two weeks, but they usually don’t last that long!
- I stack the majority of these biscuits in an air-tight container, with a little natural parchment paper in between layers, and store them in the freezer. They will keep in the freezer for several months. I avoid plastic containers and prefer to use glass, silicone, or metal options.
We give our dog one of these per day and she seems to approve!
If you are short on time and are looking for a pet treat that is natural and an easy alternative to homemade, we’ve given Chippin to our dog as a treat.
Do you have any pets? What do you give them for treats?
Any chance you have a cat version????? I’d love to make my cat some healthy treats that would be good for him. Thanks Katie, Love your website!
Great recipe for our dog
Do you have any that would be healthy for horses? I usually just add plain dry gelatin to their feed otherwise we give them salad scraps, apples or carrots
None of which delivers their cocoanut oil
Any suggestions?
Looking forward to a reply from someone in this too!!
We have two golden retrievers and for years I have made liver brownies for them as treats. The amounts vary depending on whether you want a moister brownie or a drier one:
About 1 lb beef liver,
1 egg,
1/4 cup water,
2 tbsp. coconut oil
1 med sweet potato or carrot,
1/2 to 1 1/2 cup flour – I use chickpea, brown rice or wholewheat,
Optional doggy vitamins or health blend.
Put them all in a blender in that order and process until everything is blended. Looks absolutely disgusting. Be sure to take the blender apart and wash well after, btw.
Pour into oiled square pan and bake @ 350 for about 30-40 mins. Cut into squares when cooled and keep in the fridge.
My dogs go crazy for these – mind you, they’re retrievers so they would probably eat the flour bag in the first place.
Awww thanks for this
organs should be part of dogs diet I love this idea 😉
Great idea! Thanks!
We give our dogs organic carrots as treats – especially before they go to bed! They love them! We have labs, so they like to eat anything and everything – and if they can swallow it (instead of chewing), all the better! But with the carrot, they DO have to chew (which helps their gums), and the carrot is a large-sized carrot, so it takes about 30 seconds or so, but it’s a win/win for us! Something healthy to give our dogs and they really LOVE their treat!
Great idea! Thanks!
That’s how I got through the puppy years…frozen carrots. Better carrots than chair legs…the couch…the screen door…the corners of every wall in my house. It took a few weeks to find the carrots worked. 😉
Great recipe!
These are some pretty nifty treats and really healthy! Great recipe.
Do you think we could switch the amounts of coconut oil and bacon grease? We have several jars of bacon grease that we need to use up. My concern would be digestive trouble from too much bacon grease. My dog is 90 lbs so not a little guy 🙂
Bacon grease is not a good alternative as it is very high in trans fats and salt, and can lead to pancreatitis in dogs. Its about as good for them as it is for them. Its a shame really, as they just love it!
Would this work as a cat treat? Or do you have alternatives that you give your cats instead?
What great timing! I was just thinking about making healthy treats for my dogs. I have a couple types of gelatin at home, but not the one you prefer. I have the green can for myself (as you recommended) and the little packets. Would either of those work?
I know this thread is a few years old but i came across it while looking for dog treat recipes that include spirulina….anyway….i felt the need to inform you that coconut oil is actually really bad for your pets health….topically its fine for fur and certain skin conditions but ingesting it opens them up to several health issues including CHF, weight gain, atherosclerosis, and a fatty liver among others. Same with bacon grease. If its not healthy for you its certainly not healthy for your pooch.
Signed a vet tech
We just got our puppy a few weeks ago. She’s a golden doodle. Sweet & wonderful. The kids adore her!
I love the idea of making our own puppy treats. (It’s hard to find treats w/ ingredients I’m willing to feed her.) I can’t wait to try this recipe.
One question: I already have Great Lakes gelatin at home. Is there a reason I should use the gelatin you linked to this recipe instead? Is it formulated differently?
Haha! I love the picture! It definitely seems like she’s enjoying those treats, and I can’t wait to try these for my own fur baby. Thanks for an amazing post, yet again. You’re pretty much amazing!