Homemade Dog Treats

With Christmas now behind us but the kids still home on holidays, maybe you’re looking for some interactive activities to do together? Baking some homemade dog treats is fun for the whole family and healthy for your furry friend. Did you know that superfoods like Kale are excellent for our pet’s as much as it is for us – adding ingredients like spinach, broccoli or parsley will even freshen their breath!

Here’s a nutrient-packed, crowd-pleasing recipe that your 4 legged pal will love. Kale, Apple, and Oat Dog Treats

Ingredients

  • 3 cups oats
  • 2 apples
  • 2 cups kale chopped
  • 2 Tbsp honey

Place 2 cups of the oats in a food processor and grind until it has a flour-like consistency. Place the ground oats in a large mixing bowl.

Roughly chop the apples, removing the seeds and core. Grind in the food processor until it begins to resemble applesauce. You may need to scrape down the sides. Some chunks are okay. Scoop the apple mixture into the mixing bowl.

To the mixing bowl, add the remaining 1 cup of whole oats, kale, and honey. Mix to combine. Add additional oats or kale if the mixture is too wet, and honey or water if it is too dry.

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly flour your surface as the mixture will be sticky. Roll out the dough to approximately 1/4″ thick. Using your desired cookie cutter, cut out the treat shapes and place them on a sil pad or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake treats at 350F for 15 minutes. Turn off the oven, leaving the cookies inside, and let them sit for two hours. This will make the cookies crunchier. For soft cookies, remove them after the 15 minutes to cool at room temperature.

Store soft treats in an airtight container, kept in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks. Hard treats can be kept at room temperature up to 3 weeks.

Written by: Sheila McNiven, Doggie Daycare Manager