Easy Homemade Dog Treats (Sweet Potato Dog Treats)

If you've been spending money on dog treats and you're ready for a cheaper, homemade alternative, I've got a "treat" for you. (Get it? Treat?) These homemade dog treats are simple and your dog will love them!

Baking for Pets is Easy and Fun!

I don't know about you but I'm a dog fanatic. I've got three dogs--one big boy named Benny. He's a cattle dog Staffie mix. Bigger dogs are so much fun. . .but boy, do they love to eat!

I've also got two smaller dogs, Annie and Gabriel. Annie's a chihuahua-terrier mix (with Flying Nun ears) and Gabriel is (I think?) chihuahua and rat terrier. I haven't had his DNA done yet. I named him Gabriel because he's such an angel.

All of my dogs are rescues except Annie. She's pretty much the queen of our castle and loves her treats. So, as you might imagine, I go through a lot of them with so many dogs in the house.

Did I mention that I've also fostered rescue dogs over the past four years? I've had over 40 dogs pass through my house in that amount of time. So, treats are in high demand around here.

I'm always feeding my fur babies treats (and you can probably tell from looking at Benny's physique) so DIY dog treats hold a lot of appeal. It's not just the money. I'm looking for healthy dog treats to offer them.

What type of dog treats should I make?

This was the question on my mind. I found a lot of different recipes online but (I'll be honest) I know my dogs. I know what they like and what they turn their noses up at. So, in the end I made up my own recipe. (No big surprise there. I'm the queen of making things up as I go along.)

I started with the obvious thing--peanut butter. Most homemade dog treats call for peanut butter. Dogs love it and it brings sweetness to the cookie. It also adds protein and fat.

That said, peanut butter is to be consumed in moderation, so I needed to add something else to add texture and sweetness.

Can I add sweet potatoes to dog treats?

I thought about pumpkin puree but didn't have any on hand. I had a can of sweet potatoes, but it contained syrup, something I didn't want. So, in the end I drained off the syrup, rinsed the sweet potatoes and then pureed them.

I knew I would need an egg to bind things together, and I figured one would do, since the potatoes had moisture. (I didn't want the cookies to be too moist.)

Finally. . .the flour. What to use? This was the question. Dogs don't do well with a lot of gluten, but I wasn't sure how they digested almond flour, (my flour of choice). I did some research and decided the almond flour was going to be okay, but I know that almond flour doesn't bake up well alone.

In the end, I added a cup of all-purpose flour. If you have whole wheat on hand, it's a better alternative for dogs.

I'll tell you more about how I made the treats below. Let's start by looking more closely at the ingredients:

Dog Treat Ingredients

These are simple common ingredients you might already have on hand. Here's what you'll need to make these delicious dog treats.

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 15-ounce can sweet potatoes (drained and rinsed)
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups almond flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (not pictured)

Note: If you don't have almond flour you can always use your food processor to make your own out of almonds.

How to Make Homemade Dog Treats

Making these sweet potato dog chews is so easy!

Preheat oven to 375 and prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place drained/rinsed sweet potatoes in a large bowl. I used the bowl of my stand mixer but you might choose to use a hand mixer.

Add egg and mix until you've got a sweet potato puree.

Fold in peanut butter and mix well.

Now it's time to add the flour. Start with the almond flour. Mix well.

Add the whole wheat flour and continue to mix until a thick dough forms.

Remove dough and place a portion of it between two pieces of waxed paper. If you like you can use a floured surface.

Roll with your rolling pin until thin (about ¼ inch).

Using a cookie cutter, cut out your shapes. This recipe should make about two dozen treats, depending on your cutter.

(I should add that I also made some smaller treats because I have two little dogs as well as my big guy.)

Place rolled cookie dough on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Place in preheated oven and bake at 375 for 17 - 18 minutes, gently flipping at the 10-minute point. You want to make sure they're done but not over-baked. (Ask me how I know.)

The length of time to bake will vary, depending on the shapes you choose. Larger cookies might need a bit more time. My baby cookies (about the size of a small human cookie) only baked for 11 minutes. (They're more like traditional dog biscuits.)

Remove from oven and place cookie sheet on a wire rack to cool. When you can handle them, transfer directly to the rack in a single layer.

Once cooled, store in an airtight container. Make sure they are completely cooled so they don't soften up.

My Thoughts on this Natural Dog Treat

I'm so glad I decided to make both versions of these treats! I thought the sweet potato chews were so easy to make (and loved that they were quicker to bake).

My dogs loved them. They kept coming back for more of this healthy treat.

But, guess what? They loved the crispy bones even more! So, I'm happy because the little ones will be quick and easy treats in a hurry and the bigger ones will be for special times. (Thank goodness this is such an easy recipe!)

I had a fun idea after seeing how much the dogs loved these. This was a new food for them, after all.

If you're the sort of dog owner who holds a birthday party for your dog (inviting other pups) you might make a treats tray and decorate these dog cookies to match the theme of your party.

Questions People are Asking About Homemade Treats

How long will these homemade sweet potato dog treats stay fresh?

Homemade dog treats last a week at room temperature and two weeks in the fridge. The longer you bake them, the longer they'll last.

Can I freeze dog treats?

Yes. Place them in an air-tight container and freeze up to two months. Allow to come to room temperature naturally.

Can I use pumpkin puree in place of sweet potatoes?

Absolutely! Next time I plan to do that, just to add variety.

Can I use oat flour or brown rice flour in place of almond?

Yes, but you probably still want to add a cup of whole wheat flour, as well. Brown rice flour, in particular, is great for dogs! In fact, a dog's diet could really do with healthy oats and brown rice flour.

Is this delicious treat a good source of fiber?

Yes! Between the almonds, the sweet potatoes and the peanut butter, these treats are a great source of fiber. That said. . .they're a great source of fiber. You don't want to over-do it or they may end up with tummy upset.

Can humans eat these dog treats?

Absolutely! I took a little nibble to see what I thought. They were pretty much what I expected--not very sweet (a little bland) but nice and crisp.

Can I ice these dog cookies?

Yes, I'll be posting a recipe for icing soon. Instead of royal icing, you can use a yogurt based icing and decorate the cookies to look like my cut-out sugar cookies!

Are these cheaper than store-bought goodies?

They're definitely less expensive than speciality treats, which is what these are. If you've ever gone to a dog bakery you know that individual dog cookies can be very expensive.

Are there any ingredients you shouldn't put in homemade dog treats?

There's a long list of things that are harmful to dogs. According to petmd.com:

Don’t use toxic ingredients, including xylitol, onions, garlic, chocolate and raisins, says Dr. Jeffrey, whose professional focus includes preventative care.  If you’re planning to make homemade peanut butter dog treats, read the label carefully. “There are several peanut butters on the market that contain xylitol,” she cautions. Xylitol isn’t toxic to people but can lead to potentially fatal low blood sugar levels and liver damage in dogs.

That's it for this post, friends! This is a great treat for your furry friend. I hope you enjoyed this homemade dog treat recipe!

About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.