Pumpkin Dog Treat Recipe with Flaxseed

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There is one thing we know how to do really well in our house, and that is to make dog treats and snacks! This Pumpkin Dog Treat Recipe with Flaxseed is a soft cookie-like treat that is simple and uses wholesome ingredients. It is in the regular rotation of dog treats for our Great Dane, Magnus. It’s probably safe to say that we make more treat/snacks for our furry friends than we do for us!

These treats are soft, similar to our other Soft Dog Treat recipe , therefore the dough is a bit more sticky. It is similar to cookie dough, which gives it that soft chewy texture. These dog cookies are perfect for older dogs, or dogs with teeth and gum issues as they are soft and moist.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Dog Treat Recipe with Flaxseed

Pumpkin puree: pure pumpkin puree either canned or cooked pumpkin.

Peanut Butter: use all natural peanut butter – no added sugar and without Xylitol (xylitol is toxic to dogs). Peanut butter adds protein, healthy fatty acids, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Applesauce: Adds a bit of natural sweetness, flavor and moisture to the dough. As well as nutrients and fiber.

Egg: High in vitamins and protein. Helps to hold the dough together by creating structure and stability.

Beef Broth: Adds flavor and moisture. If using canned beef broth, use low or no sodium. Beef broth has amino acids that are beneficial for digestive health.

Oat Flour: Store-bought. Or if you have a food processor, oat flour is super simple to make by adding whole oats to the food processor bowl and pulsing for several seconds until flour texture.

Whole Rolled Oats: High in fiber and low in gluten.

Flaxseed: Ground flax seeds or flaxseed meal. See below for flaxseed benefits.

How to Make This Pumpkin Flaxseed Dog Treat

Yield: About 16 (3-inch) round treats.

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Line cookie or baking sheets with parchment paper. Or spray with oil to prevent sticking.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, peanut butter, applesauce, broth and egg.

• In a medium bowl, combine the oat flour, oats and ground flaxseed.

• Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine. The dough will be sticky, similar to cookie dough.

• Scoop the dough using a cookie or ice cream scooper, or large soup spoon. Place the scooped dough on the prepared baking sheet. Using the scoop (or with wet hands), flatten the dough to about a half inch thick round.

• Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Treats should be slightly browned on bottom.

• Cool on a wire rack.

Note: While rolling out and making shapes with this dough is difficult, you can place a cookie cutter on the parchment paper and press the dough into the cookie cutter to form that shape and lift the cutter out. It’s not perfect, but if a shape is what you want, that would be the best way to do it with this dough.

This batch yields a large amount of treats which makes it the perfect Dog Treat for Great Danes. Baking times are based on approximately 3-inch round 1/2-inch thick rounds. If you make a smaller treat, adjust and shorten baking times.

Is Flaxseed Good for Dogs?

Flaxseed is a superfood that’s packed with nutrients beneficial for both humans and dogs. Here are are some flaxseed benefits for your dogs:

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Flaxseed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help promote a shiny coat, anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation, and support overall heart health.
2. Fiber: The fiber in flaxseed aids in digestion and helps maintain a healthy weight.
3. Lignans: anti-inflammatory properties.
4. Vitamins and Minerals: Flaxseed provides essential nutrients like vitamin E and B vitamins, which are important for energy and overall health.

As always, it’s important to always check with your veterinarian before adding something new to a dog’s diet. While flaxseed is widely used in many dog’s diet, there are those special cases where it may not be advised.

Storage

​Once dog treats have thoroughly cooled, store in an airtight container. These treats are a soft, moist treat. Therefore, I would recommend storing in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. They can be stored on the countertop, but only for up to 2 days. If you live in a humid area, I would not recommend storing on countertop, only store in refrigerator or freezer. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

We store half the batch in the refrigerator and the other half in the freezer so that we always have enough on hand. We generally have about three varieties of homemade treats, beef jerky for dogs, and dehydrated sweet potatoes for our Great Dane to snack on. If your furry friend is anything like Magnus, we have to rotate our doggy snacks every other day it seems. So I always make sure he has a variety. 

Why Make Your Own Homemade Dog Treats?

You have full control of what ingredients go into the treats you make for your dog. No additives or preservatives, and nothing that you can’t pronounce, or understand if you can pronounce it! Also, you have the ability to experiment by adding or subtracting healthy ingredients to suite your beloved friend.

Making you own dog treats is also much more cost effective that buying in the store. It’s no secret we have big dogs! Which means those small bite-size treats are not going to cut in our house. I like having control over what size I make my treats.

If you try this recipe, please leave your comment below! We love to hear from our readers.

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