Skip the expensive pet store treats and whip up these simple homemade dog biscuits instead! With just four pantry staples, you can create healthy, tail-wagging treats for a fraction of the cost. These biscuits cost only 12 cents each compared to $1.50 for store-bought versions, and you’ll know exactly what your furry friend is eating.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe combines the binding power of flour with the irresistible flavor dogs love from peanut butter. Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients, while vegetable oil creates the perfect texture that holds together during baking and remains pleasantly crunchy for your pet.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – Provides structure and helps bind the dough together
- Whole wheat flour – Adds fiber, nutrients, and a heartier texture that dogs enjoy
- Peanut butter – Creates irresistible flavor and acts as a natural binding agent (ensure it’s xylitol-free)
- Vegetable oil – Adds moisture and helps create the perfect chewy-crunchy texture
You may want to get a bone shaped cookie cutter.
How to Make Easy Homemade Dog Treats
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Combine dry ingredients by blending whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl. Set this mixture aside.
- Mix wet ingredients by combining vegetable oil, peanut butter, and water in a separate bowl until smooth.
- Form the dough by adding the flour mixture one cup at a time to the wet ingredients, stirring to form a dough.
- Knead the dough by hand to blend the final flour, kneading until a nice firm ball of dough is formed. This takes a bit of effort but is essential for proper texture.
- Rest the dough by letting the ball stand for about 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax, making rolling much easier.
- Roll the dough with a rolling pin to about ¼-inch thickness on a sheet of waxed paper.
- Cut and score using your desired cutter shape. Re-roll scraps to make additional biscuits. Score the tops of each cookie with a fork so steam can be released during baking.
- Bake the biscuits on ungreased cookie sheets for about 25 minutes initially, turning the pan a couple of times during baking for even cooking.
- Check for doneness by ensuring cookies are hard to the touch before removing them from the oven. You may need to increase baking time in 5-minute increments. Most batches require 30-35 minutes total.
- Cool completely before storing to ensure maximum crispiness.
Chef’s Notes
The resting period is crucial for this recipe. Don’t skip the 10-minute gluten relaxation time; it makes rolling significantly easier and improves the final texture. After proper kneading, the dough should feel firm but pliable.
Want to make more homemade dog treats? Take a look at these recipes
Check out this Easy Kitty Litter Cake for a fun pet-inspired dessert.
Easy Homemade Dog Biscuits – 4 Simple Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 1/8 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend wheat flour and white flour in a bowl. Set aside. Combine vegetable oil, peanut butter, and water. Add flour, one cup at a time, forming a dough.
- You will need to blend the final flour by hand, kneading until a nice firm ball of dough is formed. (Takes a bit of kneading.) Let ball of dough stand for about 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. Makes for easier rolling. Roll dough to about 1/4 inch thickness on a sheet of waxed paper.
- Cut with desired cutter. Re-roll scraps to make more biscuits. How many biscuits you get depends on the size of the cutter you use. Score the tops of the cookies with a fork so the steam that builds up inside the cookies will release. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 25 minutes, turning the pan a couple of times during baking. Cookies should be hard to the touch before removing from the oven. You may need to increase baking time.
- Do this in five minute increments.I usually have to bake about 30-35 minutes. Cool, then store in a zip-lock baggie on the shelf. No refrigeration necessary.
I make this wonderful recipe for my dog. He lives them. I also make them and sell them at our local farmers market. They are a huge hit 🙂
I hope you do well at the farmer’s market with this recipe.
Not all nuts are safe for dogs. Peanuts aren’t nuts but legumes. “or other nut butter”
How long do these store if they are in an air tight container on the counter?
I have served these to my dogs for about two weeks after.
I turned around my diabetes by following a whole grain diet. My legs even healed up. and all began when a pharmacist advisor suggested I drink ensure. Wow that did not work so I bought an expensive plant based protein with priobiotics. and from their went directly to whole grains.
I now incorporate that into my dog biscuits. I grind quinoa. amaranth,milletk, oatmeal, Lundberg Brown Rice,, sunflower seeds, beef broth I make with soup bones, and peanut butter to my biscuits. You can also juice up some cranberries in the liquid for urininary health. I also add apple vinegar, honey and Lecithin to retard spoilage. I use Canadian whole wheat. I freeze them to extend their freshness. I like to give them to friends who have dogs that are healing from Vet surgery.
Can other ingredients besides peanut butter be used? If so what?
I would try this with a different type of nut butter, like almond butter, or perhaps a soy nut butter.
I think you could try this with almond butter. I personally haven’t tried other types of nut butters.
When rolling out the dog biscuit dough on waxed paper, is flour put on the waxed paper prior to rolling? Also, can this recipe be doubled? Thank you for your assistance.
You can double the recipe. You may want to add a little flour to the wax paper if the dough is sticking.
Add some brewers yeast and powdered garlic to that recipe and the treats will also help your dog resist fleas. Brewers yeast is rich in B vitamins(which fleas hate in their food), and garlic acts as a natural repellent.
My vet told us not to feed garlic to our dog, it causes blood conditions and damages organs in the long run.
I am trying to find an extra source of money as well. My job in the summer does not pay much and I will get paid at the end of the summer-need cash badly!
Good luck Beverly.
Dude, that is a strange thing. Every pet store has endless peanut butter treats, including Ceasars’s website. Maybe your thinking of grapes. the SPCA has a list of what not to feed a dog on the front of their website.
Just wondering…. Is it possible to use rice flour or some other gluten and wheat free alternative? Looking for treats for my babies, one is a pure red nose pittie, the other is a choc lab pittie mix. My choc lab pittie is highly allergic to corn, wheat and gluten.
I am not sure how it would work on this recipe. This recipe was not developed to be gluten free.
I would like to use a gluten free flour also. Not because it is hip, but, more because it is closer to my Paleo diet. I will test.
I am sorry I have not tested the recipe with rice flour. You may want to give it a try.
this is an amazing recipe! c: my lab-terrier mix loved them!
These look very nice!
Is the unbleached white flour, self-rising?
all purpose flour.
no, it is regular all purpose.
No it is all-purpose flour, not self-rising.
I use beef or chicken broth instead of water. I also leave in an open container. Our Boxer prefers these over store bought ones now, so I have to keep a good supply on hand!!
Debbie that is a great tip. With all of the scary news about the things they find in dog food, I would have to think making it at home makes you feel better.
Do you have any recipes with pumpkin? My babies love pumpkin…..
We ran out of treats this morning, and I thought I’d try making her some instead of going to the grocery store the Saturday before Christmas. I had the all of the ingredients. they smelled great baking, but…my dog refused to eat them. We had to coax her a bit just to take one from us, and then she broke it up a bit but then dropped it and walked away. I wound up having to clean it up, and now I’m looking at what’s left and wondering what do I do with them? Everyone else seemed to have great success with them. I know my dog is a bit strange, but to be the only dog to dislike them? Hmmmm…We seldom feed her table scraps and I make about half of her regular food so….maybe she’s spoiled?
I don’t know. Many dogs like these treats.
Hard to say if your dog is spoiled. Most dogs like these treats.
I have two dogs, and they eat absolutely the opposite things. One likes tomatoes and the other hates them, same for peanut butter, milk, cheese, everything. the big dog will not even eat meatloaf because it has tomato sauce or ketchup on it, the little will not stop eating it.
Love them! I’m gonna try make them tonight, for my Dog Stars B-Day Tomorrow! (30th September) 😀 From Anna, Age 12
Do you have any suggestions for alternative for the wheat. Our dog does better on grain free food. Could I sub potato flakes? Thanks
I have no suggestions for a substitute for the wheat flour.