Homemade Dog Treats: Delicious Biscuits & Puppy Cake Recipe

Updated at: 11/05/2025

Spoiling your furry friend doesn't have to mean resorting to store-bought treats filled with questionable ingredients. Show your canine companion some love with homemade dog treats, packed with wholesome goodness and made with ingredients you can trust. From crunchy biscuits perfect for satisfying their chewing instincts to a delightful puppy cake for special occasions, crafting your own dog treats is surprisingly simple and incredibly rewarding. You'll feel good knowing exactly what goes into your dog's snacks, ensuring they're getting only the best. Plus, the joy on their face when they receive a homemade treat is priceless.

This article will guide you through two delicious and easy-to-follow recipes: one for hearty, homemade dog biscuits, and another for a fun and festive puppy cake. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and prepare to embark on a culinary adventure that will leave both you and your dog wagging your tails! Let's delve into the step-by-step instructions to create these irresistible treats.

Preparation and Safety Guidelines

Tools Needed
  • Stand mixer
  • Dog biscuit cutter
  • Baking sheet
  • Cake pan (dog-shaped)
  • Offset spatula
  • Saucepan
Safety Guidelines
  • Always supervise your dog while they are eating treats, especially new ones, to prevent choking hazards.
  • Avoid using ingredients that are toxic to dogs, such as chocolate, onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, xylitol (artificial sweetener), and macadamia nuts.
  • Introduce new treats gradually to monitor for any allergic reactions or digestive upset. Start with a small amount and observe your dog for a few hours.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prepare Dog Biscuit Ingredients

    • ½ cup peanut butter, 4 eggs, 1 ½ cups sweet potato puree, 6 cups whole wheat flour.

  2. Prepare Sweet Potato Puree

    • Blend sweet potato puree until smooth.

  3. Mix Dog Biscuit Dough

    • Add peanut butter and eggs to the stand mixer.
    • Gradually add flour to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms (you may not need all 6 cups).
    Gradually add flour to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms (you may not need all 6 cups).
    Mix Dog Biscuit Dough

  4. Shape and Bake Dog Biscuits

    • Roll out the dough to about ½ inch thickness.
    • Cut out biscuits using a dog biscuit cutter.
    • Bake biscuits at a suitable temperature until firm (approximately 15 minutes)
    Bake biscuits at a suitable temperature until firm (approximately 15 minutes)
    Shape and Bake Dog Biscuits

  5. Make Peanut Butter Drizzle for Biscuits

    • Melt ½ cup peanut butter and 2 tablespoons coconut oil on medium heat.
    Make peanut butter drizzle: Melt ½ cup peanut butter and 2 tablespoons coconut oil on medium heat.
    Make Peanut Butter Drizzle for Biscuits

  6. Drizzle Biscuits

    • Drizzle cooled peanut butter mixture over baked biscuits.
    Drizzle cooled peanut butter mixture over baked biscuits.
    Drizzle Biscuits

  7. Prepare Puppy Cake Ingredients

    • Dry ingredients (1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 ½ tsp baking powder) and wet ingredients (2 eggs, ⅓ cup applesauce, 3 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp molasses, ½ cup peanut butter, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup grated carrots).
    Prepare cake ingredients: Dry ingredients (1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 ½ tsp baking powder) and wet ingredients (2 eggs, ⅓ cup applesauce, 3 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp molasses, ½ cup peanut butter, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup grated carrots).
    Prepare Puppy Cake Ingredients

  8. Mix and Bake Puppy Cake

    • Mix dry ingredients separately, then combine with wet ingredients. Fold in grated carrots.
    • Pour batter into a greased dog-shaped cake pan and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
    Pour batter into a greased dog-shaped cake pan and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.Pour batter into a greased dog-shaped cake pan and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
    Mix and Bake Puppy Cake

  9. Make Puppy Cake Frosting

    • Mix 16 oz cream cheese and 3 tbsp honey until smooth. Add water if needed to adjust consistency.

  10. Frost and Decorate Puppy Cake

    • Frost the cooled cake using an offset spatula.
    • Drizzle peanut butter mixture over frosted cake.
    Drizzle peanut butter mixture over frosted cake.
    Frost and Decorate Puppy Cake

Read more: Easy Homemade Cranberry Dog Treats: A Simple & Cheap Recipe

Tips

  • Use discretion when serving treats to dogs with sensitive stomachs.
  • Adjust flour amount in the biscuit recipe as needed to achieve a soft dough.
  • Let biscuits cool before drizzling.
  • A fork can be used for a professional drizzle look.
  • Grease the cake pan to prevent sticking.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using too much liquid

Reason: Overly wet dough will result in crumbly or misshapen biscuits that may not bake properly.
Solution: Add liquid gradually, mixing until the dough just comes together, and adjust the amount based on the flour's absorption.

2. Baking at the wrong temperature or for too long/short

Reason: Incorrect baking time and temperature lead to either underbaked (soft and doughy) or overbaked (hard and dry) treats.
Solution: Follow the recipe's baking instructions carefully, and check for doneness earlier to avoid overbaking.

FAQs

Can I use any type of flour for the dog biscuits?
While all-purpose flour works well, whole wheat flour is a healthier option offering more fiber. Avoid using flours containing xylitol, which is highly toxic to dogs.
How long can I store the homemade dog treats?
Store biscuits and cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. Always ensure the treats are completely cooled before storing.