As you are devouring pumpkin spice lattes and apple cider, don't forget about celebrating the sweet treats of fall with your furry companion. Our dogs LOVE these dog-friendly pumpkin cookies, and I am sure that yours will too. They smell so delicious, even my husband almost took a bite!
I have been perfecting this cookie recipe for over a year. I was encouraged to find the best dog-friendly recipe that accommodated both of our dogs' allergies as well as avoided using sugar and other unnecessary additives that I commonly found online for dog treats. Even more, our husky puppy had trouble keeping weight on her due to her INCREDIBLE pickiness and sticking to a raw diet with her high energy. Thus, I created a cookie that could provide her with an extra treat for the day and provide extra calories and nutrition, while also thinking of our senior dog and keeping his weight balanced.
Whew. So, as you can tell there are A LOT of thoughts that went into making this dog-friendly pumpkin cookie, but most importantly, I wanted it to be taste-approved by our husky since her tastes vary by the hour. Luckily, I was not concerned with our oldest - he is our garbage can and consumes everything and anything that is put on his food plate.
Fall Inspired Dog-Friendly Pumpkin Cookies
Please note that this recipe yields about 60 cookies with a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop. I usually bake these cookies and then once cooled, place them in a freezer bag and into the freezer. Then, treat as desired until I run out and need to bake another batch.
Prep Time: 1 HOUR and 15 MINS (don't skip the time to chill the batter)
Cook Time: 25-30 MINS
Cool Time: 15 MINS
Assembly: NONE
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Total Time: 2 HOURS (don't worry, half of this time is chilling required, so you can play with your pups, walk, or do any other to-dos!)
Tools: Blender, Measuring Cups and Spoons, Cookie Baking Sheets, 1 TBS cookie scoop, Non-Stick Baking Mat or Parchment Paper
Ingredients: The only ingredient that you may not have on hand is the raw egg shells. We usually accumulate enough after two weeks or so - about 2 - 3 dozen eggs. Like I mentioned, we freeze the shells until we need. You could replace (and I have before) with 8 oz of bone powder - I like Better Bones.
~ 1.5 - 2 Cups Egg Crunched Shells (we save the egg shells after each meal and place in a reusable freezer bag ready to be used for this recipe - I say "crunched" because we always break the shells to make room)
~ 3/4 - 1 1/4 Cup Raw Goats Milk, more if needed
1/2 Cup 100% Raw Sunflower Butter (no sugars or additives)
1 TBS Ghee (there is information about NOT using coconut oil for dogs, so I avoid)
1 Can Organic Pumpkin Puree
1 Can Organic Garbanzo Beans or Great Northern White Beans
1/3 Cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds
3 TBS Raw Chia Seeds
3 TBS Raw Flax Seeds
3 TBS Raw Hemp Seeds
* Ceylon Cinnamon - our oldest is allergic, so we don't add, but you definitely can! It can help maintain weight and reduce joint pain.
* For a fruity twist, I sometimes add 1/4 cup of frozen blueberries
Directions: This is a pretty easy recipe, throw in all of the ingredients, blend, chill, and then bake! The biggest thing is ensuring that the batter is thick enough, so don't skip the chilling step! Also, if it's not resembling a thick smoothie bowl, add a few more seeds of your choice.
To a blender add all of the ingredients. Start slow with the goat's milk. You don't want to overheat your blender, but you want just enough goat's milk to blend into a thick batter. I like to layer the ingredients - egg shells first (provides a few air pockets for the goat milk and blades to whip), 1/2 goat's milk, nut butter and pumpkin, then seeds.
Blend until smooth. The cookie batter will be thicker than pancake batter but more like a smoothie bowl than human cookie batter.
Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour - this is key to a thicker batter. I usually blend the batter and place in the fridge while I take the dogs on a walk. I have found that the longer the batter is in the fridge, the more the batter sets and thickens.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Once chilled, use a tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon and place measured scoops on a cookie sheet. I use a macron nonstick baking mat to space out the cookies and instead of parchment.
Place the baking sheets in the oven. Now, I place both in at once - one on the top rack and one on the bottom. (If you do one at a time, this may change your baking time).
Bake for 15 minutes. Then, switch the top rack sheet with the bottom and bake for another 10 - 15 minutes.
Once baked, let cool on a cooling rack or directly on the pan.
Once cooled, place in a freezer bag or tupperware. These cookies should be devoured within a month or so, given directly out of the freezer. If you want to keep some out of the freezer, I'd recommend placing them in the fridge for no more than 5-7 days.
Devour and Enjoy (for the dogs).
To highlight the health benefits included in these cookies, here are the main ingredients and why they are so beneficial to give to your furry companion.
Health Benefits within Pumpkin Cookies:
Egg Shells - A great source of calcium, especially for growing puppies, bones and teeth. Also contain glucosamine, collagen, and chondroitin, which are fantastic for joint health. I prefer to buy from a Farmer's Market because most grocery store bought eggs are sprayed with a chemical.
Pumpkin - There are SO MANY incredible benefits of pumpkin. A great source of minerals like potassium, copper, manganese, and iron as well as Vitamins A,C, and E for brain, skin, and eye health. Pumpkin also fights free radicals which contributes to inflammation and other harmful effects in the body.
Pumpkin Seeds - One of the main reasons we feed our dogs raw pumpkin seeds (ideally freshly ground and sprinkled over their food) is they are a natural dewormer due to the amino acid cucurbitin, which paralyzes the worms and allows the digestive tract to remove the worms naturally. These seeds also have Vitamin K and zinc!
Raw Sunflower Butter - Contains high amounts of Vitamin E, which help manage cholesterol, selenium, niacin, B Vitamins, fiber, for weight management, protein and iron.
Chia Seeds - Contain a high amount of antioxidants which reduce free radicals and prevent oxidative stress. Also a higher source of calcium than milk, more iron than spianch, and also has high levels of phosphorus, potassium, copper and zinc.
Flax Seeds - Are great for skin and coat health from the omegas, great for the immune system from the high antioxidants, and essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium for bones, phosphorus for bone and tissue health, and choline for liver and brain.
Hemp Seeds - Packed with antioxidants and healthy fats, they are also high in protein and provide 9 amino acids. The omega-3s and -6s help reduce inflammation in the body, and are fantastic for brain, eye, joints, and immune system.
Ghee - Rich in Vitamin K, which helps maintain strong bones and Vitamin A, which fights free radicals in the body that can lead to disease. Also reduces hip and join inflammation and aids in brain health and cognition through a high amount of cholesterol.
Raw Goat's Milk - Goat's milk is easier to digest than cow's milk and not as many dogs are allergic (ours can't do cow dairy). Additionally, it allows for more nutrient absorption than cow's milk and has more calcium than cow's milk.
I hope you and your dog find this recipe incredibly delicious and the perfect treat for a brisk fall day while you sip your PSL. Our dogs enjoy these cookies and also beg for more than one or attempt every trick they know for an extra cookie. I hope your dog(s) is/are as excited for these pumpkin cookies as ours are and you feel as good about the ingredients as we do!
Please comment and let me know what you think, and most importantly what, if any, changes or additions you went for that filled your soul and your dog's tummy!
All my light. All my love.
Namaste,
Jordan
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