Many commercial pet food products are full of artificial ingredients and fillers that provide no nutritional value. Making treats at home, like these peanut butter zucchini dog treats, allows you to have complete control over the ingredients used in the recipe and the preparation process.
Unfortunately, some commercial dog treats have even been found to make pets sick. I make my own dog treats for a number of reasons, but the first is because I know that they will be safe and provide my dogs with the nutrition that they need.
I like having the option of using superfood ingredients that are packed with the vitamins and minerals a canine's body requires. Peanut butter is a favorite flavor for many dogs, and it's also packed with nutritional benefits!
Not only is peanut butter a great source of protein, it also has Vitamin B and E, niacin, heart healthy fats and many other nutrients that your dog's body needs. These peanut butter zucchini dog treats offer an easy way to include this superfood in your pup's diet.
Peanut Butter Zucchini Dog Treats Recipe
Speaking of superfood ingredients, zucchini is packed with nutritional benefits for dogs. One cup of raw zucchini only has about 20 calories, and it's low in fat and cholesterol. This vegetable is great for your dog's digestion and is rich in potassium, zinc, manganese, magnesium, copper and phosphorus.
Recipe: Peanut Butter Zucchini Dog Treats
When you're shopping for the ingredients to make these healthy dog treats, I recommend using organic, natural ingredients whenever possible.
One of the best things about making your own dog treats from scratch is that you can leave out all of the unnecessary preservatives and artificial ingredients found in commercial products, and pack them with nutrition.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: about 60 treats 1x
- Category: Baked Treats
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 1 cup zucchini (grated)
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well until it forms a dough. If you'd like to cut the treats into shapes, you can roll it out on a floured surface until it's about 1/4″ thick.
If you don't care what shape they're in, you can save yourself some time by placing tablespoon sized balls of dough on the parchment paper. Press them down until they are about 1/4″ thick.
No matter what shape the treats are, bake them for 10-15 minutes. They will turn a golden brown color when they're done.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 treat
- Calories: 17
- Sugar: .2 g
- Sodium: 10 mg
- Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.3 g
- Fiber: .2 g
- Protein: .7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
How to store: Store leftover treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 12-14 days. Remember that homemade treats do not have the preservatives that store bought products do.
They will not last as long as commercial dog treats. If you'd like, you can freeze these treats in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
For More Information
We publish many homemade dog food and treats recipes every month. For more recipes, pet food cooking tips and advice, see our “Recipes” section. If you're new to home cooked dog food subject, I recommend you read more about “How Much To Feed” to understand serving sizes, “What Supplements To Use” to create well-balanced meals, and “How To Store” for tips on simple and easy homemade dog food storing in a fridge or a freezer.
