carrot & oat dog biscuits.
Our dogs, Paddington and Winston, may or may not be a little spoiled.
Every day, I fill their water bowl with freshly filtered cold water from the fridge. I always add a handful of ice cubes to the bowl, because Winston is kind of obsessed with ice. One of his favorite pastimes is fishing ice cubes out of the water bowl and placing them in my lap. It’s very sweet. And cold
Once a week(ish), we mix their kibble with a little bit of roasted chicken, fresh vegetables and homemade chicken stock. It’s their version of a fancy Sunday dinner. They feast like tiny furry kings.
And yes, I make them dog biscuits, <a href = “http://foodpluswords.com/2011/07/pupcakes/”>cupcakes</a>, puppy ice cream, and various other types of dog treats.
It’s a little out of control.
I mean, look at those super adorable puppy faces! They are too cute to resist. I can’t help but spoil them rotten!
Paddington and Winston both love vegetables and fruit. When I’m in the kitchen peeling carrots, they come tearing around the corner to politely beg for the peels. The boys go crazy for apples, bananas and green beans, too!
Side note: most fruits and vegetables are safe for healthy dogs to consume in moderation, but there are a few that are toxic. Garlic, onions, grapes and raisins are the major ones to avoid completely.
Over the past year we’ve slowly been phasing as much processed and store-bought treats and food out of their diets, as well as ours! It just seems like every time you turn around there’s another pet food recall, so I’d rather err on the side of caution and make my own treats free from preservatives, chemicals, crazy fillers and additives.
These crunchy little biscuits are a perfect springtime treat for your four-legged best friends! They’re chock full of carrot juice, oats and peanut butter–what’s not to like?
Oh! Also, there’s no butter, oil or sugar in them, either! Each treat is roughly 20 calories, making them great for pups that are watching their weight.
Is it weird that I tasted one?
Hey, it’s kind of my job to taste test the things I make. These treats taste like slightly sweet, nutty crisp crackers. So now you know.
They’re completely safe for human consumption! I wouldn’t say they’re the epitome of haute cuisine, but they’re flavorful.
In the event of a zombie apocalypse, you could definitely nosh on these dog treats for sustenance.
I mean, come on. It’s the zombie apocalypse. I don’t think anyone would judge you for eating a dog treat to stay alive. Right?
Anyhow. the point is that you can feel good about feeding these treats to your pups. They’re wholesome, all-natural and your dog will go absolutely bonkers for them. Pinkie swear!
Carrot & Oat Dog Biscuits
Yield: at least 75 dog biscuits
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup coarsely ground cornmeal
1/2 cup rolled oatsDirections:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, with a rack in the center of the oven.
Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper and set aside.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine and form a thick dough.
Flour a wooden cutting board or similar surface well, and turn the dough out onto the board.
Sprinkle flour on top of the dough and onto a rolling pin, and roll the dough to approximately 1/4"-1/2" thickness. Be sure to use plenty of flour, as this dough is very sticky!
When the dough is rolled out, dip a bone-shaped cookie cutter (or any other shape you like) into flour and cut out the biscuits.
Transfer the cut out biscuits to the prepared sheet pan, leaving about 1/4" of an inch between each treat. These don't spread out, so you can fit upwards of 40 onto a baking sheet at a time.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the biscuits to cool completely.
Transfer the biscuits to an airtight container, where they will keep at room temperature for up to two weeks.
You can freeze any leftover dough, too! Just wrap it well with plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe zip-top plastic bag. The dough will keep in the freezer for up to a year.
When you're ready to use the frozen dough, simply transfer the still-wrapped dough from the freezer to the fridge and allow it to thaw overnight before using.
a food + words original
I'm a food writer, baker, grad student, photographer and perpetual daydreamer who feels most at home in the kitchen...as long as I'm not doing the dishes! I have an amazing husband, two adorable dogs, and a penchant for butter and sugar. I just love sharing my kitchen adventures, silly stories and recipes with you! 
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Anya @ SAS-does — March 27, 2012 @ 5:53 pm
Your doggies are SO cute!
Our dog is quite spoiled too: occasional toast with cheese, homemade dishes once every 2-3 weeks, and lots of fresh fruits (her favorites are tangerines and watermelons).
I’ve been wanting to bake some homemade treats for her for a while – I will definitely try your recipe. Thank you!!!
Alison @ ingredients, Inc. — March 27, 2012 @ 9:31 pm
very clever
naomi — March 28, 2012 @ 11:06 am
I agree with Alison, clever idea. YOur dogs are such cuties!
katie — March 28, 2012 @ 11:09 am
Love this recipe. I too spoil my little princess, Lola, otherwise known as “pork chop” thanks to my MIL. She does not get any processed store bought treats. Just carrots and an occasional broccoli stalk or green beans. We haven’t tried apples or bananas yet–who knew! Must try fruits and also try these fab “lighter” treats for my err… pork chop.
p.s. our pups need a play date in 2012.
TidyMom — March 28, 2012 @ 11:54 am
I love finding new recipes to spoil my babies with!
jessica lynn — March 28, 2012 @ 1:58 pm
Love this! I’ve had a dog bone cookie cutter for way longer than I’d like to admit, so now I can put it to good use!
Diane {Created by Diane} — March 31, 2012 @ 1:12 am
oh I will have to make these for Charlie
he loves carrots. I made pumpkin oat biscuits last week and they are almost gone, time to make more, not just for our dog, but all our doggie friends!
Russell at Chasing Delicious — April 2, 2012 @ 5:12 pm
How cool is this!! I don’t have a dog but I kind of want to get one just so I can make these.
Joann — April 14, 2012 @ 6:56 pm
I’m obsessed with this!
John — May 4, 2012 @ 5:33 pm
cornmeal is not good for dogs
Stephanie @ It's not just about the recipe . . . . — May 8, 2012 @ 12:15 pm
Your dogs are adorable! I love this recipe and no, I don’t think it’s weird that you tasted a biscuit. I need to make some of these for my babies. Thanks for sharing!
kate — September 7, 2012 @ 9:55 pm
What purpose does the cornmeal serve? Can it be replaced with another ingrediant? I try to avoid feeding corn ingrediants to my dog as it is difficult for canines to digest.
Brianna — September 28, 2012 @ 5:14 pm
Ground corn gluten is one of the main ingredients in dog food. So I don”t think corn meal would be too bad for your pup.
New Maltipoo Mom — October 5, 2012 @ 11:38 pm
Your boys are to cute! I have read that the Maltese breed should not have wheat or corn as it makes their eyes weep more. I started Maxx on Pro Plan, which doesn’t contain wheat or corn. I found some treats that were free of corn and wheat but wanted to look up homemade treats. I found your recipe and it looks great! But I would want to replace the cornmeal with another ingredient. Any ideas?
Casey — November 11, 2012 @ 4:02 pm
Oatmeal is ok to use instead of cornmeal. Some dogs can have allergies to corn, & mostly it’s used as a filler in dog food. It’s not directly harmful, but a lot of cornmeal can be hard for a dog to digest & in general cornmeal doesn’t contain a lot of protein or nutritional value.
Tawny Burkle — April 21, 2013 @ 1:09 am
The introduction of the baking of processed cereals including the creation of flour provided a more reliable source of food. Egyptian sailors carried a flat, brittle loaf of millet bread called dhourra cake, while the Romans had a biscuit called buccellum.^
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Kari — April 26, 2013 @ 5:04 pm
Hi All!
So I do a lot of juicing and pureeing…I have a younger chihuahua and decided to puree the carrot and apple for the nutrients and for more liquid added in 1/4 cup of milk replacement. This baked up nicely! A bit softer consistency which is perfect for him! Next time I may try a pumpkin and apple combination! Just wanted to add this for any others out there that may be wondering
Thanks,
Kari
Kari — April 26, 2013 @ 5:05 pm
Oh and I used 1/4 cup more oats and omitted the cornmeal…we don’t use that around here