Peanut butter is a creamy, delicious snack for dogs and humans alike.
It’s also the perfect ingredient to make dog treats with. Almost anything with containing peanut butter will make a dog go crazy.
When it comes to making homemade dog treats with peanut butter, there’s so many recipes to choose from that it can be difficult to pick.
We’ve rounded up the top DIY peanut butter treats included baked, non-baked and frozen options.
Benefits Homemade Dog Treats with Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a common ingredient in many dog recipes for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s a great, dog-safe ingredient to help bind things together. Secondly, it’s healthy for dogs. Thirdly, they find it absolutely delicious.
The key is to look for natural brands that don’t include added sugar.
CAUTION: Beware of peanut butter brands containing xylitol. This is toxic to dogs can kill them. It’s often found in sugar-free brands as a sweetener.
Peanut Butter Health Benefits for Dogs include:
Protein
Like humans, dogs need protein to help them feel full longer. Having dog treats peanut butter flavor can mean your dog is getting an added boost to fuel her through the day.
Healthy Fats
Not all fats are created equal. While many store-bought varieties are laden with doggy junk food, natural peanut butter contains healthy fats needed in your dog’s diet.
Vitamin B
Dogs need B vitamins to control their energy, carbohydrate metabolism, enzyme function and more.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E for dogs can help protect against oxidative stress. As the American Kennel Club says, it also is essential for cell function and fat metabolism. A dog who is deficient may have muscle degeneration problems.
Like all foods, peanut butter should only be given to dogs in moderation. One thing to watch out for is the fat content. Even though it’s a healthy fat, too much can still add up.
Substitutes for Peanut Butter in Dog Treats
If you’re like me and you’re deathly allergic to peanut butter, searching for dog recipes can be a challenge. Since peanut butter is a common ingredient, most recipes you find will use some form of it to bind the ingredients together.
I’ve tried searching for homemade peanut-free dog treats, but the results are fairly limited. If you can’t touch peanut butter, pick your favorite recipe and use an alternative instead. Although the recipe may not turn out exactly the same, it should come fairly close.
Alternatives to peanut butter in homemade dog treats with peanut butter:
- Almond butter
- Cashew butter
- Hazelnut butter
- Soy butter
- Sunflower butter
Remember that your dog’s taste buds are probably a lot less picky. The only real issue with substituting butters is if it throws off the consistency of the dough. For example, if you’ve chosen a really runny butter or brand, it may be too thin to properly bake the dog treat. Some butters may also have different textures on the shelf vs in the fridge compared to peanut blends. For this reason, stick to alternatives with a consistency similar to peanut butter.
Tips for Homemade Dog Treats with Peanut Butter
Before diving into the recipes, there’s a few things to consider:
- Use Cookie Cutters. If you want your DIY dog treats to be as cute as possible, plan ahead and get dog-themed cookie cutters. If not, use small circles that are an appropriate size for your dog.
- Use a Knife. If you don’t have a cookie cutter that’s a good size for dog treats, roll the dough out and cut it with a knife instead.
- Use Silicone Molds. On this list, there’s some frozen and baked options for homemade dog treats with peanut butter. These use silicone molds to freeze the treats. If you’re in a pinch and don’t have one, you can try pouring and freezing the mixture in cupcake liners (but you might want the mixture thicker for this).
- Consider Your Dog’s Diet. As with any recipe you’re making for your dog, you should factor it into his daily diet. Does she need to avoid any foods or have any allergies?
- Consider Dog Size. A big dog is going to have a larger treat than a small dog. Keep this in mind when picking cookie cutters or sizing your treats. If your cookie cutter is too large, you can also break treats in half.
12 Recipes: Homemade Dog Treats with Peanut Butter
Here are the best recipes for dog treats made with peanut butter. Feel free to try out these versions with peanut butter alternatives, if needed.
#1 3-Ingredient homemade dog treats with peanut butter
Flora and Vino
Let’s start off this recipe list with a simple DIY peanut butter dog treat recipe that’s hard to mess up. Containing only a few ingredients, they’re quick to prepare and healthy
This recipe uses:
- Old fashioned rolled oats
- Natural peanut butter
- Ripe banana
After blending the rolled oats into a flour. Mix the other ingredients and combine as directed. Roll out and cut into shapes or make into flattened balls. Bake.
Get the full recipe on Flora and Vino
#2 homemade dog treats with peanut butter and Bacon
Sally’s Baking Addiction
Your dog will forever thank you for this recipe. Sally’s Baking Addiction always has the most extravagant desserts with step-by-step instructions, making an amateur into a pro. As you can imagine, the bacon flavor drives dogs absolutely nuts.
This recipe uses:
- Peanut butter
- Milk
- Unsweetened apple sauce
- Baking powder
- Oats
- Bacon
Combine the ingredients following each step. Roll the dough out and use cookie cutters or a knife to design your treats. Bake and allow your dog to enjoy.
Get the full recipe on Sally’s Baking Addiction
#3 Peanut Butter Dog Treats with Peanut Butter Drizzle
Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
If you want to add some frosting to your dog’s cookies, this is the recipe for you. It only requires a few ingredients and will have your pup salivating as is bakes.
This recipe uses:
- Creamy peanut butter
- Eggs
- Whole wheat flour
- Water
- Coconut oil
Mix the ingredients for the dough per directions. Roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter to make shapes. Bake the cookies and after they’ve cooled, make the drizzle by combining the peanut butter and coconut oil.
Get the full recipe on Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt.
#4 DIY Peanut Butter Dog Treats with Bacon Grease Drizzle
Pinch of Yum
Another recipe for the dog who loves bacon, which is every dog. And you know what canines love more than bacon? Bacon grease. It’s used as a delectable topping in this dog treat.
This recipe uses:
- Pumpkin
- Peanut butter
- Eggs
- Oil
- Whole wheat flour
- Baking soda
- Bacon grease
Combine ingredients into a dough and roll out. Use cookie cutter to make them into shapes. To make the drizzle, whisky peanut butter and bacon grease.
Get the full recipe on Pinch of Yum.
#5 Homemade Carrot Cake Dog Treats
BellyFull
These homemade dog treats with peanut butter resemble a carrot cake, a perfect dessert after any doggy meal.
This recipe uses:
- Applesauce
- Peanut butter
- Eggs
- Oat flour
- Grated carrots
- Coconut flakes
Combine ingredients as directed and roll out dough. Use cookie cutters and bake.
Get the full recipe on Belly Full
#6 4-Ingredient DIY dog treats peanut butter
Smart School House
This recipe is so easy to throw together and only requires 4 ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your cupboard.
This recipe uses:
- Peanut butter
- Skim milk
- Baking powder
- Whole wheat flour
Mix the ingredients together as directed, roll out and use cookie cutters. Bake.
Get the full recipe on Smart School House.
#7 DIY Peanut Butter Carrot Dog Treats
Sally’s Baking Addiction
This is another fabulous recipe from Sally. Instead of using bacon like above, make it a touch healthier using carrots. Your dog will still thank you.
This recipe uses:
- Peanut butter
- Skim milk
- Egg
- Carrot
- Whole wheat flour
- Baking powder
- Oats
Combine the ingredients following the directions and then roll out the dough. Use cutters to cut into shapes and bake.
Get the full recipe on Sally’s Baking Addiction
#8 Yogurt Peanut Butter Banana Frozen Dog Treats
Cooking With Janica
For a summer-y twist on homemade dog treats with peanut butter recipe, try this. It’s quick to whip up, takes a few hours to freeze and your dog will enjoy the refreshing snack.
This recipe uses:
- Plain yogurt
- Peanut butter
- Banana
- Honey
Combine all ingredients in a blender and pour into an ice cube tray. When frozen, pop out of the molds for a cold treat.
Get the full recipe on Cooking With Janica
#9 DIY Peanut Butter Dog Treat Balls with Bacon
Show Me The Yummy
When you don’t want to cook but have some extra bacon laying around, make this recipe your go-to. Dogs also a big fan of pumpkin, another healthy addition to this snack.
This recipe uses:
- Pumpkin puree
- Applesauce
- Peanut butter
- Plain yogurt
- Bacon
- Old fashioned oats
Stir together ingredients as directed. Use a cookie scoop to form them into small balls. Store them in the fridge or freezer.
Get the full recipe on Show Me The Yummy
#10 homemade dog treats with peanut butter and Berries
A Cultivated Nest
Here’s another variation of a frozen peanut butter doggy treat. This one is sweet, sure to shock your dog’s tastebuds as she cools off.
This recipe uses:
- Yogurt
- Banana
- Peanut butter
- Berries
- Milk
- Honey
Blend ingredients and pour into a silicone mold. Freeze and serve when frozen.
Get the full recipe on A Cultivated Nest
#11 DIY Peanut Butter Poppers
Pawish Magazine
In case you were wondering, unsalted, plain popcorn is safe in moderation for dogs. And so is peanut butter. So why not combine the two for a special, savory snack your pup will love? What a genius recipe!
This recipe uses:
- Peanut butter
- Popcorn
- Olive oil
- Honey
Make popcorn. Make into clusters using peanut butter and sticky honey to hold them together. Allow to set.
Get the full recipe on Pawish Magazine
#12 Binky’s Bacon Bakes
YoCanine
This recipe includes bacon and cheese and seriously, your dog will love you for making them.
This recipe uses:
- Egg
- Peanut butter
- Banana
- Flour
- Water
- Bacon
- Cheese
Combine ingredients and pour into molds. Bake and pop out.
Get the full recipe on YoCanine
