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This week, my two younger boys, hubby, and I were sitting on the floor having a McDonald’s picnic and just talking and hanging out. My 3-year-old gets to his chicken nuggets last, and he’s 3 nuggets in by this point. He stops, looks at his half-eaten nugget, and says, “There’s something in my nugget.” It was the chicken. My husband and I just died laughing and thinking about it. If that moment had not happened, imagine if our kid went his whole life thinking the fried part of the nugget was the chicken, and only realized it when he’s older and has a moment of questioning regular chicken. My son knows what regular chicken looks like. It was a cute moment in our heads because he was genuinely so concerned with what was in his chicken, but also pointed out the importance of moderation when it comes to these things and focusing on healthy habits. I do try to be that person for my family, and it definitely transfers over to my dogs. I have always been very aware of their weight gain and overall health because that extra weight can hurt them. And while I do offer goodies that are less healthy occasionally, I like to stick to their healthy treats most of the time.

Today I have my pumpkin oatmeal dog treat recipe for you! This recipe is so easy, healthy, and so delicious that my kids might like it more than the dogs. This recipe is basic for a good reason. I believe that less is more when it comes to food for my pup babies. I never add artificial sugar to my treats, no preservatives, and they are made with love. Who could say no? These fiber-packed treats are made with 3 ingredients only and great for digestion and a glowing coat.

I have been making treats and cakes for a while now. I get into a rhythm when I am doing it and have my system, so I don’t go ADD and forget something or start working on something else in the middle of it. I recently noticed that when I get certain things out, my girls will get up and come into the kitchen. Yesterday I was working on cake rounds for orders I have this weekend, and my girls came into the kitchen when I set the canned pumpkin on the counter. I made frosting last night, and when I got my mixing bowl out, again, the girls came into the kitchen. They have picked up on the sounds that I make when I prepare my dog goodies. Of course, I always give them a little something when I’m baking. They get the tops off of all my cake rounds, and I’ve even let them lick the beaters!! Needless to say, I enjoy having them sit in the kitchen just watching me and patiently waiting for goodies. That is why I decided to focus my treats on being healthy. I love sharing with my girls, knowing they won’t get an upset tummy.

I use canned pumpkin in these treats. Not the sweetened filling stuff because that has so much sugar in it! I also use coconut oil, which is great for a shiny coat and can help with itching. And last but certainly not least, I use oat flour to add some substance. Oat flour is also great for digestion and the coat. It is gluten-free, so if your dog has been diagnosed with a wheat allergy, this is a great option for your pup. You can also use regular oatmeal and just blend it up.

I use small bone-shaped silicone molds to put my treats in. They are priced really well, last long, and make the perfect-sized treat for most dogs. I also sometimes like to roll these out and cut them into tiny squares with a pizza cutter to make training treats. If you go this route, cut them beforehand so you aren’t just making crumbs when you try to cut afterwards. I have also cut them into shapes and frosted them before. They are not as clean when decorated, but they are definitely still fun and tasty. I bake these at 325 for 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven. You can also just do these without cooking. I just take pieces and give them to my toddler and dogs before baking them.

Now, because there are no added preservatives, these do have a shorter shelf life. I keep a small airtight container on my counter to keep a small amount of treats. I freeze the rest for up to a year, but they won’t last that long in our house with the two dogs! I found that these do really well in an airtight container for about 3 months. These are perfect for quick snacks to reward your fur babies, and a great alternative to Milk-Bones. Out of all of my treat recipes, these are usually the softest, so they are great for our older dogs that have a harder time breaking treats down

Easy Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Dog Treats

Easy 3-ingredient healthy dog treats

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course: Snack

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 Cup Canned Pumpkin Not pie filling
• 1 1/2 Cup Oat Flour Can also just blend up oatmeal
• 2 TBS Coconut Oil Melted

Equipment

• Blender
• Silicone molds
• Oven
• Mixer
• Microwave

Method

 

1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
2. Use the blender to blend up the oats
3. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave
4. Mix all ingredients together in a mixer
5. Press the dough into the silicone molds and then place them into the oven for 25 minutes. If treats are too soft, continue to bake in 5-minute increments
6. Let cool completely before placing in an air-tight container or freezer

Notes

• If treats seem dry, add more coconut 1 TBS at a time
• If treats seem too moist, let them sit for about 5 minutes. They will firm up a bit once the coconut oil cools