• I bake all the time for my family.  Several times a week in fact.  So the other day when I was perusing the aisles at Target and I saw dog bone shaped cookie cutters, I had an epiphany.  It was time I made my dog her own doggy treats.  As luck would have it, my kids also thought that this was a stellar idea.

    Now when I think of dog treats, I tend to think of meat.  But I was in no way baking meat cookies.  Not going to happen.  But of course I wanted them to be somewhat healthy for my pup so they needed to contain some protein.  What’s my dogs favorite protein, besides meats?  Peanut butter!  Thank goodness too, because the thought of the smell from a meat cookie would have me gagging.

    I went with a basic “dough” recipe.  You don’t need anything sweet, dogs don’t need or care about the sugar.  At least I think they don’t.  Besides, I’m sure the peanut butter has plenty.

    You might even have everything you need already in your pantry.

    Ingredients:
    2 cups Peanut butter (I used crunchy for texture, but I have also used smooth varieties.)
    1 tablespoon of baking powder
    2 cups flour (I suppose a good whole wheat flour would be best here, but I have used all purpose as well)
    1 cup milk

    Mix everything together until it forms into a dough.  Knead it for a few minutes.  I’m fairly certain your dog won’t care if you over or under knead it.  My puppy isn’t too discerning.

    On a lightly floured surface roll your dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness.  Use your cookie cutter to cut your cookies.  If you don’t have a cookie cutter that you find suitable for doggie biscuits grab your pizza cutter instead.  Slice the dough into strips and then slice the strips into bite size pieces.  They may not be as cute as the dog bone shape, but your dog will love it just the same.

    Bake the treats in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes depending on the size of your cookies.  Allow them to cool and you’re ready to serve.  Save money and know what ingredients you’re serving. That’s a win-win for everyone and your dog will thank you!