Easy homemade dog biscuit recipe

There's something satisfying about handing your dog a biscuit you made yourself, knowing exactly what went into it. Shop-bought treats can be full of additives, salt, and fillers your dog doesn't need — and if your dog has a dodgy tummy or a suspected food sensitivity, a short ingredients list you control is one of the simplest ways to rule things in or out.

This recipe uses a small number of dog-safe pantry staples, takes under an hour start to finish, and keeps well for weeks if stored properly. We've also covered the ingredients to leave out completely, and how to adapt the recipe if your dog can't tolerate wheat, dairy, or a particular protein.

As with any change to what your dog eats, introduce new treats gradually and keep an eye out for tummy upset or itching — and if your dog has a known health condition or diagnosed allergy, run any new recipe past your vet first.

Why make your own dog biscuits

Baking your own biscuits gives you full control over what goes in — and, just as importantly, what stays out. Commercial treats vary hugely in quality, and some contain preservatives, added sugar, or salt that dogs simply don't need. Homemade biscuits also let you tailor the recipe to your individual dog: swap the protein if they're sensitive to chicken, drop the wheat if they're gluten-sensitive, or add a spoonful of pumpkin if their digestion needs a gentle boost.

It's also a good rainy-afternoon project, and most dogs are happy to "help" by sitting hopefully by the oven door.

What you'll need

This base recipe makes around 20–25 small biscuits, depending on your cutter size.

• 200g wholemeal or oat flour (plain wholemeal flour or ground oats both work well)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter — must be xylitol-free. Xylitol is a sugar substitute used in some "no added sugar" peanut butters, and it is genuinely dangerous to dogs, so always check the label before you buy.
• 4 tbsp plain, unsweetened pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices) — this adds fibre and a mild sweetness dogs like
• A splash of water (2–4 tbsp), to bring the dough together

That's it. No salt, no sugar, no stock cubes, no seasoning of any kind. It's tempting to season food for flavour the way you would your own baking, but dogs don't need it — added salt can be harmful in quantity, and strong spices can irritate a dog's much more sensitive nose and stomach.

The recipe: step by step

1. Preheat your oven to around 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with baking paper. 2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a bowl, beat the egg, then stir in the peanut butter and pumpkin purée until smooth. 3. Add the flour gradually, mixing as you go. Add the water a splash at a time until you have a firm, non-sticky dough you can roll out — you may not need all of it, or you may need a touch more flour, depending on your flour's absorbency. 4. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to around 5mm thick. Thinner biscuits bake faster and end up crunchier, which most dogs — and most owners looking for a treat that keeps — prefer. 5. Cut into shapes with a cutter, or simply slice into small squares with a knife if you don't have one. 6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until firm and lightly golden. If you like an extra-crunchy biscuit that will keep longer, turn the oven off once baked and leave the biscuits inside to cool and dry out fully for another hour or two — this drives off more moisture and helps them last. 7. Cool completely on a wire rack before storing or serving. Biscuits that go into a container while still warm can turn soft or mouldy faster.

The fewer ingredients in a homemade dog treat, the easier it is to be certain none of them will cause a problem.

Ingredients that must never go anywhere near this recipe

Some human baking staples are genuinely dangerous for dogs, and it's worth being completely clear on what to avoid, whatever recipe you're following.

• Chocolate and cocoa — contains theobromine, which can be fatal to dogs; the darker the chocolate, the greater the risk.
• Xylitol — a sweetener found in some sugar-free products, including certain peanut butters, chewing gum, and baking mixes. It's extremely harmful and can be fatal, so always check labels rather than assuming a product is safe.
• Grapes, raisins, sultanas, and currants — toxic to dogs in ways that aren't fully understood, and potentially fatal even in small amounts, so keep dried fruit loaves and flapjacks well away.
• Onion, garlic, leeks, and chives — including onion or garlic powder in stock cubes or seasoning blends — can damage red blood cells and cause anaemia; signs can take days to appear after eating.
• Macadamia nuts — toxic even in small quantities, causing weakness, tremors, and vomiting.
• Alcohol — never use vanilla extract or other flavourings with an alcohol base in dog treats.
• Salt in any quantity beyond what's naturally in the other ingredients — dogs need far less sodium than we do.

If you're ever unsure whether a specific ingredient is safe to include, our Can My Pet Eat This? tool is a quick way to check before it goes in the bowl.

Substituting for allergies and sensitivities

Food allergies in dogs are usually a reaction to a protein your dog has eaten many times before — beef, chicken, dairy, and lamb are among the most common culprits, with wheat also a recognised trigger. Symptoms tend to show up as itchy skin (including itchy ears and paws), red or inflamed skin, or digestive upset such as vomiting, diarrhoea, or excess wind. If you suspect your dog has a genuine food allergy rather than a one-off sensitivity, the only reliable way to confirm it is a proper elimination diet trial run under your vet's guidance, usually over six to twelve weeks.

If you already know or suspect your dog reacts to an ingredient, here's how to adapt the base recipe:

Wheat or grain sensitivity

Swap the wholemeal or oat flour for a gluten-free alternative such as rice flour, chickpea (gram) flour, or a certified gluten-free oat flour. The texture will be slightly different — rice flour in particular can make a more crumbly biscuit — so you may need a little extra egg or water to bring the dough together.

Peanut or nut sensitivity

Drop the peanut butter and use extra pumpkin purée, mashed banana, or plain cooked chicken or fish (blended smooth) instead, for a similar binding effect and flavour dogs enjoy.

Chicken or beef sensitivity

This recipe is naturally chicken- and beef-free — egg is the only animal-derived ingredient in the base version — which makes it a reasonable starting point for dogs on a limited-ingredient diet. Always check with your vet before trying a new food if your dog has a diagnosed allergy, since even trace cross-contamination can cause a reaction in a genuinely sensitive dog.

Egg sensitivity

Replace the egg with an extra tablespoon of pumpkin purée plus a tablespoon of water — the dough will be slightly less firm, so bake a few minutes longer to compensate.

Getting the bake right

A few practical tips make the difference between biscuits that crumble in your pocket and ones that hold together for weeks:

• Roll evenly. Uneven thickness means some biscuits burn while others stay doughy in the middle.
• Bake low and slow if you want extra crunch. A slightly lower oven temperature for longer draws out more moisture, giving a harder biscuit that keeps for longer — useful if you're making a big batch for training.
• Skip the seasoning entirely. It's unnecessary for your dog and, in the case of salt or spice blends, can genuinely upset a sensitive stomach or irritate their nose.
• Let them cool fully before handling or storing, both for texture and to stop condensation building up in a sealed container.

Storing your biscuits

Homemade treats don't have the preservatives that give shop-bought biscuits a long shelf life, so store them properly:

• Airtight container at room temperature: a few days to about a week, depending on how dry the biscuits are.
• Refrigerated: up to two weeks in an airtight container — a good option if your kitchen is warm or humid.
• Frozen: several months. Freeze in a single layer first, then transfer to a bag or container once solid, so they don't stick together.

If a biscuit smells off, looks damp, or shows any sign of mould, throw it away — mouldy food can contain toxins that make dogs seriously unwell, with symptoms like vomiting and tremors appearing quickly.

Portion control: how many is too many

It's easy to get carried away once you've made a big batch, but treats — homemade or not — should stay a small part of your dog's daily diet. As a general guide, treats shouldn't make up more than around 5% of your dog's daily calorie intake, with the rest coming from a complete, balanced main diet. For a small dog, that might mean one or two of these biscuits a day; a larger, more active dog can manage more. If you're using biscuits heavily for training, break them into smaller pieces so you can reward more often without overfeeding — our Pet Calorie Calculator can help you work out a sensible daily treat allowance for your dog's size and activity level.

Fun variations to try

Once you've made the base recipe a few times, it's easy to adapt it:

• Pumpkin and oat: double the pumpkin purée and add a pinch more oats for a softer, higher-fibre biscuit — useful if your dog's digestion needs a gentle nudge.
• Sweet potato: swap the pumpkin purée for the same quantity of cooked, mashed sweet potato for a slightly sweeter, vitamin-rich version.
• Cheesy biscuits: stir a small handful of finely grated hard cheese, such as mature cheddar, into the dough for a stronger-smelling training treat — use sparingly, as cheese is calorie-dense and some dogs are sensitive to dairy.
• Banana and oat: replace the peanut butter with half a mashed ripe banana for a nut-free, naturally sweet option.

Whatever variation you try, keep the same rule: simple, unseasoned, dog-safe ingredients, and nothing from the "never feed" list above.

When to see your vet

Introducing any new food, homemade or otherwise, carries a small risk of an individual reaction even when every ingredient is generally considered dog-safe. Contact your vet if your dog shows any of the following after eating a new treat:

• Vomiting or diarrhoea that doesn't settle within a day
• Persistent itching, redness, or hives
• Swelling of the face, lips, or throat, or difficulty breathing (this needs emergency care, not a routine appointment)
• Lethargy, reduced appetite, or signs of tummy pain

If your dog has a diagnosed food allergy or a condition like pancreatitis, diabetes, or kidney disease, check with your vet before introducing a new homemade recipe — even treats made from "safe" ingredients can need adapting for individual health needs (lower fat, lower calorie, or specific ingredient exclusions).

*This is general guidance, not a substitute for advice from your vet, who can assess your individual pet.*

Sources

• PDSA — poisons and hazards for pets, including chocolate, xylitol, grapes, and onions/garlic (pdsa.org.uk).
• PDSA — food allergies in dogs, common allergens and symptoms (pdsa.org.uk).
• Battersea Dogs & Cats Home — toxic foods for dogs (battersea.org.uk).
• Dogs Trust — dog-friendly treat recipes and safety guidance on ingredients like xylitol-free peanut butter (dogstrust.org.uk).
• VCA Animal Hospitals — treats to skip and treats to share with your pet, including pumpkin and portion guidance (vcahospitals.com).
• American Kennel Club — homemade dog treat recipes, baking and storage tips (akc.org).