Dogs are part of the family. Treat them like one with these super easy to make sweet potato dog treat biscuits!
I apply the same standards to what I bake for my pups as I do for my human family: quality ingredients and reliable techniques.
These homemade sweet potato dog treat biscuits check all the boxes. With just four ingredients, you can bake up a batch of crispy biscuits that will have your pup doing tricks you didn’t even know they knew!
Why Make Homemade Dog Treats
You know exactly what’s in them. Commercial dog treats can contain preservatives, fillers, and ingredients you’d never feed your pet if you knew they were there. When you bake at home, you control every single ingredient.
They’re surprisingly economical. These treats cost pennies each compared to boutique dog bakery biscuits that run $3-5 per treat.
Your dog will actually love them. The touch of honey adds natural sweetness that dogs go crazy for.
Dog Biscuit Ingredients
The secret? BABY FOOD!
Baby food is the perfect base for dog treats. Instead of roasting, cooling, and pureeing a sweet potato (which takes a bit of time), simply grab a jar of sweet potato baby food.
- Sweet Potato Baby Food: Look for pure sweet potato with no added salt, sugar, or seasonings
- Gluten-Free Flour: I use Cup4Cup or King Arthur Measure for Measure, but all-purpose or whole wheat works if your dog has no wheat allergies
- Rolled Oats : Old-fashioned oats work best; quick oats get too mushy
- Honey: Just enough sweetness to make them irresistible
- Egg : for egg wash to give the biscuits shine
How to Make Dog Treats
Step 1: Mix the Dough
Combine sweet potato baby food, flour, oats, and honey in a medium bowl. Use a sturdy spatula to bring it together – the dough will be slightly sticky but manageable.
Step 2: Knead and Roll
Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until smooth. Roll or pat to ¼-½ inch thickness.
Pro tip: Thinner treats get crunchier, thicker ones stay slightly softer in the center.
Step 3: Cut Shapes
Use cookie cutters to punch out shapes. Stick with similar sizes so they bake evenly – nothing worse than some treats burning while others stay pale. (I used the heart from this metal cookie cutter set.)
Step 4: The Baker’s Secret
Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg wash. This is what gives them that gorgeous golden color and professional bakery finish.
Step 5: Bake!
Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. You want them crispy and golden. Let them cool completely in the pan – they’ll crisp up even more as they cool (same principle as biscotti!).
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
For dogs with wheat allergies: Use the gluten-free flour as written, or try oat flour or coconut flour (you may need to adjust liquid).
Flavor variations: Swap sweet potato for pumpkin, banana, or carrot baby food. All work beautifully.
Shape it up: Use bone cutters for classic appeal, hearts for Valentine’s Day, or tiny shapes for training treats.
Make them softer: Reduce baking time by 5-10 minutes if your senior dog has dental issues. Store in the fridge to keep them softer.
Storage Tips
Room temperature: Airtight container for up to 4 days
Refrigerator: Up to 2 weeks (this also keeps them slightly softer)
Freezer: Up to 2 months in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature or give them straight from the freezer for a cool summer treat.
FAQ
I always do! They’re basically a very mild, slightly sweet cracker. The honey adds just a hint of sweetness, and they’re completely safe for humans – just not very exciting for our palates.
ime and consistency. Baby food is already cooked, pureed, and cooled. It also has a uniform moisture content, which means your treats turn out the same every time.
No, but it makes a big difference in appearance. Without it, the treats will still taste great but look pale and dull. The egg wash gives them that appetizing golden color.
Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s workable. Humidity and the moisture content of your baby food can affect the dough consistency.
More Dog Treat Recipes
Charlie goes absolutely bonkers for these (seriously, he hears the cookie cutter and comes running from wherever he is in the house). I hope your furry friend loves them just as much!
Have you made homemade dog treats before? Drop a comment below and let me know your pup’s name and their favorite flavor!
Homemade Sweet Potato Dog Biscuit Treats
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz container sweet potato baby food*
- ¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon gluten-free flour*, (like Cup4Cup)
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine sweet potato baby food, flour, rolled oats and honey. Use a sturdy spatula to combine everything together. Dump contents to a lightly floured working surface and knead dough together.
- Pat or roll dough to a thickness of about ¼ to ½-inch. Use desired cookie cutters to punch of shapes. Stick to one or two similar sized shapes to ensure even baking.
- Place cutouts on prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush the tops of cutouts with beaten egg wash.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until biscuits are crisp and golden in color. Rotate pan midway through baking. Let treats cool in pan before treating your dog.
Notes
- If your dog has no wheat/gluten allergies, you can use all-purpose flour or whole-wheat flour.
- The treats can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
- For longer storage, I suggest keeping them in the fridge or freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Best Friends Animal Society:
That’s nearly over 3 million animals a year, simply because they don’t have a home. I am pleased that Abound has partnered with Best Friends Animal Society to help save the lives of shelter animals.
Best Friends was among the first no-kill advocates. Best Friends hopes to makes Los Angeles a no-kill city by 2017. Since their efforts in 2012, this year marks a record low in the number of shelter deaths for the Los Angeles Animal Services.
To enter giveaway leave a comment below. Tell me your furry friend’s name and their favorite treat! [CLOSED]
Disclosure: The Abound Prize Pack and Gift Card is provided by Kroger. I received the same products for Charlie to try. All opinions are my own.
I have a 12 year old Shar-pei. She was rescued from a local pet rescue shelter here in Sudbury Ontario Canada.
She is my baby n I spoil her. I am going to try one of these recipes and then send comment.
Thank you
Marcus, my fur baby loves meaty treats. Reading your blog you gave me an incentive when I will be getting another pet to rescue him/her to give them a happy home and love. Thanks for the information.
Made the sweet potato treats and dough was very soft. May not be able to cut out shapes. What went wrong? My baby food was 4 oz. so I put in extra flour ( white ) and still very soft. Suggestions?
My pooch loves his homemade treats !
My toy poodles name is Mr. Merlin. He eats just about anything mommy eats, but one of his favorite treats is…..lettuce. Yep, he loves lettuce.
how about some info on how to store these and how long do they last?
The treats can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. For longer storage, I suggest keeping them in the fridge or freezer.
Our dogs a stray, and we just kept her. We named her Gypsy. 2 years old, very small mixed breed. Her favorite treats or foods, are the ones i make myself. Right now shes having to deal with store products, as i have recently had shoulder rotor cuff repair. Everything i do just hurts. My husband has had hand surgery, the first day we brought her home. Hes recovering, as well…
Our sweet Adeline is a basset hound. She loves duck jerky and peanut butter bones.
Why does a dog need honey?
Buddy loves “the last bite” of our food?. We always save him chicken or a veggie we know he likes from our plats. He always waits so patiently because he knows he has us trained?