The Essence of Yum

by Marcy Singer

This past Christmas I decided to try my hand at some homemade dog biscuits to give to the many dogs owned by my various customers. They were a big hit (although most dogs will eat anything that comes from the kitchen since it’s probably ‘people food’!) So in the spirit of fun, I decided to pass along my recipe.

I have altered the original recipe, cutting out the sugar (how many dogs really need sugar in their diet?) and making a few other changes. I use all food grade ingredients and I have sampled these myself, so you know your doggie buddies will be getting something healthy and without all the questionable ingredients that come in commercial dog biscuits.

Dog Treats

Difficulty:  Easy
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 Minutes

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup canola oil

1 cup boiling water

3/4 cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons beef or chicken bouillon granules

½ cup milk  (or can substitute ½ cup water and a generous 2 T. nonfat dry milk)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese  (Or any cheese.  Dogs don’t care what kind you use.)

1 egg, beaten

3 cups whole wheat flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 °C). In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, oil, and boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Thoroughly stir in cornmeal, bouillon, milk, cheese, and egg. Mix in flour, 1 cup at a time, until a stiff dough has formed.
3. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface, mixing in additional flour as necessary until dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Roll or pat out dough to 1/2” thickness. Cut with cookie cutter and place 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Cool before serving. Store in a loosely covered container.

Note: This recipe easily doubles or halves.  If you make small biscuits to accommodate small dogs, roll dough to ¼ inch before cutting.

Treats will brown faster if your cookie sheet is dark or if you make smaller cutouts, so adjust time accordingly.