Gluten-Free Pumpkin Dog Biscuits
October 20, 2009 { }
Joe and I have four, yes four, dogs. They’re our kids. Perry, Bella, & Gatsby sleep in the bed with us. Or, more accurately, they allow us to squeeze in between them. Patch sleeps on his dog bed – it’s his own personal preference.
Every morning I walk them – first Patch & Bella then Gatsby & Perry. Next comes breakfast, then it’s off to my home office where they sleep as I write. When I’m cooking they lay by the fireplace or in the kitchen doorway so they can see me. And, if anyone happens to walk in front of our home all four of them let me know, howling in unison.
Yea, there’s a lot of vacuuming and lots of toys strewn around the house that I can’t seem to get them to pick up. When it rains we have 16 wet paws to wipe and, more often than I like to admit, they dart in and leave a trail of muddy prints across the floor. Baths are an ordeal – Joe and I are always just as wet as the dogs. Our vet loves us because we’re at their office once a month, if not more often. But I can’t imagine one day without waking up to them wanting to play, seeing their tails wag at meal time, or listening to them snore as I put together a blog post.
I sometimes forget that joy in life isn’t always about the next big thing, whatever that might be. Instead, my real joy comes from those quiet moments when can look around and know that everything in my life is ok just as it is. My dogs always remind me of that.
When I saw that Marilyn at simmer till done made pumpkin dog biscuits, everything else on my list got pushed down a so I could bake for my kids – and gluten-free treats at that! Her recipe uses brown rice flour, an excellent option as many dogs have food allergies and don’t tolerate wheat.
Like Marilyn’s vet, our vet recommends pumpkin for upset tummies. My Bella gets a nervous stomach once in a while. Gatsby has very dry skin and our vet recommended adding flax meal to his food so I modified her recipe to include flax. These biscuits are definitely a treat I feel good about giving my kids.
And, my kids love them. I hope your 4-legged babies love them, too.
A couple of hints:
- I buy whole flax seeds in bulk and grind it in my food processor to make flax meal. Because of it’s high fat content, flax meal can go rancid quickly. It’s much more cost effective to buy the seeds and grind it yourself. Check out my tutorial here. Refrigerate or freeze ground flax meal in an airtight container depending on when you plan on using it.
- If your waxed paper moves about the counter while you’re rolling the dough out, pull part of it over the edge of the counter and lean on the paper to hold it in place.
- I made these biscuits with both freshly cooked pumpkin and canned pumpkin puree. The fresh pumpkin didn’t have a bright orange color but both worked equally well.
And a side note – if you haven’t been to Marilyn’s blog, simmer till done, it’s a must. She is a true artist – and her blog always calms me right down. It’s as if I’m sitting in her kitchen with a warm cup of really good coffee, just watching her cook and soaking up everything she knows.
This is my submission to October’s “Pumpkin Treats” Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free hosted by Heather Collins of Life, Gluten-Free.
Find more great food at What Can I Eat That’s Gluten-Free? at The Gluten-Free Homemaker and Real Food Wednesdays hosted by Cheeseslave.
Also – Kim from The Food Allergy Coach started the Gluten-Free Lifestyle Blog Carnival. Anything gluten-free goes. Add your post for the November Edition here. All of the posts will be shared next month at Sustaining Health Holistically. The deadline for the November Edition is October 28th. I’m going to submit my post today.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Dog Biscuits
makes 36 large biscuits2 1/2 cups brown rice flour
2 tablespoons flax meal
2 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup cold water or enough to make dough stickPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine brown rice flour and flax meal in a large bowl. Mix eggs and pumpkin together in a separate bowl until smooth. Add pumpkin mixture to brown rice mixture in two parts, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula. Dough will be shaggy. Add water, a teaspoon or two at a time until the dough comes together – by this time you’ll need to use your hands to pull the dough together.
Roll dough out between two pieces of waxed or parchment paper to desired thickness. (I rolled mine 1/4 inch thick.) Remove top piece of waxed/parchment paper, flip dough onto brown rice floured counter, remove top piece, and then cut biscuits using desired cookie cutter. Re-roll and cut scraps until you’ve used every possible bit of dough.
Place biscuits on parchment lined baking sheets. If using a dog bone shaped cutter, you cam make a pattern in the middle using the tines of a fork. Gently press down, wiggle a little, then lift out.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until the top of the biscuit has dried out completely. Remove tray from oven and flip biscuits over. Return to oven, rotating cookie sheet, and bake for another 20 – 25 minutes until biscuits are completely dry. Let biscuits cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.
Enjoy!
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About Amy Green
Nearly 6 years of living free of refined sugars and gluten has stopped my food cravings enabled me to maintain a 60+ pound weight loss. Today I live with enormous freedom. Join me as I create healthier food that's SS&GF and delicious. I hope to help you do the same. Read more about my story here.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 6:42 am
Great idea! Pet owners who have celiac disease or a high degree of gluten sensitivity may want to consider what they feed their dogs, so that, when their dogs lick them and kiss them on the face or hands, they do not have to worry about gluten entering their mouth, nose, or eyes.
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Jennifer Smith Reply:
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:59 pm
I have all of my dogs on a gluten free diet. They were hunter/gatherers, and didn’t eat hard grains that have to be processed by humans. I can’t wait to try these biscuits!
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October 21st, 2009 @ 7:17 am
@Kim, The Food Allergy Coach, That is a really good point, Kim. I don’t have that degree of gluten sensitivity so I wouldn’t have thought of that.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 8:21 am
“”I sometimes forget that joy in life isn’t always about the next big thing, whatever that might be. Instead, my real joy comes from those quiet moments when can look around and know that everything in my life is ok just as it is.”"
THIS is beautiful–this is something that soothes the heart if we remember it. Thank you so much for reminding me!
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October 21st, 2009 @ 8:26 am
@Maureen Jeanson, Thanks, Maureen. I have to remind myself quite often. But it does bring great peace. And there is no greater gift.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 9:39 am
I have had pets that have had gluten issues before, no joke. So I make a point to make the dogs gluten-free as well! These biscuits look awesome! my dogs would love them.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 9:43 am
These are awesome Amy!
I love making biscuits for my furry friends too. This looks like a yummy recipe to try when we get back home later in the season!
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October 21st, 2009 @ 9:52 am
Hoping to make these this weekend for the furbabies in my life!
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October 21st, 2009 @ 10:47 am
These sound wonderful. Can I order them from you instead of baking them myself? I can’t even get our goodies baked. I have a very large collie. He’s very sweet and I feel bad he got our busy family and small house. These would be a nice treat for him. If I don’t have the rice flour what do you think would sub, unless I’m getting some from you.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 11:45 am
@Diane-The WHOLE Gang, I’m sure your collie is just happy to have a loving home. My 4 dogs have already been through a triple batch of these treats – I can’t keep up either!
A substitute – I can’t think of one. I don’t know enough about how the different gluten-free flours would impact their digestive system.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 2:08 pm
I’ve made my dog peanut butter dog treats – I think he would love these!
I never had a dog growing up, but my husband always did. When we decided to adopt a dog, it literally took us longer to get the dog than to get married!
They interviewed us both separately, and they wanted to make sure my husband wasn’t forcing the dog on me!
Now I can’t imagine life with Ed. He’s my walking companion and when my husband is out of town, the first one to jump into bed when I turn the lights out!
Thanks for the recipe.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
@Biz, I love your dog story – I didn’t have a dog growing up either and have been through the adoption process four times – as you can see.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing with us.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 5:09 pm
I’m so happy to finally meet your dogs. I know mine would love these treats, but since I make all their food (raw meat, oatmeal, veggies, etc.), I’m not very likely to bake for them. They do love pumpkin though. I add it to their food if I have some left over from baking. Maybe I’ll make them some for Christmas!
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October 21st, 2009 @ 5:45 pm
Ohh, I love this! My doggie is allergic to wheat. I say she takes after me.
I can’t wait to try this. She LOVES pumpkin, sweet potato, squash, etc. I think this is going to be a winner in our household.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 5:45 pm
So cute!! I have one dog (and 2 cats), and its the first dog my dad ever had. He always talks about how when my grandparents decided to get a dog, they went to the beagle farm a & came back with a cat. Since then it was always cats, so he couldn’t wait to get our puppy! Yours are adorable, & such cute names!
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October 21st, 2009 @ 5:48 pm
@Lauren, I always had cats growing up – so I couldn’t wait to get my first dog either. I just didn’t stop at one, though.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 5:50 pm
@Linda, Your kids are on the raw diet – if mine were I wouldn’t bake for them either. Did you start for any particular reason? I looked into it a few years ago but decided that it wasn’t right for us. I know many people who do it and they love it. It’s a great way to feed them.
They would be shocked to get these treats at Christmas.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 5:59 pm
Hm my flex seeds are apparently over a year old. Think they’re okay for the dog still? They’re not ground and have been in the freezer the whole time….
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October 21st, 2009 @ 6:35 pm
This is great! My boyfriend is trying to start a dog walking business and I was trying to find a good recipe for puppy treats!
Thank you very much!
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October 21st, 2009 @ 8:28 pm
I’ve made liver treats for my puppy, but I’ve never baked for her. I wonder if she likes pumpkin… on second thought, I’m sure she’ll love pumpkin! The only thing she doesn’t seem to like is lemon, lime, or raw squash (which I dropped on the floor once and she uncharacteristically walked away from). Might have to try this one for the holidays!
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October 21st, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
@Kendra, Whole flax seed has a shelf life of years – you don’t even have to freeze it. Once ground it goes rancid quickly if stored at room temperature because of the high fat content.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 9:16 pm
@Anali, I used to own a pet sitting & dog walking business. The puppies will love these. So will his clients.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 9:24 pm
Those are some mighty cute kids you have there!! I bet they love their treats too.
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October 21st, 2009 @ 10:40 pm
Your dogs are beautiful! When I got my puppy 4 years ago (after 6 years of “college” without a dog) I swore I’d never live another day without a dog. I’ve done lots of dog sitting and know that the second dog is almost no extra work, the third about four times as much work but the 4th only a little bit more than three
Tumalo has a very sensitive stomach (that’s what you get when you name your virgo dog Tummy
and she gets pumpkin and/or kefir in her lamb and rice dog food sometimes. She hardly ever gets flour based treats – just meaty stuff for training – but if I did, this looks like a fantastic recipe.
Have fun with your pooches!
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Amy Reply:
October 24th, 2009 at 11:09 am
@Alyss, Our dogs don’t have that degree of sensitivity – once in a while Bella needs to go on the ‘bland food’ diet – chicken and rice. With 4, I couldn’t imagine feeding them all raw. It kind of makes my head spin. Meal time is a circus around here as it is.
It’s so neat to see how well you take care of our Tumalo.
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October 22nd, 2009 @ 11:09 am
What a great idea. It’s nice that your dogs get to share in some Autumn treats.
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October 26th, 2009 @ 9:31 pm
[...] Mini-Pumpkin Spice Cheesecakes or her Gluten-Free Pumpkin Dog Biscuits (yes, even our pets don’t do well with gluten and deserve a safe [...]
October 30th, 2009 @ 6:57 pm
I love that you made dog biscuits! Your dogs are so sweet looking! Great post!
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October 30th, 2009 @ 8:38 pm
I’m so glad this recipe was part of the roundup because I thought I’d commented, but hadn’t. (I’d hate to admit how often that happens. LOL) Gluten-free dog and cat treats make so much sense because these animals are hunters by nature. They are always so much healthier when gluten is eliminated from their diets. Arthritis, hot spots (and other skin-type issues), fatigue, etc. can become things of the past when pets are put on gluten-free diets.
Great entry for GAHIGF!
Shirley
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October 31st, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
These are so cute!!!! Love them!!
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November 1st, 2009 @ 4:33 pm
This is too cute. I once had a personal chef client that would come home and make dinner for her dogs. I always thought that was funny. I could make dinner for her, but not the little ones.
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November 14th, 2009 @ 7:15 am
Believe it or not…I have a Great Pyrenees that suffers from Celiac Disease! This has been such a challenge. Thank you so much for your site. The only type of flour I can use for his treats is a gluten free garbanzo & fava bean flour. I’ll be trying your version of pumpkin treats and let you know how the bean flour worked out.
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Amy Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 9:51 am
@Carolyn, I would love to know how it works – I think you’ll just have to play with the pumpkin to flour ratios and maybe add some filtered water because garfava flour will absorb more liquid.
I would love to know more about your dog’s diet – I am really slow to make changes in my dogs’ diets because they can’t tell you how they feel. I’m investigating other options, though. Any input or information you have would be so helpful. (I have to make a double batch of this today for my kids – we’re out!)
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November 14th, 2009 @ 7:25 am
I also forgot to mention that he is also allergic to all grains…Grrrrr
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November 18th, 2009 @ 4:50 pm
I Have A Minature Doxion That Is Long Haired/Mixed With Short Haired. Would A Treat Like This Be Good For Her Because Shes Tiny?
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Amy Reply:
November 18th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
@Joanna Casto/Anna’s Cousin, Gosh, I’d ask your vet about that. I know that small breeds need special diets because of their digestive system.
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Joanna Casto/Anna's Cousin Reply:
November 25th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
@Amy,
okay! thanks!
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Carolyn Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
@Joanna Casto/Anna’s Cousin, My Pekingese, Mike, seems to do well with these treats. He will bite the snot out of Sully, the pyrenees, to get one. Just feed your dog a smaller portion. I only allow Mike to have one of the corners of the dogbone shaped treat at a time. Moderation is the key.