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These 3 ingredient pumpkin dog treats are made with plain canned pumpkin, one egg, and rolled oats. They take about 45 minutes from bowl to cooling rack, and they’re peanut-free. The one rule that matters most: use 100% pure pumpkin, never pumpkin pie filling.
Recipe Snapshot
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 25 minutes, plus 30 minutes drying in the warm oven
- Total time: about 45 minutes of hands-on and bake time
- Yield: about 36 small bones (2-inch cutter)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Storage life: 3 days on the counter, 2 weeks in the fridge, 3 months frozen
I’ll be honest. The first time I made pumpkin treats, I grabbed the wrong can. It was pumpkin pie mix, and it looked almost the same on the shelf. I only caught it when I read “sugar” and “spices” on the back. Now I check the label twice, and I’m going to show you exactly what to look for.
Which Pumpkin Should I Buy?
Buy a can that says 100% pure pumpkin with one ingredient: pumpkin. That’s the only kind I use in this recipe.
The American Kennel Club warns not to give dogs pumpkin pie filling. It may contain spices and seasonings dogs shouldn’t eat, and it may even contain xylitol, a sweetener that is toxic to dogs. The AKC also points out that pumpkin spice blends usually include nutmeg, which is toxic to dogs in larger amounts.
| What’s in the can | Use it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 100% pure pumpkin puree | Yes | Just pumpkin. Smooth, thick, and the right moisture for dough. |
| Pumpkin pie filling or pie mix | No | Added sugar and spices, and it may contain xylitol. |
| Homemade cooked pumpkin, mashed | Yes | Fine if it’s plain, peeled, and cooked. It’s often wetter, so add more oat flour. |
| Raw pumpkin, rind, or stem | No | Not for treats. Tough rind and stems can be a choking or blockage risk. |
The Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 cup (about 245 g) plain canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 2½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, blended into flour, plus a little extra for dusting
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blend the oats until they look like fine flour, about 30 to 45 seconds.
- Whisk the pumpkin and egg in a bowl until smooth and orange all over.
- Stir in the oat flour, about ½ cup at a time.
- Stop adding flour when the dough feels like soft clay and doesn’t stick to your fingers.
- Dust your counter with oat flour.
- Roll the dough to ¼ inch thick.
- Cut out shapes with a 2-inch cookie cutter.
- Lay them on the tray. They don’t spread, so ¼ inch apart is fine.
- Re-roll the scraps and cut again.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the edges look dry and lightly browned.
- Turn the oven off and leave the tray inside for 30 minutes with the door cracked.
- Cool fully on a wire rack before serving.
Dog-Safe Ingredient Check
- Pumpkin: one ingredient only. If you see sugar, spice, or “pie,” put it back.
- Oats: plain only. The AKC’s oatmeal guide says never to feed flavored oatmeal, since it often has more sugar and may even contain xylitol.
- Egg: it gets fully cooked in the oven, so it’s fine. The AKC says most vets recommend cooking eggs fully before dogs eat them.
- No add-ins from your own pantry. Skip raisins, chocolate chips, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice. The ASPCA lists chocolate and grapes or raisins among foods pets should avoid.
Why Do Mine Come Out Soft?
They’re soft because pumpkin holds a lot of water. The fix is time in the warm oven, not a hotter oven.
That 30-minute rest with the oven off is the step most recipes skip. It dries the middle without burning the edges. Here’s what I’ve learned after a lot of batches:
- Want a real snap? Roll them thinner, about ⅛ inch, and leave them in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Older dog with sore teeth? Skip the oven rest. They’ll stay soft and chewy.
- Dough cracking when you roll it? Your oat flour is too coarse or you added too much. Add a spoonful of pumpkin.
Pro Tip: A 15-ounce can holds a bit less than 2 cups. Spoon the leftover pumpkin into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Next time you bake, you’ve got pre-measured portions ready to go.
Is Pumpkin Actually Good for Dogs?
Plain pumpkin is a safe, fiber-rich food for most dogs in small amounts. That fiber is why pumpkin shows up in so many dog treat recipes.
The AKC’s guide on pumpkin and dog diarrhea says pumpkin can help with mild diarrhea and mild constipation. It also says to make sure your dog is well hydrated any time you add more fiber. I keep a fresh bowl going all day, and my dog drinks more from his dog water fountain than he ever did from a plain bowl.
Still, these are treats, not medicine. If your dog has ongoing tummy trouble, call your vet instead of baking more pumpkin.
How Many Calories Is Each Treat?
Each 2-inch bone has roughly 25 calories. I worked that out from USDA FoodData Central values:
- 1 cup canned pumpkin: about 83 calories
- 1 large egg: about 72 calories
- 2½ cups rolled oats (about 200 g): about 760 calories
- Total: about 915 calories ÷ 36 bones = about 25 calories each
That’s lighter than my 3 ingredient peanut butter dog treats, since there’s no nut butter here. VCA Animal Hospitals says treats should stay under 10% of your dog’s daily calories. My post on how many treats a dog should have a day shows how to work out that number.
Vet Tip: Introduce any new treat slowly. Start with one bone a day for a few days and watch the poop. If it gets loose or your dog seems off, stop and check in with your vet.
Can I Change the Recipe?
Yes, and it still stays at three ingredients. Swap one thing at a time.
- Egg-free: Use ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce instead of the egg. The treats will be a little more crumbly.
- Peanut butter fans: Use ¼ cup xylitol-free peanut butter instead of the egg. Check the label every time.
- Oat-sensitive dogs: Try brown rice flour. Start with 2 cups and add more as needed.
- More veggies: My carrot pumpkin dog treats add grated carrot for color and crunch.
- Want a classic biscuit? The easy pumpkin dog biscuits for beginners recipe uses flour for a firmer bite.
Some owners like to sprinkle a vet-approved dog supplement into the dough. Ask your vet first, since baking may change some ingredients.
What size should I cut for my dog?
Go by your dog’s size. A Chihuahua gets a 1-inch shape. A Lab can have the full 2-inch bone. For training, I roll the dough thin and cut ½-inch squares with a pizza cutter. They’re perfect for short sessions from this brain training course for dogs.
How Do I Store Them?
Keep fully dried treats in an airtight jar for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Freeze the rest for up to 3 months.
Soft treats spoil faster than crunchy ones, so if you skipped the oven rest, go straight to the fridge. I split a batch in two. Half goes in a jar for the week, and half goes in a freezer bag. They thaw on the counter in about 20 minutes. Toss any that smell sour or show spots of mold.
On weeks when I can’t bake, I keep a bag of ready-made dog treats as a backup.
For more quick ideas, browse my three-ingredient treat recipes.
FAQ
Q: Can puppies eat these 3 ingredient pumpkin dog treats?
A: Most puppies can have a small piece once they’re eating solid food, but check with your vet first. Break the treat into tiny bits.
Q: Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
A: Yes. Cook and mash it, then measure 1 cup. Fresh pumpkin is wetter, so you’ll likely need extra oat flour.
Q: Do I have to use the egg?
A: No. Applesauce or xylitol-free peanut butter work as the binder. See the swaps above.
Q: Can these help my dog’s upset stomach?
A: They’re treats, not a remedy. The oats and egg make them different from plain pumpkin. If your dog has diarrhea for more than a day, call your vet.
Before You Bake
Check the can, roll them thin, and let the oven do the drying. That’s the whole secret to 3 ingredient pumpkin dog treats. If you want a cookie-style version, my pumpkin oatmeal dog cookies are a nice next step. And keep my list of foods dogs cannot eat close by when you start experimenting.
Want to make sure everyone at home isn’t sneaking extra treats? A dog health tracker helps you watch weight and activity week by week.
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