We have already shared some fishy and cheesy snack recipes with you, but now it’s time for one of our absolute faves: Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies! These mini bite-sized snacks are perfect for small dogs. JD was born with a crooked jaw and Ringo’s senior chompers aren’t quite what they used to be, so these small snacks are just the right size for them to easily chew on despite their dental issues.
Before you get started, take a peek at your jar of peanut butter to make sure that it does not contain xylitol. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is toxic to dogs. Some peanut butter brands were recently in the news when dog owners, believing peanut butter to be safe for dogs, fed it to their pets and their pets became ill. The cause of the problem was that xylitol was used as an additive in these peanut butter brands. Always use the most natural peanut butter possible when making treats for your dog. Look for unsweetened, unsalted varieties and, when possible, buy organic. Most importantly, ALWAYS check the nutrition label to make sure that no sneaky xylitol is in your peanut butter! Lastly, dogs, like humans, can be allergic to peanuts. If your dog has a known peanut allergy, skip this recipe and try one of our nut-free recipes.
Now that you’re in the know about peanut butter, it’s time to bake some cookies for dogs!
CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES RECIPE
(makes approximately 5 dozen mini-cookies)
Ingredients:
¼ cup ground flax meal
½ cup brown rice flour
¾ cup organic crunchy peanut butter
2 eggs (local or organic, if possible) 
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix the flax meal and brown rice flour.
- Add the peanut butter and eggs.
- Stir until all ingredients are completely mixed and have formed a soft dough.
- Pinch off pieces of dough and roll them into marble-sized balls.
- Flatten each ball slightly in your palm and place it on the baking sheet. The cookies will not spread much, so they can be placed fairly close together on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cookies grow firm. Turn off the oven and allow cookies to remain inside as the oven cools. This gives them a few additional minutes to firm up at a lower temperature.
- Allow to cool before serving or storing. Store cookies in a sealed container in the fridge, or freeze them if you would like them to keep for longer than 10 days.
Bon Appugtite! Disclaimer: As always, you should be aware of your pet’s health and consult a vet before making any changes to his or her diet, especially if your dog suffers from a disease or illness or takes medications. I am not a vet or animal nutritionist, nor am I responsible for the decisions you make regarding your pet’s diet. Keep in mind that all pets are different and will respond differently to dietary changes. You should be aware of your pet’s allergies, sensitivities, and medical history. Be sure to take the time to learn the foods that are safe for dogs to consume as well as those that are dangerous for dogs to consume before attempting to cook for your pet.
