You know chocolate is toxic to canines, so giving it to your pup is out of the question. But sometimes those begging eyes are so hard to resist! However, while you can’t feed your dog real chocolate, you can feed them carob, which is “dog-friendly chocolate.”
In truth, carob isn’t related to chocolate, as it’s created from the bean pod of an evergreen tree, which is why it’s safe for dogs to consume. Not only is carob safe (and delicious) for dogs, but it is also high in potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and niacin!
While you can purchase carob dog treats for your pet or carob items from a pet bakery, you can also make your pup homemade carob treats! What can you do with carob that’ll have your dog salivating in no time? Here are five carob dog treat recipes you can make today!
The 5 Vet-Approved Homemade Carob Dog Treat Recipes
Disclaimer:
These recipes are reviewed for general safety as occasional treats in otherwise healthy dogs. However, these recipes may not be suitable for all dogs. Dogs struggling with obesity, wheat allergies, lactose intolerance, sensitive stomachs, or prone to pancreatitis for example may not benefit from these recipes. It is your responsibility to ensure your dog can cope with everything you feed them. We recommend asking your vet before including these treats in your dog’s diet. Refer to the articles in the sources for a full discussion of the risks and benefits of ingredients.
1. Carob Peanut Butter Balls – Dogster Recipe
Carob Peanut Butter Balls – Dogster Recipe
This simple recipe requires no baking at all and doesn’t take long to make. Though you can make this one year-round, these dog treats would make an excellent special treat for any pup for any holiday. And as a bonus, humans can eat them, too! However, these treats are a bit high in fat due to the peanut butter they contain, so don’t feed your pup more than a few at once.
- 1/2 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
- 1/8 cup plain quick oats
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup optional
- 2 tbsp carob powder
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Combine oats, peanut butter, and maple syrup (if including it). Mix well.
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Form marble-sized balls (approximately a teaspoon) with your hand.
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Roll the balls in the carob powder.
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Place balls on a tray and put them into the freezer for an hour.
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Once done, simply grab one of your tasty dog treats and give it to your dog to enjoy!
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Nutrition: 0.6 grams of sugar (if maple syrup is added)
You should ensure the peanut butter and other ingredients don’t contain any harmful additives. Plain, all-natural peanut butter is best, but it’s critical to ensure it isn’t artificially sweetened with xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.
Image Credit: AB-7272, Shutterstock
Protein: 1.1gFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.6g
2. Glazed Carob Heart Cookies
It seems people enjoy making their dogs heart-shaped dog treats! This recipe requires baking, but it’s still fairly easy to accomplish and comes complete with a yummy glaze your pet is sure to love!
| Calories: | ~62 kcal per cookie |
| Number of Servings: | 2 dozen |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 3 tbsp carob powder
- 1/4 cup water (more may be needed)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon honey
For the Glaze
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp honey
Equipment
- Cookie trays
- 3 Bowls
- Whisk
- Rolling pin
- Piping bag or spatula
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a couple of cookie baking trays with parchment paper and set to the side.
- Whisk carob powder, cornmeal, and flour together in a bowl.
- Mix egg, water, oil, peanut butter, and honey in a different bowl.
- Stir wet and dry ingredients together to form a dough.
- Roll your dough to about 1/4” thickness. Use heart-shaped (or whatever-shaped!) cookie cutters to cut cookies out.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then cool in the oven for 10 minutes.
- For the glaze, mix the ingredients in the third bowl.
- Use a piping bag or spatula to spread the glaze on the cookies.
- Put glazed cookies in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
3. Peanut Butter and Carob Dog Treats
Peanut butter is so popular in dog treats because what canine doesn’t love peanut butter? These treats also pair peanut butter and carob to make a delicious and healthy treat for your favorite pup.
| Calories: | ~56 kcal per cookie |
| Number of Servings: | 30 treats |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup unsalted peanut butter
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup fine polenta
- 1/4 cup carob powder
- 30 carob buttons
- 2 tbsp water
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Medium bowl
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix peanut butter and eggs in a bowl.
- Add carob powder, polenta, and rolled oats to the mix. If the mixture is thick, add the tablespoons of water. Stir until fully combined.
- Roll the mixture into balls about the size of a walnut.
- Into each carob ball, press a carob button.
- Bake 25 minutes.
- Let cookies cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
4. Carob, Peanut Butter, and Peanuts Dog Treats
Peanut butter and carob are a big hit together when it comes to dog treats, but these dog treats take things a step further with the addition of chopped peanuts. Of course, if you have concerns about your dog choking on the chopped peanuts, you can simply crush them or leave them off altogether.
| Calories: | ~237 kcal per cookie |
| Number of Servings: | 18 treats |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Ingredients
- 4 cups oat flour (more if necessary)
- 2/3 cup plain applesauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted peanut butter
- 2 large eggs
- 6 ounces of carob chips
- 1/2 cup unsalted, chopped peanuts
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Large bowl
- 2 Shallow bowls
- Rolling pin
- Bone-shaped cookie cutter (or cookie cutter of your choice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix applesauce, eggs, oat flour, and peanut butter. If the dough is sticky after mixing these thoroughly, add more oat flour as needed.
- Roll the dough out until it’s at 1/4” thickness.
- Use cookie cutters to cut treats, then place shapes on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Treats will be slightly dark around the edges when done.
- Set treats aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, melt carob chips in a shallow bowl and stir until smooth.
- Place chopped (or crushed) peanuts in a shallow bowl.
- Take cooled dog treats and dip the top of one half into the carob, then quickly roll that half in the chopped peanuts.
- Set treats aside to let the carob harden, then serve!
5. Marbled Pumpkin and Carob Dog Treats
If you want to avoid peanut butter, your dog may enjoy these tasty pumpkin and carob treats. It’s an interesting combination, but many dogs enjoy pumpkin immensely, and with the added bonus of “chocolate,” they’re sure to go wild over these treats!
| Calories: | ~190 kcal per cookie |
| Number of Servings: | 12 cookies |
| Difficulty Level: | Medium |
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp + 1 tbsp canned 100% pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup or honey
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered roasted carob
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Bowl
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter
- Toothpicks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine five tablespoons of pumpkin puree, coconut oil, maple syrup or honey, and eggs in a bowl.
- Begin stirring in flour a bit at a time. The dough should be smooth but not sticky, and you should be able to knead it. You may not need to use all three cups of flour to achieve this.
- Separate the dough into three separate but equal portions and set two aside.
- Keep the last portion in the bowl and knead in carob powder and the last tablespoon of pumpkin puree.
- Once finished, set all dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and separate it into 1” dough balls.
- Next, smoosh all those dough balls together in random patterns and knead to achieve the marbled look of the treats.
- Once accomplished, roll the dough into 1/4” thickness and cut out shapes for your treats.
- Before sticking treats in the oven, poke each one several times with a toothpick to make tiny holes that will keep the treats from bubbling.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
- Let cool and serve!
Conclusion
Making homemade carob treats for your favorite furry pal is easier than you think! Many carob dog treat recipes simply incorporate carob and peanut butter, but you can find others that expand upon this basic combination. No matter what type of carob dog treats you make, though, your pup is sure to love them!
See Also:
Featured Image Credit: Lika Lee, Shutterstock
