After struggling to find healthy, vegan dog treats that are both soft and chewy and didn’t break the bank, I created these air fryer vegan dog treats with my dog’s favorite flavors in mind. Archer loves them, and hopefully, your dog will too! These soft biscuits are a great option if you have a senior dog. I’ve also successfully made them both in the oven and toaster oven, so don’t worry if you don’t have an air fryer!
As with any change to your pet’s diet, it’s important to introduce new foods gradually and in small amounts. This will help avoid stomach upset and ensure your dog enjoys the new additions to its bowl. Also, if you’re unsure which foods are safe to serve to your particular dog, it’s best to always check with your veterinarian first.
Ingredients You’ll Need
There are just 5 simple ingredients you’ll need to make these homemade dog treats:
- Quick Cook Rolled Oats
- Sweet Potatoes
- Virgin Coconut Oil (Unrefined…the kind that smells like coconut)
- Nutritional Yeast
- Ground Flax Seed or Chia Seeds (both work great)
You can use steel-cut oats if that’s all you have, it just changes the texture, but I’ve used them in a pinch.
How to Make Homemade Vegan Dog Treats
Start by boiling the sweet potatoes to make the sweet potato mash. Once the sweet potatoes are cooked and drained, remove the skins with a fork.
Next, measure out one cup of sweet potato mash and save any extra for eating or other recipes (or mix it into your dog’s food).
Melt the coconut oil (although I’ve skipped this step, and it was fine!).
Combine the mashed sweet potatoes, oats, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, and flax or chia seeds in a mixing bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until thoroughly mixed.
Then, use a cookie scoop, spoon, or your hands to form the dough into small balls and flatten them out. You can also use a cookie cutter or make them into little shapes with your hands, but I just keep it easy and simple, and my dog doesn’t seem to care what shape they are in 😆 .
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet if you’re baking them in the oven. You can use a plate if you’re cooking them in the air fryer.
Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees and cook them for 4-6 minutes or bake them in an oven at 350 degrees for around 20 minutes or so (until they start to brown). Let them cool completely before giving them to your dog. Keep refrigerated or freeze a portion of them!
Homemade Vegan Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweet potato (boiled and mashed. I usually cook 2 large sweet potatoes to get one cup of mash, but it really depends on the size of your potatoes. I usually have extra mash.)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp unrefined coconut oil (virgin or unrefined coconut oil is the kind that smells like coconut.)
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, but replace with more oats if you omit it.)
- 1 tbsp ground flax seeds or chia seeds (both work great)
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potato (I usually boil them but you can cook them any way you'd like) .
- After boiling the sweet potatoes, take the skin off with a fork. You can mix the skins into your dog's food or give it to them as an extra treat.
- Mash the sweet potatoes and measure out the one cup needed for the recipe.
- Melt the coconut oil (although I've skipped this step and it was fine!).
- Combine the mashed sweet potatoes, oats, coconut oil, nutritional yeast, and flax or chia seeds in a mixing bowl and stir with a rubber spatula until thoroughly mixed.
- Use a spoon, cookie scoop, or your hands to form the dough into teaspoon-sized balls and roll them in your hands to flatten them out. You can also use a cookie-cutter, or try to shape them with your hands if you want them to look fancy and cute! Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet if you're baking them in the oven. You can use a plate if you're cooking them in the air fryer.
- Preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees and cook them for 4-6 minutes or bake them in an oven at 350 degrees for around 20 minutes or so (until they start to brown).
- Let them cool off, then have your pup sample one. Keep them refrigerated!
Notes
- Make a double batch and freeze them (they freeze really well)
- This recipe is pretty forgiving so feel free to experiment!
Benefits of Making Your Own Dog Treats
There are many benefits to making your own dog treats at home. Not only is it a fun activity, but you can also control the ingredients and ensure they are healthy for your pup. In addition, homemade dog treats are often cheaper than store-bought options, and you can customize them to your dog’s liking.
One of the best things about homemade dog treats is knowing exactly what ingredients are going into them. This is important for two reasons: first, you can avoid any potential allergens or ingredients your dog may be sensitive to, and second, you can be sure that the treats are healthy and nutritious. When you make your own dog treats, you can choose to use healthy ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. You can also avoid unhealthy additives like artificial colors and flavors.
Another great benefit of homemade dog treats is that they are often cheaper than store-bought options. This is especially true if you use common ingredients that you already have on hand. Even if you need to buy some of the ingredients specifically for this purpose, the overall cost is still likely to be lower than buying premade treats.
Finally, homemade dog treats allow you to customize them to your dog’s particular needs. For example, if your dog is allergic to certain ingredients, such as wheat or corn, you can avoid those ingredients in your homemade treats. You could also increase the amount of an ingredient that might be good for your dog’s health, such as adding more carrots, pumpkin, etc. So, if you’re looking for a way to save money on dog treats, or if you just like experimenting in the kitchen, consider making some homemade pet treats for your furry friends!
Fruits and Vegetables That Make Healthy Vegan Dog Treats
If you’re looking for something different than the traditional dog biscuit, there are plenty of fruits and veggies you can mix into your dog’s food or give them as a treat. Here are some of the best options:
Apples: Apples are a great source of fiber and vitamins A, C, and K. They can be used in various dog treat recipes, or you can cook and puree them to use as a healthy topping for your dog’s regular food.
Bananas: Bananas are a good source of potassium and vitamins B6 and C. They can be mashed and used as a healthy binding agent in dog treat recipes. Since bananas and other fruits have a high sugar content, they should be given to your pup in moderation.
Carrots: Carrots are rich in fiber, beta-carotene, and vitamins A, C, and K. They can be shredded and mixed into your dog’s wet or dry food or cooked and pureed.
Pumpkin: Pumpkin is rich in fiber and antioxidants, making it an excellent choice for vegan dog treat recipes.
Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, beta-carotene, and vitamins A and C. They can be mashed or pureed and used in dog treat recipes such as our vegan air fryer dog treat recipe above!
Strawberries: Strawberries are rich in fiber, flavonoids, and vitamins A, C, and K. You can chop them up and give them to your dog as a treat or mix some into your pup’s food.
Blueberries: Blueberries are an excellent source of fiber and have also been shown to have antioxidant properties. Plus, dogs usually love them!
Store-Bought Vegan Treat Options for Your Dog
If you don’t have time to make your own dog treats, there are plenty of plant-based dog treats on the market these days. Many pet stores now sell vegan dog biscuits, or you can always find them online. Here are some of our top picks:
V-Dog Breathbones
V-Dog is an entirely vegan company, so you can be sure that anything you buy from them is vegan. All their treats are excellent, and these Breathbones used to be my dog’s favorite. Unfortunately, they are just too hard for him to chew these days. These smell really good and are similar to the popular dental chews you can find on the market…only they are all plant-based 💚.
V-Dog Breathbones | V-Dog.com
Lord Jameson Organic Dog Treats
These Lord Jameson plant-based dog treats look like little donut holes, and their photos make me want to take a bite myself 😆. These soft baked treats are made in the USA and are organic, gluten-free, and allergy friendly.
Lord Jameson Organic Dog Treats | LordJameson.com
Cloud Star Wag More Bark Less – Peanut Butter & Apples
These peanut butter and apples soft chews are entirely plant-based, although this brand sells non-vegan treats, so make sure to buy this specific flavor. These treats are tiny and probably best for small dogs or used for training. Archer liked them a lot, but he’s an 87-pound German Shepherd, so he went through the bag quickly!
Wag More Bark Less Peanut Butter & Apples | Cloud Star
Clif Pet Plant Based Jerky
The makers of the famous Clif Bar recently decided to get into the plant-based dog treat business with their new Clif Pet treats. It seems random, but this new line of dog treats follows their company philosophy of using only simple, wholesome ingredients. So instead of just healthy snacks to fuel active humans, they are also making healthy snacks to fuel active pups. I like the slogan they’re using on their website, “All Treat. No Meat”, that’s a good one 😁. My sister spotted these at Petco, but you can also buy them on their website. Hopefully, they’ll expand where they’re being offered soon.
Clif Pet Plant Based Jerky for Dogs | Clif Pet
Old Mother Hubbard Just Vegg’N Biscuits
Old Mother Hubbard natural dog treats have been around for a long time. However, this Just Vegg’N flavor is the only completely vegan flavor I’m aware of. They have a clean ingredient list, are relatively easy to find, and you get a decent amount of treats for the price.
Old Mother Hubbard Just Vegg’n Biscuits | Old Mother Hubbard Wellness
We hope you enjoyed this recipe for homemade vegan dog treats and learned more about other healthy plant-based treat options you can feed your pup! If you try the recipe out, let us know how it goes!
Archer
An expert in plant-based kibble, Archer resides in upstate NY. He loves frolicking in fields, barking at the UPS truck, long naps, and snuggling with his companions. Read more from Archer.
Great Dog Cookies!
These were easy to make, my dogs loved them, and they seemed to help my lab who has an extremely sensitive stomach. Something in these treats soothes whatever is bothering his gut which makes me a happy dog mom. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
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