Last Updated on March 26, 2022 by Anne-Marie

These hypoallergenic homemade dog treats are made without peanut butter and shaped with dog bone-shaped cookie cutters.

Why this recipe works

These hypoallergenic homemade dog treats are a lovely homemade gift for anyone who has a dog – teachers, coworkers, relatives, and friends.

Made without peanut butter, these dog treats are fun to make with dog bone shaped cookie cutters.

Your furry friends will love these special dog biscuits any time of year!

Making allergy free dog treats

I’ve included tips to make this homemade dog biscuits recipe that are hypoallergenic (allergy free):

● gluten-free (use GF flour)

● grain free (without flour using garbazo bean or coconut flour)

● wheat free (use gluten free flours)

● dairy-free (use alternative milks)

● peanut butter free (use other nut butters)

● without pumpkin (no pumpkin in this recipe)

● nut free (use alternative nut butters)

● egg free (there are no eggs in this recipe)

That way you can work around any food sensitivities your dogs or other family members may have.

Why other family members? Cross-contamination from handling treats – or getting licked by the dog after eating a goodie – can be an issue, too.

Making homemade dog treats with no peanut butter

Allergies are the reason why I made this recipe without peanut butter and used sunflower butter (sunbutter) instead.

My daughter, Lucie, has a peanut allergy, so we don't let our dog have any goodies made with peanut butter.

You see, our dog, Nellie, loves licking people. If she licked Lucie after snacking on a peanut butter treat, Lucie would break out in hives.

Can I use other nut butters?

If there aren't any peanut allergies in your family, go ahead and make up a batch with your favorite natural peanut butter brand.

You can also use almond butter.

Cashew butter is safe to give to dogs as long as the cashews are cooked or roasted. Raw cashews contain a toxin that isn't good for dogs.

The only nut butter dogs should stay away from is any made with macadamia nuts.

Grain free dog treats

Grain free dog homemade dog biscuits are super popular now. That's because many people are switching their dogs to a grain-free diet after discovering their dogs have food allergies.

Grain free flours:

You can use chickpea flour or coconut flour to make grain free dog cookie recipe.

Coconut flour is gluten free and high in fiber. You can buy coconut flour online , or at the grocery or health food store.

However, it does require a higher ratio of liquids when baking, so add more coconut milk to the recipe if needed.

You can buy chickpea flour online. You can also find it at your grocery store or health foods store.

Gluten free dog treats

You can use gluten free flour to make these wheat free dog treats.

My favorite GF flour is Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour It bakes up great and I use it just like regular flour for all sorts of gluten free dog treat recipes.

It contains sweet white rice flour, whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, whole grain sorghum flour, tapioca flour, and xanthan gum. All are OK to give to your dog, even xanthan gum.

Learn how to measure flour correctly for the best results in your everyday baking.

Check out my Best Gluten Free Products List to find more of my favorite gluten free baking products!

Dairy free dog treats

I wanted to keep this dog treat recipe dairy free, so I used coconut milk instead of cow's milk. Not all our canine friends can tolerate dairy.

Use full fat (not lite) unsweetened coconut milk, either canned or from a carton.

Avoid oatmeal milk if your dog is on a grain-free diet.

Making sure ingredients are dog safe

Before making these treats, I checked to make sure that all the ingredients are OK for most dogs to have.

However, make sure you check the ingredients labels on anything you're using to make sure your four-legged friend isn't allergic to a specific ingredient.

Is sunflower butter OK for dogs?

SunButter sunflower butter is OK for dogs to have. My dog Nellie is CRAZY about it.

Even so, check the label of the sunflower butter brand you buy to make sure it’s OK for your dog.

Some sunflower butter brands contain sugar cane. And some brands have low or no sugar versions.

Is molasses OK in dog treats?

Many people use molasses in homemade treats recipes since it's a dog-safe sweetener.

You can use real maple syrup instead, which is also a dog-safe sweetener.

Making dog bone shaped dog treats

The trick to making cute treats is finding cookie cutters with bone shapes.

To cut the treats, I used the dog bone in the Dog, Bone and Paw Print Cookie Cutter Set, but you can use any cutters you like!

Buy a few more to give to dog moms and dads who love to bake along with a copy of this recipe!

How to make hypoallergenic homemade dog treats

1. First, preheat your oven and line the baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, stir the flour and the baking soda until combined. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mix the sunflower butter, coconut milk, and molasses.

4. Then add the flour mixture to the sunflower butter mixture. Stir until you have a nice dough.

5. Turn out the sunflower butter dog treat dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth.

6. Coat your rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.

7. Cut the rolled dough with dog-boned-shaped or other fun cookie cutters. (You can also use other shapes if you like when making this dog biscuit recipe.)

8. Place the treats 2 inches apart onto the parchment-lined baking sheets.

9. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-20 minutes until lightly brown.

(Check the  homemade dog biscuits after 10 minutes and 15 minutes to make sure they don't get overcooked.) The bake time will depend on the size and thickness of your dog treat.

10. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Cool the dog treats on wire racks.

11. Store the dog treats in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Refrigerated treats can last for up to 2 months.

Can I freeze dog treats?

This recipe makes quite a big batch of biscuits, up to 40 treats! So you may want to freeze some of the homemade treats for your fur baby for later.

If frozen, allow the treat to thaw for 10-20 minutes prior to serving to your dog so it's easier on their teeth.

Treats can last for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Homemade dog biscuit recipe variations

If you'd like to experiment, you can add some of the following to this recipe:

• plain yogurt if you're not making this dairy free – or use a dairy free coconut yogurt
• beef broth
• sweet potato puree
• pumpkin puree
• apple sauce
• vegetable broth

Since these are all “moist” ingredients, cut back on the coconut milk so the dough doesn't get too sticky and hard to roll out and cut.

Pro tip: Substitutions may affect baking time, so keep an eye on the treats when they're cooking in the oven.

Dog treat gift wrapping ideas

I packaged my dairy free dog treats several ways. I put some in a Santa mug, so while your doggie is having her treat, mom or dad can have a nice cup of tea.

I also put these dog biscuits in a cute cellophane bag with a gift tag.

Packaging and decorating these easy homemade gifts is another activity you can get the kids involved in without spending too much money.

For example, if you have a supply of large canning jars, have the kids carefully place a handful or two of the treats in a jar.

Or you can use plastic cold-cut tubs or just a plain Ziploc bag. Decorate the doggie gift package with a bow, stickers, or ribbon, and a homemade gift tag.

Don't forget to include ingredient info on the tag so everyone knows this homemade treats recipe is dog and allergy-friendly.

Originally published on November 14, 2016. Updated with new pictures and information.