I’ve been wanting to bake something. BUT, if I bake it I eat it… Oh, dilemma… I love to bake… then a **brilliant idea** happened upon me… Make CHARLIE cookies! Woot woot! No temptation to eat the dough OR the cookies! AND they’re so good for him. These cookies are a treat your dogs will love. The beauty of it is that you can make them as big/small as you like, so they fit your dog’s appetite. I found a recipe online and then I added some things and changed quantities on others. Also, I didn’t want to roll the dough out and use a cookie cutter, so I made them like human peanut butter cookies, rolling the dough into a ball and then using a fork dipped in a little water to press down on the cookie. They are adorable, and according to CHARLIE they are out of this world delicious! His little lips curled up into a smile after he ate it, I swear!

These are quick and easy, you will never buy treats again! Another plus, after I made the dough I cut it in half, shaped it into a disk, wrapped in plastic wrap and then put it in a freezer bag. I put that in the fridge until it got nice and cold and then plopped it into the freezer. Don’t forget to label it!

So here’s the recipe, like I said E A S Y !

Oatmeal, Pumpkin, Peanut Butter Dog Cookies

I N G R E D I E N T S

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons peanut butter

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cups oatmeal (Old Fashioned Oats if possible)

D I R E C T I O N S

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

With a whisk or mixer beat the pumpkin and eggs until combined. Add the cinnamon and peanut butter. Mix. Then add the flour and oats and mix until dough forms a ball. If it’s dry you can add another tablespoon or two of pumpkin and see if that whirls it into a ball, if not add a tablespoon (or two) of water. Remove from bowl and place on clean counter that’s been dusted with whole wheat flour. [If you want to save 1/2 the dough to bake at a later date now is the time to split it in half].

Pinch off about teaspoonful (small spoon) of dough, and roll into a ball, place on ungreased cookie sheet. (About the amount of dough as if you were making a small peanut butter cookie, make it bigger for bigger dogs and smaller for smaller dogs and adjust baking time accordingly). My cookies were about the size of a large malted milk ball… to give you a reference… doesn’t matter how big/small you make them, just keep an eye on them.

This is what they looked like before they got popped into the oven…

Once on the cookie sheet, dip a fork in water and make a fork mark, (just like you would as if you were making human peanut butter cookies) just don’t press too hard, leave them kind of thick.

Bake 30 minutes, check them occasionally, the bottoms shouldn’t get dark. You want them to bake for a good amount of time so that they harden. I baked for 30 minutes and then I turned off the oven and let them sit for another hour or so.

I also tried the roll-out-the-dough method and cut with a bone shaped cookie cutter… I rolled them thinner, so I kept my eye on them, just adjust the time, if you take them out and they’re still soft (try to break a piece off) put them back in, if they’re brown but not hard then put them in and turn off the oven, leave them for an hour or until oven cools… I had to do this, and at first I just cracked open the oven door for a few minutes so they wouldn’t  brown anymore… they turned out adorable. Bottom line… it doesn’t matter to Charlie which way he gets them, and I think they’re cute as little peanut butter cookies!

After you take them out of the oven let them cool thoroughly, then… surprise your dog! I was so excited I woke mine up from a nap… he loved it! Another added bonus is all the fiber… very good for your little beast!

See, I did find a way to bake and not eat it, ha! Catch you back here tomorrow!