Here's my take on a dog cookie recipe by Spago Executive Pastry Chef Sherry Yard. I've enhanced it to be a little more natural. There are simpler peanut butter dog recipes out there but I really like the texture from this mix of flour and corn meal. All of these ingredients are perfectly safe to give your dog.
The secret ingredient here is the cinnamon. Cinnamon is said to have anti-cancer and anti-bacterial benefits. Dogs rarely get it but really enjoy it's pungent smell. Wrap a few up in parchment and some twill twine for a pretty homemade present that will always be appreciated and sought with a wet nose.
Gourmet Peanut Butter Dog Cookie Recipe
Yield: About 120 cookies.
- 5 eggs (divided)
- 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cups low salt chicken stock
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup of wheat germ
- 1 cup of large flake oatmeal
- 1 tablespoon of fresh ground cinnamon
- 3 cups of cornmeal (divided)
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons of whole milk
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
In a large bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, the oil and honey to combine then add in the chicken stock (save the last egg for the egg wash later). This is your wet mix.
In your mixer, combine the whole wheat flour, cinnamon, white flour, oatmeal and only 1 cup of cornmeal. This is your dry mix.
With the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour in the wet mix into the dry mix, then add the peanut butter. Mix until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. You can adjust the recipe with a little more stock, peanut butter or flour as desired. Try not to mix too much. Your dog won't complain but I'd like to think the dogs appreciate a non-glutinous cookie :P
Divide the dough in 4. Keep one and put the other three aside.
Dust your countertop liberally with corn meal. Roll out until a little more than quarter inch thick. Add more cornmeal to keep it from sticking to the counter as needed.
Cut into desired shapes using small (3 to 4-inch) cookie cutters. I used the bone cookie cutters.
Place on baking sheets sprayed with cooking oil or a silimat (my preferred method).
Whisk the remaining egg and milk together to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash lightly over the cookies with a pastry brush then use a tooth pick to write your dog's name, or do like I did and make a few ornamental holes etc. If you like you can allow to air dry for 10 minutes then brush again for a darker cookie but I didn't and I was pleased with the browning with one wash.
Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Allow to cook on the pan if you like the cookies extra crisp. Make sure they are cool before you store them to ensure a crunchy cookie.
My American Eskimo camped out in front of the oven until these were done. The whippets run away with theirs.