Pumpkin Puppy Protein Balls
Pumpkin Puppy Protein Balls!
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Only 5 ingredients! Here’s a super healthy and fun protein-packed treat for your doggo: Pumpkin Puppy Protein Balls!
☀️ INGREDIENTS:
✅ 200 grams Pumpkin Puree (roughly 1 cup or about 8 ounces) (I just roasted 1 kent pumpkin in the oven then mashed it)
✅ 0.5 cup 100% Peanut Butter (Important: Your peanut butter MUST be 100% peanuts! It MUST be Xylitol Free because Xylitol is toxic to dogs) (120 grams or about 4.25 ounces)
✅ 2.5 cups Oats (I used rolled oats) (250 grams or about 8.85 ounces)
✅ 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
✅ ¼ cup Honey (or approximately 4 tablespoons)
☀️ SPEICAL THINGS YOU’LL NEED:
Silicone Baking Mat (optional but I always prefer these to roast veggies like pumpkin on).
Spring Loaded Cookie Scoop (optional but they make things so much easier and quicker!)
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☀️ METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 170°C (338°F) and line a baking tray with either a silicone baking mat or unbleached baking paper.
2. On a cutting board, chop your pumpkin in half (be careful!) and remove the seeds.
3. Slice your pumpkin into large clunks, place on your lined baking tray, pour a little water on the tray (this is why I suggest a silicone baking mat), and place in the pre-heated oven to roast for 25 minutes, turning once (keep in mind that all pumpkins are different so make sure to keep a close eye on your pumpkin, cook longer if needed).
4. Once the pumpkin flesh is completely cooked through and easily mash-able, remove from the oven, carefully remove the skin using forks (it should easily fall right off if cooked enough) and mash the pumpkin into a puree. Set aside to cool.
5. In a large mixing bowl, mix the peanut butter (double check it’s xylitol free! Xylitol is toxic to dogs so your peanut butter MUST be 100% peanut butter with NO xylitol), oats, cinnamon and honey together with the pumpkin puree until well combined.
6. Using a table spoon (or even better, a spring loaded cookie scoop!), scoop the mixture and using your hands, form the mix into little puppy-sized protein balls.
7. I hope your beautiful doggo enjoys these as much as mine did!
Helpful Notes:
Question: What’s the deal with xylitol?
Answer: Important: Your peanut butter MUST be 100% peanuts! It MUST be free from Xylitol because Xylitol is toxic to dogs. It’s an artificial sweetener and highly toxic to dogs so pleeeeease always double check there’s NO XYLITOL in your peanut butter! Always use 100% peanut butter for your doggos (something like this 100% peanut butter is a good option and widely accessible to many people - or check your local health food store).
Question: How do I store the pumpkin puppy protein balls? How long do they last?
Answer: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Question: Can I (a human) eat these?
Answer: Yes! You can! These are DELICIOUS and use all human-grade food ingredients! Josh and I actually split the batter in half and ate the rest ourselves so we can 100% vouch for how good these taste. Your dog will love these (and probably give you the side eye if you start eating into their stash :P)
Question: My dog doesn’t like one (or more) of the ingredients in this recipe - can I substitute ingredients out for something else?
Answer: Feel free to get creative and substitute out ingredients as needed here however double check every ingredient you want to sub in is ‘dog friendly’. It’s also good to note that baking can be quite the science experiment and it might take a few attempts of you swapping in/out ingredients to achieve what you’re after creatively. I’ve perfected these little beauties to my doggos preference but feel free to go ahead and experiment if that’s what your heart desires. Google is a wonderful resource if you get stuck and don’t know what a good alternative would be to swap something for.
Connect With Me!
If you enjoyed this recipe, have any questions or want to chat, feel free to connect with me on Instagram @connorcarbonara! I’d love to hear from you!
Nutritional Info:
Counting calories and tracking macros works well for some people but for many others it can lead to obsessive tracking behaviours/disordered eating patterns (and often does more harm than good) - so I’ve made the personal decision to not post them because I never want my recipes to play a role or influence someone into unnecessary tracking/unhealthy views about food and calorie counting. I believe food is one of the best things this world has to offer and hope my recipes inspire you to get creative, have fun, and enjoy life to the fullest (surrounded by incredible food)!
