The best part about Halloween is the candy! It doesn’t even matter that you’re too old to trick-or-treat anymore; it’s an excuse to buy a bag of candy and eat half of it before the first trick-or-treater gets to your door.
Unfortunately for our dogs, candy and other Halloween treats, like chocolate-covered raisins, are off limits. Chocolate, especially, can be toxic to our four-legged ghosts and ghouls. But that doesn’t mean your pet has to miss out on sampling some delicious DIY dog treats.
We’ve whipped up a dog-friendly take on a classic Halloween treat: the peanut butter cup. This recipe replaces chocolate with carob, which is safe for dogs.
Carob, which comes from the pod of a tree of the same name, looks strikingly similar to chocolate but is more bitter in flavor (trust us, we tasted it!). You can find carob chips in your local organic grocery store, if not your regular grocery store.
Make a batch of these carob and peanut butter cups just for your own spooky pup. Or host a dog Halloween party and give them to all your frighteningly furry guests.
What you'll need:
Ingredients
- 2 cups of carob chips, divided in half
- 4 tbsp. of coconut oil, divided in half
- 4 tbsp. of natural peanut butter*
*Note: Make sure your peanut butter does not contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs
Supplies
- One dozen cupcake liners
- A cupcake or muffin tin
- Saucepan
- Heat-safe bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Small bowl
Yield:
12 servings
Serving size:
1 dog treat
Prep time:
25 minutes
Cool time:
30 minutes
Total time:
55 minutes
Instructions
1
Place the cupcake liners in the cupcake tin.
2
Melt 1/2 of the carob chips (1 cup) and 1/2 of the coconut oil (2 tbsp.) in a double boiler.
If you don't have a double boiler, you can easily make one. Fill a saucepan 1/3 of the way with water and bring it to a boil. Once it starts to boil, turn it down to a simmer and place the heatproof bowl containing the carob chips and oil on top of the saucepan so it fits snuggly and no steam gets out.
3
Whisk the carob chips and coconut oil until they’re fully melted and smooth.
4
Spoon 1 tbsp. of the melted mixture into each cupcake liner to create a thin layer.
5
Shake the pan to level out the carob mixture and prevent bubbles. Place the tin in the freezer for 10 minutes to set.
6
Once set, add 1 tsp. of peanut butter into each cupcake liner, and then place the tin back in the freezer for another 10 minutes to set.
Note: Natural peanut butter tends to be runny. Try not to add too much of the peanut butter liquid or else it could mix with the carob and create more of a peanut butter/carob swirl on top.
9
Repeat the carob and coconut oil melting process with the second half of the carob chips and coconut oil.
10
Once smooth, add 1 tbsp. of the melted mixture into each cupcake liner to create a thin layer, making sure to completely cover the set peanut butter.
11
Shake the pan to smooth the carob mixture and prevent bubbles, and place back in the freezer for another 10 minutes or until firm.
12
Serve and watch your pup enjoy this dog-safe spin on a classic Halloween candy.
Store in the freezer.
This recipe was reviewed by a veterinarian. It is intended as a treat or snack. Treats should only constitute a small percentage of your pet’s daily food. If your pet is sensitive to fats, has any other health issues, or if you have any concerns, consult your pet’s veterinarian before offering this food item.
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