[Gluten-Free] Pumpkin Spice Dog Treats

I’ll admit, sometimes when I go to pick up dog food, I’m a woman on a mission.  Just give me the bag and let me check it off the list.  I pass the adorable collars and chew toys without even a slight hesitation, grab the usual, and pay.  But one day, the man at the checkout counter broke my laser focus.

“They called,” he said.  I must have looked at him like he was an alien because he immediately repeated himself.  “They called and they really want you to pick up some yummy treats for them.”  I couldn't stop laughing.  The thought of my dogs’ hairy paws trying to dial on an iPhone was hilarious to me!

But the guy did have a point.  My dogs would probably call me to ask for treats if they could.  Thank goodness dogs can’t use cell phones.  Can you imagine?  Rosie, I wouldn’t be so worried about.  She's the sophisticated nine-year-old and just goes with the flow.  But BooRay… oh brother.  She's the puppy.  She would call every 10 minutes just to let me know there’s a lizard outside and ask when I’m coming home.

As much as I love those two, I realized I don't spoil them enough.  So I decided to kick-off fall this year by making gluten-free Pumpkin Spice Dog Treats.  Rosie and BooRay taste-tested them and gave them two paws up!  So now feel free to spoil your dogs whenever you want, no phone call needed.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Dog Treats
These healthy treats will have any dog wagging its tail!  I love how rustic and homemade these look.  Put them in a mason jar, wrap with ribbon, and you've got the perfect gift for any dog or dog-lover!

Makes 18-20 treats 

1 ½ cups brown rice flour, 
       plus more for rolling out dough
½ cup tapioca starch

½ cup gluten-free rolled oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

¾ cup canned pumpkin puree

2 eggs

¼ cup water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.   

In a medium bowl, mix brown rice flour, tapioca starch, oats, cinnamon, and ginger together until combined.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree and 1 egg.  Add the brown rice flour mixture and mix.  Then, slowly mix in water until you can form a ball.  Sprinkle your counter or board with brown rice flour.  Roll out dough to ½-inch thickness.  Dip cookie cutter into brown rice flour and cut into shapes (my cookie cutter is 3 x 1½ inches).  Take the excess scraps, knead into a ball, roll out again, and cut more treats. 

Place treats onto the prepared baking sheets.  Crack the remaining egg into a small bowl.  Whisk in a teaspoon of water.  Brush the tops of each treat with the egg wash.  

Bake for 40 minutes or until completely hard.  Let them cool before serving.  Keep in an airtight container for up to a week.