Everyone meet my nephew, Haskell.

I love that guy, but he just seems to like me okay.

I mean, it makes sense that the feelings aren’t all mutual. I keep showing up to his house every few months with treats for his mom (my older sister) and the rest of his human family, while he just gets his everyday food. He’s never voiced a complaint to me, but an aunt just knows.

Coming down to Austin for Christmas, I was determined to make sure Haskell had a holiday treat of his own. My dear dog walker friend, VJ, gave me a tried-and-true base treat recipe, I messed with it just a tiny bit, and these Pumpkin Oat Dog Treats are the result.

They’re made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen: rolled oats, pumpkin purée, coconut oil, natural-style peanut butter, and water. Just pulse the oats in a food processor…

…stir them together with the remaining ingredients until a dough forms…

…roll it out and cut some treats. I just kept it simple with this bone-shaped cutter, but feel free to do something a little less traditional. Maybe use some of those cutters you have out from all those holiday cookies.

Bake the treats for twenty minutes or so.

Let them cool…

…and share with a dog friend. Or a dog nephew, if you’re lucky enough to have one.

Here’s a reminder that I am just a baker. I recommend checking with your vet before adding any new foods to your dog’s diet.

Pumpkin Oat Dog Treats
makes about 20 4-inch treats

2 1/2 cups organic rolled oats
1/2 cup organic pure pumpkin purée
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon natural-style peanut butter
2-3 tablespoons warm water

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Set aside.

In a food processor, grind oats just until there are no visible whole oats. Measure 2 cups and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add pumpkin, coconut oil, peanut butter, and 2 tablespoons water. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to stir until a dough forms. If it appears dry, add 1 tablespoon water.

Roll dough between two sheets of parchment until it reaches 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 4-inch cookie cutter to cut dog treats. Place close together (but not touching) on prepared pan. Re-roll and cut more treats. Bake 20-22 minutes, until starting to turn golden at the edges. Treats will harden as they cool.

Serve treats, making sure to break it into smaller pieces.

Keep treats in an airtight container at room temperature. They may soften slightly over time.