Dog Treats to Make for Your BFF

There’s definitely one member of your family who is always happy when you’re at home: YOUR DOG. More attention, more love, more tidbits that fall from the table during all those meals you’re sharing chez vous. There’s no denying it. Your dog had it pretty good during those long months when you were staying at home. So, why not spoil your furry friend just a little bit and make up for all the time you might now be spending away from each other by whipping up a batch of these cheesy dog treats you can make yourself?

Brian Hart Hoffman, the Editor-in-Chief of Bake from Scratch magazine came upon this recipe a few years ago when he joined Chef Mandy Dixon at her family’s Winterlake Lodge in remote Alaska for the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. “While spending time in the kitchen with Mandy,” Brian explains, “she showed me her super simple dog treats that she serves to their resort dogs and the dogs passing through on the Iditarod (their lodge is a checkpoint on the race trail). So, when an amazing chef like Mandy creates a gourmet dog treat, how could I not bake it for my Brussels Griffon, Emily?” And Emily is clearly a fan, snarfling up treat after treat whenever she gets the chance.

With her good looks and good taste, Emily has become an “Instagram dog,” which is, according to Brian, “much like an Instagram spouse but with different responsibilities. She was so good (only licked the counter a few times) while I was making the treats and couldn’t wait to be in the photo shoot. She was then rewarded with fresh-baked treats, and has been enjoying them every day since!”

Well, take a look at the all-natural ingredients and you may be tempted to nibble on a few of the crispy, cheesy biscuits yourself! At the very least, these homemade treats are sure to inspire the rapt attention and lasting appreciation of any pup who is lucky enough to receive them. And, given the steadfast devotion and happy companionship of our canine pals delivered during an unusual time, a special treat is certainly well deserved.

Winterlake Lodge Dog Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2½ cups (11 oz./315 g.) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (3.5 oz./100 g.) shredded Cheddar or provolone cheese
• ½ cup (4 oz./120 g.) beef stock
• ¼ cup (2 oz/60 g.) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 medium eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lightly spray with oil.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cheese, stock, and melted butter. Stir in eggs, and shape dough into a ball. On a floured surface, knead dough until smooth and shiny. (The dough will be sticky. You might need to add more flour as you knead it.) Roll dough to ½-inch thickness. Using a bone-shaped cookie cutter, cut out the dough. Place on prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.