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March Madness Sweet Potato Dog Treats

sweet potato dog treats

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March Madness is here. If you and your dog love basketball, our recipe will be a slam dunk. It contains healthy and tasty ingredients that your dog will love. Homemade dog treats have many benefits for your furry friend, including the ability to customize the ingredients for allergy or dietary needs. We know your dog will enjoy these sweet potato dog treats.

Plus, they are basketball shaped so they will be perfect to make for the March Madness basketball games.

Sweet Potato Dog Treats

Prep: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yields: 9 treats

Servings: 9

sweet potato dog treat

Ingredients for sweet potato dog treats:

  • 1 cup brown rice flour + 5 tablespoons (see note)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • ½ cup baked sweet potato
  • 1 tablespoon water

Tools needed:

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Whisk
  • Silicone spatula
  • Measuring cups
  • Tablespoon
  • Cutting board
  • Cookie sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Rolling pin
  • Cookie cutter

Cooking instructions:

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Measure ½ cup of baked sweet potato and set aside. Be sure the skin has been removed.
  • Add the 1 cup + 5 tablespoons of flour to a large mixing bowl.
  • In a separate smaller bowl, beat the egg with a whisk and then add it to the large mixing bowl.
  • Using a spatula, mix the egg and dry ingredients. Add the sweet potato and molasses to the mixture and fold it in until it’s well incorporated.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix well. You want the dough to be moist but not too wet. Depending on the type of flour you use, you may need to add more. If needed, you can add more flour in one tablespoon increments until the dough has reached a perfect consistency.
  • Once the dough is mixed well, form the dough into a ball with your hands.
  • Line a cutting board (or you can use your counter) with parchment paper. Place the ball of dough in the middle of the parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top.
  • Lightly dust the parchment paper with flour. Put a small dusting of flour on top of the dough ball.
  • Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to ¼ inch thick.
  • Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place them on the cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 35 minutes (you can bake for longer if you want a crunchier treat).
  • For a crunchier treat, take the cookies out at 30 minutes and flip them over. Return them to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
  • Set aside to cool. Once they are fully cooled, store them in an airtight container.
  • Make sure you let your pup taste test once the treats are cool.
  • These treats break apart very easily so they are perfect for dogs of all sizes. You can break them into smaller pieces depending on the size of your dog.
  • Feed them to your pup within about a week.

Notes:

We used ½ cup of brown rice flour and 5 tablespoons of cassava flour. You can use all brown rice, or all cassava flour for a grain-free dog treat. Wheat flour can also be substituted.

Sweet potato dog treats for your dog

sweet potato dog treats

We hope you enjoy making these sweet potato dog treats for your pup. Homemade dog treats can provide better nutrition for your dog without all the added ingredients that can be unhealthy. Below we’ll talk about some of the benefits of adding sweet potatoes to your dog’s diet.

If you plan to make more homemade dog treats, make sure you download our “What Can Dogs Eat” list of foods that are safe and unsafe for dogs to eat.

Sweet potatoes are a great addition to your dog’s diet. Be sure to feed them to your dog cooked and with the skin removed. Getting organic sweet potatoes is best to avoid pesticides and fertilizers that are on non-organic foods.

You can steam, bake or boil sweet potatoes for your pup. Pro tip: use a pressure cooker to cook your sweet potatoes in faster time. Don’t feed raw sweet potatoes to your dog, they are hard to digest and could cause intestinal blockage.

Sweet potatoes contain a hefty dose of antioxidants and fiber. Antioxidants contain anti-inflammatory properties and can protect against cancer. Cooked sweet potatoes are also very gentle on the digestive system and can help dogs with digestive issues.

Benefits of sweet potatoes for your dog

orange sweet potatoes
  • High in vitamin A
  • Great source of fiber
  • Low in fat
  • A healthy dose of calcium, protein, and iron
  • Dogs love the taste

The most common variety of sweet potato has orange flesh. This is because it contains the pigment beta-carotene. When ingested, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A by the body. This is why sweet potatoes are such a good source of vitamin A. Dogs need vitamin A for healthy skin, coat, and vision. Vitamin A also supports your dog’s muscle strength and immune system.

When you’re shopping for sweet potatoes at the store, be sure to buy sweet potatoes and not yams. They are not the same root vegetable. Yams have more starch and aren’t very sweet. Sweet potatoes offer more nutrition and water content than yams.

You can look for Beauregard, jewel, and garnet sweet potatoes in the produce section at your grocery store. You might also find more unique varieties of sweet potatoes including Japanese, hannah, and purple.

Japanese sweet potatoes have purple skin and white flesh inside. They are a rich source of antioxidants and vitamins much like the orange variety of sweet potatoes.

japanese sweet potatoes

Purple sweet potatoes have purple skin and purple flesh inside. They are just as tasty as other varieties of sweet potatoes plus they contain an antioxidant called anthocyanin.

This antioxidant is great for the immune system and provides anti-inflammatory properties that will benefit the overall health of your dog. Anthocyanin is a pigment that is responsible for the beautiful purple color of purple sweet potatoes and other vegetables including red cabbage.

Hannah sweet potatoes have white flesh and white skin. Like other sweet potato varieties, they contain a healthy dose of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and iron.

While sweet potatoes are a healthy addition to your dog’s diet, keep in mind that they are considered a starchy root vegetable which means they have a high carbohydrate content.

Carbohydrates are a healthy and necessary part of a good diet. They provide your dog with an energy boost. But they also turn to sugar in the body so they should be consumed in moderation.

Sweet potatoes in baked treats or baked and added to your dog’s food occasionally would be the perfect way to add this healthy addition to your dog’s diet. The best season to find good quality sweet potatoes is Fall and Winter, though they can be found in most grocery stores all year round.

Always check with your vet before adding new foods to your dog’s diet.

Sweet potatoes are delicious and both you and your dog might want to add them to your diet! You can start by making these yummy sweet potato dog treats for your pup!

sweet potato dog treats

Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to Dog Life Mag at no cost to you if you decide to purchase the product or service. You can read our full affiliate disclosure in our privacy policyThis site is not intended to provide financial advice or replace your veterinarian’s recommendations and is for entertainment only. Please check with your veterinarian first before giving your pet any medication, treatment, or new foods and we recommend following your veterinarian’s recommendations. 

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