Grain-free dog cookies are easy to bake at home with chickpea flour or coconut flour instead of wheat or oats. Below are two simple grain free dog treat recipes, crunchy peanut butter pumpkin cookies and soft banana coconut cookies, with calories per cookie and how many to give by weight. We’ll also clear up a common question: grain-free treats are fine for most dogs, but the debate about grain-free diets is about full meals, not occasional cookies.
Recipes: chickpea flour peanut butter pumpkin cookies, coconut flour banana cookies • Prep: 15 minutes • Cook: 15–25 minutes • Yield: about 40 and 30 cookies • Difficulty: easy • Storage: 1 week airtight, 2 weeks in the fridge, 3 months frozen
Check your peanut butter label: it must not contain xylitol.
Table of Contents
Best Flours for Homemade Grain Free Dog Treats
Grain-free baking swaps wheat, oats, rice and corn for flours made from legumes, nuts, coconut or root vegetables. Each behaves a little differently:
| Flour | How It Bakes | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Chickpea (garbanzo) flour | Sturdy, rolls out like wheat dough | Easiest swap; slightly earthy taste dogs don’t mind |
| Coconut flour | Very absorbent; soft, cakey cookies | Use about a quarter as much as other flours, plus extra egg or liquid |
| Tapioca or potato starch | Light, binds well | Best mixed with another flour |
| Almond flour | Rich and crumbly | High in fat; use only in small amounts |
Note that oats are naturally gluten-free but are a grain, so they don’t belong in a grain-free recipe. If you only need wheat-free or gluten-free cookies, our oatmeal dog treats work well.
Recipe 1: Grain Free Dog Biscuit Recipe With Chickpea Flour
Grain-Free Chickpea Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two trays with parchment.
- Whisk the pumpkin, peanut butter and egg until smooth.
- Stir in the chickpea flour until a firm dough forms. Add water a spoonful at a time if crumbly.
- Roll to 1/4 inch between parchment sheets and cut into 1 1/2-inch shapes.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes until firm and golden at the edges. Leave in the switched-off oven an hour for extra crunch.
Notes
The batch is about 1,020 calories, so each cookie has roughly 26 calories.
Recipe 2: Soft Coconut Flour Banana Cookies
This grain free dog cookie recipe needs just four ingredients and no rolling pin.
Soft Coconut Flour Banana Dog Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix the banana, eggs and coconut oil, then stir in the coconut flour. Let it sit 5 minutes to thicken.
- Roll into about 30 small balls and flatten with a fork on a lined tray.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes until set.
Notes
Each cookie has about 20 calories. Coconut is fatty, so this one isn’t ideal for dogs with a history of pancreatitis.
How Many Grain-Free Cookies Can My Dog Have?
Keep all treats under roughly a tenth of daily calories:
| Dog’s Weight | Daily Treat Budget | Chickpea Cookies (26 kcal) | Coconut Cookies (20 kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | ~35 kcal | 1 | 1-2 |
| 25 lb (11 kg) | ~70 kcal | 2 | 3 |
| 50 lb (23 kg) | ~115 kcal | 4 | 5 |
| 75 lb (34 kg) | ~160 kcal | 6 | 7 |
Our estimates for neutered adult dogs, using USDA FoodData Central ingredient values and the WSAVA 10% treat guideline. Break cookies in half for small dogs.
Are Grain-Free Treats Safe? The DCM Question
Since 2018, the FDA has investigated reports of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a heart disease, in dogs eating certain diets, many of them grain-free and high in peas, lentils or other legumes. The research is still ongoing, and no cause has been proven. The concern relates to complete diets eaten every day, not an occasional homemade cookie.
Most dogs don’t need to avoid grains at all; true grain allergies are uncommon. If you’re choosing grain-free for a food allergy, talk to your vet about a proper diet trial. Our dog food allergies guide explains how it works.
Storage
- Crunchy chickpea cookies: up to 1 week in an airtight jar, 2 weeks in the fridge.
- Soft coconut cookies: fridge for up to 5 days because they hold more moisture.
- Freezer: both keep about 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Throw out any cookie that smells off or shows mold.
Swaps and Variations
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Peanut butter | Extra pumpkin or mashed sweet potato (peanut-free) |
| Pumpkin | Unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana |
| Egg | 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water |
| Chickpea flour | Half tapioca starch, half coconut flour (use less liquid) |
Looking for more ideas? See our dog biscuit recipe and sweet potato dog treats.
Do most dogs need grain-free treats? No. Grain allergies are uncommon; grain-free is only needed for specific dogs.
Should owners worry about DCM from grain-free cookies? Occasional treats aren't the concern; the questions are about complete diets fed every day.
Any ingredient to avoid? Xylitol in nut butters, and too much fat from almond flour or coconut oil.
— Dr. Sarah Miller, DVM
Grain-Free Dog Cookies: Quick Guide
✓ Do
- Use chickpea or coconut flour
- Check nut butters for xylitol
- Count cookies in the daily treat budget
- Store soft cookies in the fridge
✕ Don’t
- Assume grain-free means healthier
- Add sugar, chocolate or raisins
- Use lots of almond flour or oil
- Feed raw dough
Every dog is different. Dogs with allergies, pancreatitis or heart disease should get their vet’s okay first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are grain-free dog cookies healthier?
Not automatically. They’re a good choice for dogs that need to avoid grains, but most dogs digest grains well. Calories and ingredient quality matter more than the grain-free label.
Is gluten free the same as grain free?
No. Gluten-free recipes can include oats or rice; grain-free recipes avoid all grains.
Can I use almond flour for dog cookies?
A little is fine, but almond flour is high in fat and calories. Never use other nuts, like macadamias, which are toxic to dogs.
Do grain-free treats cause heart disease?
There’s no evidence that occasional grain-free treats cause DCM. The FDA investigation focused on complete grain-free diets fed long term.
Can puppies have grain-free cookies?
Yes, in tiny pieces once they eat solid food. Count them toward your puppy’s daily calories.
Why is my coconut flour dough so dry?
Coconut flour soaks up a lot of liquid. Let the dough rest a few minutes, then add a spoonful of water or another egg if needed.
Find your next bake in our homemade dog treats guide, sorted into baked, frozen, meaty and holiday recipes.
The Bottom Line
Grain-free dog cookies are easy with chickpea or coconut flour, pumpkin, banana and egg. They’re a handy option for dogs avoiding grains, but they aren’t automatically healthier, and the grain-free diet debate concerns full meals rather than treats. Keep portions within the treat budget and skip xylitol, sugar and toxic nuts. Find more recipes in our Homemade Treats section. This article is general information, not veterinary advice; see our Veterinary Disclaimer.
References & Sources
Written by CPD Nutrition Desk using the sources below. We are not affiliated with these organizations, and this guide is not a substitute for advice from your veterinarian.
- WSAVA — Feeding treats to your dog v2
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration — FDA has investigated