Doggone delicious pumpkin gummy dog treats. So yum, but also so easy! We love experimenting with interesting dog treat recipes and playing with shapes, designs, layers, and decorations. However, quick, simple, and wholesome is still a go-to for treat making, even in our dog treat crazy kitchen. Like this easy recipe for making homemade pumpkin gelatin gummy dog treats. Let’s dig into the recipe and variations.
Go-To Gummies
I started making gummies to actively add gelatin to our dogs’ diet, essentially, turning our supplements into treats. Guilt free snacks! Our dogs love them and can I feel good about giving them a treat or two. Gummies are also super simple to make. Pawfect! We almost always have gummy dog treats in the fridge. They’re often just simple stock gummies (one of my go-to treats), either plain or boosted with spices and herbs. Every now and then, I’ll make them with pureed fruits or veggies. And on rare occasions, I like to get a little crazy and creative just for fun! We’ve used pumpkin in gummy treats before, including our layered Pumpkin Pie Gelatin Gummy Dog Treats and Pumpkin Spice Latte Gelatin Gummy Dog Treats, but this recipe brings it back to basics for those of you wanting a simple healthy pumpkin treat.
Pumpkin for Pups
Pumpkin is delicious and nutritious, and can be a good addition to the diet both for people and dogs. As with all foods and treats, moderation is important though. Pumpkin is a vitamin-rich high-fibre food that can help with weight management and healthy digestion, including soothing both diarrhoea and constipation. But consuming too much can throw the digestive system out of balance and create issues.
Unlike the many dog-friendly fruits and veggies my foraging beasts nibble in our garden, pumpkin is best shared cooked. As I’ve mentioned in past posts, I like to roast entire pumpkins and then freeze the cooked pumpkin for future use. Alternatively, you can cook extra when making meals or save unseasoned leftovers. Check out our post on preparing fruits and vegetables for dogs for more handy kitchen hints.
Pumpkin Gelatin Gummy Dog Treat Recipes
Gelatin Gummy Dog Treats with Stock and Pureed Pumpkin
We’ve included two pumpkin gummy treat recipe methods below. These give you example adaptations on how the basic gummy recipe cand be adjusted depending on how pumpkin-rich you’d like your treats and/or if your pumpkin needs a little extra liquid to puree smoothly. See the tips and tricks at the end of the post for more gummy-making info and pet chef help links.
Making Pumpkin Gelatin Gummy Dog Treats
These pumpkin gummies were made using food moulds (affiliate link) as individual shaped treats, but they can also be made as set-and-slice treats in a pan. The process is the same for either method, other than slicing of course.
Treat Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup cool unsalted unseasoned stock or water (or alternative dog-friendly liquid)
- 3 tbsp quality powdered gelatin
- 1/2 cup of cooked pureed pumpkin
This recipe can be easily adjusted to use more liquid and less pumpkin if you prefer, just keep the total liquid/puree ratio at 1 cup per 3 tbsp of gelatin. Need a little help? See the alternative method below for a diluted example. More starter liquid can also be easier for blooming. When prepping gelatin for gummies, I like to use a pan instead of a pot, as it’s easier to sprinkle the larger surface area to hydrate and bloom.
Making the Treats:
- Measure the stock into a small pan.
- Sprinkle the surface with gelatin powder.
- Wait and let sit for approximately five minutes or longer for the gelatin powder to bloom / gel.
- Once the gelatin has bloomed, gently stir the mixture over low heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Take care not to shortcut with high temperatures or overheat. Heat can reduce the setting strength of gelatin.
- Remove from heat.
- Measure the pumpkin puree into a suitable container for mixing and pouring. Stir to combine.
- Add your prepared gelatin mixture and stir to thoroughly combine.
- Pour (or spoon) into a glass pan (cut and slice) or silicone moulds (shapes).
- Chill to set.
Making Pumpking Gummy Treats with Additional Liquid
Addiing additional liquid can make the blooming process easier. It’s also a good way to adjust the content to better suit your pumpkin consistency or your pup’s diet. For a lighter treat or if you’d prefer less pumpkin, you can use more blooming liquid and less pumpkin, keeping the total liquid/puree ratio at 1 cup per 3 tbsp of gelatin. Alternatively, if your pumpkin is dry and difficult to puree smoothly, you can dilute your cooked pumpkin with some of the water or stock when your prepping the puree. As an example to illustrate, the following alternative pumpkin gummy dog treat recipe uses 3/4 cup liquid (divided) and 1/4 cup pumpkin.
Treat Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup cool unsalted unseasoned stock or water (or alternative dog-friendly liquid)
- 3 tbsp quality powdered gelatin
- 1/4 cup of cooked pureed pumpkin
- 1/4 cup additional stock or water
Making the Treats:
Gummy Dog Treat Making Tips and Tricks
- See our comprehensive post on making and storing homemade gelatin gummy dog treats for additional information about making gummy treats including helpful gummy making tips, troubleshooting, and safe treat storage.
- These treats should be kept refrigerated and can be frozen for longer storage, although freezing can affect consistency.
- My dogs like gummies in just about any way I can imagine to create for them, including plain, but a tasty boost of stock never goes astray. Read more about stock in our FAQ post on stock for making homemade dog treats.
- In my experience, 3 tbsp of gelatin powder per cup of liquid makes firm gummies. If you prefer, you can use more gelatin for added supplementation or less for a jigglier jelly treat with lower gelatin content. Individual gelatin powders may be a little stronger / weaker. Find a ratio that works for your preferences and, of course, your dog.
Swapping Pumpkin for Other Dog-Friendly Fruits or Veggies
This gummy making approach works with many different dog-friendly vegetables, fruits, or just about anything you might like to puree for a gummy treat. For many other fruits and vegetables, however, I’d probably keep the quantity ratio at 1/4 cup of puree with 3/4 cup water or stock. Pumpkin is something that I’d happily feed my boys as a little cooked cube or small spoonful, but some other fruits or veggies are better shared in smaller portions. Beware that some fruits have enzymes that affect the gelling process. See our introduction to making gummy treats for dogs for tips or check out our other gummy dog treat recipes for inspiration.
For even quicker treats, you can use a ready-made puree, like our Spiced Apple Gelatin Gummy Dog Treats. Just make sure that all of the ingredients are suitable. Many ready-made purees contain sweeteners, salt, or seasonings that aren’t appropriate for pets. You might also like to check out our post on preparing fruits and vegetables for dog foods, toppers, and treats for homemade tips.
Hungry for more tasty treats? There are all sorts of homemade dog treat ideas in our blog archives. You can use the category and tag labels to find other recipes that might be of interest or use our internal search tools to find something specific. Remember, treats (bought or homemade) are for spoiling your pup in moderation. We share ideas from treats that we’ve made ourselves for our pets, but different animals have different preferences (likes/dislikes), just like people. Some pets may have special dietary requirements and/or food allergies/intolerances. If you are ever in doubt or have questions about what’s suitable for your pet, have a chat with your trusted vet.
