Doggie Recipe #1: Liver Brownies!
Today I decided to try my hand at baking my first homemade dog treat. I based this recipe off of that of a friend’s but tweaked it slightly due to ingredients on hand. It turned out great!
Lip-Smacking Liver Brownies: consistency is like that of meatloaf.
Lip-Smacking Liver Brownies
Ingredients:
- 1.25 pounds of liver
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine ingredients in a food processor; mix until finely chopped. [I put all of the ingredients in a blender and minced them until they were at a thick liquid consistency.]
- Pour into bakeware. [I used a 9″x13″ glass baking pan.]
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the middle is firm.
- Let cool. Cut into small squares appropriate for your dog’s size.
- Store in closed container in the refrigerator.
This size recipe batch easily filled up 2 sandwich-meat storage containers, even after giving the pups their fill of samples!
The result? All 4 dogs LOVED them! When I was preparing these treats, the pups were walking around in the kitchen with their noses up in the air. When they finally got to test them out, they were begging for more and went through every trick in the book to see if something would get them another treat. I will definitely make these again — the ingredients are super affordable, they were quick and easy to make, they are all-natural and high in protein, and every single dog gave them 2 paws up!
"Yes ... give ... us ... the ... liver ... crack ..."
Posted on May 24, 2011, in Doggie Recipes and tagged All Natural, Baking, Cooking, Dog Cookies, Dog Friendly Recipes, Dog Treats, Holistic, Homemade Dog Food, Liver, Liver Brownies, Pet Photography, Pet Portraits, Photography. Bookmark the permalink. 75 Comments.
Live, Bark, Love 
Liver crack…I love it! I feed Sienna all raw and I’ve tried giving her raw liver and she just turns up her nose. But I bet she would love this. And it must be a lot more economical than store bought treats. I wonder if you could dry these out somehow and make them into something like liver jerky? Thanks for posting the recipe
You’re welcome!! Hope Sienna likes them. They are definitely easy on the wallet and our dogs were doing flips for them! I too wonder if they could be dried out and therefore have a longer shelf-life, and that would also make them easier to take on the road for training treats. Let me know if you find anything out, please!
That liver crack looks good enough for humans to eat! They look like light, fluffy, yummy coffee pound cakes.
And how adorable is that picture of all four pups in the kitchen eying those treats? Evee’s tail is still orange I see. 😉
I was definitely tempted to try one based on its looks/smells, but I chickened out haha. And thanks! That picture was so easy to take since the pups wouldn’t let that plate out of their sight. Yes, poor Evee is still repping her Hokie colors, despite getting weird looks and added attention at the dog park. 🙂
I agree. That picture is really adorable! 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
I wonder if it would be worth investing in a food dehydrator just for the doggies. I buy Sienna those dried chicken treats which she loves. They cost $5 a bag and I go through a few bags a month so the dehydrator would probably pay for itself quickly since a bag can’t be more than one chicken breast that has been dehydrated. I checked and they run anywhere from $40 up.
Definitely something to look in to — we buy chicken and duck jerky strips and you’re right, those bags are probably no more than a single dehydrated chicken breast and yet we pay a good chunk of change for them!
Thanks but I never found liver to be that tasty 🙂
Your pups don’t find it tasty or you don’t? I’m too chicken to try it myself …
I love liver myself, although my human family don’t, so I don’t cook it for us very often. You could try it, it’s not unpleasant, you’d be surprised…Might need a bit of seasoning, though…
I’ll let you know when I take the plunge 🙂
KAS you did it again with the picture, what a shot! The liver treats don’t sound bad either. For longer shelf life as several people were talking about you could try smoking them.
Thank you!! I will definitely try smoking them and that would also make them more portable.
Never thought of making my own dehydrated chicken strips — Grace loves those, too, and they are pricy. I found a used dehydrator at a yard sale a few years ago for $5! Would love to hear if anyone has done that for doggie treats. The liver ones sound like they would be tasty and that last picture is proof! So funny! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
You’re welcome! They definitely love them and they have been holding up well in the fridge.
They look delicious even for Human…those look like real cake.
You 4 must be very happy…I should ask mommy to make us another Calcium Jelly soon.
They are very happy, spoiled pups and we love them to death. 🙂
Liver crack…lol. That picture of the four dogs waiting for their treats is fabulous!
They are addicted to it haha! And thanks – I took that picture in one try … they wouldn’t leave the treats out of their sight!
The recipe for dehydrating chicken breast is to start with a cooked breast that is cool enough to handle. Trim away fat to ensure it does not turn rancid. Slice into thin strips (7 to 8 strips per average size breast). Place on baking sheet in 200 degree oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Fantastic — thanks. Does it matter how you cook the chicken? Boil? Bake?
I usually put the chicken breasts in a pot w/a small amount of water (just covering them), bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer until the meat is no longer pink. Allow to cool and proceed with the recipe. As an added bonus, you can freeze the “broth” in ice cube trays for a fun treat for the pups on a hot day.
All sorts of good ideas here. Chicken broth ice cubes! Thanks very much. Grace would probably prefer these liver snacks more than the chicken, but she does like those and it’s great to have something a little different for her.
Thank you! We will certainly have to try these recipe ideas – sound delicious and fairly simple!
Well done, Kas, for giving it a go. I love the looks on your pups’ faces, that’s pretty much what George looks like when it’s baking day around our house! Yummy!
Thanks! It was a quick, easy recipe and the pups acted like it was the equivalent of canine caviar. 🙂
Wow – this sounds like a great recipe! Gus is a huge fan of liver treats, but I never thought about making a homemade version.
I like the limited ingredient list – something simple is always a plus. I’m bookmarking this to try for Gus!
I also like the limited ingredient list, especially since Evee has a list of food allergies. Let me know if you try it and what Gus thinks!
Wow just look at the rapt attention of your dogs!! LOL That’s a *great* picture! (I see Miss Evee is still sporting her little orange tail LOL!)
Your recipe sounds excellent, we’ll have to give it a try.
REALLY love that photo! 😀 Perfect caption too!
Yes, poor Miss Evee still has her Hokie tail haha. And thanks — I love that picture too!! Let me know if you try it and what Daisy thinks of it!
That picture cracks me up. I’ve made peanut butter and corn biscuits for my dogs. Once my wife made “BBQ” an awful mix of ketchup that stunk up the house. Our dogs would love these. Uh oh, now that you’ve posted a recipe I need to figure out a way to post my dogs… hmmmm.
I was looking forward to your reply — and now looking forward to seeing your dogs! 🙂
I can’t wait to see them either! 🙂
I like the sound of peanut butter and corn biscuits. May I ask for the recipe? Would that by any chance be available somewhere on your blog? I think my dog would like these biscuits as an alternative to liver cake. Thanks, Didi.
I haven’t put it on my blog, but I could do that or get you the recipe. Running out now, but won’t forget.
Great, thanks.
You definitely need to make a doggie post now, Rufus! 🙂
That looks really, really good. Mama you better get this recipe. Gotta have me some liver crack! Yeah I’m jonesing for it now!
Opie the snorkie, just hopping by!
Thanks for stopping by, Opie! Hope that you love these treats as much as our pups do!
Woof! Woof! WOWie Delish! Have not tried many treats with liver. My mom says she’ll try it. Happy Wednesday. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
I hope you love these treats, Sugar! 🙂 Tell your mom they are quick and easy to make.
Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome!
Ahhhhhh. Liver crack–I’m strongly recommending my Mom becomes a crack dealer (liver only, please).
😛
Oh Yummy! Mommy makes our dinner food. I wonder if she would make these treats for us!
Mommy! Mommy! Where are you Mommy!
Rrruff
Sam
Hope you like them, Sam, and thanks for stopping by!
oh wow! Cosmo would LOVE these! He can smell them through the ‘puter! haha!
Lol! Definitely let me know if you give them a try.
Oh, these look easy! Easy enough for me, even. Most dog treat recipes are as involved as human recipes, which I am not very good at executing. These look like something I could manage. Thanks for posting!
They were definitely quick and easy to make, even the pups could probably make them haha! You’re welcome and hope Danny likes them if you give them a try.
Yum! I can’t stand handling liver — even though, weirdly, I’m one of the few people I know who like to eat it — but I bit the bullet and boiled up a large batch for my dog and then just sliced it up and froze the pieces. My dog loves it! It’s almost time for a new batch, in fact…
Love the pics!
Oooo we will have to try your version as well! Thanks for the idea and glad that you like the pictures.
What a nice, easy recipe! My dogs have a few allergies but in theory I can still change it out I think! Turkey for chicken and rice flour for reg flour!
This recipe is definitely nice for dogs with food allergies, and you could switch it out even further. Hope your version works for you and thanks for stopping by!
You are such a great doggie mommy! My dogs would kill for that kind of food love (really, I think Casey would kill for it). They are so cute waiting for their pieces too.
🙂 They are my fur-babies, as I lovingly call them.
Those look so good, I almost want to eat them myself… I said almost!
Thanks for the recipe. We have a big agility weekend coming up and I think I may need this!
I was also thinking that they would be great for agility trials, especially since the liver smell would stay on your hands and possibly entice your dog to recall quicker at the end of the course (Evee likes to visit the judges sometimes … lol). Hope they work for you and thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I shall have to see about chicken livers. ICK!
They aren’t too bad to handle and I know some people that love to eat them … maybe I will be brave enough to try them myself one day!
Wow, they look super yummy!! Not surprised you got so much attention in your house for those!!
I wish my Mum would make them, not sure if she’ll be brave enough with liver though, doh!!
Your pal Snoopy 🙂
Our pups love them, Snoops! Even if you never get to try these, I’m sure that you Mum gives you lots of other yummy treats 🙂
Hey kas-
Forgive me if someone already asked this but how long do they keep in the fridge? And can you freeze them?
thanks
* I may try subbing the wheat flour as well with rice flour since Sienna does have allergies
I’ve kept in the fridge now since I made them 2 nights ago and they still seem like I just made them. My friend said they keep in the fridge for 5-7 days but to freeze them if your dog doesn’t finish them in that period of time. I’ll let you know if I try freezing them!
You’ll have no problem freezing them. They’re pretty much like the liver cake I make for George, and that freezes very well. I suggest splitting it into small portions (small enough to last your 1-2 days).
@ Debbie: I can’t see why rice flour wouldn’t work, give it a go and let us know how it turns out.
Thanks! I just split them up into little baggies and stuck them in the freezer. Hope they defrost pretty easily.
They do, if the pieces are small enough. I usually take George’s out in the morning, and they are fully defrosted by lunch-time. Alternatively, you could let them defrost in the fridge overnight.
Thanks for the tips! I tried defrosting some as you said this morning and they were ready to go by noon.
Your liver brownies look like they were a huge hit with all four of your pups! I’m so glad you wrote a post about homemade liver treats because I’ve been meaning to give it a try, as well. Will be shopping for livers this weekend 😀
Let me know if you try it and I hope that Miss Maple LOVES them! 🙂
Kolchak LOVES Liver Brownies. We call them “puggle crack” round these parts. He’ll even eat the rock hard, frozen solid straight from the freezer. He is a nutball! I don’t make them as often as I should, considering howmuch he loves them. I just can’t take that awful liver smell!
Puggle crack — haha! 🙂
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