I call one of my rescue pups named Tessa “my roley-poley pumpkin muffin.” As silly as that sounds, she inspired me to make a pumpkin muffin my pups can enjoy along with me… and so here’s what love for my furbabies yielded.

This is the base recipe for the pumpkin muffins… It starts out Paleo for those who want that, but can become what you need and crave with the optional swaps.  One version is a pup-friendly option that is super easy!  This makes this a must-have and must-do recipe for any health-conscious dog lover!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups blanched almond flour (sub buckwheat flour or spelt flour for puppy version)

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon each of Ceylon cinnamon and Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt (leave out for puppy version)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/4 cup date paste

1/4 cup unrefined maple syrup ( leave out for puppy version)

3 eggs

1 cup pumpkin mash (from can or fresh if you have the time)

1 teaspoon vanilla or the beans or just the extract

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

options if just for peeps: date crystals, nuts, raisins, chocolate chips.

WHAT TO DO:

1- preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2-sift together dry ingredients (flours of choice, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin piece spice, and salt)

3- mix together with wet ingredients (pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla…and add apple cider last.)

4- fill mini muffin cups or larger… this recipe will make about 24 mini muffins

5- FYI: Almond flour versions take about 21 minutes…test and be sure because they are very moist and may need more time. The buckwheat flour versions will also be about 21+ minutes to bake.  These will rise more like standard muffins and brown easily.

optional: add cup of soaked raisins and chocolate chips.  Leave enough raisins to add garnish atop each muffin or use nuts instead for added texture and decor.

other option: sprinkle date crystals atop each muffin for plain versions like the puppy version to add a bit more natural sweetness.

PUPPY VERSION POINTERS:

It’s important to substitute the almond flour which makes the base recipe a paleo version for people because dogs don’t do well with high fat in their diets.  The coconut oil is a healthy fat and plenty for them.  Plus, just using date paste is sweet enough for some people and definitely enough for pups…and leaving out the salt is very important since less is best for pups.  The puppy version is actually quite delicious and I found myself wanting the doggie version more than the sweeter human-designed version!  Seriously!

Lastly, I love the puppy version using buckwheat flour instead of almond flour… just enough of everything–heartiness, flavor, and health value! It’s a fruit’s seed, not any kind of wheat, so it is gluten free! Here are some other compelling reasons to try it: buckwheat flour benefits .