One of the very first recipes that I developed, Smiley Face dog cookies are cute as a button and a great dog cookie recipe for kids to make.
But don’t be mistaken. These cute cheese flavored Smiley Face dog cookies are not just for kids and dogs. You will love making them too!
Made from healthy whole grains, Parmesan cheese and soy bacon bits, these dog treats are as healthy as they are cute!
Originally my idea was to make the smile from millet or sunflower seeds. However, when I experimented a bit, I found that they fell off the cookies pretty quickly.
So, to solve that problem, now I just use a sharp knife to cut the smile. It looks just fine, and the smile stays in place.
The Smiley Face’s eyes are puppy dog food. I use the Costco brand.
Make sure that you press them firmly in place, and they will stay put, after they are baked. Otherwise, they also have a tendency to fall off the cookie.
Tip: You can make the eyes stick even better by brushing egg white or beaten egg white onto the dog cookie before you put the eyes in place. If you do this, it will also make your dog cookies a bit shiny, as well. Bakers often do this to the top of a loaf of bread or rolls.
If you prefer, you can substitute real bacon bits for the soy bacon bits. Try it both ways to see which your dog likes best!
A Kid Friendly Recipe or Home School Activity
Smiley Dog Treat Cookies are quite easy to make. Once you have mixed the dough, it would be very easy and an enjoyable activity for your children on a rainy or snowy Saturday afternoon.
Having raised 5 children, I was always grateful for a way to pass the time pleasantly when everyone was forced to be inside.
Baking dog cookies certainly makes a day go by fast.
Hope you enjoy this recipe… If you have fun with these happy Smiley Face dog cookies, please browse through my other healthy dog cookie recipes and try them as well.
Don’t buy a bread machine until you’ve seen my tips on what to look for, and my reviews!
Ingredients for Smiley Face Dog Cookies
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup white flour
- ½ cup oat flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese powder
- 2 tablespoons soy bacon bits or real bacon bits (dried)
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon dry milk
Directions
- Place all the ingredients in your bread maker.
- Set the bread maker for the dough cycle.
- When the dough is finished, remove it and divide it into thirds.
- Roll each ball of dough into a sheet that is ¼” thick.
- Cut circles that are about 1 ½” to 2” across. I use a biscuit cutter for this. If you don’t have one, you can use a small glass. Dip the cutter or glass in flour in between cuts so that the dough doesn’t stick to it.
- Place the smiley face circles on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
- Put puppy dog food circles on each face where the eyes should go.
- Taking a sharp knife, gently cut the smile into each circle face.
- Bake the dog treats for about 45 minutes at 300 degrees F. Check frequently to make sure that they don’t get too brown.
- Turn off the oven and let the dog cookies dry in the oven for several hours or overnight. When completely done, they will be dry and crisp.
Smiley Face dog cookies is one of those healthy dog treat recipes that can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for about a month.
