Pictures & Pawprints: Sugar Paws

Fall and winter are my favorite times of year to bake up a storm. One thing I will miss dearly this year is the annual cookie exchange that I've been hosting for the last 3 years with my girlfriends back in Tampa. My beloved KitchenAid mixer gets quite a workout come November! Over the summer, my mom bought me a set of dog bone shaped cookie cutters so I've been baking for Penny (and her friends) lately. A few weeks ago, I discovered a new store in the mall here called Sur La Table (which I could have spent all day in) and they had this ridiculously huge display of every shaped cookie cutter you can think of (martini shaped cookies, anyone?). They had some pet-related ones so I scooped up a dog house and a squirrel. This weekend, I whipped up a batch of pumpkin peanut butter dog cookies for Penny and her 2 friends, Winston and Mia.

The recipe is pretty simple, for those of you who want to whip these up for your pups.

Peanut Butter "Pupkin" Cookies

Ingredients:

- 2 1/2 cups of whole wheat or white flour (I prefer whole wheat)

- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin

- 2 large eggs

- 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter

- 1 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients and mix well with electric mixer. Roll out no more than 1/2" thick. Cut into shapes and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 25 minutes (I prefer to use parchment paper on my cookie sheets - easier cleanup!). Cool completely on wire racks before giving to your pup.

*You can also add 1/2 cup of oats too, if you choose. If you do, be sure to add an additional 1/4 cup of pumpkin so the mixture will be easier to work with.