5 Tasty Liver Treats You Can Make at Home

Though liver is something of an acquired taste in human cuisine, dogs just can’t seem to get enough of it. It’s believed that the high amounts of protein, vitamins, and essential nutrients make it an absolutely irresistible treat to our furry friends, and a healthy one at that! If making homemade dog treats is your thing, it’s worth giving liver dog treat recipes a shot! 

On that note, here are five Dog Bakery-approved liver dog treat recipes you can make at home!

Picture Credits: Allrecipes

This liver dog treat recipe from Allrecipes can be made with either beef or chicken liver, so feel free to experiment and figure out what your pup likes best! Requiring only a few readily available ingredients and 30 minutes of time, this recipe makes about 50 treats, so your pup will be able to enjoy delicious homemade snacks for days! Don’t worry–they’ll save just fine in the fridge!

Ingredients

•  1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ pound beef or chicken liver
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and grease a baking pan.
2. Rinse and trim the liver.
3. Finely chop the oats in a food processor, then transfer them to a mixing bowl and add in the flour. Chop the liver in the food processor until a fine paste is formed, then add the eggs and oil and blend until fully incorporated. 
4. Add the liver mixture to the flour mixture and stir until fully combined.
5. Spoon the mixture into the baking pan, and bake for 30-40 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve!

2. Homemade Chicken Liver Meatballs

Picture Credits: Pawsome Recipes

These delicious, meaty homemade chicken liver dog treats from Pawsome Recipes are the perfect new snack to capture your pup’s interest. Taking cues from human cuisine, these meatballs feature spinach and parsley to keep things interesting. Each and every bite will provide them with a delicious burst of meaty and herby flavors that’ll leave them wanting another one!

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken liver
• 1 cup spinach
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 1 egg
• ½ cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

1. Rinse and dry the chicken liver.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the chicken liver, and cook it until browned.
3. Combine the chicken livers with the spinach, parsley, egg, yeast, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse the mixture until smooth.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, add the flour, and stir until fully incorporated.
5. Roll the dough into small balls, taking into consideration the size of your pup when doing so. Place the formed meatballs onto a lined baking sheet.
6. Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until golden brown.
7. Remove the meatballs from the oven, allow them to cool completely, and serve!

3. Liver, Blueberry, and Potato Dog Treats

Picture Credits: Dorothy Reinhold

This recipe, courtesy of the Idaho Potato Commission, takes a different direction than most other beef liver dog treats. Instead of focusing entirely on the meaty flavors of the liver, it also throws the fresh, fruity flavors of blueberries into the equation. Naturally, they’re sure to be an instant favorite with your pup, and the healthy dose of antioxidants provided by the blueberries will help keep your furry friend healthy!

Ingredients

•  5 ounces cooked potatoes (allow them to cool before using.)
• ½ pound beef liver
• 1 egg
• ½ cup blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with tinfoil, then grease using nonstick cooking spray.
2. If you haven’t already, cook the potatoes and set them aside to cool. Once they’re cool, cut them into small chunks.
3. Chop the liver into small chunks, then place it in a blender or food processor along with the egg, blueberries, and potatoes and blend until a smooth paste forms.
4. Pour the mixture into the baking pan and bake it for 50 minutes.
5. Remove the treats from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Then, cut the treats into small, bite-sized pieces and serve!

4. Soft Chicken Liver Dog Treats

Picture Credits: WaggaBelly

This quick and easy liver dog treat recipe comes from WaggaBelly, and only requires two simple ingredients: whole wheat flour and chicken liver. All you have to do is blend the two ingredients, bake them, and let your pup have a taste! The result is a meaty, chewy, and protein-packed homemade dog treat your pup will love! With such an easy process and such a great result, this recipe is perfect for you and Fido alike!

Ingredients

• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup chicken liver 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add both ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse them until smooth. 
3. Evenly distribute the mixture into a mini-square silicone mold, removing any excess.
4. Place the mold on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the treats from the oven and allow them to cool completely, then serve!

5. Dehydrated Liver Training Treats

Picture Credits: House that Barks

By far the simplest of these five recipes, House that Barks’ dehydrated liver training treats require almost no work on your end, but your pup will still absolutely love them! As the name suggests, they make an excellent bribe when training your dog, with similar recipes even used by professional dog trainers. Whether you’re trying to teach your pup something new or just want to give them a fun treat, give this recipe a shot!

Ingredients

• 1 pound liver of choice 

Instructions

1. Thinly slice the liver.
2. Place the sliced liver on a dehydrator tray, and dehydrate it for about 6 hours.
3. If necessary, break the dehydrated liver treats into smaller pieces, and serve!

If you’re looking for homemade dog treat recipes using interesting ingredients, check out our blog on homemade pumpkin dog treats!

Rocky Kanaka

Rocky Kanaka is an entrepreneur, pet rescue advocate and dog dad to a rescue boxer named Flip, a blind Cane Corso called Kobe, and a terrier mix named Zoey. He’s also a pet chef and owner of The Dog Bakery, which specializes in dog birthday cakes and fresh baked dog treats. His three dogs can’t get enough of the dog cakes and treats!

Lorna Ladd

Lorna Paxton Ladd is a passionate dog lover and enthusiast of The Dog Bakery. She loves spoiling her 3 rescue dogs with dog cakes and jerky. A 15 year veteran in the pet industry, her aim is to educate pet parents on the best recipes, products, tips and tricks to optimize the human/canine bond. Her favorite product at The Dog Bakery are the customizable dog birthday cakes.