These easy Homemade Dog Treats are made with some of your favorite banana bread and zucchini bread ingredients, but healthy for your fur baby!
Things I never thought I’d hear as a parent: “Mom, can I taste one of the dog treats?”
Although clearly that’s better than several years ago when I actually had to say, “Haley, please don’t put toothpaste in your brother’s ear.”
To be fair, these Homemade Dog Treats could totally be eaten by humans – they’ve got some of your favorite banana bread and zucchini bread ingredients!
Are these homemade dog treats safe?
Yes! These treats only contain banana, natural unsweetened almond butter (or peanut butter), eggs, oat flour, zucchini, and a tiny bit of cinnamon – all safe for dogs.
- Bananas are a natural source of Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. They also contain magnesium and are high in fiber. Vets sometimes recommend them as a treat because they are rich in potassium and low in sodium and cholesterol.
- Nut and Seed Butters such as Peanut butter, Almond butter, and Sunflower butter can be an excellent source of vitamins and protein for dogs. Make sure they are raw and natural, unsalted and unsweetened, and free of any flavors and xylitol, which is a sugar substitute that can be toxic to dogs.
- Eggs are safe for dogs as long as they are fully cooked. Cooked eggs are a wonderful source of protein and can help an upset stomach.
- Oat flour is made from old-fashioned oats, which is safe for dogs. Plain, unflavored oatmeal provides some vitamins and minerals, and has a lot of fiber, making it a great for dogs with bowel irregularity issues. It’s also a great alternative to wheat flour, which a lot of dogs are allergic to.
- Zucchini is a healthy squash that’s mild in flavor and very low in calories. It’s very safe for dogs.
- Cinnamon is non-toxic to dogs. A little ground cinnamon in baked goods is safe.
Nobody knows your dog like you do, though, and not all dogs digest human food the same. Use your best judgement and as with any treat, feed in moderation.
How To Store Homemade Dog Treats
After baking, make sure they have completely cooled – I mean 100% cooled! Even the tiniest amount of residual warmth in the treats can cause condensation once they’re placed in a container or bag. This will make the treats soggy and cause them to spoil quicker.
Since these treats are dry, crunchy, and do not contain meat or fish, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days, the refrigerator for 4 weeks, and in the freezer for up to 4 months. (Always look at the treat before giving it to your dog; if it looks at all soggy, discolored, or moldy, don’t feed it to him and throw the remainder out.)
This is a great article about homemade dog treat storage, which gives more information about how ingredients, cooling, and where you live all play a part.
These Banana Zucchini Bread Dog Treats are fully baked at 18 minutes, but I baked them for 20 minutes to get them a little crunchier.
You can increase the crunch-factor even further after the 18 minute mark by turning off the oven, opening the door a crack, and leaving the treats inside while the oven cools down for about 30 minutes. Allowing them to cool on a wire rack makes them crispier, too.
Also keep in mind that these treats will get crunchier after they’ve cooled completely.
And who says dogs should have all the fun! Check out this Zucchini Bread recipe and Banana Bread recipe for humans!
Other Homemade Dog Treats To Make!
- Pineapple Pupsicles
- Carrot Cake Homemade Dog Treats
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Banana Zucchini Bread Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mashed banana (about 2 small bananas)
- 1/4 cup almond butter or peanut butter (raw and natural, unsalted and unsweetened, and free of any flavors and xylitol)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 3 1/2 cups oat flour (plus more for dusting)
- 1 cup grated zucchini
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the banana, almond butter, eggs, and cinnamon together until blended.
- Add in the oat flour and zucchini until just incorporated. (If you pinch a piece and it crumbles, add a little water. If it’s really sticky, you’ll need to add a little more oat flour, 1/4 cup at a time and not exceeding 1/2 cup. You want the dough slightly tacky, but not overly.)
- Transfer the dough to a surface lightly sprinkled with oat flour and knead 3-4 times until it comes together.
- Using a rolling pin sprinkled with oat flour, roll out the dough to a 1/4-1/2-inch thickness.
- Using cookie cutters, cut out the desired shapes and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Place in the oven and bake until the treats are dry and edges are golden, about 18-20 minutes.
- Let cool completely.
Notes
- If you don't want to buy oat flour, you can easily make it! Using a food processor, grind up 5 cups of old fashioned oats until your reach a powder like consistency, much like regular flour.
- These are crunchy once completely cooled. You can increase the crunch-factor even further after they're done cooking by turning off the oven, opening the door a crack, and leaving the treats inside while the oven cools down for about 30 minutes. Allowing them to cool on a wire rack makes them crispier, too.
- Baking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the treats. Serving size will also vary depending on the desired shapes and cookie cutters used.
- For storage: After baking, make sure they have completely cooled - I mean COMPLETELY. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days, the refrigerator for 4 weeks, and in the freezer for up to 4 months. (Always look at the treat before giving it to your dog; if it looks at all soggy, discolored, or moldy, don't feed it to him and throw the remainder out.)
- Nobody knows your dog like you do, and not all dogs digest human food the same. Use your best judgement and as with any treat, feed in moderation.
I made these today for my dogs and they loved them! I taste tested and thought they were good as well….more like the taste of a cracker. Thanks for the great recipe!
Great recipe! Easy to make! I used silicone molds instead of rolling and cutting. Worked perfectly! Baked 20 min
My dog loved them!
hehe, so healthy and funny to make this one!!!
My kids (and I) would love them.