What could be easier than one bowl oat and banana dog treats, simple no mixer, no fuss, no separate bowls for wet and dry, just mash, stir, and bake. Soft enough for older dogs and easy to adjust.
The first batch I made looked uneven, slightly wonky, and smelled like warm porridge. The dog didn’t care. He ate three before I’d even cleared the baking tray. I stopped worrying about what they looked like, and have kept making them. You should try too, here’s how to make them.
Why Oats and Banana Work Together
Bananas are sticky when mashed. Oats absorb moisture and create texture. You don’t need eggs or oil to make these hold together, though you can add them if you want a richer bake. The banana does most of the binding work on its own.
Oats settle easier in most dogs’ stomachs. They’re mild, digestible, and don’t usually trigger sensitivities the way wheat-heavy treats sometimes do. If your dog is around the point where age starts affecting digestion, usually somewhere past middle age, which you can check roughly using the Dog Years to Human Years Calculator, oats tend to be gentler than a lot of other options.
Bananas bring natural sweetness without added sugar. Dogs respond to it and banana-based treats are useful to add in for training or settling routines.
The Basic One-Bowl Recipe
This is what I use most often. It makes around twenty small treats, depending on how you portion them.
- Two ripe bananas, mashed until mostly smooth, some lumps are fine, but big chunks won’t distribute evenly.
- Two cups of rolled oats, the kind you’d use for porridge, not instant oats which tend to turn to mush.
- One tablespoon of peanut butter, the unsalted kind with no xylitol or added sweeteners, this is optional but adds flavour and a bit of extra binding.
- A small splash of water if the mixture feels too dry to come together, though most of the time you won’t need it.
Mash the bananas in the bowl first. Stir in the peanut butter if you’re using it. Add the oats and mix until everything clumps together into a thick, sticky dough. If it’s crumbly, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it holds. If it’s too wet, add a handful more oats.
Scoop small spoonfuls onto a lined baking tray. Flatten them slightly with the back of the spoon. They won’t spread much during baking, so whatever shape you give them is roughly what you’ll end up with.
Bake at 180°C for about fifteen minutes. They should be firm on the outside and still slightly soft in the middle when you take them out. They’ll harden as they cool.
How to Tell When They’re Done
The edges should look dry and lightly browned. The tops might still look pale, especially if your oven runs cooler. Press one gently with your finger. If it holds its shape and doesn’t leave a wet imprint, it’s ready.
I usually let them cool on the tray for five minutes, then move them to a wire rack. If you try to lift them too soon, they’ll bend or break. Once they’re fully cool, they firm up properly.
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What to Add and What to Avoid
You can add things to this base recipe, but you don’t need to. It works as it is. If you want to adjust it, these are the safest additions:
- A handful of blueberries, whole or lightly mashed, which adds moisture and a bit of sharpness that some dogs seem to like.
- A teaspoon of ground cinnamon, which smells good when baking and doesn’t upset most dogs in small amounts.
- A tablespoon of unsweetened applesauce instead of water if the dough feels dry, which keeps things soft without thinning the mixture.
- A scoop of plain pumpkin purée, which adds fibre and works well for dogs with sensitive digestion, though it will make the dough wetter so you’ll need to add more oats to compensate.
Avoid anything with chocolate, raisins, grapes, xylitol, macadamia nuts, or excess salt. Check the peanut butter label every time. Some brands have started adding xylitol without making it obvious on the front of the jar.
Storage and How Long They Keep
These don’t have preservatives, so they won’t last as long as shop-bought treats. In an airtight container at room temperature, they’ll stay good for about three days. In the fridge, closer to a week. In the freezer, a couple of months.
I usually make a batch, keep a few days’ worth in a jar on the counter, and freeze the rest in a sandwich bag. They defrost quickly. You can also give them frozen if your dog likes that, which some do in warm weather.
If they start smelling off or developing mould, bin them. Homemade treats spoil faster than you expect, especially in warm or humid conditions.
What Dogs Actually Think of Them
Most dogs eat these without hesitation. They’re not as high-value as meat-based treats, so they won’t always work if you’re trying to recall a dog mid-distraction or reward something difficult. But for general training, post-walk snacks, or just giving your dog something to chew on while you’re busy, they do the job.
Older dogs with dental issues tend to manage these well. They’re soft enough to gum if chewing is uncomfortable, but not so soft that they disintegrate before the dog gets them in their mouth.
Some dogs are fussier about texture. If your dog turns their nose up, try flattening the treats thinner before baking so they come out crispier, or add a bit more peanut butter to make them richer.
Adjustments for Different Dogs
If your dog has a sensitive stomach, leave out the peanut butter and stick to just oats and banana. It’s blander, but it’s also gentler and less likely to cause loose stools.
For dogs that need smaller portions, toy breeds, dogs on weight management, or older dogs with reduced appetites, use a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon to scoop the dough. You’ll get more treats per batch, and each one will be closer to an appropriate size.
If your dog needs grain-free for medical reasons, you can replace the oats with ground almonds or coconut flour, though the texture changes and you’ll likely need to add an egg to hold it together. That moves it away from being a one-bowl recipe, but it’s an option if oats aren’t suitable.
Why Homemade Feels Different
You know exactly what went into them. There’s no guessing about whether the ingredient list matches what’s actually in the packet, no checking for recalls, no second-guessing whether the chicken meal is what it says it is.
It also means you can adjust for what your dog actually needs. Less fat. Softer texture. Smaller size. Whatever works. That control matters more as dogs age and their needs become more specific.
The time it takes is minimal. Twenty minutes from start to finish, including baking. That’s less time than a trip to the pet shop, and you’ll end up with a batch that lasts the better part of a week.
This article is for informational purposes only. For advice specific to your dog always speak to your vet.