Banana bread is a favorite treat for many humans, but it's not a healthy snack for our pets. These treats are a modified version of banana bread for dogs that will add some tasty nutritional benefits to their diet.
Traditional banana bread contains added sugar and some possibly harmful ingredients for your pup, like raisins or nuts. This banana bread recipe for dogs contains banana, obviously, which is high in potassium, fiber, copper, and vitamins.
They also contain peanut butter, which is a great source of protein and healthy fats. I used oat flour in my recipe, but you could also use coconut flour, almond flour or any type of flour that is suitable for your pet's nutritional needs.
If your dog doesn't have any issues with grains, you could use whole wheat flour instead. The best part of making homemade dog treats is that you can cater the recipes to your pet's specific nutritional needs.
Banana Bread for Dogs Baked Treats
My favorite thing about making my own dog treats is that I can choose how healthy the ingredients are. I substitute healthier flour options when possible and buy as many natural, fresh, organic ingredients as I can.
You can also add supplements to your homemade dog treats, like glucosamine and chondroitin. In biscuits like these, I like to add a couple of tablespoons of fish oil. It's great for skin and coat health.
Coconut oil, Vitamin E and pre/probiotics would also be beneficial to add to most dog treats. Just be sure to check with your veterinarian or a canine nutritionist before adding supplements to your pets food or treats.
PrintRecipe: Banana Bread for Dogs Baked Treats
Switching to homemade dog treats will save you time and money, plus you won't have to worry about any artificial ingredients. Did you know that hundreds of pet food products are recalled every year?
Many of these products are treats that are recalled for contamination issues or due to harmful ingredients.
These treats are safe, healthy and suitable for virtually every dog. You can make them small enough to use as training treats or large enough to provide your pup with a midday snack.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: about 72 treats 1x
- Category: Baked Treats
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mashed banana
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 1/2 cups oat flour
- 1 cup grated zucchini
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set it aside.
Mix the mashed banana, peanut butter, eggs and cinnamon together in a mixing bowl until well blended. Add in the flour and zucchini and mix until incorporated.
If the dough is crumbly, you'll need to add more water by the tablespoon. If the dough is sticky, you'll need to add more flour by the tablespoon.
If you'd like, you can transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it out until it's about 1/8″ thick. Using cookie cutters or a knife, cut out designs and place the homemade dog treats on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
If you want to save some time, like me, you can place tablespoon-sized balls of dough on the parchment paper. Press them down until they are about 1/8″ thick.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. The biscuits will turn golden brown when they are finished.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 treat
- Calories: 26
- Sugar: .3 g
- Sodium: 6 mg
- Fat: .9 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.7 g
- Fiber: .6 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
How to store: Store leftover treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 12-14 days. Remember that homemade treats do not have the preservatives that store-bought products do.
These homemade dog treats will not last as long as their commercial counterparts. If you'd like, you can freeze the treats in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
For More Information
We publish many homemade dog food and treat recipes every month. For more recipes, pet food cooking tips, and advice, see our “Recipes” section. If you're new to home-cooked dog food subject, I recommend you read more about “How Much To Feed” to understand serving sizes, “What Supplements To Use” to create well-balanced meals, and “How To Store” for tips on simple and easy homemade dog food storing in a fridge or a freezer.
