My Golden was in a rut last summer. She wasn’t touching her store-bought treats, just sniffing them and walking away as if I had personally offended her. I felt stuck.
Yes, girl I know you’ve been there. You’ve wanted to spoil your pup but have you looked at the ingredient lists on some of those packaged treats? It’s like a chemistry exam. Half of what’s in there you can’t even pronounce.
Real talk: Once I started making banana dog treats at home my kitchen smelled like a bakery, my dog was completely losing her mind from excitement, and I knew exactly what was going into the dog treats.
These recipes are stupid simple. No fancy equipment or weird ingredients. Just some really yummy stuff your golden will absolutely devour. These are my favorite healthy dog treats from around the web that you can do with your golden pal.
#1: No-Bake Chocolate & Pistachio Cups (Carrot Base!)
Sooo… Let’s say you are trying to make something that looks Pinterest-worthy, but also doesn’t require you to turn on the oven while your golden is sprawled out on the kitchen floor. (Yea, this is that recipe).
These little cups are made with a chewy carrot-oat base, a glossy dark chocolate top and a scattering of crushed pistachios. They are raw and rich and I love them in the cute polka dot liners.
How to Make Them
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup rolled oats
2. 1 cup grated carrots
3. 3 tbsp maple syrup
4. 2 tbsp almond butter
5. 150g dark chocolate (70%+)
6. 2 tbsp coconut oil
7. ¼ cup crushed pistachios
Place the oat-carrot mixture into each of the 12 muffin liners and pack it down so that the base will hold its shape. In a bowl, melt the chocolate and coconut oil over a double boiler. Pour the chocolate over each muffin liner and let it settle before adding the pistachios. Refrigerate for at least2 hours.
What this means for you: I like the firm base. It makes for a clean bite without crumble chaos.
Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days (although, I have to admit, chilling it overnight helps them snap beautifully).
Prep Time: 15 min | Chill Time: 2 hrs | Serving Size: 12 cups
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @beckasaurus89
#2: Homemade Bone-Shaped Dog Treats With Oats
Your golden is staring at you from the kitchen floor while you make something that’s actually good for her (and she knows it).
What little bone-shaped biscuits are these? They look golden-brown, with a bit of flour over them, and they have a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour (plus extra for dusting)
2. 1 cup rolled oats
3. ½ cup peanut butter (xylitol-free)
4. ½ cup pumpkin purée (unsweetened)
5. 2 eggs
6. ¼ cup water (add more if dough feels stiff)
How To Make Them
I first combine the peanut butter, pumpkin, and eggs. Once those ingredients are fully combined, I add the oats and flour a little at a time, working the dough until it holds together without sticking to your hands.
Roll the pastry out to about ½ inch thick on a floured surface. Cut out the bones using a bone shaped cutter and press down firmly. Arrange them on a wire rack over a piece of parchment paper (this allows air to come from underneath to make them dry out crisp, rather than soft).
Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes and let them cool on the rack completely before giving her one.
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Makes: ~20 treats
And the oats provide us with fiber and slow-burning energy so she is full longer without the 4pm begging frenzy.
Let them cool for longer than you think you need to. An extra 20 minutes on the rack pulls out even more moisture giving you a nice store-bought crunch.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @._esmii._
#3: Peanut Butter Banana Oat Dog Biscuits in a Glass Jar
I’m sure everyone has experienced that moment when their dog stares at them with those cute eyes while they’re eating something? Well, my dog used to do this, and honestly, I felt so guilty throwing away the banana peel.
That’s when I started making them at home, and girl, they are so worth it.
Ingredients:
1. 2 ripe bananas, mashed
2. 2 cups whole wheat flour
3. 1 cup rolled oats
4. ⅓ cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free, always check the label)
5. 2 tablespoons honey
How To Make These Biscuits
Heat oven to 350°F. Mash bananas in a large bowl until very smooth. The riper the better because they will help to bind the cookie dough without adding extra liquid. Then, mix in the peanut butter and honey, and then the oats and flour. Add flour gradually until the dough is firm, but not crumbly. Add flour if dough is sticky.
Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Using a bone shaped cookie cutter, place the biscuits on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Let the biscuits cool completely as warm biscuits can upset the stomach.
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Serves: ~30 biscuits
I like the fact that these use whole oats and banana for the fiber as it means that the golden gets satisfied slower (read happier) for longer.
Storing them in a glass jar, like I have in the photo at the top of this page, you can store them up to two weeks. If you’d like to freeze half of them, they will last up to three months. If you are anything like me and love simple recipes that taste good, then these two ingredient dog treats are great to whip up, especially if you are having a busy week.
And if your pup has a sensitive gut, see if he likes sweet potatoes instead of honey. It’ll work just as well and give him a little extra beta-carotene.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @fidosfavorites
#4: Banana Oat Dog Cookies With a Fresh Banana Slice on Top
This is what your golden is doing to you. She is giving you “that” look. You know the one, she sits right by the kitchen counter and just stares at you.
These little cookies are easy to make and she’s going to lose her mind over them.
Banana Oat Dog Cookies
Ingredients:
1. 1 ripe banana, mashed
2. 1 cup oat flour (or blended rolled oats)
3. 1 tablespoon peanut butter (unsalted, xylitol-free)
4. Fresh banana slices for topping
Let’s Bake These
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mash the banana in a bowl until smooth. You want to use a very ripe banana as it will be nice and sweet. Add the oat flour and peanut butter and mix with a spoon until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more oat flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough is not too sticky. Press the dough flat with a rolling pin until it is about ¼ inch thick. Cut the dough with a cookie cutter in 2 inch rounds. Place a slice of fresh banana on top of the rounds and press down. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes until the edges are firm.
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Makes: ~20 cookies
Not only are they gentle on her sensitive stomach, but the fiber content keeps her digestive system moving. This is the only “treat” that she’s allowed to have every day because it’s that good.
They go perfectly with the other homemade 3-ingredient dog treats. You can put out a little treat station.
Make sure they cool completely before serving or they will crumble and not have that satisfying crunch she’ll come to expect.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @pansinopets
#5: Peanut Butter Banana Oat Dog Treats
Your dog is lying next to you in the kitchen, tail going a million miles a minute, staring right at the counter. She knows something good is about to happen.
These bars are made with such simple ingredients that you probably have on hand…mashed banana, rolled oats, and peanut butter. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 25 minutes | Serving Size: ~24 bone-shaped treats
Ingredients:
1. 2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
2. 1 cup peanut butter (xylitol-free — always check the label)
3. 3 cups rolled oats, ground into flour using a food processor
How To Make These (The Fun Part)
Preheat your oven to 350F. Toss your 3 cups of oats into a food processor and pulse until you get a coarse flour – doesn’t need to be perfect, a bit of texture is good for these.
In a LARGE Pyrex measuring cup (or something else big) mash up your bananas until they are smooth-ish. Add your 1 cup of peanut butter and stir it all together until it looks like thick dough. This will be a little sticky, which is okay.
Fold in oat flour a little at a time. The dough should pull away from the side of the bowl when ready. If the dough is too sticky, add oats one tablespoon at a time.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Cut into bone shapes using a cookie cutter (or don’t and just cut them into squares, your dog will not care).
Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the edges go golden. Let them cool on the rack (it takes a while) – the fully cooled biscuits get a bit crunchier, which helps clean your dog’s teeth a little when she chews on them.
The oats give them a slow-burning energy source, the peanut butter adds healthy fat for a glossy coat, and the banana adds natural sweetness so you don’t have to add any sugar. It’s all good stuff, and it’s worth making!
Keep your treats in an airtight container for up to one week on the counter, or freeze a batch for up to three months. I always freeze half of the batch right away because my dog will eat 24 treats in two days if I let her.
If your dog has a sensitive stomach, you can always just replace half of the oat flour with turmeric dog treats – benefits, recipes, and safety tips for this here, or use it as a small additive (adding a pinch in doesn’t change the flavor much, but adds a gentle anti-inflammatory boost).
One last tip, bread dough should rest for 5 minutes before rolling out. The dough will firm up a little and make cutting your bones much easier and they will also hold their shape a little better in the oven.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @busterspawprints
#6: Banana Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits with a Candlelit Dinner Setup
You know how sometimes your golden is just so sure that your snack is really hers? Mine used to do that thing where she’d just rest her chin on the table and stare…. no shame just total entitlement!
I love these Dexy Paws banana & peanut butter dog biscuits. But actually, making a homemade version at home is even better because then I know everything thats going in it.
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. 1 ripe banana, mashed
3. ½ cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)
4. 2 eggs
5. ¼ cup water
How to Bake These Biscuits
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk together the mashed banana and the peanut butter in a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, add the eggs. Then, slowly add in the flour, working it into the mixture, until just combined. The dough should feel firm, not sticky. Add a little water if the dough seems too dry.
Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thick and cut into small shapes. Bake at 400F for 25 minutes until golden.
I love whole wheat flour so much. It helps these sticks stay crunchy for longer so your dog actually has to work to eat them.
Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze a batch. Cold biscuits are surprisingly satisfying for teething pups on warm days.
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Serving Size: ~30 small biscuits
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @dexypaws
#7: “I ♥ Pugs” Stamped Dog Cookies (Peanut Butter & Whole Wheat)
I feel like your Golden is always watching you when you’re in the kitchen. Like the second I pulled these out of the oven my friend’s pug Mochi was vibrating on the floor. My girl definitely does that at home too.
These cookies are made with whole wheat flour for that warm, golden brown finish, and the embossed pug detail is perfect.
What You Need
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (unsalted, xylitol-free)
3. 2 eggs
4. 1/3 cup water (adjust for dough consistency)
5. 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (optional but great for coat health)
How To Make Them
Heat oven to 350F. Beat peanut butter and eggs until combined. Add flour and stir until combined. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is stiff enough to hold together without cracking. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface.
Give the cookie cutters a firm and slow press, then lift straight up. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 12-15 minutes until the edges turn a deep golden brown.
These go great with the dog cookie recipes below. Just a few simple ingredients to try.
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Makes: ~20 cookies
Allow the cookies to cool completely on the rack. Warm cookies will crumble when you try to stamp designs into them.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @pugandpoppy
#8: Peanut Butter Banana Bacon Dog Treats (Paw-Shaped!)
My golden’s nose is already pressed against the kitchen counter before I have even opened the peanut butter jar. Who doesn’t love that kind of excitement?
These little paw-shaped bites are made with whole wheat flour, ripe banana, natural peanut butter, and crumbled cooked bacon. Pressed into a silicone paw mold and baked until golden.
Ingredients:
1. 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
2. 1 ripe banana, mashed
3. ⅓ cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)
4. 2 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
5. 1 egg
6. ¼ cup water (add more if dough feels dry)
Let’s Bake These Little Paws
Heat the oven to 350°F. Mash the banana and peanut butter together in a small bowl, and mix in the egg. Do the wet ingredients first so the dough is easier to work with. Add the flour and the crumbled bacon, then add a little water at a time until the dough just starts to stick together.
Mash the dough into a silicone paw print mold, filling each cavity to the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are set and slightly golden. Allow them to cool completely before serving, warm treats tend to crumble apart.
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Serves: 18-24 treats
Adding a banana gives the dogs a natural sweetness and means I don’t have to add any sugar so it’s kind of a win/win for me because Pickle is much less likely to get a tummy ache.
Freeze your batch in a zip bag and pull them out one by one as you need them, they thaw in minutes and will keep for up to 3 months.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @spoiledhounds
#9: Savory Herb & Oat Meatballs for Dogs
You guys know those moments when your dog is just giving you those eyes when you are meal prepping? Well, mine did that last Sunday and I just went ahead and made a batch then and there.
These little guys are filled with good stuff your dog will go absolutely wild for.
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. 1 cup rolled oats
3. ½ cup cooked brown rice
4. 2 eggs
5. ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
6. 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
7. ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
8. 1 tablespoon olive oil
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 25 minutes | Serving Size: ~30 meatballs
How To Make These Bad Boys
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, rice, parsley, and turmeric; stir well. Add the eggs, broth, and oil; stir until a soft dough forms. Work the mixture until it holds together but is not sticky. Roll into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
You bake the pies for only 20-25 minutes until they are firm to the touch. The parsley keeps their breath fresh. That alone is worth it! Fewer dog breath moments on your couch.
Freeze extras in a zip-lock bag for up to 3 months. Pull them straight from frozen into his bowl — no thawing needed.
These would be adorable along with the baked dog treats! Such a cute idea! If you would like a full list of the treats you are able to make at home, you can get the full list here!
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @waggmorepetboutique
#10: Homemade Peanut Butter Oat Dog Biscuits (Bone-Shaped!)
This is the same look my golden gives me when I am eating something and she just sits there staring at me. I almost felt like that when I saw this.
These biscuits are baked golden-brown and cut into bone shapes and placed on a blue floral ceramic plate. The smell is fresh from the oven and it smells like peanut butter and oats. Your girl will loose it.
Ingredients:
1. 2 cups whole wheat flour
2. 1 cup rolled oats
3. ½ cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free — this part matters)
4. 2 eggs
5. ⅓ cup water
How to Make These Dog Biscuits
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Mix the peanut butter, eggs and water first until smooth, then fold in the flour and oats. The dough should be stiff. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface and use a bone cookie cutter to press straight down into the dough. Arrange the biscuits on a lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes until firm. Let them cool on a rack. I recommend letting them cool on the rack otherwise they will be soggy (no one wants soggy biscuits).
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Makes: ~20 biscuits
As always, I store mine in an airtight jar on my counter for up to two weeks. Or I like to freeze the extra batch for later. With all the oats and the whole wheat flour, it gives her something to actually chew on to help keep her teeth cleaner between vet visits. These go so well with the 10 Irresistible Homemade Soft Dog Treats Your Pup Will Love if you want to give your dog a few different textures.
I prefer to roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper. It makes cleanup a breeze, and my biscuits always come out even.
📸 Photo credit: Instagram @zachmorgan
The Frozen Banana Trick That Most Dog Owners Miss
Here’s something you probably didn’t know: the ripeness of your banana can affect how safe it is for your dog.
Overripe bananas (the kind that have really spotty skin and are almost black) have a higher sugar content than normal bananas. If you feed your golden a chunk of that every day, you’re sneaking candy into his diet without realizing it.
My cousin’s dog has been having stomach problems for weeks! She makes homemade treats with overripe bananas and thought the softer ones were better for her dog. Switched to medium ripeness and problem solved.
I slice my bananas very thin and freeze them flat on parchment paper. I put them into a little baggie to store them. They will last three weeks and then the dogs go crazy eating them. The slices are very chewy and frozen.
The cold texture of it also slows them down so it’s like a little enrichment activity for them. A win-win!
Stick to a few coins a day if you want to make the most of your bet on coins.
Your Golden Deserves a Spot That Works for Both of You
Why not pick one that matches your home but also still holds up after your pup’s muddy paws from a walk in the rain.
Really, just don’t overthink it. Your dog already knows where he wants to nap (probably right in the middle of everything, in your living room), so give him a bed that looks good there and can be cleaned easily.
A cozy bed that is easy to make and easy to use means less stress for you and one very happy, sprawled-out dog.
Is your golden’s favorite nap spot, or does he basically roam through your entire house like he owns it? 🐾 #golden #dog #nap #dogs 1/2
Amr Mohsen is a software engineer who traded his keyboard for a leash — at least on weekends. His love for dogs inspired him to share what he learns as a dog owner and enthusiast, bringing a detail-oriented, research-driven perspective to every article he writes. If it’s about dogs, he’s probably already looked it up twice.
