Easy Homemade Dog Treats: 5 Simple Recipes (2 to 4 Ingredients)

The easiest homemade dog treats need two to four pantry ingredients and about 30 minutes: banana and oats, pumpkin and peanut butter, sweet potato, plain yogurt and berries. Below are five beginner recipes with exact amounts, bake times and rough calories per treat, plus a list of safe ingredients, the foods to never use, and how long each treat keeps.

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Quick Answer: 5 Easiest Dog Treats

Treat	Ingredients	Time	Calories each
1. Banana oat bites	2	20 min	About 20
2. Pumpkin peanut butter biscuits	3	40 min	About 30
3. Sweet potato chews	1	3 hours (mostly hands-off)	About 15 to 25
4. Frozen yogurt berry drops	2	5 min + freezing	About 5
5. Broth biscuits	3	40 min	About 30

Always check: peanut butter and yogurt must be free of xylitol (also called birch sugar), which is toxic to dogs.

1. Two-Ingredient Banana Oat Bites

Makes: about 20 bites | Bake: 12 to 15 min at 350°F | About 20 calories each

• 1 large ripe banana
• 1 cup rolled oats

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet.
2. Mash the banana until smooth, then stir in the oats.
3. Drop teaspoon-size mounds onto the sheet and flatten slightly.
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until set and lightly golden.

Soft and chewy. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze.

2. Three-Ingredient Pumpkin Peanut Butter Biscuits

Makes: about 40 small biscuits | Bake: 25 to 30 min at 350°F | About 30 calories each

• 1/2 cup plain pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/4 cup xylitol-free peanut butter
• About 2 cups oat flour (or whole wheat flour), plus a little water if needed

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet.
2. Mix the pumpkin and peanut butter. Stir in flour until you have a firm dough. Add water a spoonful at a time if it’s crumbly.
3. Roll to 1/4 inch thick and cut into small shapes.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until firm. Cool completely.

More variations in our pumpkin dog treats guide.

3. One-Ingredient Sweet Potato Chews

Makes: 20 to 30 chews from 2 sweet potatoes | Bake: about 3 hours at 250°F | About 15 to 25 calories each

1. Heat the oven to 250°F and line two baking sheets.
2. Wash and slice 2 sweet potatoes lengthwise into 1/4 to 1/2 inch strips.
3. Lay flat without touching and bake about 3 hours, flipping halfway, until dry and leathery.
4. Cool completely. They firm up as they cool.

Store airtight for 2 to 3 weeks if fully dried. See our homemade dog chews for more.

4. Frozen Yogurt Berry Drops (No Bake)

Makes: about 40 small drops | Freeze: 2 hours | About 5 calories each

• 1 cup plain yogurt (no sweeteners or xylitol)
• 1/2 cup blueberries, mashed or chopped

1. Stir the yogurt and blueberries together.
2. Spoon small drops onto a parchment-lined tray, or fill a silicone mold.
3. Freeze about 2 hours until solid, then store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.

Great for hot days and training. For bigger frozen treats, see our frozen dog treats.

5. Three-Ingredient Broth Biscuits

Makes: about 40 biscuits | Bake: 25 min at 350°F, plus drying | About 30 calories each

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or beef broth with no onion or garlic

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mix everything into a firm dough. Roll to 1/4 inch and cut into shapes.
3. Bake 25 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave the biscuits inside for an hour to dry and crisp.

These keep the longest at room temperature. For tips on drying treats so they last weeks, see our shelf-stable dog treat recipe.

Safe Ingredients for Homemade Dog Treats

• Bases: whole wheat flour, oat flour, rolled oats, brown rice flour
• Binders: eggs, plain pumpkin, mashed banana, unsweetened applesauce
• Flavor: xylitol-free peanut butter, low-sodium broth without onion or garlic, plain cooked chicken
• Fruits and vegetables: carrots, sweet potato, blueberries, apple (no core or seeds), green beans
• Extras: plain yogurt, a pinch of cinnamon, fresh parsley

Never Use These

• Xylitol (birch sugar) and other sugar substitutes
• Chocolate or cocoa
• Grapes, raisins and currants
• Onion, garlic, chives and leeks, including powders and broths that contain them
• Macadamia nuts
• Nutmeg
• Large amounts of salt, sugar or fat

Storage Guide

Treat	Room temperature (airtight)	Fridge	Freezer
Banana oat bites	1 day	Up to 5 days	3 months
Pumpkin peanut butter biscuits	About 5 days	2 weeks	3 months
Sweet potato chews (fully dried)	2 to 3 weeks	3 to 4 weeks	3 months
Frozen yogurt drops	No	No	2 months
Broth biscuits (dried crisp)	2 to 3 weeks	4 weeks	3 months

How Many Treats Per Day?

Keep all treats to about 10% of your dog’s daily calories. As a rough guide for 20 to 30 calorie treats: 1 to 2 a day for small dogs, 2 to 4 for medium dogs, and 4 to 6 for large dogs. Break them into small pieces for training.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest homemade dog treat?

Banana oat bites: one ripe banana and one cup of oats, baked 12 to 15 minutes. Frozen yogurt drops are even easier if you don’t want to use the oven.

Can I make dog treats without flour?

Yes. Blend rolled oats into oat flour, or make flour-free treats like sweet potato chews and frozen yogurt drops.

Can I make dog treats without eggs?

Yes. Pumpkin, mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce all work as binders.

Are homemade dog treats healthier than store-bought?

They can be, because you control every ingredient. They’re still treats, so portion size and the 10% rule matter more than the recipe.

The Short Version

• Start with banana oat bites or pumpkin peanut butter biscuits.
• Check every label for xylitol, and skip onion, garlic, grapes and chocolate.
• Dry biscuits keep for weeks. Soft and fruit treats go in the fridge or freezer.
• Keep treats to about 10% of daily calories.

More Homemade Treat Recipes

• 3 Ingredient Dog Treats
• Peanut Butter and Oats Dog Treats
• Applesauce Dog Treats
• Pup Cups Recipe