3-Ingredient Carrot Oat Dog Treats

The easiest 3 ingredient carrot dog treats I make use grated carrot, one egg, and oat flour. No peanut butter needed. You roll the dough into little sticks, bake them twice, and get a crunchy, chew-friendly treat that costs pennies. Each stick is about 19 calories.

Here’s a fun fact from the American Kennel Club: some vets even suggest cold or frozen carrots for teething puppies. My Beagle mix, Pepper, didn’t need a vet to tell her carrots were great. Every time I peel one, she’s at my feet in two seconds flat. These sticks are what I make when I want to give her that carrot crunch in a form that’s easy to hand out on walks.

What Do I Need?

• 1 packed cup finely grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1 large egg
• 1½ cups oat flour (or 1¾ cups rolled oats blended fine)

Which Kind of Carrot Works Best?

Fresh carrot on the small holes of a box grater works best. Here’s how the options compare.

How Do You Make 3 Ingredient Carrot Dog Treats?

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Beat the egg in a bowl.
3. Stir in the grated carrot.
4. Add the oat flour a little at a time. Mix until a firm dough forms.
5. Pinch off a piece about the size of a grape.
6. Roll it into a log about as thick as a pencil and 3 inches long.
7. Repeat with the rest of the dough, spacing the sticks ½ inch apart.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Lower the heat to 250°F (120°C) and bake 20 minutes more, until dry and crisp.
10. Turn off the oven. Leave the sticks inside to cool and harden.

Are Carrots Good for Dogs?

Yes. The AKC calls carrots a low-calorie snack and an excellent source of vitamin A, potassium, and fiber. Raw and cooked carrots are both healthy options.

The one warning is size. The AKC says to cut whole carrots and even carrot sticks into bite-size chunks to prevent choking. I follow the same rule with these. For a small dog, snap each stick into two or three pieces.

How Many Can My Dog Have?

About 1 stick a day for a small dog, and 2 to 3 for a big dog. I worked out the calories with USDA FoodData Central: about 45 for the carrot, 72 for the egg, and 585 for the oat flour. That’s roughly 700 in the batch, or 19 per stick.

VCA Animal Hospitals says treats should be no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. On days Pepper gets lots of treats, I give her plain raw carrot coins instead, since they’re even lighter.

Easy Swaps

• Sweet potato for carrot: Use ¾ cup mashed cooked sweet potato, with no skin, and add a little more flour. The AKC says never to feed sweet potato raw. My 3 ingredient sweet potato dog treats show how I cook it.
• Add meat: Want a savory version? My 3 ingredient turkey dog treats use pumpkin, but grated carrot works there too.
• Want bites instead of sticks? Try my easy carrot dog treat bites or these oat and carrot dog treats.

What If My Sticks Don’t Turn Out Right?

My first batch was a mess, so here’s what I learned.

• Dough too wet: Your carrot was extra juicy. Squeeze the grated carrot in a paper towel before mixing.
• Dough too dry and cracking: Add water 1 teaspoon at a time.
• Burnt bottoms: Move the tray up one rack, or use a light-colored pan.
• Sticks bend instead of snap: They need more time in the low oven.

Once you get the feel for it, 3 ingredient carrot dog treats are one of the fastest recipes I make. I can have a tray in the oven in about 15 minutes.

Why Sticks Instead of Cookies?

Sticks are easy to break into any size you need. One stick can be a whole treat for a big dog, or three tiny rewards for a small one. They also fit in a jacket pocket without crumbling into dust, which is more than I can say for most homemade cookies.

Storage

Because they’re baked dry, these last longer than most fresh treats. I keep them in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, and freeze the rest. If they soften, crisp them for 10 minutes at 250°F.

I keep a few in a pocket for walks. If you’re curious what else makes a good chew, I wrote about the healthiest things for a dog to chew.

How Do I Use Carrot Sticks Day to Day?

Here’s how these fit into Pepper’s week:

• Morning walks: I break 2 sticks into small bits and reward her for walking nicely past other dogs.
• Chew time: On lazy afternoons, she gets one whole stick to crunch on her mat. It keeps her busy for a minute or two.
• Vet visits: A few pieces in my pocket make the waiting room less scary.
• Frozen for hot days: I sometimes freeze a couple for an extra-cold crunch.

Because each stick is so light, I don’t stress about giving a couple on busy days. I just trim her dinner a little if she’s had a lot.

If you’re new to baking for your dog, this is a good first recipe. There’s nothing fancy to buy, and carrots are cheap all year. Once you’ve made it once, you’ll see how easy it is to play with the shape, size, and crunch to suit your own pup.

One last tip: mark the date on your jar with a piece of tape. Homemade treats don’t have a printed date, and it’s easy to lose track.

FAQ

Can teething puppies have these?
Ask your vet first. For teething, I’d try a cold or frozen carrot piece instead, sized so your puppy can’t swallow it whole.

Can I skip the egg?
Yes. Use 3 tablespoons of plain canned pumpkin instead. The sticks will be a bit softer.

Why are my sticks soft in the middle?
They were too thick or needed more drying time. Roll them thinner and leave them in the cooling oven longer.

Pepper rates these five out of five carrots. If you need a quick treat for busy weeks, these store-bought dog treats are my backup. And if you’re watching your dog’s weight, a dog health tracker makes it easy to keep an eye on things.

This is one of my 3 ingredient dog treats, all made with just three things.

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