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These 3 ingredient peanut butter dog treats use just a ripe banana, natural peanut butter, and plain rolled oats. You mix, roll, cut, and bake them in about 30 minutes, with no egg and no flour. The one thing that keeps them safe is a peanut butter with no xylitol in it.
I first made these on a rainy Sunday with one sad, spotty banana on the counter. My dog sat by the oven the whole time, nose twitching. Now I keep a “dog banana” in the fruit bowl every week, just for this recipe.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 15 to 18 minutes
- Total time: about 30 minutes, plus cooling
- Yield: about 40 small bones (1½-inch cutter)
- Difficulty: Easy, and kid-friendly
- Storage life: 1 week in the fridge, up to 3 months in the freezer
What Do You Need for 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Dog Treats?
You need one large ripe banana, ½ cup natural peanut butter, and 1½ cups plain rolled oats. That’s the whole list.
The banana does the job an egg would do. It holds the dough together and adds a little sweetness. The oats turn into a quick homemade flour in your blender. If you’ve already made my peanut butter oat dog treats, this is the egg-free cousin. It’s softer in the middle and smells like banana bread.
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe banana (about ½ cup mashed), peeled
- ½ cup natural, unsalted peanut butter with no xylitol
- 1½ cups plain old-fashioned rolled oats, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blend the oats until they look like fine flour. This takes about 30 seconds.
- Set 1 tablespoon of the oat flour aside for dusting.
- Mash the banana in a large bowl with a fork until it’s almost smooth.
- Stir in the peanut butter until the color is even.
- Add the rest of the oat flour and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Dust your counter with the saved oat flour.
- Roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick.
- Cut shapes with a small cookie cutter.
- Place them on the tray, about ½ inch apart.
- Re-roll the scraps and cut more shapes.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the bottoms are light golden.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Dog-Safe Ingredient Check
- Read the peanut butter label every time. The FDA lists “some peanut and nut butters” among products that may contain xylitol. It can also be called birch sugar or wood sugar.
- Skip “sugar-free” or “keto” spreads. These are where sugar substitutes tend to hide. Plain peanuts (and maybe salt) is the label you want.
- Go unsalted if you can. The American Kennel Club calls unsalted peanut butter the healthiest option and says high sodium can be a problem for dogs.
- No chocolate or swirl flavors. The ASPCA lists chocolate, macadamia nuts, and grapes or raisins as foods pets should not eat.
- Plain oats only. The AKC’s oatmeal guide says to never use flavored oatmeal. It can have extra sugar and even xylitol. It also warns against add-ins like chocolate, raisins, or grapes.
- Peel the banana. The AKC says banana peels aren’t toxic but are hard to digest and could cause a blockage.
Pro Tip: Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment. It’s sticky, and this keeps it off your rolling pin. Peel the top sheet off, cut your shapes, and slide the whole bottom sheet onto the tray.
How Should the Dough Feel?
It should feel like soft play dough. It should hold a fingerprint without sticking to your hand.
Bananas and peanut butters are all a bit different, so the dough changes from batch to batch. Here’s how I fix it:
- Too sticky? Add oat flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Very ripe bananas are wetter.
- Too crumbly? Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more peanut butter. Natural peanut butter from the bottom of the jar is often dry.
- Oily on top? Stir your peanut butter jar well before you measure. The oil floats.
Want them crunchy? After baking, turn off the oven and leave the tray inside for 20 minutes with the door cracked. They dry out and snap like a biscuit.
Is Peanut Butter and Banana Safe for Dogs?
Yes. Both are safe for most dogs in small amounts, as long as the peanut butter has no xylitol.
The AKC says peanut butter can be a good source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins B and E, and niacin. It also warns that too much can lead to obesity and pancreatitis. That’s why these treats are small.
Bananas are a good fit too. The AKC’s banana guide says they’re high in potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C, with some fiber and magnesium. But they’re also high in natural sugar, so the AKC suggests keeping them as an occasional treat. For more, see my post on whether dogs can eat banana.
Why is xylitol such a big deal?
Xylitol can drop a dog’s blood sugar fast. The AKC says this can happen as quickly as 10 to 60 minutes after eating it. VCA Animal Hospitals says even small amounts can cause low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure, or even death.
Signs to watch for include vomiting, weakness, stumbling, collapse, and seizures. If you think your dog ate xylitol, call your vet or an emergency clinic right away.
How Many Calories Are in Each Treat?
Each small bone has about 34 calories. That’s my own math, using USDA FoodData Central numbers for each ingredient.
- ½ cup peanut butter (about 128 g): roughly 765 calories
- 1½ cups rolled oats (about 120 g): roughly 460 calories
- 1 large banana (about 136 g): roughly 120 calories
- Whole batch: about 1,345 calories ÷ 40 treats = about 34 calories each
Your number will change with your cutter size. Smaller shapes mean fewer calories per treat.
VCA Animal Hospitals says 90% of your dog’s daily calories should come from complete and balanced food. Only 10% should come from treats. So if your vet says your dog needs 700 calories a day, the treat budget is 70 calories. That’s about two of these bones, and nothing else. My guide on how many treats a dog should have a day breaks it down more.
I log treats on busy weeks, since everyone in my house likes to sneak them. A dog health tracker makes it easy to spot weight creeping up.
Vet Tip: Peanut butter is rich. If your dog has had pancreatitis, has diabetes, or eats a special diet, ask your vet before you bake these. VCA notes that dogs on a low-fat diet should avoid high-fat treats.
Can I Use These for Training?
Yes. Cut them tiny, about the size of a pea, and they make great training rewards.
Use a very small cutter or just slice the rolled dough into ½-inch squares with a pizza cutter. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes. Tiny bits keep the calories low when you’re doing lots of reps. I use them for short games from this brain training program for dogs.
What Can I Swap?
You can change one ingredient and still keep it at three.
No peanut butter
Use ½ cup plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling) instead. The dough will be wetter, so add about ¼ cup more oat flour. You can also try my pumpkin and banana dog treats. If you’re worried about peanuts in general, read can dogs eat peanuts safely.
Lower sugar
Use half a banana and add 2 tablespoons of water. This is a good choice for dogs watching their weight.
Oat-sensitive dogs
Swap the oats for 1¼ cups chickpea flour. Roll it a little thicker so it doesn’t crack.
Small dog vs. big dog
- Toy and small dogs: 1-inch cutter, bake 12 to 14 minutes.
- Medium dogs: 1½-inch cutter, like the recipe.
- Large dogs: 3-inch cutter, bake 18 to 22 minutes. Count each big one as two or three small ones for calories.
Want a bit more banana flavor and one extra ingredient? Try my banana oat dog treats. Some owners also mix a scoop of a vet-approved dog supplement into the dough. Just ask your vet first.
How Do I Store Them?
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Freeze extras for up to 3 months.
Banana makes these a little moist, so I don’t leave them on the counter for more than a day or two. Freeze them flat on a tray first, then move them to a bag. That way they don’t stick together. Thaw a few in the fridge overnight. Toss any that smell sour or look fuzzy.
Out of bananas and out of time? Keep a bag of ready-made dog treats in the cupboard for weeks like that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can puppies eat 3 ingredient peanut butter dog treats?
A: Ask your vet first. If they say yes, start with a tiny piece and watch for an upset tummy. VCA suggests trying any new treat in a small amount first.
Q: Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
A: Yes, as long as they’re plain. Skip flavored instant packets.
Q: Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
A: Yes, if it has no xylitol. The dough will be a bit bumpier and harder to cut.
Q: Can I double the batch?
A: Yes. Use 2 bananas, 1 cup peanut butter, and 3 cups oats. Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack so they brown evenly, and freeze half.
Q: Why did my treats come out soft?
A: They’re meant to be a little soft. For crunch, roll them thinner and leave them in the cooling oven for 20 minutes.
Q: My dog ate a treat with the wrong peanut butter. What now?
A: If it had xylitol, call your vet or an emergency clinic right away. Don’t wait for signs.
My Last Word
These 3 ingredient peanut butter dog treats are the recipe I make most. One banana, one label check, and 30 minutes. Keep them small, count them as part of your dog’s 10%. If you’re new to homemade treats, my post on whether homemade dog treats are healthier is a good next read. And before you start baking more, keep my list of foods dogs cannot eat handy.
Want to see your dog’s face when you leave a treat behind? A dog camera lets you watch from anywhere.
Love a short ingredient list? See all my 3 ingredient dog treats.
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