Homemade applesauce dog treats are soft and chewy goodies made with simple ingredients and have naturally delicious apple and banana flavors. They’re easy to make in silicone molds and perfect for filling your pup’s treat jar with something special.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
There’s something special about baking a fruity treat just for your pup and watching them enjoy every bite. And there are plenty of reasons this recipe is one you’ll find yourself coming back to again and again.
Easy to Make – There’s no dough to roll or cut for the basic recipe. Simply mix, spoon into molds, and bake.
Wholesome Ingredients – These dog treats with applesauce are made with simple, nutritious ingredients. There’s no added sugar, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.
Customizable – Swap ingredients for what you have on hand or your dog’s preferences, add flavors, or make crunchy cutout treats.
Budget-Friendly – There’s no need to buy expensive specialty treats when you can make a batch with basic ingredients you may already have in your kitchen.
Ingredients and What They Bring to the Treats
Just a few common, easy-to-find pantry ingredients are all you need. Here’s what you’ll need and what each one contributes:
- Unsweetened Applesauce – Adds moisture, apple flavor, and a touch of natural sweetness without added sugar.
- Banana – Adds moisture and natural sweetness while helping create the soft, chewy texture.
- Egg – Binds the ingredients together and adds structure and protein.
- Coconut Oil – Adds moisture and richness to the treats.
- Old-Fashioned Oats – Ground into flour to form the base of the treats and provide structure and fiber.
- Baking Soda – Helps give the treats a lighter, softer texture as they bake.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
A note about one ingredient plus a few simple swaps you can make if needed.
- Applesauce – Use plain, unsweetened applesauce or homemade applesauce for dogs. You can substitute the applesauce with ½ cup of plain pumpkin puree.
- Banana – You can substitute the mashed banana with ½ cup of plain mashed sweet potato or butternut squash.
- Oats and Oat Flour – Instead of grinding old-fashioned oats, you can use 1½ cups of store-bought oat flour.
- Flour Substitutes – You can substitute the oat flour with brown rice flour, all-purpose flour, or a 50-50 combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour. Because whole wheat flour is denser, it’s not a good substitute to use by itself. Flour substitutions may affect the consistency of the dough, so start with less and add more as needed.
Equipment Needed
You probably already have most of the kitchen equipment needed to make these treats, including mixing bowls, a blender or food processor, and a baking sheet.
You can use any silicone molds you like, but paw and bone-shaped silicone molds make the treats extra cute.
How to Make Applesauce Dog Treats
Making these treats couldn’t be much simpler. Just follow these steps:
- Place the old-fashioned oats in a blender or food processor and blend until they have a flour consistency.
- Place the oat flour and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir or whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the applesauce, mashed banana, egg, and melted coconut oil.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Place the silicone molds on a baking sheet for stability.
- Spoon the mixture into the mold cavities and spread or press it evenly.
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until the treats are cooked through.
- Allow the treats to cool slightly before removing them from the molds. Transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.
Recipe Variation – Cutout Treats
Prefer crunchy biscuits or don’t have silicone molds? You can adjust the dough and turn these soft treats into crunchy cutouts instead.
Add more oat flour, a little at a time, until the dough reaches a good rolling consistency. It should be firm enough to roll without sticking but not so dry that it crumbles.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin. Cut the dough into shapes with your favorite cookie cutters. These paw and bone-shaped cutters make adorable biscuits.
Place the cutouts on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through and crisp. Allow them to cool completely before serving.
Flavor Variations
The apple and banana combination is delicious on its own, but it’s easy to change the flavor when you want to make something different for your pup.
- Applesauce Carrot Dog Treats – Add ¼ cup of grated carrot to the mixture.
- Applesauce Cinnamon Dog Treats – Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the flour mixture.
- Peanut Butter Applesauce Dog Treats – Substitute the coconut oil with 3 tablespoons of natural creamy peanut butter. Always check the label to make sure the peanut butter does not contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is toxic to dogs.
- Pumpkin Applesauce Dog Treats – Substitute half of the applesauce with plain pumpkin puree.
How to Store the Treats and How Long They Last
Because the soft treats contain plenty of moisture from the applesauce and banana, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
As with other soft, moist homemade treats, check them before serving and discard them if you notice mold, an unusual odor, or a change in appearance or texture.
For longer storage, freeze the treats in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag for up to 4 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.
Can people eat these treats?
Yes, they sure can! All the ingredients are safe for human consumption. They’re a fun treat for those watching their sugar intake. Give one a try and see if you like it.
Popular Dog Treat Recipes
Want to make more treats for your dog? Try these recipes:
- Apple Dog Treats
- Applesauce Cake for Dogs
- Banana Smoothie for Dogs
- Chicken Dog Gravy
- Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats
- Homemade Dog Treats without Peanut Butter
- Oatmeal Dog Treats
- Sweet Potato Dog Treats
Find more easy dog treat recipes here on Spoiled Hounds!
Applesauce Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 2 cups Uncooked Old-fashioned Oats
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- 1 Ripe Banana mashed
- 1 Egg
- 2 tablespoons Melted Coconut Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Blend the oats in a blender or food processor until they reach a flour-like consistency.
- Place the flour and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir or whisk to combine.
- Place the applesauce, banana, egg, and coconut oil in a bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine well.
- Spoon the batter into a silicone mold.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the baked treats to a wire rack and cool them to room temperature.
Nutrition
Serving Amount
Treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. Consult your vet if you are unsure of the appropriate portion size for your dog.
If your dog hasn’t had any of these ingredients before, start with a small piece to make sure they don’t have any allergies, sensitivities, or adverse reactions.
Trying this today.
I’ve read coconut oil was bad for dogs now what should I use?
Coconut oil is safe for dogs. But if you don’t want to use it, you can use sunflower oil instead.
Coconut oil is “very” beneficial for dogs. My Dobie is 12, she has coconut oil in her food everyday!
coconut oil is great for dogs, we use it to keep our dogs skin conditioned, our dog eats it off spoon(I think it helps with digestion) and we just put it in her dog treats for same reason…but recipe says you can use olive oil as a substitute
If my dog has Copper storage disease will using oats as flour hurt him? I’m only asking because we finally have him on the mend from it and we have been dealing with this since the end of May.
It’s always best to ask your vet about foods that are okay for dogs with any health conditions or diseases.
Hi ,
I will be making this for my baby girl Sala she loves treats,love making her treats and knowing what’s in them,and if there are safe.
Thank you
Evelyn Stallings
My three dogs, along with my husband and I, love these! They are similar to mini banana bread.
they are great people snacks…lol
I accidentally licked finger when filling molds and was blown away by the taste.
Anticipating good results!
I’ve been reading that didn’t use bad for dogs now? What do I use instead?
Coconut oil is bad for dogs from what I’ve been reading?
Coconut oil is safe for dogs. But if you don’t want to use it, you can use sunflower oil instead.
Is there anything else I can substitute the coconut oil with or can I skip that ingredient?
You can use sunflower oil or olive oil.
Coconut oil is safe for dogs. But if you don’t want to use it, you can use sunflower oil instead.
Hi, I don’t have a silicone mold, what else can I use?
You can add a little more flour until it has a rollable consistency. Then just roll it out on a floured surface and cut out the treats with a cookie cutter or use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into squares or rectangles.
Do you fill your mold up to the top with the mix?
Yes, fill the mold to the top with it.
Do you buy the silicone baking molds and are you able to freeze them.
Yes, I buy silicone baking molds on Amazon. They can be frozen.
Read this if your worried about coconut oil:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/coconut-oil-dogs/
What is I already have oat flour, how many cups do I use?
You would use 1 3/4 cups oat flour.
What can I do if I don’t have molds to put the mixture in?
You can roll out and cut the dough. Just note you may need to add more flour if the dough it too sticky to roll.
You can use an ice cube tray.
can you use wheat flour also in place of the oats
You can use all-purpose flour instead of oat flour made from oats. Whole wheat flour will cause the treats to be too dense and you’ll need to add more water or liquid. If you want to use whole wheat flour, then substitute half of the oat flour with whole wheat and half with all-purpose flour.
How about almond flour?
You can use almond flour. Just note that it has a lot more calories and fat than the other types of flour.
I was wondering if you could use almond flour instead of oats, rice or regular flour? Thanks!
Yes, just note that almond flour has a lot more fat and calories than oat, rice, or regular flour.
Should these be refrigerated??
They don’t have to be refrigerated but they may last a day or two longer when chilled.
What is the shelf life in the fridge
They will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
This is my first time ever making this. It was easy, I’m hoping it will help with the itching of my babies. I tried the oats this time, next time I’m trying the brown rice.
I give my dogs allergy relief bites. They don’t scratch themselves anymore. They sell some at petsmart or you can get them online. I use pupgrade. One little bite daily. They think it’s a treat.
Can these dog cookies be dehydrated for longer shelf life?
I haven’t tried dehydrating them so I can’t say for sure. You could spread them out on a baking sheet and bake them at 250°F until they are drier and crunchier. That will get the extra moisture out which should make them have a longer shelf life.
What do I use if I don’t have banana?
If you don’t have banana, you can use plain pumpkin puree or plain cooked sweet potato.
How long do these stay fresh at room temp? Can they be frozen?
They will last up to 5 days on the counter or in the refrigerator. You can freeze them and they will last up to four months in the freezer.
Are these soft or crunchy?
They are crunchy but on the softer side and not hard like typical dog biscuits.
Can’t I just use 2 cups of oat flour instead of grinding oats?
Yes you can. It’s just less expensive to grind the oats to make oat flour. And, until recently, oat flour was hard to find in regular grocery stores.
I didn’t have molds, so I used my mini cupcake pan! Perfect sizes all around 😍. My granddogs are going to love them!!
Great idea to use the mini cupcake pan and glad it worked for you.
PERFECT! These were SO easy and my Portuguese Water Dogs LOVE ’em!
I bought 5 silicone molds from Amazon for only $5, found this recipe on Pinterest, and gave ’em a try. Using a silicone spatula, I rubbed the batter all over, making sure to push into crevices, then used the same spatula to wipe off any excess. Even though my dogs are 40-50lbs, I like to feed them smaller treats so it filled (2) molds of small bones, making 18 bones and 1.5 molds of small paws making 15 paws for a total of 33 treats. After removing some for enjoyment within the next few days, I froze the remaining treats in the molds before vacuum-sealing them for proper freezer storage. Sounds like a lot but it was honestly very quick.
I’m so glad your dog enjoys the treats and you enjoyed making them.
I’m Vegan and don’t want to bring eggs into my home. Is there a substitute I can use for the egg?
Yes, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes then use it in place of the egg.
They bake up more like a muffin when I made them…are the suppose to be like that?
They shouldn’t rise up like a muffin. Too much baking soda could cause that to happen. Make sure you’re using only ½ teaspoon.
I used the small muffin tin and they rose like muffins is it still ok to give my pup ?
Oh yes, just think of them as mini muffins for dogs.
Is baking soda okay for dogs?
Yes, a small amount of baking soda is okay for dogs. It’s only harmful if a dog eats a large amount of it.
Do they need to be refrigerated afterwards?
They do not have to be refrigerated. They may last a couple of days longer when stored in the fridge.
How should I store these ? How long will they last ?
They should be stored in an airtight container. They can be stored on the countertop, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer. They will last up to 5 days on the counter or in the refrigerator. They will last up to four months in the freezer.
I made these for my almost 10 year old Havanese. She gobbled them up! Thanks so much for the recipe❤️❤️
I’m so glad she enjoyed the treats!
Thank you so much for the recipe! easy to make and my Pup loves them!
I’m so glad your dog enjoys the treats!
Are these okay for kitties?
I am not familiar with food that is safe for cats. I recommend checking with your vet.
Can I add creamy peanut butter to the recipe?
I haven’t tested it to be sure, but you should be able to add 1 or 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter without drastically affecting the texture. Or swap 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil with 1 or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.
I’ve made this before with great success but was wondering if this is able to be made without the silicone mold and instead like a roll out and cut with cookie cutters? Would I need to adjust anything? Thanks
Yes, just add more oat flour, a little at a time, until it has a good rolling consistency that’s not too dry or wet.
Thanks so much!