How to Make Chewy Dog Treats

Chewy homemade dog treats are a less expensive and healthier alternative to store-bought treats—you control the recipe ingredients, skipping unhealthy preservatives and additives. The chewy texture is achieved by removing excess water from the ingredients.

Spray the cookie sheet with a light coating of baking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mash the ripe banana with the fork in a mixing bowl. Add the shredded carrot and mix the two together before adding the unsweetened applesauce and water. Stir this mixture with a wooden spoon.

Stir in the oats until everything is thoroughly mixed. Add the flour a little at a time to this mixture, until a soft dough begins to form. Mix in any flour sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Sprinkle a cutting board or countertop with some of the flour before rolling the soft dough out of the mixing bowl. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough out to a thickness of half an inch.

Cut out the dog treats with the cookie or biscuit cutter. Lay them on the baking sheet about two inches apart.

Bake the treats on the tray for 25 minutes. Turn off the oven, but leave the tray inside and the door closed for up to three hours to remove excess moisture from the treats. This will create a chewy texture.

Store the treats in an airtight container. They can be kept in your pantry or the refrigerator.