Dried Banana Dog Chews (There’s Just 1 Ingredient in This Recipe)

One of Banjo’s favorite treats also happens to be one of the simplest — baked sweet potato slices.

So I was pretty pleased when I found this similar recipe. Instead of sweet potatoes, it calls for bananas.

Since I had a couple bananas that were just a little overripe, I thought I’d give it a try.

Dr. Judy Morgan, DVM, CVA, CVCP, CVFT, who reviewed this recipe for Petful, says, “I love to feed dried fruits as snacks. Incredibly healthy treats. They are high in potassium, magnesium and Vitamin B6.”

Dried Banana Dog Chews

Ingredients

• Bananas (any amount)

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 210 F.
2. Peel the bananas and slice them in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half lengthwise again.
3. Place the quartered bananas on a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
4. Bake 2–4 hours, checking every half-hour. For shorter cooking time, create thinner slices.
5. The banana chews are done when they are dried and golden brown.

This is the first dog treat recipe that momentarily stumped me.

The original recipe recommended slicing the bananas in half and cooking the halves for just an hour and a half. I did that and opened my over to find soggy banana halves.

That happened over and over until — 6 hours later (yes, SIX) — I finally had perfect banana chews.

If you don’t mind having your oven on low for 6 hours, then you can just cook the banana halves as I did. Alternatively, you can cut the banana into thinner slices for a shorter cooking time or increase your oven temperature to 250 F.

Because of the time involved, I don’t know if I’d try this recipe again, but Banjo absolutely loved her banana chews and proceeded to drool all over my rug when I gave her a taste.

If I owned a food dehydrator, I’d be making these for her again.

Then again, maybe the oven is better than a dehydrator: Dr. Morgan says, “Even though I own a dehydrator, I tend to use the oven. Save money and just use the oven!”

Adapted from: Golden Woofs.

This pet treat recipe was reviewed by a veterinarian, Dr. Judy Morgan, DVM, CVA, CVCP, CVFT, and is safe for dogs in moderation, but is not a substitute for a complete balanced diet. This recipe was last reviewed and updated Feb. 22, 2019. Dr. Morgan comments: “Dogs with heart disease can benefit from these dried banana treats, as diuretic medications may cause depleted potassium and magnesium. Apples and mangoes work well too, but pears do not (too wet).” Dr. Morgan operates 2 award-winning veterinary hospitals in New Jersey that offer an integrative approach to pet care. With a passion for healing her patients with whole foods, she has written several books on holistic pet care — including Yin & Yang Nutrition for Dogs, a holistic cookbook for pets.