Are you and your family cooped up inside, dreaming of days at the barn? Perhaps you are spending this time working to learn new skills and expanding your baking repertoire. In an effort to make your time at home more enjoyable, we invite you to cook along with us in the kitchen and whip up some delicious horse treats that are sure to bring some happiness to your favorite equine friends.
With only a few ingredients, these horse and pony treats come together quickly and easily. They are simple enough that you can even include your young children in the horse treat baking process. As an added bonus, they are also safe for human and canine consumption so everyone can try out your handiwork!
Ultimate Horse Treats
Adapted from the Horse Addict Blog
Ingredients
We know that some ingredients can be hard to come by in these uncertain times. Not a problem at all! This recipe is extremely flexible and allows you to make do with what you have in the kitchen. We have included a number of substitution suggestions for your convenience.
- 1 apple (may substitute a pear, 1 cup of applesauce, or a cooked sweet potato)
- 1 carrot (may substitute 1 banana or 1 cup of pumpkin puree)
- ½ cup molasses (may substitute applesauce, honey, or maple syrup; for a lower sugar option, use a “flax egg,” which is 1 tablespoon of ground raw flaxseed and 2 ½ tablespoons water)
- 2 cups quick oats (rolled oats may be substituted; steel cut oats will also work but will make for a crunchier cookie)
- ½ – ¾ cup all-purpose flour (cake flour and bread flour can also be used; in a pinch, pulse oats in your food processor to make oat flour)
- 1 tablespoon oil (coconut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, and olive oil are all great options)
- 1 tablespoon water (apple juice would be delicious too!)
- Optional: crushed peppermints, coconut flakes, cinnamon, turmeric, or a handful of sweet feed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°.
- Dice your apple and use a grater for your carrot. If you are using a substitute ingredient, mash or dice the ingredients appropriately.
- Combine all ingredients to make a thick dough. Depending on your substitutions, you may need to play around with the liquid and dry ingredients to make a cohesive batch. You need to be able to squeeze a bit of dough into a ball without it falling apart.
- Short on time? Not a problem. Throw all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until well combined.
- Roll the dough into bite-sized balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or tin foil. A full batch should make approximately 24 cookies.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes at 325°, until the treats are golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to one week. They will last longer in the refrigerator. Not sure when you’ll be able to head out to the barn again? Don’t fret, many of us are in the same boat. Seal them in a sealed freezer bag and freeze them for months of freshness.
Does making your own horse treats seem like a bit too much at the moment? The Cheshire Horse has you covered with our huge selection of horse treats. In addition to our speedy shipping, we also offer free curbside and in-store pickup for our local customers.