Frozen Peanut Butter Dog Treats: Easy Banana Bites for Summer

Let me paint you a picture: It’s 92°F outside, your air conditioning is working overtime, and your dog is sprawled on the kitchen tile looking like they’re personally offended by the sun’s existence. Sound familiar?

Last summer, I watched my dog pant his way through July and thought, “There’s gotta be a better way to help him cool down besides just keeping the AC cranked.” That’s when I stumbled onto the genius that is frozen peanut butter dog treats. Specifically, these frozen peanut butter banana bites that are so ridiculously easy to make, I actually feel guilty calling them a “recipe.”

Three ingredients. Five minutes of prep. Zero baking required. And the result? My dog now camps out in front of the freezer like he’s waiting for a concert ticket drop. These no-bake dog treats have become my summer survival strategy, and honestly, they’re pretty much the only reason my dog tolerates going outside between June and September.

Ready to become your dog’s favorite person all summer long? Let’s go.

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The Ultimate Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Why It’s Awesome: This is hands-down the easiest, most refreshing treat you can make for hot summer days. No oven means your kitchen doesn’t turn into a sauna, and your dog gets a healthy dog snack recipe that actually helps them cool down.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas (the riper, the sweeter—don’t be afraid of those brown spots)
• ½ cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free—seriously, check that label every single time)
• ½ cup plain, unsweetened yogurt (Greek or regular works)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mash those bananas in a bowl until they’re smooth (or leave them a bit chunky if you want some texture).
2. Add the peanut butter and yogurt, mixing until everything’s combined.
3. Spoon or pipe the mixture into silicone molds, ice cube trays, or even mini muffin tins.
4. Freeze for at least 3-4 hours (overnight is better if you can wait).
5. Pop them out and store in a freezer-safe container or bag.
6. Give to your overheated pup and watch the magic happen.

Why You’ll Love It

These are cooling, nutritious, and stupid-easy to make. The banana provides natural sweetness and potassium, peanut butter brings protein and healthy fats, and yogurt adds probiotics for gut health. Plus, they melt slowly enough that your dog actually has to work at them, which means they last longer than regular treats. IMO, these beat any expensive frozen dog treat you can buy at the store—and they’re like, 1/10th the price.

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Variations (Because Why Stop at Perfect?)

Why It’s Awesome: Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, you can get creative. These variations keep things interesting for your dog and use up random stuff in your pantry or fridge.

Peanut Butter Banana Blueberry Bombs

Add ¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries to the mixture before freezing. The antioxidants are great for dogs, and the little bursts of berry flavor make these even more exciting.

Tropical Peanut Banana Bites

Swap half the yogurt for unsweetened coconut milk and add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut to the mix. Suddenly you’ve got a vacation in a dog treat (okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but they taste tropical-ish).

Apple Banana Peanut Freezies

Replace one banana with ½ cup unsweetened applesauce. The apple adds a different flavor profile and extra fiber, which is great for digestion.

Pumpkin Spice Edition (For Fall-Obsessed Dogs)

Mix in ¼ cup canned pumpkin puree and a tiny pinch of cinnamon. These are technically still “frozen peanut butter banana bites,” but with an autumn twist. Perfect for those weird September days when it’s still hot but everything’s pumpkin-flavored.

Storage & Serving Tips (The Stuff Nobody Tells You)

The Real Talk: These frozen treats are amazing, but there are a few things I wish someone had told me before I made my first batch and learned the hard way.

Storage

• Keep them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll last up to 3 months (theoretically—they’ve never lasted more than two weeks in my house).
• If you stack them, put parchment paper between layers so they don’t stick together.
• Label your container unless you want your roommate/partner to discover them and think you’re secretly eating weird frozen things at midnight.

Serving

• Give these treats outside or on an easy-to-clean surface. They melt, and they melt messy.
• Start with smaller sizes to see how your dog handles them. Some dogs try to inhale them whole, which defeats the cooling purpose.
• These are treats, not meals. Limit to 1-2 per day depending on your dog’s size.
• If your dog has never had yogurt before, start with a small amount to make sure their stomach tolerates it.

Size Matters

• For small dogs: Use mini ice cube trays or mini muffin tins.
• For medium dogs: Regular ice cube trays work great.
• For large dogs: Use muffin tins or even small paper cups.

Pro tip: I freeze some in larger molds and some in tiny ones. The tiny ones are perfect for training or quick cool-downs, while the larger ones are great for extended outdoor play sessions.

Why These Work (The Science-ish Part)

Why It’s Awesome: I’m not a veterinarian, but after making these for three summers straight, I’ve learned a thing or two about why these frozen

peanut butter dog treats are actually beneficial beyond just being delicious.

Cooling From the Inside Out

Dogs don’t sweat like humans—they cool down primarily through panting and through their paw pads. Frozen treats help lower their body temperature from the inside, which is way more effective than just dumping water on them (though let’s be honest, they still love that too).

Hydration Boost

The yogurt and banana in these treats have high water content, which means your dog is getting extra hydration while they enjoy their snack. On brutally hot days when some dogs don’t drink as much as they should, this can be a sneaky way to keep them hydrated.

Mental Stimulation

Licking a frozen treat takes time and concentration. It’s actually a form of mental enrichment that can help calm anxious or bored dogs. I’ve given these to my dog during thunderstorms in the summer, and they help distract him from the scary noises outside.

Joint Relief for Senior Dogs

The cold can actually help soothe sore joints and mild inflammation. If you have an older dog who struggles in the heat, these frozen treats provide cooling relief and a bit of anti-inflammatory benefit (though obviously, they’re not medicine—talk to your vet about serious joint issues).

The Peanut Butter Factor

Real talk: peanut butter is basically dog currency. It’s high in healthy fats, protein, and vitamin E. Combined with the potassium in bananas and the probiotics in yogurt, you’re giving your dog something that’s actually nutritious, not just empty calories.

Troubleshooting (Because Things Happen)

What if they’re too hard? Let them sit at room temperature for 2-3 minutes before giving them to your dog. Some freezers run colder than others, and rock-solid treats aren’t fun for anyone.

What if they melt too fast? Use less yogurt and more peanut butter in your next batch. The higher fat content will make them stay frozen longer. Also, silicone molds tend to release treats that melt slower than ice cube trays (no idea why, but it’s true).

What if my dog inhales them in 10 seconds? Freeze them in larger molds or put them inside a Kong toy before freezing. This forces your dog to work for it and extends the cooling benefit.

What if I don’t have silicone molds? Ice cube trays work great. So do mini muffin tins, small paper cups, or even just spooning dollops onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (they’ll be blob-shaped but your dog won’t care).

What if my dog has peanut allergies? Swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or almond butter (check for xylitol in any nut butter alternative). The recipe works exactly the same way.

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When to Serve These (And When Not To)

Perfect Times:

• After walks or playtime when your dog is overheated
• During midday heat waves when even going outside is miserable
• As a distraction during fireworks, thunderstorms, or other stressful events
• When you’re having a popsicle and your dog gives you those judgmental “where’s mine?” eyes
• Pool or beach days (bring them in a cooler—trust me on this)
• Anytime it’s above 80°F and your dog looks like they’re questioning their life choices

Maybe Skip These Times:

• Right before bed (unless you want a middle-of-the-night bathroom emergency)
• If your dog has a sensitive stomach and you’ve never given them yogurt before (introduce slowly)
• In the middle of winter when it’s 20°F outside (I mean, you could, but your dog might look at you like you’re insane)
• Right after a large meal (treats are treats—spacing is good)

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The Accidental Benefits I Discovered

Why It’s Awesome: Beyond the obvious cooling and deliciousness factors, I’ve noticed some unexpected perks from making these easy dog treats a summer staple.

Vet Visit Stress Relief

I started bringing these to vet appointments in a small cooler. After shots or examinations, my dog gets a frozen treat, and it’s helped him develop much better associations with the vet’s office. His vet now asks me for the recipe, which feels like a weird flex but I’ll take it.

Training in the Heat

Regular training treats can be too heavy or warm on hot days. These frozen bites work great for training sessions if you cut them into tiny pieces and keep them in a cooler. They melt eventually, but you’ve got a good 15-20 minute window.

Post-Surgery Soothing

When my dog had a minor procedure last summer, the vet recommended soft, cool foods. These frozen treats were perfect—they didn’t require chewing, the cold was soothing, and the familiar taste was comforting. (Obviously check with your own vet for post-op feeding, but this worked for us.)

Social Currency at the Dog Park

I’m not saying bringing frozen treats to the dog park will make you popular, but… okay yes, it absolutely will. Other dog owners suddenly want to be your friend when you pull out a cooler full of homemade dog biscuits. FYI, this is how I met most of my dog-parent friends 🙂

Conclusion

Look, I’m not going to pretend these frozen peanut butter banana bites are going to revolutionize your life or anything. But they will make your dog absurdly happy during those brutal summer months when even walking from the car to the front door feels like a trek through the Sahara.

The best part about these no-bake dog treats is that they’re so easy, you can make them on a whim. No planning required, no special equipment needed, just bananas, peanut butter, yogurt, and a few hours of freezer time. I’ve made them while half-watching Netflix, while on work calls (don’t tell my boss), and even hungover on a Sunday morning when my dog’s persistent staring made it clear we had a frozen treat emergency.

Whether you stick with the original recipe or get wild with the variations, these peanut butter dog treats are basically summer in frozen form. They’re cooling, they’re healthy(ish), and they give your dog something to look forward to besides the AC vent.

So next time the temperature spikes and your dog starts giving you that “I can’t believe you brought me to live in this heat” look, just pull out a batch of these frozen bites. Problem solved. And if your dog starts camping out by the freezer like mine does? Well, that’s just the price of being an excellent dog parent 😎

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go make another batch. My freezer stash is running dangerously low, and my dog has started giving me passive-aggressive side-eye every time I open the freezer door without producing a treat. Send help.