Irresistible Homemade Nickerdoodle Horse Treats Your Equine Will Love

Making Your Own Nickerdoodles Horse Treats at Home

If you're like most horse owners, you love pampering your four-legged friend with tasty treats. But with so many store-bought options loaded with artificial ingredients, making your own homemade horse treats is a great way to provide something nutritious and all-natural. Nickerdoodles are a classic homemade horse treat that is easy to make and most horses find irresistible.

Benefits of Homemade Horse Treats

When you make DIY horse treats at home, you have complete control over the ingredients. This allows you to avoid unhealthy additives like artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives that are common in store-bought treats. You can choose wholesome ingredients like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy oils. Homemade treats are also cheaper than buying pre-packaged treats.

Making your own treats also allows you to customize them to your horse's taste and dietary needs. For example, you can adjust the recipe to avoid ingredients your horse is sensitive to. Or you can add supplements like probiotics, joint support, or calming herbs. Since you control the portion sizes, it's easier to avoid overfeeding treats.

Picky Eaters Love Nickerdoodles

Many horse owners struggle with picky eaters who turn their nose up at store-bought treats or even just plain hay and grain. But nickerdoodles are a tried and true homemade treat that even finicky horses tend to love. There's just something irresistible about the tantalizing aroma and texture of these baked treats.

The light sweetness from ingredients like applesauce, molasses, or maple syrup seems to appeal to most horses. The spices add tempting flavor and aroma. And the heartiness from oats, bran or flour gives them a satisfying, chewy texture. When your picky eater catches a whiff of nickerdoodles fresh from the oven, their ears will perk up in anticipation!

Simple Nickerdoodle Ingredients

The great thing about nickerdoodles is they don't require any fancy ingredients. Chances are you may already have a lot of the components in your kitchen. Here's an overview of the basic nickerdoodle ingredients:

• Grains - The bulk of the treats are made up of grain flour and bran. Oat flour is common but you can also use wheat or rice bran. Bran boosts fiber.
• Binders - Ingredients like molasses, applesauce or maple syrup help bind the dough together.
• Fats - A small amount of vegetable oil or other liquid fat helps give the treats a chewy texture.
• Eggs - Eggs also help bind the dough and add protein, nutrition, and texture.
• Spices - Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice add tempting flavor and aroma.

That's really all you need for basic homemade nickerdoodles. But you can also customize them by adding mix-ins like carrots, apples, raisins or peppermints. The possibilities are endless for creating your own signature treats!

Tips for Making Nickerdoodles

While the ingredients are simple, there are some tips to follow when making nickerdoodles:

• Use fresh, high quality ingredients for the best texture and flavor.
• Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately before combining them.
• The dough should be thick and quite dry. Add more flour if it seems too sticky.
• Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes which makes it easier to handle.
• Roll dough into walnut sized balls and coat in cinnamon sugar.
• Bake at 300°F for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned.
• Allow to cool completely before feeding to prevent crumbling.
• Store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks at room temperature.

Baking smaller sized balls results in crunchier treats. Larger balls stay chewier on the inside. You can experiment to see which your horse prefers!

Irresistible Nickerdoodle Recipe

Once you're ready to get baking, here is an easy and irresistible nickerdoodle recipe to try:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups oat flour
• 1 cup wheat bran
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: oat flour, wheat bran, cinnamon, ginger and allspice.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: oil, molasses, applesauce and eggs.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly to form a thick, dry dough.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into 1” balls. Place balls onto prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before feeding.
7. Coat the cooled nickerdoodles in cinnamon sugar to serve.

Keep these tasty nickerdoodle treats stored in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks. Your horse will be begging for these yummy homemade goodies!

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for oat flour?

If you don't have oat flour, you can substitute whole wheat flour or rice flour. The treat may turn out a little less chewy, but will still have great flavor.

Can I freeze nickerdoodles?

Yes, you can freeze baked nickerdoodles to extend their shelf life. Let them cool completely before freezing in an airtight container for 2-3 months.

How long do nickerdoodles last?

Properly stored at room temperature in an airtight container, nickerdoodles will stay fresh for 1-2 weeks. Freeze for longer storage.

What can I add to customize nickerdoodles?

Get creative with mix-ins like shredded carrots, diced apples, raisins, peppermints, pumpkin puree, or nut butter to customize the treats.

Can I use molasses instead of maple syrup?

Yes, molasses can be substituted for maple syrup in nickerdoodles. Use 1/4 cup molasses in place of 1/4 cup maple syrup.

FAQs

Can I make nickerdoodles without eggs?

Yes, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of ground flax or chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water for each egg in the nickerdoodle recipe.

How long does nickerdoodle dough last in the fridge?

The chilled dough should keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days before baking. Make sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.

What's the difference between nickerdoodles and other horse treats?

Nickerdoodles have a unique sweet flavor and chewy texture from ingredients like molasses, oats, and cinnamon that makes them different than other treats.

Should I grease the baking sheets before baking nickerdoodles?

Yes, it's best to lightly grease your baking sheets or line them with parchment paper so the nickerdoodles don't stick.

Can I substitute almond or coconut flour for oat flour?

It's best to stick to oat flour or wheat flour in this recipe, as other grain-free flours may not provide the right binding and texture.