If you're looking for an easy, affordable way to spoil your animals, give these homemade molasses horse treats a try. They're made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, and they’re a hit with goats too!
Homemade Molasses Horse Treats
Whether you're a homesteader, a 4-H parent, or just love your animals like family, you’ll love how quick and fun these DIY treats are to make. They're all-natural, free from preservatives, and can even be frozen for later.
Updated May 2025
Why Make Your Own Horse Treats?
When our youngest daughter was in 4-H, she and her best friend needed an idea for their cooking demonstration at the annual speech contest. Since they were both members of our county horse club, they wanted a horse-related recipe - but that’s not as easy as it sounds...
After some brainstorming, they decided to make homemade horse treats. The project was a big hit, not just at the contest, but with our animals, too. Even our steer Chuck loved them.
This easy recipe is still one of our horses' favorites today.
Animal-Approved and Kid-Friendly
These molasses treats are soft enough for horses and goats to chew easily, but firm enough to hold their shape. And because they’re so simple to make, they’re a great project for kids, with a little adult supervision.
Your animals will love them, and you’ll love knowing exactly what’s in their treats.
Ingredients for Molasses Horse Treats
These simple ingredients are pantry staples in most homes:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat or white flour
1/2 cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)
1/3 cup molasses
Tip: If your carrots are small, use two instead of one.
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. The mixture should resemble cookie dough: sticky but not too wet. Add a bit more flour if needed.
Roll or drop teaspoon-sized balls onto the cookie sheet, spacing them about an inch apart.
Bake for 10 minutes. The treats won’t change color or spread like cookies, but they’ll be firm to the touch when done.
This recipe makes about 18-24 treats, depending on how big you make the dough balls. I like to make them smaller when I’m baking for goats.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerate uneaten treats in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Freeze extras to make them last longer - thaw before giving them to your horse or goat.
Nutritional Note
These homemade molasses horse treats are intended as occasional snacks, not a replacement for a balanced diet. They contain natural sugars from molasses and carrots, so it’s best to feed them in moderation. 1-2 treats per day per animal is a good guideline.
Always make sure your animals have access to fresh water and their regular feed. If your horse or goat has dietary restrictions, check with your vet before offering new treats.
More resources for animal lovers
Make dosage balls for your goats
Keep livestock water from freezing
How to bale hay by hand
Pin it for later!
If your animals love these molasses treats, don’t forget to share the recipe or save it to your favorite homesteading board on Pinterest.
Watch your fingers! Your horse will probably want more than one!
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