Homemade Baby Teething Biscuits
When my children were teething as babies, it was tempting to buy those convenient, processed, store-bought teething biscuits to give them something to gnaw on and provide a bit of relief as well as nutrition.
But, making them yourself not only protects your wallet, you know what is in the biscuits. They don't take too much time to make, and this recipe's yield is ample enough to keep your baby happy for a few days, perhaps a week. Avoid using any gas-producing vegetables, such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or cauliflower in the vegetable stock. Carrots, parsnips, peas, squash, green beans, parsley, turnips, and spinach are better choices.
For tips on making your own vegetable stock, click here.
- 2 c. whole wheat flour
- 1/4 c. soy flour
- 1/4 c. cornmeal
- 1 T. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 T. wheat germ or farina
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 c. vegetable stock
- 1/2 c. non-fat dry milk, prepared according to directions (i.e., water added) or soy milk
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a food processor or in a large bowl, stir together the both types of flour, cornmeal, sugar, cinnamon, wheat germ/farina, and salt. Add the beaten egg and vegetable stock. Mix well. Slowly blend in enough of the non-fat dry milk or soy milk to form a firm dough ball, making sure the mixture isn't too runny. You may not need the entire 1/2 c. of the milk.
On a floured surface or pastry cloth, roll the dough into a large rectangle about 3/8-inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flouring the rolling pin before rolling it out will help. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into strips measuring about 1-1/2 inches wide by 3 inches long. Place the strips on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Space them about 1 inch apart on the sheet.
With a fork, prick each dough strip several times. Bake in the oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the teething biscuits are completely dry.
Cool the teething biscuits on a rack. After cooling, they should be hard. If they aren't, put them back in the oven for a few minutes. When done, store the teething biscuits in an airtight container.
Be sure to watch your baby when he or she is munching on any teething biscuit or cracker. Most are designed to stay hard while the baby sloppily gnaws on them, but once in a while, a piece can break off or crumble. Should your baby swallow one of these pieces, he or she could choke. Watchfulness and caution are important.
Yield: 12 to 15 teething biscuits