Bath Cookies

These are not for eating. Bath cookies are homemade bath bombs shaped like cookies that fizz and dissolve in warm water, releasing sea salt, skin-softening cornstarch, and essential oils into your tub. Drop one or two into a hot bath and let the baking soda and salt do their work.

Sea salt and baking soda create the fizzing action when they hit the water, while cornstarch softens the bathwater and makes your skin feel silky. Vitamin E oil and a light vegetable oil add moisture so you step out of the tub feeling hydrated instead of dried out. The essential oils are where you customize the scent: lavender for relaxation, eucalyptus for sinus relief, peppermint for energy.

The eggs bind everything together so the mixture holds its cookie shape through baking. A low oven dries them out and hardens them so they store well without crumbling.

Kitchen Tips

• Shape them thicker than regular cookies. They need enough mass to fizz for several minutes in the bath.
• Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes and no longer. Overbaking browns them and can burn off the essential oils.
• Let them cool completely before storing. Any residual moisture makes them stick together and crumble.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Humidity activates the baking soda prematurely.

Variations

• Lavender sleep cookies: Use lavender essential oil and add dried lavender buds to the mix for a soothing bedtime bath.
• Citrus energizer: Use orange and lemon essential oils with a teaspoon of dried orange zest for an invigorating morning soak.
• Oatmeal soothing bath: Add finely ground oats to the mix for extra skin-soothing properties, especially for dry or irritated skin.