Teething Cookies

Three ingredients, no butter, no leavening, and you get rock-hard cookies designed specifically for teething babies to gnaw on. These doughnut-shaped biscuits are sturdy enough to withstand serious chewing without crumbling into choking hazards.

The method is old-fashioned and deliberate. Stirring the eggs in one direction until creamy before adding sugar and flour creates a dense, uniform dough with no air pockets. That’s the whole point: you want these to bake up solid, not light and crumbly.

The overnight rest is critical. Letting the cut cookies dry out on the counter for 10-12 hours before baking means the surface sets and the interior loses moisture. When they finally hit the oven, they bake into something closer to a hard biscotti than a cookie. The doughnut shape gives tiny hands a natural grip.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the dough a full ¾ inch thick; thinner cookies bake too crisp and can snap into sharp pieces
• Stir in just enough flour so the dough is stiff but workable; too much makes them impossibly hard
• Don’t skip the overnight drying step; it’s what ensures even hardness all the way through
• Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks; they stay hard and safe for teething

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dough for a mild flavor babies enjoy
• Use whole wheat flour for half the white flour for a slightly nuttier taste
• Cut into stick shapes instead of doughnuts for a different grip option