That’s why we love these healthy banana teething rusks. Made with simple, natural ingredients, they’re tasty to eat and fun for baby to practice chewing on.
We’ve chosen to make them as long oblong biscuits so that your baby can grab them in their fist. But we have also included a method for making them as flat rectangles for toddlers and older kids to enjoy too.
Summary
Prep: 5 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Ages: Babies (8m+) to Little Kids
Difficulty: Easy peasy
Makes: 6 banana teething rusks
When can babies have teething rusks?
For dry, hard biscuits like these banana teething rusks, it’s recommended to wait until baby is 8-12 months old.
Other softer finger foods can be offered from 6 months onwards, provided baby can sit unaided and is able to manipulate food in their mouth.
ARE rusks good for teething?
Rusks are rough and quite hard which can give relief to itchy gums. By gnawing down on them, baby’s tender gums could be soothed and it could also help the teeth to break through.
All that biting and chewing is good for gum and jaw development in little ones too. And these rusks are made from 100 per cent natural ingredients, so you don’t need to worry about the sugar and other additives.
Always supervise babies and young children when they’re eating.
Homemade banana teething rusks
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (180 grams)
- 2 Medjool dates
- 1 ripe banana
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
Instructions
Oat and banana dough:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) fan setting.
- Soak the dates in a bowl of boiling water for 5 minutes.
- In a food processor, quickly blend the oats into a rough flour. Remove and set aside.
- Drain your dates and remove the pits.
- Add them to the food processor along with the banana and coconut oil. Blend into a sticky paste.
- Add the oats back in and blend again until you get a sticky dough. Then form your teething biscuits using one of these 2 methods:
Either form the rusks into long sticks:
- Take a small ball of the dough and roll it with your hands into a circle and then into a long cylinder.
- Place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and press down on it so that it’s slightly flatter.
- Round out the edges to make a nicely shaped baton.
Or form them into rectangular cookies:
- Lay out a sheet of parchment paper and put the dough on top of it.
- Lay another sheet on top of the dough so that it’s sandwiched between the two.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until you get a flat plaque about ½ cm thick.
- Cut it into long thin rectangles with a sharp kitchen knife.
Bake the teething rusks
- Cook your teething rusks on the middle shelf of the oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are slightly golden. Try to take them out when they’re just ready so that they don’t get too dry.
- Let them cool to room temperature and serve as a tasty snack.
Homemade banana teething rusks – a step by step guide:
Soak the dates
Place the 2 Medjool dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water.
Let them soak for 5-10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. When they’re done, drain the water and remove the pits.
Blend the oats
In the meantime preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) fan setting.
Place the rolled oats in a food processor. Whizz for a minute until they make a coarse flour. Empty it into a bowl.
Blend the dates, banana and coconut oil
Place the pitted dates, banana and coconut oil into the food processor and blend until you get a thick paste.
Add the oats back in and pulse again until you get a sticky dough.
EITHER make them into long sticks:
Take a small bit of dough. Roll it first into a ball and then out into a long cylinder shape.
Place it on a non-stick baking tray or on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Press down a little until to flatten it slightly.
Round off the edges so that it looks like a nicely shaped baton.
OR to make them into rectangles:
Set out one sheet of greaseproof baking paper and place the ball of dough onto it.
Then place another sheet on top of it. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it’s about ½ cm thick.
Take a sharp knife or pizza cutter and slice the dough into rectangles. Prick each rectangle with a fork.
Bake for 10-12 minutes
Bake your teething rusks in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
Try not to overcook them as this may make them dry. Let them cool.
Let baby explore their homemade banana teething rusks
Or serve them up as a tasty toddler snack
Banana Teething Rusks for Baby
That’s why we love these healthy banana teething rusks. Made with simple, natural ingredients, they’re tasty to eat and fun for baby to practice chewing on.
Equipment
-
Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (180 grams)
- 2 Medjool dates
- 1 banana ripe
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- pinch ground cinnamon
Instructions
Oat and banana dough
-
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) fan setting.
-
Soak the dates in a bowl of boiling water for 5 minutes.
-
In a food processor, quickly blend the oats into a rough flour. Remove and set aside.
-
Drain your dates and remove the pits.
-
Add them to the food processor along with the banana and coconut oil. Blend into a sticky paste.
-
Add the oats back in and blend again until you get a sticky dough. Then form your teething biscuits using one of these 2 methods:
Either form into long sticks
-
Take a small ball of the dough and roll it with your hands into a circle and then into a long cylinder.
-
Place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and press down on it so that it’s slightly flatter.
-
Round out the edges to make a nicely shaped baton.
Or form into rectangular cookies
-
Lay out a sheet of parchment paper and put the dough on top of it.
-
Lay another sheet on top of the dough so that it’s sandwiched between the two.
-
Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until you get a flat plaque about ½ cm thick.
-
Cut it into long thin rectangles with a sharp kitchen knife.
Bake the teething rusks
-
Cook your teething rusks on the middle shelf of the oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are slightly golden. Try to take them out when they’re just ready so that they don’t get too dry.
-
Let them cool to room temperature and serve as a tasty snack.
