Have you been looking for healthy baby food recipes? This breadsticks recipe is designed for baby led weaning stage. Your child can grasp the items in their hands and chomp on the pieces if they like. It goes without saying that you’re going to watch them like a hawk! And the breadsticks are just as delicious for the entire family!

This recipe is for breadsticks that a baby can hold in their hand and chew on if they like. For a more adult twist you could coat them in sesame, poppy or nigella (black onion) seeds, or even just plain sea salt and black pepper before baking.

Because there is no salt in the dough, they will only keep well in a sealed, dry container if they are well baked, hard the whole way through and cold.

What I do is make a batch of the dough, cook 1/4 into breadsticks, cook another 1/2 into a focaccia style bread and refrigerate the last amount to bake the following day.

Breadsticks are a great way to introduce new flavours to children by dipping into hummus for example. Let’s face it they’re also a yummy nibble to have before a main meal or with a glass of wine!

Ingredients

• 400g Strong White Flour
• 100g Semolina Flour – with another 20g odd for sprinkling to stop the dough sticking
• 1 x 7g package of ready mix yeast
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 325ml water at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil

Equipment

• 1 large bowl
• 1 large jug
• Weighing scales
• 2 Baking trays
• Spray sunflower oil
• Cling film
• Cooling rack

Method

1. Place your large bowl on the weighing scales and weigh all the dried ingredients into the bowl.
2. Now place the jug onto the weighing scales and weigh out the water and add the sunflower oil then stir.
3. Make a well in the middle of the bowl of dried ingredients and pour the liquid in.
4. Mix until the ingredients come together into a ball.
5. Knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth. Note – if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook then use it here it will save you time & energy!
6. Wash and dry the bowl then spray the inside with sunflower oil.
7. Place the dough in the oiled bowl then cover with cling film and leave in a warm spot to prove. This normally takes me about 2 hours but it depends on how warm your kitchen is.
8. Once proved, preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celcius.
9. Spray your baking trays then sprinkle with semolina flour to stop the breadsticks from sticking as they bake.
10. Remove the cling film from the bowl and taking ping-pong ball sized lumps roll them between your hands until they become long sausages.
11. Place onto the baking trays, about 3cm apart.
12. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown and crispy.
13. Make sure you remove these from the oven and carefully pop them onto a cooling rack for about 30 mins before eating.

Related Baby-Friendly Recipes: Baked Potato Chips and Carrot, Apple and Ginger Soup

You may also like – Party Food Ideas for Toddlers

This recipe, and more, is available on Wholesome Ireland

If you have tried this recipe let us know what you thought of it in the comments below

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