The girls, aged 13 and 14, were charged with the murder of Angela Wrightson, 39, whose body was discovered at her home in Stephen Street on Tuesday.
They appeared separately, with the younger girl wiping away a tear and the older one weeping throughout.
No pleas were entered and both were remanded to youth custody, with a preliminary hearing on 18 December.
One of the girls' mothers wept as they appeared at an earlier hearing at Teesside Youth Court.
The 13-year-old's parents were present at the hearing, with her mother sobbing throughout, and the older girl was watched by her father.
At the crown court, no wigs were worm by the judge or prosecution and defence barristers due to the age of the defendants.
A post-mortem examination found Ms Wrightson died as a result of blood loss and substantial injuries.
Two teenage girls accused of murdering a woman in Hartlepool have appeared at Teesside Crown Court.