Soaked Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

Don’t let the “lactation cookie” through you off.  Yes, these cookies were created for milk makin’ mommies, but anyone can enjoy them. 

These are not your average lactation cookies. They are packed with nutritious ingredients, many of which are known for boosting and enriching milk production.  They have oats in them which are thought to increase milk production, but these are not your typical oats.  These gluten free oats are soaked for 24 hours before using.  Soaking grains is crucial because all whole grains have enzyme inhibitors that block nutrients from being absorbed.  Non-soaked grains also cause digestion issues.  When you use the traditional practices of soaking, your body will be able to absorb the nutrients that the whole grain has.  Soaked grains are basically predigested so your body has to do less work.  

The other front-runners in these cookies are carrots, kale, nettle, chia seeds and pasture butter.  Carrots, kale and nettle are great for boosting milk production.  Chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids and are full of beneficial vitamins and minerals.  Pasture butter is a good fat that is important for nursing moms.  It’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) and helps your body absorb minerals.  It is also a good source of vitamin D, E and K.

These make a great gift for new moms.

My Little Love "decorating" cookies w/ chocolate chips.

Soaked Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

These lactation cookies are jam-packed with good stuff.  Yes, these are some milk makin’ cookies, but they are also for everyone to enjoy.  Who doesn’t like a delicious cookie that is good for you too?  These are so yummy, yummy, yummy!  Really, enough said. 

***Note: 24 hours Advance Preparation Required***

Equipment: Food Processor, Standing Mixer, Large Mason Jar or Glass Bowl w/ Lid

·      2 cups gluten free rolled oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF Rolled Oats)

·      2 ½ cups warm filtered water, just enough to slightly cover the oats

·      2 tablespoons fresh organic lemon juice, unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar, whey, or kefir 

·      2 tablespoons chia seeds

·      ¼ cup filtered water

·      2 organic carrots, peeled

·      2 kale leaves, remove stem, tear into chunks

·      1 teaspoon dried nettle (See Resources)

·      ½ cup cold pasture butter (See Resources)

·      ½ cup honey (I use local raw clover creamed)

·      1 teaspoon gluten free organic vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)

·      2 cups soaked oats, from day before

·      4 tablespoons chia gel, from day before

·      1 ½ cups sprouted brown rice flour

·      1 teaspoon baking soda

·      ¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

·      1 cup gluten free chocolate chips

24 hours Before Making Cookies:

1.     Place oats in a large glass bowl or large Mason jar.  Cover with 2 ½ cups warm filtered water (warmer than room temperature) and lemon juice/apple cider vinegar/whey/kefir.  Cover with lid or clear wrap if you do not have a lid.  Leave out on counter for 24 hours. 

2.    In a small bowl or glass jar, add chia seeds and ¼ cup filtered water.  Cover and refrigerate.  This will make the chia gel.

Making Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Get cookie pan ready, set aside.  I use a stoneware large bar pan 15 ½” x 10”, since it is seasoned, I don’t need to grease it.  If cookies tend to stick on your baking pan, add a sheet of parchment paper or grease with butter. 
2. Strain soaked oats through colander, set aside.

3. Remove chia gel from refrigerator, set aside.

4. Prep carrots and kale. 
5. In food processor fitted with grating blade, add carrots, pulse to grate.  Remove grating blade and add “s-shape” blade (you may need to move some of the grated carrots around to get the blade in place).  Add kale chunks and dried nettle.  Pulse until contents are finely minced, scraping down sides as needed.  [If you don’t have a food processor, grate carrots, then finely mince.  Don’t tear kale into chunks, instead julienne, and then finely mince.  Mix these all together with the dried nettle.]

 

6. Fit standing mixer with the flat beater and bowl.  [If you don’t have a standing mixer, you could use a hand mixer w/ bowl.] 
7. Add pasture butter, raw honey and vanilla extract to standing mixer bowl and mix on a low speed until the butter starts to soften.  Increase speed and whip until creamed and it begins to have a lighter white color, about 1 minute.  Stop mixer and scrape down bowl with a spatula. 

8. Add minced carrot + kale + dried nettle mixture, 4 tablespoons chia gel, and soaked oats to creamed butter mixture.  Mix on low speed until combined.  Scrape down sides with spatula.

9.    Add sprouted brown rice flour, baking soda and sea salt to batter.  Mix on low until combined.  Scrape down sides as needed.    

10.    Add chocolate chips and mix on “stir” function or lowest setting just until combined. 

11.     Option 1: Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto cookie sheet.  These will form little mounds when baked. 

Option 2: If you prefer a cookie that looks more like a traditional shape, take the rounded tablespoonful of dough and shape into a flat cookie by hand, making it about ¼ inch thick.  Or, drop the rounded dough ball onto the cookie sheet and press down to flatten with fingers.  I can fit 12 cookies on the large bar pan.

12.    Bake 12-15 minutes.  Cookies will be slightly golden brown on the bottom.  Let sit one minute on pan before removing with a spatula to a cooing rack.  Do not over bake!  They are soft and gooey when hot and set up more as they cool. 

Option 1 End Result

Option 2 End Result

My Little Love enjoying a cookie! 

Yield: About 3 ½ dozen cookies.

Storing Instructions: If you don’t plan on serving all of the cookies on the day you bake them, store the remaining baked cookies in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag or container. 

Freezing Cookies: These cookies freeze great!  They are delicious right out of the freezer, or if you prefer, let them cool slightly at room temperature. 

Note: Make your own chocolate chips if you want to ensure that you’re using all REAL food ingredients.  Or, if you need to cheat in this area (I do) try to find a “healthier” version of chocolate chips or carob chips.  Look for one that does not contain refined sugars, fillers or soy.