Lactation Cookies (unless youre not breastfeeding, in which case theyre Tasty Cookies)

Chocolate Almond Lactation Cookies

Oatmeal, flax seed, brewer’s yeast and almonds have all be found to boost milk supply. It is also important for nursing moms to consume plenty of calories, and with a baby to take care of; these cookies make for a great snack. This recipe yields about 40 cookies.

It is important to note that many moms worry about supply unnecessarily. As long as a baby is breastfed exclusively, having plenty of wet diapers and gaining weight, milk supply is not likely a problem. If you are concerned, it is best to speak with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. It doesn’t hurt to eat these tasty cookies though!

Kitchen Tools Needed

• Oven and kitchen timer (not pictured)
• A medium bowl (see photos for size examples)
• A large bowl
• A mixer
• A whisk
• A set of measuring cups
• Rubber spatula
• A #40 dishing scoop OR 2 spoons
• Cookie sheets
• Cooling racks
• Fork
• Metal spatula

Ingredients Needed

• 1 1/2 c. flour (whole wheat or all-purpose)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 c. rolled oats OR 1 c. steel –cut oats
• ¾ c. almond butter or peanut butter (before starting, see TIP, also, if doubling recipe, use entire 16oz jar)
• 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
• 1 c. flax meal
• 3 T brewer's yeast (often called “nutritional yeast” in stores)
• 1/3 c. water
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 c. (12oz) chocolate chips, any variety
• 1 c. chopped almonds (or other nuts, however almonds can help with milk production)

TIP: If using natural nut butter that requires stirring, simply pour the entire jar into the large bowl and use mixer to stir, then measure out what is needed and put excess back into jar prior to step 3. This saves hassle with a butter knife and the bowl and mixer are going to get dirty anyway.

STEPS

1) Preheat the oven to 350* F

2) In the medium bowl, gently whisk together:

• flour

• baking soda
• cinnamon
• salt
set aside 

3) In the large bowl, beat the following:
• nut butter
• butter or margarine
• sugar
• brown sugar
• brewer's yeast
• flax meal
• water
• vanilla
until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to fully incorporate all ingredients, dough will be wet and creamy.

4) Mix in the 2 eggs until combined.

5) Add bowl of dry ingredients, about a cup at a time, mix until fully combined.

6) Mix in the nuts and chocolate chips completely.

7) Slowly, add oats, about ¼ cup at a time, until all mixed.

8) Using the scoop or 2 spoons, form balls about 2 inches in diameter, place about 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet and flatten each ball slightly with the tines of a fork. This ensures even baking.

9) Bake for about 12 minutes, they will be soft, but hold up to a metal spatula when done.

10) Allow to cool on pan no longer than 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Note: The taste of warm brewer’s yeast can be bitter, so some moms prefer to let them cool completely before eating.

TIP: Mixing and baking cookies is a lot of work for possibly sleep deprived moms, this dough freezes well: simply place formed and flattened balls in step 7 onto parchment paper and into zip-top bags and freeze. Whenever needed, simply place as many onto a cookie sheet as needed and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350*F

Tip: Some fresh baked cookies and/or some frozen cookie dough balls would make a great gift for a new mom, or a mom who is struggling with breastfeeding.

• Cookies should be stored in an air tight bag or container and will last up to 2 weeks fresh. Frozen dough will last at least 2 months.

• For a boost in milk supply, consume 4-6 per day. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Snappies AKA Ben's Fave Cookies

Peanut Butter Snappies aka Ben's Favorite Cookies

My brother Ben is not the only person who loves these cookies, they just got nicknamed that because whenever he would come home on leave during his 8 years in the Marine Corp, mom would make them for him.

my kid sister Lenna, who was too young to remember the military leave tradition named them "Peanut Butter Snappies"

The rest of the world knows these as Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal No Bakes (or something along those lines)

Although I make these a few times per year, and every time, I call my mom for the recipe. It amazes me how she has recipes memorized like that... Eventually, I will have this one down, or at least organized to find my notes from last time I called her.

I made them for a cookie exchange I went to yesterday.

Ingredients:
~1/2 cup baking cocoa
~1/2 cup milk
~2 cups granulated sugar
~1/2 cup room temperature butter (pictured is for a quadruple batch) or margarine
~1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
~1 tsp vanilla
~3 cups instant oatmeal (non instant will work if thats what you have) ideally its the instant that cooks in 2 minutes)



Supplies: ~pan, (non-stick is very helpfull)
~wax or parchment paper
~measuring spoons and cups,
~pot holder/trivet
~kitchen timer (your microwave or stove probably has one)
~disher (mine is #40) or 2 eating spoons
~stove safe mixing spoon (not pictured)


directions:
Prep everything:

~roll out wax or parchment paper, onto counter or cookie sheet (about a large cookie sheet size peice for 1 batch)

~measure peanut butter and oats (I love the pampered chef plunger type measurer for peanut butter!)

~into the pan, measure sugar, cocoa and butter (if your butter is cold, warm it on the stove before adding everything else)

~set timer for 2 minutes~I don't pre-measure the vanilla, since its easy to measure out when it is time, I just get the spoon ready.

~you will want the peanut butter and oats ready before starting to cook the rest because its important to be quick when adding them when its time. take too long and the cookies might not set up right, or might be too crumbly.

Start cooking:

~bring butter, sugar, milk and cocoa to a rolling boil. stirring constantly, as soon as you think it could be considered "rolling" press start on the timer

~stir constantly for the 2 minutes
~when the timer goes off, remove from heat, onto trivet or pot holder next to the parchment paper.

~ stir in peanut butter until its mostly melted.

~ stir in vanilla

~ stir in oats to cover them completely

~quickly scoop out cookies onto the paper, I LOVE the disher (mini ice cream scooper) for this, but 2 spoons works well too)
Using the small #40 disher, this recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies

when I make multiple batches (which is like 90% of the time), I dont double the recipe, I actually repeat everything multiple times, because its important to get the dough out of the pan onto the paper quickly so it can set up (if the oats cook too long, they get mushy and dont hold up, or the sugar dries out and is too crumbly) It really doesnt take much time to re-measure everything. If you do this, wash the pan between batches so you dont get burned oats in the 2nd batch)

My mom is good enough at making these she doubles it. I could probably get away with it now that I have been making these awhile, but Id rather mess up 1 batch than 2 or more batches, starting over each time is better success insurance.


Even the 3 batches I made in the same night with same ingredientes, turned out slightly different, the first, the butter was still mostly frozen, and they turned out drier (the sugar and milk cooked too long waiting for the butter to thaw then melt then boil), the 2nd, I melted the butter first, and they were perfectly shiney, the 3rd, not sure why, but they had better flavor


This night, I made 3 batches, yeilding 8 1/2 dozen (+ like 6 the hubby and I ate)


If your cookies turn out crumbly (or if they arent eaten in a few days, yeah, right), serve crumbles warm as an ice cream topper. Or with milk, like cereal.

If they turn out mushy and dont set up hard, smash into a graham cracker pie crust, top with whipped cream, serve as pie and pretend you did it on purpose.


If you have space, plan to cool the cookies away from the heat of the stove. Especially if youre baking other stuff and its hot/humid in the kitchen) Either by scooping onto wax paper on cookie sheets then moving to a cooler area of the house, or on a counter away from the stove. If the cookies dont cool quickly, the oats cook for too long, getting mushy (like oatmeal) they can be put in the fridge, but I always get the best results in a cool kitchen.


I suggest storing under a heavy lid, so you burn a few more calories getting to them.
Try them and you will know why we looked forward to Ben's visits sooo much. (well that and we missed our brother)

Im linking to Momnivore's Dilemma Creative Juice Thursday