Lactation cookies, sexy huh?
This is one of the best things about living overseas. And the worst thing about living overseas? Missing so much!
Last week, one of my good friends back home had her first baby, Paxton.
And then two days later, my sister in law and brother welcomed Makenna Lee, my first niece (I have a nephew, Eric), into this world.
When Eric was born a year and a half ago, I was home to see him at 1 month old, then was back in the States when he was 7 months, and then again for the following Christmas to see him at a year old. Unfortunately, I can’t keep traveling that far for every break.
Since I can’t be there to celebrate the arrival of McKenna and Paxton with my friends and family, I thought I would bake cookies. Not just any cookies, Lactation Cookies.
I’ve seen Lactation Cookies around the web on a lot of blogs and have always thought I would make them for friends who are having babies. I haven’t had the chance to do it yet, so I did a little research today to figure out exactly what makes a cookie a LACTATION cookie.
Contents
Lactation Cookies
Since lactating mother’s need extra nutrition and more calories than normal, these cookies are high in healthy fats and natural sugars. The necessary ingredients are:
- Oatmeal: High in iron, since many new mothers are iron deficient.
- Brewer’s Yeast: A great source of B vitamins, necessary for a woman to produce milk.
- Flax Seed: High in omega 3s (DHA), said to boost the quality of milk and boost the brain function and memory of the baby.
Cookie “mix-ins” are optional, but is dark chocolate really ever optional when it comes to cookies?
I also added apricots, because I’ve read they are good for pregnant women.
- Apricots: High in iron, calcium, folic acid and magnesium, good for boosting energy and reducing fatigue.
Now, I won’t actually get to share these cookies with my sister-in-law or friend in Portland, but they won’t go to waste. A friend here in Kuala Lumpur had a baby last January while I was away, and I got too busy with work once I got back to make these for her (even though I had intended to!). She is still breastfeeding, so better late than never, right?
Saturday, she and her husband celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary, and I babysat little Quinn. She is an angel, and my friend calls me “Auntie Michelle” to her. At least I am blessed with friends who I can celebrate important life events with!
Dark Chocolate Apricot Lactation Cookies
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups oats divided (grind 1/2 cup oats into a flour)
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons brewer's yeast
- 2 tablespoons molasses sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix-Ins
- 2/3 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/3 cup 85% dark chocolate chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Put ½ cup of oats into a food processor bowl or blender, and process until a flour forms.
- Add all the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl, and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients. If your coconut oil is solid, melt it before mixing it in.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, then add the mix ins.
- Scoop the cookies onto a lined baking sheet. Flatten into a cookie shape. They will not flatten on their own.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet. They will be very crumbly until they have cooled, and then will firm up.
Notes
Nutrition
Sources
Lactation Cookie Recipe, Peaceful Parenting
Very Effective Lactation Cookie Recipe, Belly Belly
That’s so exciting! She will appreciate them. New moms appreciate any food they don’t have to prepare themselves 🙂
good site and posts thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi, Michelle. I love this recipe and would like to share it on a blog post about best recipes for breakfast in bed for nursing moms. Obviously, I’ll link back here and credit you, but I did want to touch base and make sure that works for you.
Hi Autumn, thanks for asking! You are welcome to use these photos and link to the recipe on my site. It’s okay to reprint the ingredients, but please do not reprint the directions. Have a great weekend!