Sourdough Oatmeal Lactation Cookies

If you’re a mother, you know the breastfeeding hunger is REAL. This chewy Sourdough Oatmeal Lactation Cookie is packed with brown butter and brown sugar to give it that note of caramel, paired with sweet coconut and rich chocolate. Full of the nutrition you need to support lactation, and decadent enough to be the perfect late night pumping snack. From one mother to another- I hope you love this recipe!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

This recipe is packed with flax, Brewer’s yeast, oats, and coconut to provide the ultimate support for your body to produce the milk your baby needs. High in ingredients that support hormonal regulation and rich in iron and B- vitamins to replenish energy stores depleted from milk production, these Sourdough Oatmeal Lactation Cookies are the perfect quick snack to reach for when you need a boost! But don’t be fooled- they may look healthy, but these cookies seriously deliver on taste too. Good for you and delicious? Sign me up.

Why Should I Use Sourdough Starter In Cookies:

Incorporating sourdough starter discard into your cookie dough not only adds a unique depth of flavor but also introduces a fermentation process that enhances the dough’s complexity. Allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator overnight facilitates this fermentation, as the natural bacteria and yeasts in the sourdough starter continue to develop the dough’s character.

If you choose to ferment the dough overnight, remember to let it rest at room temperature for about 1 hour before scooping and baking to ensure optimal texture and ease of handling.

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Tools You’ll Need:

• Medium sized pot– for browning the butter

• Large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl– for mixing your cookie dough

• Electric mixer (stand or hand-held)– for combining dough

• Spatula– for scraping down bowl

• Parchment paper or silicone mats– to line cookie sheet to avoid burning. I love these silicone mats for even baking linked here https://amzn.to/3S73kdh

• Baking sheets– to bake cookies

• 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop- for shaping large cookies linked here https://amzn.to/3Qw3nyt

• Large circular cookie cutter (optional)– for perfectly shaped cookies

• Wire cooling rack- for allowing cookies to rest properly

Next, Gather Ingredients:

• Unsalted Butter – Creates your brown butter to make that nutty toffee taste.

• Eggs– Provides structure and helps bind the cookie.
• Sourdough discard– Adds tangy flavor and moisture and is the magic that ferments your dough. Can be used fed, past peak, or straight from the fridge.
• White Granulated Sugar- Sweetens cookies. Helps give cookies that crackly top and crisp edge.
• Brown sugar – Adds sweetness and caramel notes to cookies.
• Vanilla extract – Adds depth and warmth to cookies.
• Whole rolled oats– Oats give this cookie that nostalgic taste and add chew and texture. Make sure to use rolled oats, not steel cut.

• All-purpose flour – Provides structure and lift to the cookies. You can substitute bread flour if you have to but I like the softness all-purpose gives the cookies.
• Baking powder – Helps with lift and rise with too much doming in the center.
• Baking Soda – Creates the perfect lift without overpuffing the cookies.
• Sea salt – Enhances overall flavor.
• Ground Cinnamon – adds warmth to the cookie and is rich in antioxidants.
• Flax Meal– known for it’s hormone regulating properties, flax is an excellent source of fat and fiber to add to a lactation cookie. I don’t recommend whole falx seeds, as this can make the cookies grainy.
• Brewer’s Yeast- One of the main ingredients that supports milk production. Brewer’s yeast helps boost prolactin, and is packed with B vitamins. I like to use Kate’s Naturals as it ‘s non-GMO and debittered linked here.
• Chocolate Chips– to give cookies pockets of creamy chocolate throughout. You can use semi-sweet or milk.
• Shredded Sweetened Coconut- coconut adds sweetens and texture to this cookie really elevating the flavor. If you prefer you can use unsweetened, but be aware the cookie may not be as sweet.

Now let’s make some cookies!

Sourdough Oatmeal Lactation Cookies

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter

• 1 cup (200 grams) packed brown sugar

• 1/2 cup (120 grams) granulated white sugar

• 1/2 cup (120 grams) sourdough starter discard

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups (275g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (180g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon (6g) fine sea salt
• 3 Tablespoons (30g) Brewer’s yeast
• 2 Tablespoons (14g) ground flax meal
• 1 teaspoon (5g) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (4g) ground cinnamon

Add-ins:

• 1 3/4 cups (275 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup (60g) shredded sweetened coconut

• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions:

1. Brown the Butter

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns a rich amber color with brown specks at the bottom, emitting a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately. This process typically takes about 5-7 minutes. I like to do this the night before. 

Once butter is browned, remove the saucepan from heat and transfer the butter to a the stand mixer bowl to cool to and become solid again.

2. Prepare the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated white sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together for approximately 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. It’ll be a bit crumbly, that’s okay!

Add the eggs, sourdough discard, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes, ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated and fluffy. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix everything at the bottom. This insures all your cookies come out evenly.

3. Incorporate Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, mix together with a whisk the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, salt, Brewer’s yeast, flax meal, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon (if using). This is important to make sure your ingredients are evenly distributed.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to ensure a tender cookie texture.

4. Add Chocolate Chips and Coconut

Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and coconut, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. You can add them to the mixer if using, and pulse them through the dough for ease. 

5. Chill the Dough

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours. For optimal fermentation, consider chilling the dough overnight. If chilling overnight, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 1 hour before baking to make scooping easier and ensure the right consistency of your cookies.

Note about refrigerating dough: If you want to scoop and refrigerate dough as balls, I recommend chilling 1-2 hours then scooping. Gram weight for these cookies is roughly 60-70 grams. Refrigerate overnight and allow dough to sit on counter 1 hour before baking as listed below.

Note about freezing dough: If you choose to freeze the cookie dough, I recommend refrigerating the dough after mixing until it firms up (about 1-2 hours). Scoop your cookies and refrigerate overnight to achieve optimal fermentation. If you wish, you can skip this refrigeration step, but your dough won’t ferment as long. After dough has refrigerated, transfer to airtight containers or zip locks with air removed and freeze. When ready to bake cookies, allow dough to sit out and thaw 2 hours and bake cookies as directed below.

6. Bake the Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or my preference) silicone mats.

Using a 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. I scoop six to one cookie sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers appear slightly underbaked.

Immediately upon removing from the oven, slap the baking sheets on the countertop to achieve a crinkly appearance on the cookies. You may need to return cookies to the oven for an additional five minutes at this point if baking larger cookies, mine usually require another 4-6 minutes.

While the cookies are still warm, use a large circular cookie cutter larger than your cookie to perfect the edges and give your cookie a perfect shape and even thickness by placing the cookie cutter over the cookie and making a circle that will nudge any irregular edges into a perfect circle, if desired. I use the largest cookie cutter from this set linked here https://amzn.to/4k7NYlu.

(Optional) Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of Maldon flaky sea salt linked here https://amzn.to/417KTcA.

7. Cool and Enjoy

Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets to set before transferring them to a wire rack.

Once completely cooled, indulge in your homemade sourdough oatmeal lactation cookies!

Makes 18 large cookies (2 oz)

How to Store:

Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days, or in airtight container in freezer for up to 4 months.

Enjoy!