It’s hard to make a chocolate chip cookie healthy, but this recipe comes close. I stumbled across versions of this while searching for a lactation cookie recipe for a friend. Lactation cookies are meant to help nursing mothers increase milk production through the addition of brewer’s yeast. This chocolate chip cookie recipe omits the yeast, but it does add old-fashioned oats and flaxseed, providing a healthy dose of fiber for anyone. If you do add brewer’s yeast, you’ll find provides a slightly bitter, umami note that pairs well with chocolate. With or without yeast, it’s difficult for anyone to stop eating these chewy sweet treats. Enjoy and happy baking!
Oatmeal-Flaxseed Chocolate Chip Cookies
About 2 dozen
¾ cup (1½ sticks) room-temperature butter
4 Tbsp. coconut oil
1¼ cups sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1½ cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1¼ cups chocolate chips
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
• In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, coconut oil and sugar on high speed until the mixture is fluffy and light, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined.
• Use a rubber spatula to mix in the oats, flour, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt until there are no streaks of flour left and a thick dough forms. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Use a spoon or your hands to scoop about 2 tablespoons dough. Roll into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all dough is used, leaving some space between the dough in case the cookies spread.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are golden. Let cool completely before removing them from the pan.
*To make lactation cookies, add 1/3 cup brewer’s yeast when mixing in the dry ingredients. Amrita Song is the owner and baker at Mila Sweets and blogs at Chai & Dumplings.
This article appears in September 2016.
