A chocolate biscotti recipe full of wholesome ingredients like oat flour, brewer’s yeast, flaxseed, and macadamia nuts. It was created for the nursing mom but can be enjoyed by any and all.
If you’ve been following my Instagram closely, you’ll know that I’ve had a number of friends and family give birth this year. Most of them have chosen to breastfeed their babies and to help make that process a little bit more enjoyable, I wanted to create a delicious lactation goodie.
Before getting into the nitty-gritty, I do want to mention that solid research is lacking about whether certain foods actually help with milk production. A lot of the ingredients found in both homemade and commercially sold products are based on “old wives’ tales,” anecdotes, or cultures that have been practicing these eating customs for many years. I also can’t talk from personal experience as I have never breastfed before (but maybe soon 😉). So…all I want to say is that I’m not an expert! I’m simply a friend who wants to make a yummy treat with wholesome ingredients for her mama friends. It may or may not help with their milk supply, but I’m hoping it does😝.
I experimented with a variety of different formats–like granola bites, mini cookies, and loose granola–but in the end, the biscotti template turned out to be the winner. First of all, I was able to create a lactation version that didn’t compromise on taste or texture–which was not always easy in the other formats because one of the key ingredients, brewer’s yeast, is bitter. Biscotti are also easy to eat while nursing and can be part of a light/easy breakfast–the former was especially important for certain moms. And lastly, it’s not something you can already easily buy in the marketplace–personally satisfying for me!
What specialty ingredients make these biscotti lactation friendly?
These biscotti could honestly pass as their “regular” version from a taste and texture perspective, but what makes them lactation friendly is the use of the following ingredients:
- Oat flour– oats are known to be a good source of iron, along with fiber, magnesium, and zinc. Studies have shown that low iron levels can reduce milk supply.
- Brewer’s yeast– is rich in protein, B vitamins, iron, and trace minerals. Brewer’s yeast is also considered a galactagogue, a substance that helps with lactation.
- Nuts– are high in protein and essential fatty acids, which are said to help with milk production.
- Flaxseeds– contain essential fatty acids and phytoestrogens that can increase breast milk production.
I sent five mama friends a batch of these and I’m hoping they like them as much as I do–we’ll see about whether they’re effective or not! If you’re wondering whether these are ONLY for breastfeeding women, the answer is no! Anybody can eat these and don’t worry, they won’t make you start producing milk. I can personally vouch for the latter.
More recipes with oat flour and nuts:
Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins
Mochi Bread with Walnuts, Almonds, and Adzuki Beans
Chocolate Lactation Biscotti Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 min
- Yield: About 80 biscotti
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
Description
A chocolate biscotti recipe full of wholesome ingredients like oat flour, brewer’s yeast, flaxseed, and macadamia nuts. It was created for the nursing mom but could be anybody’s go-to Italian cookie.
Ingredients
5 tablespoons (42.5 g) ground flaxseed
1/2 cup (125 g) water
1 1/3 cup (120 g) oat flour
3/4 cup (85 g) all purpose flour
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (75 g) dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 cup (60 g) brewer’s yeast*
1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) kosher salt
1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
1 2/3 cup (320 g) light brown sugar
1/3 cup (65 g) sugar
4 tablespoons (60 g) coconut oil
1 tablespoon (13 g) chocolate extract
1 cup (142 g) macadamia nuts, toasted and roughly chopped*
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F or 175 degrees C and arrange two racks in the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl mix the ground flaxseeds and water together. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, brewer’s yeast, salt, and baking soda together.
4. In another bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the sugars and coconut oil until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated. Then add the ground flaxseed and water mixture. Mix until homogenous. Add the dry ingredients and slowly mix until the dough comes together. Fold in the macadamia nuts.
5. Divide the dough into four equal parts. Roll each quarter into a 1 inch thick log. Place two logs on each baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the sheets between the racks in the middle, until the top begins to crack. Cool the half baked biscotti on a wire rack.
6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F or 160 degrees C.
7. Once the half biscotti logs are completely cool, cut into 1/4 inch or about 6.5 millimeters thick slices. Arrange the slices onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until firm and crisp. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Try to get non bitter brewer’s yeast like this one. It still has a little bitterness, but less than the regular kind.
Macadamia nuts can be substituted for almonds.
Keywords: chocolate biscotti recipe, lactation cookie, breastfeeding friendly, nursing mother, brewer’s yeast, flaxseed, oat flour, vegan, egg free
Leave a Reply