Vegan Lactation Cookies

Ingredients

• For the dry mix:
• 7 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant or thick-cut
• 6 ounces dark-chocolate chips, preferably a blend of percentages and styles, plus more for garnishing
• 5 ounces toasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
• 3 ounces commercial oat flour, such as Bob's Red Mill; not homemade
• 3 ounces non-bitter brewer's yeast powder, such as BlueBonnet
• 2 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal
• 2 ounces flax meal
• For the oat slurry:
• 1 1/2 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick-cooking or instant
• 3 ounces water
• For the cookie dough:
• 8 ounces refined coconut oil, solid but creamy, about 70°F
• 7 ounces white cane sugar
• 2 ounces barley malt syrup, such as Eden Foods
• 1 ounce vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or more to taste; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 ounces prepared oat slurry

Directions

1. Make the dry mix by adding rolled oats, chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, oat flour, brewer's yeast powder, all-purpose flour, and flax meal to a large bowl. Stir and toss everything with a flexible spatula until it looks evenly combined from top to bottom. Use it right away, or pack it into an airtight container and hold it at cool room temperature until the date printed on the macadamia nuts package.
2. To make the oat slurry, put rolled oats and water in a tall, narrow container that fits an immersion blender head snugly. Blend until the mixture is thick and smooth, then pour it through a fine-mesh strainer, using a flexible spatula to press the solids until all the liquid has been pushed through. Throw away the fibrous oat solids, and set aside 2 ounces of the thick, sticky purée for the dough. Do this only when you are ready to bake, because the slurry keeps thickening and will eventually be too stiff to use.
3. Move an oven rack to the center and heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached, add coconut oil, sugar, barley malt syrup, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg. Start on low just to bring the ingredients together, then switch to medium and beat until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and soft, about 5 minutes. Stop occasionally and clean down the bowl and paddle with a flexible spatula.
4. With the mixer running on medium, add the oat slurry and beat until the dough base is smooth and uniform, stopping to scrape the bowl when needed. Turn the mixer down to low, add all of the dry mix in one addition, and mix until you no longer see dry streaks. Scrape the bowl and paddle with a flexible spatula, then fold the dough by hand several times so the consistency is even.
5. Portion the dough with a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop; you should get approximately 40 pieces. If you want the bakery-counter look, press a few extra chocolate chips onto each portion. Place up to 12 portions on a parchment-lined half-sheet pan, and put the rest of the dough into a heavy-duty zipper-lock bag for cold storage. Refrigerate the dough for about 2 weeks or freeze it for up to 3 months; before baking, thaw it to about 70 degrees F (21 degrees C), then bake as described.
6. Bake the portioned dough, whether freshly mixed or thawed, on a parchment-lined half-sheet pan until the cookies have risen, turned golden brown, and feel set at the edges while the centers are still slightly soft and delicate, about 12 minutes. Enjoy them warm, or cool the cookies and move them to an airtight container; they will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week.