“This post was sponsored by a2 Milk® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.”
I love dairy milk. It’s pretty obvious in my love of lattes and frappes. The taste of dairy milk is what I prefer, but I won’t lie….my stomach doesn’t like milk on its own, so for most of my adult life I have avoided drinking it plain. I am like many Americans: An independent study showed 1 in 4 Americans have discomfort after drinking milk; yet only 5-7% of the population has been clinically diagnosed with a lactose intolerance medical condition. I get a sour stomach and stomach aches if I drink regular dairy milk.
We tried out a2 Milk® recently, which is free of the A1 protein that is the main issue behind stomach issues in dairy milk. I can say that not only did I like the taste, I had no stomach issues later on. a2 Milk® is real milk, not a substitution for it. That right there made me so happy. I have never liked plant milks for drinking. It isn’t the same. I can cook with them, but when it comes to a cold glass, or a frappe, I want cow milk!
The A1 protein is the culprit behind many people’s discomfort after consuming dairy, and is currently in all conventional & organic milks on the U.S. market. Those who experience tummy troubles or post-dairy digestive discomfort may enjoy a2 Milk® without any symptoms. a2 Milk® only comes from specially selected a2 cows, whose milk is naturally free of the A1 protein. The a2 Milk® Company™ has partnered with U.S. family dairy farmers in upstate New York, and the Midwest to expand the a2 herd, bringing us US produced milk, to even more states..
a2 Milk® contains approximately 6 times the amount of calcium as soy beverages, approximately 8 times the protein of almond beverages, and approximately 6 times the potassium levels of rice beverages (one reason why milk is so good after working out!). That is a huge difference, and it doesn’t contain ingredients like thickeners, which most plant milks do.
You can find the a2 Milk® in a number of states now, if you live in Washington State like we do, our local Fred Meyer (Kroger owned) carries it in the Natural & Organics section for dairy.
And that brings me to dunking cookies in milk. I grew up loving doing that! It isn’t something I do often as an adult, and I have to say…I missed it! Take some handcrafted oreo-style cookies, and a glass of ice-cold milk…there isn’t much more that you need in life. The cookies are egg-free, for our youngest son’s allergies, I have noted in it how to use eggs, if you can have them. If you haven’t had a handcrafted oreo-style cookie, it’s a treat! Crunchy, crispy and begging to be dunked in cold milk! It’s worth the extra time.
Chocolate Buttercream Sandwich Cookies (“Home-Style Oreos”)
Ingredients:
Cookies –
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tbsp Ener-G + ¼ cup warm water (or 1 large egg)
Buttercream Frosting –
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup shortening
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Milk, as needed (used 5 tsp)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk the Ener-G and water together, let rest for 5 minutes, then whisk well.
In a stand mixer beat the sugar and butter till fluffy, add the Ener-G mixture, and beat till smooth.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. With the mixer on low, add in the dry ingredients slowly, until fully mixed, turning up the speed on the mixer as needed. Scrape as needed. The dough will be firm.
Using a 1 Tablespoon disher, scoop out balls. Drop 12 at a time on the prepared baking sheets and gently flatten each cookie with your palm.
Bake for 10 minutes. The cookies will still appear a bit wet but will harden up upon cooling. Let sit for 5 minutes, transfer to a cooking rack gently, using a metal spatula.
Frosting –
In a stand mixer bowl, whip the butter and shortening, until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar. When fully incorporated, beat the vanilla in, and enough milk to be spreadable.
To finish –
Spread the frosting on half of the cookies. Gently press a second cookie on top to spread the frosting between the two cookies. Let sit to harden up. Store covered.
Makes approximately 16 finished cookies.
For more information on a2 Milk®, visit:
I heard about A2 milk on NPR. I have gastroparesis, so I can’t drink almond/soy/coconut or regular milk without having “issues”! The A2 mild tastes great, and I can actually drink a small glass (6oz) with no discomfort. Wow — I haven’t been able to do that for years! (Now, I just have to stay away from those fabulous cookies you made…)