Lactation Cookies Recipe
These are the BEST lactation cookies recipe, I know that is a big call. A big call for any lactation cookie to make, (I'll go on to explain why) but they are easy to make and taste great so that counts for something!
Why This Recipe Works
- These cookies aren't hard to make which means it's doable for nursing moms to make them
- They contain potential galactagogues such as flax seeds (milk-producing things)
- You can batch and freeze this recipe.
- They taste delicious
Ingredients you will need
My lactation cookie recipe is based on a traditional oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, the base ingredients include: Butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, rolled oats, flour, baking powder and dark chocolate chips.
To this base recipe, I add some extra potential galactagogues: LSA and brewers yeast.
Substitutions
- Flour: I use plain four but this recipe will work with a gluten-free flour.
- Brown sugar: I love the flavour brown sugar gives to baking, but you can use any granulated cane sugar or coconut sugar.
- Butter: For a dairy-free cookie the butter can be substituted for coconut oil. The coconut oil needs to be softened not melted so that it can be creamed.
- LSA: This is a mix of ground Linseed, Sunflower Seeds and Almonds, its available in most NZ and Australian supermarkets. Linseed is actually another name for flax seeds. You can therefore substitute the LSA for ground almonds, or ground flax seeds or a mix of the 2.
Step by step instructions
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make lactation cookies, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
Alternatively, the quick recipe video might be perfect for you
Step one: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius
Step two: Beat/cream softened butter (or coconut oil), brown sugar, egg, and vanilla together
Step three: Add all remaining dry ingredients excluding the dark chocolate chips and mix well
Step four: Stir in chocolate chips, the mixture will be a little sticky
Step five: Wet your hands, and roll tablespoonfuls into balls, place on a lined tray. Use a wet fork to gently flatten each ball
Step six: Bake for 8-10 minutes (this gives a soft chewy cookie) you can also bake for a little longer 12-15 mins if you prefer a crunchy cookie
Cool for a few minutes on the tray then transfer to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container. Eat them often, keep them next to where you breastfeed so you always have a snack on hand
What makes a Cookie a Lactation Cookie
This is where it gets really tricky, I mean what is a good lactation cookie. I would assume a lactation cookie that increases breast milk supply more than any other lactation cookies recipe would be the answer.
This, however, is something incredibly difficult to determine and even lactation cookies I've purchased will have statements on them "results may vary from breastfeeding mother to mother".
Milk Producing Ingredients (galactogogues)
Galactogogues are things known to stimulate milk production and increase milk supply. While there is a lot of articles on the internet on possible galactagogues, it seems the scientific evidence behind them is quite limited.
This isn't to say that these specific foods or herbs do not increase breast milk production, but it does mean there aren't clinical trials out there to say that they definitely do. We've done our best to summarise the clinical trials and evidence we could find on breast milk supply and galactagogues you can read the article here.
In the meantime, we do know that breastfeeding moms need more calories/energy/kilojoules than non-breast feeding mammas. The recommendation is they need around 500kcal more per day than a non-breastfeeding mum.
So eating well and snacking during the day is probably a good idea. When we have a new baby though this can be tricky. I know some mums miss meals which I am sure can impact breastmilk supply.
We all know the old adage Sleep When The Baby Sleeps, well for breast milk supply particularly in the early days I think we should try to Eat When The Baby Eats. ie make sure when we sit down to feed our baby we also have an easy-to-eat one-handed snack on hand. A lactation cookie may well be the answer.
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Boobie Biscuit Essentials
Based on the above, and the fact that there isn't a huge amount of robust research on specific breastmilk producing ingredients then I think the following are good essential criteria for the ingredients of the best lactation cookie
- They are high energy and nourishing
- They are easy to find
- They taste good.
The ingredients in my cookies tick all these boxes. We start with a base of butter (or coconut oil), sugar and egg, all high energy and readily available. I love the flavour of vanilla in cookies so that goes in!
For the dry ingredients, I've gone with lots of oats, I love oats as they are nourishing, cheap, and relatively unprocessed.
The brewer's yeast does make them a little bitter so your child may or may not like that taste, my kids were fine with the recipe when it had one tablespoon of brewer's yeast.
Other Oat Based Potential Lactation Cookie Recipes
If this recipe doesn't suit you then there are a few other oaty baking recipes on my website that may well work. They are all easy to make and you could always add a little of the brewer's yeast to these recipes.
- Orange Choc Chip Oat Cookies
- Condensed Milk Oat and Nut Slice
- Condensed Milk Cookies
- Blueberry Banana Baked Oats
- No Bake apple oat energy bites
- Basic Banana Oat Cookies
Top Tips
Here is how you can make this lactation cookie recipe perfectly every time!
- The cookie dough can be quite sticky, using damp hands and a wet spoon will stop it from sticking to you when you are making the balls, alternatively, you can chill the cookie dough in the fridge for about 30 mins before making the balls, this will make the dough firmer.
- These cookies are delicious, my kids love them, I just leave out the brewer's yeast now that I am not feeding as it can be quite bitter.
- Batch and Freeze: If you want to prep in advance before your baby is born. Make the dough balls then freeze them in. an air-tight container, you can pop them out and bake them from frozen.
FAQs
Absolutely, there are no ingredients in this lactation cookie recipe that will cause issues for non-lactating adults or children.
Breastfeeding mums need 500 kcal more energy per day than non-breastfeeding mums, this would be approximately 6 of these lactation cookies a day.
Best Lactation Cookies
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Ingredients
- 125 g butter softened
- 150 g brown sugar ¾ cup
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste/extract
- 110 g oats 1 cup
- 100 g flour ¾ cup
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 30 g LSA ¼ cup
- 1-2 tablespoon Brewers Yeast 10-20g optional
- 150 g chocolate chips 1 cup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius
- Beat/cream softened butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla together
- Add all remaining dry ingredients excluding the chocolate chips and mix well
- Stir in chocolate chips, the mixture will be a little sticky
- Wet your hands, and roll tablespoonfuls into balls, place on a lined tray
- Use a wet fork to gently flatten each ball
- Bake for 8-10 minutes (this gives a soft chewy cookie) you can also bake for a little longer 12-15 mins if you prefer a crunchy cookie
- Cool for a few minutes on the tray then transfer to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container. Eat them often, keep them next to where you breastfeed so you always have a snack on hand
Video
Notes
- The cookie dough can be quite sticky, using damp hands and a wet spoon will stop it from sticking to you when you are making the balls, alternatively, you can chill the cookie dough in the fridge for about 30 mins before making the balls, this will make the dough firmer.
- These cookies are delicious, my kids love them, I just leave out the brewer's yeast now that I am not feeding as it can be quite bitter.
- Batch and Freeze: If you want to prep in advance before your baby is born. Make the dough balls then freeze them in. an air-tight container, you can pop them out and bake them from frozen.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Flour: I use plain four but this recipe will work with a gluten-free flour.
- Brown sugar: I love the flavour brown sugar gives to baking, but you can use any granulated cane sugar or coconut sugar.
- Butter: For a dairy-free cookie the butter can be substituted for coconut oil. The coconut oil needs to be softened not melted so that it can be creamed.
- LSA: This is a mix of ground Linseed, Sunflower Seeds and Almonds, its available in most NZ and Australian supermarkets. Linseed is actually another name for flax seeds. You can therefore substitute the LSA for ground almonds, or ground flax seeds or a mix of the 2.
Nutrition
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I've found savoury yeast flakes a little easier to find and a little more palatable than brewers yeast and have been told it has the same effect? Also fennel seeds I've heard give a good boost too. (for your research for your article)
Yum. I've recently read the book, make more milk, that covers a lot of possible causes and solutions for low supply. They have a huge list of possible herbs and medicines that help. Most were listed as annectdoally helpful. We had a lot of supply and feeding issues with our first bub. I even took Motilium for a while. With our second, I knew to get ties checked right away and feeding has gone much more smoothly. I find that I do best with frequent feeds and making sure I'm eating regularly and healthy filling meals. And that's enough. Sweets are always welcome. ? I will look forward to your article when it's published.
Hi! I’m baking these today and just wondering if they freeze alright? I’d like to pre-make several batches ahead of time. Thanks
Yes they freeze in an airtight container
Hi, can these be frozen?
Yes, they freeze in an airtight container
Hello, Thank for your recipe. I have never expressed so much! with a cookie it feels so good. I like how they are easy to find. PLease send love to your kids.
Love,
Dwight
Not quite sure what cream softened butter is, could anyone expound on that please?
creaming softened butter and sugar is a technique where you beat butter and sugar together until it becomes pale in colour and has a fluffy texture. its a technique used in making many cakes and cookies, it is also the technique used to make butter cream frosting
I made these these last night but substituted the egg with a chia seed egg instead. They came out great and I love the Guinness like flavor the Brewers yeast gave. The bitterness has been reduced in the brand that I bought, do you think I could add more brewers yeast?
oh that's great to know
Can we use instant yeast instead of brewers yeast? Thanks
Brewers yeast and instant yeast are quite different, so no I wouldn't sub I would leave the brewers yeast out if you don'y have it.
I'm so sorry I'm not sure what was going on there, it's in the recipe now. 2tsp.
I can see why you call these the BEST!! A friend of mine just had a baby so I made a double batch to give to her, and a few to stay home.... I think if I hadn't doubled up they wouldn't have made it out of the house. They're just so delicious and the whole family loved them!! Thanks Stacey.
Great biscuits. Thank you! Just a quick Q - is nutritional yeast and brewers yeast the same thing/have the same effect on lactation? Thanks
Hi anneke, unfortunatley no they aren't the same thing.
Kind regards
Stacey
These have been my go to for three breastfeeding journeys. Such a yum treat to grab when you have that need for a boost of milk or energy! Now I make them, minus the yeast, for a lunchbox snack for the kids.... and me, oh and of course my husband - they are enjoyed by the whole family!