Don’t let the name fool you…these easy Lactation Cookies, aka Breastfeeding Cookies are an amazing oatmeal cookie, packed with healthy ingredients that are supposed to help nursing moms increase their milk supply…BUT my whole family enjoys them for their healthy benefits as well as just being a delicious cookie recipe!
If name of these cookies scares you a little you should try my Classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies instead!
Like I said above, don’t let the name of these cookies scare you! You won’t spontaneously start lactating if you have one (eww). I am not nursing nor pregnant and I make these all the time.
I did start making these cookies years back when I WAS nursing, but have never thought to share the recipe. But since I do get frequent requests for a Lactation Cookie recipe from you guys whether it be via email or Instagram DM, and figured why not?
PLUS, they’re just a good cookie all around. And if you’re looking to pack a little bit of nutrition into a cookie, this is a fantastic recipe…just call them Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and your husband won’t know the difference 😉
I first heard of Lactation or Breastfeeding Cookies a long time ago, and I am assuming they’ve been around longer than that. But when I was nursing, the thought of these sparked my interest, because any reason to eat a cookie and I am IN!
I’m No Scientist
Let me start my saying I am not a nutritionist, nor do I have any background in the science, but in my research I found that paired with a well rounded, nutritious diet, and plenty of hydration these cookies are full of producing ingredients like:
- Oats: Contain saponins (an immune-stimulating compound that may help increase levels of prolactin) which is a key hormone for milk production, along with fiber and antioxidants.
- Flax Seed Meal: Contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are essential for developing a baby’s immune system and also known to prevent allergies.
- Brewer’s Yeast: This is the ingredient I don’t know much about, but it’s in every Breastfeeding Cookie recipe I came across. It does, however, have tons of B vitamins, which are good for everyone!
AND I added some extra nutrition-boosting ingredients to mine:
- Walnuts: Contain antioxidants and Omega-3s
- Raisins: Contains iron, fiber, and antioxidants
- Coconut: High in copper and iron, manganese, and antioxidant
I will tell you from personal experience that if you do make these for your family, just call them Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies…because that is essentially what they are. The SECOND you try and give your husband a “Lactation Cookie” he will turn and walk away. Trust me, it’s happened in my house.
But since these cookies are loaded with healthy bits, I make them for my kids a lot and they never know the difference. They are truly soft, flavor packed cookies that you will get a little boost knowing they have some more added nutrition than a regular cookie.
Here Are Some More Oatmeal Cookies You Will Enjoy:
- Crispy Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Malted Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 36 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
These easy oatmeal cookies are filled with all sorts of goodness! They’re called “Lactation” Cookies because they help new moms boost their milk supply, but we make them a lot as a snack for the whole family!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons flax seed meal
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup butter, room temperature (or coconut oil in it’s solid state)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup Brewer’s Yeast or Nutritional Yeast
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 3/4 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix flax seed meal with water in a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Mixture will get thick and gelatinous.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add in the flax mixture, egg yolks, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and yeast. Mix until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until just incorporated. With mixer still on low add in the oats until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips, walnuts, coconut, and raisins until evenly distributed.
- Using a medium (2- tablespoon) sized cookie scoop, portion the dough out and place on prepared cookie sheet 2- inches apart.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 157.1 mg
- Fat: 7.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.4 g
- Protein: 3.6 g
- Cholesterol: 15.5 mg
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I made these last night in anticipation of going back to work, and even snacking on the dough (Yes, I know I know) I woke up feeling like I would pop this morning. A good reminder to stick to one cookie at a time going forward, haha.
I will say that the cookies seem to take more like 14 minutes in my oven. Other than that, the recipe was easy to put together, the cookies were delicious, and I’d wager they work!
Love how fluffy and airy these cookies turned out. How many cookies should a breastfeeding person have in 1 day? I could eat the whole batch but I’m practicing restraint.
Hi just wondering if I can add the egg white also not just the egg yolk? Any reason as to why? Thank you
Yes, I am wondering the same. If 2 eggs can be substituted for the 3 yolks.
These were really good! I will half the sugar and chocolate chips next time tho as the family did find it too sweet. And as another poster had mentioned, the batter didn’t flatten in the oven – I actually pushed it down beforehand with my fingers to flatten the cookies. I’ll have to make these for my lactating friend in the future 🙂 thanks for recipe
Hi! I’m visiting my sister in NC (I’m from California.) I’m making these for her, my nephew is two weeks old ☺️ Is it possible to either freeze dough or the cookies so she has some even when I’m gone? I’m just trying to make things easier for her!
You can absolutely freeze the baked cookies, and I have a whole post on how to freeze cookie dough, and all the tips will work great with these cookies! https://cookiesandcups.com/how-to-freeze-cookie-dough/
I made these tonight and didn’t include the walnuts and added just a little bit extra chocolate chips and I have to say I love this recipe
You are doing amazing work! Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes. I think the combination of this Lactation cookies and Domperidone had the best effect. Until I started the domperidone my baby may well have fed on blood from a stone. We tried the skin-to-skin, the constant feeding, the teas, the massages, but basically my milk never came in in sufficient quantity. Just as I was about to quit, a friend suggested domperidone (So happy ❤️ I found “Make24milk” in Google and got Dom). I was able to stop the domperidone after a while and supply held more or less steady.
Made these for a breastfeeding momma and after two days, she texted me telling me that she needed more, a double batch actually, because she only had 6 left! They are so good, and you’re right, no one would ever know the difference if you didn’t tell them!
So glad she loved them!!
Not sure what I did wrong, but I used coconut oil because I have to be dairy free for my daughter’s milk allergy and the cookies remained in balls after baking! They still taste good!!-just not sure why they didn’t spread
Hi Shelly! Thanks for this recipe!! Curious – Can these cookies be made without the yeast??
Yep, absolutely!