The Best Oatmeal Cookies for Breastfeeding

Are you looking for the best lactation cookie recipe to boost your breast milk supply?

These oatmeal cookies for breastfeeding moms are packed with nutrients and ingredients that help your body produce more milk. They’re also delicious, so you won’t feel guilty about eating them! Here’s what we recommend for the recipe.

If you’re looking for something sweet but healthy, this is it. And they’re easy to make too – just follow our step-by-step instructions below!

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The Best Lactation Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 cups oat flour
  • 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup raw organic sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup dairy-free butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup brewer’s yeast
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  2. In a medium to a large bowl, combine flaxseed meal and water; let it sit for 5 minutes while you prepare everything else.
  3. The flax egg, after 5 minutes, should be done and can be mixed in with the sugar, melted dairy-free butter, and vanilla extract; whisk until smooth and well combined.
  4. Next, add in the dry ingredients, oat flour, rolled oats, brewer’s yeast, baking soda, cinnamon, walnuts, dried cranberries, and salt. Stir until well combined and then add in the chocolate chips.
  5. Use a medium cookie scoop or a spoon to drop the dough on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Gently push down on the cookies to flatten them slightly.
  6. Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges are just slightly golden brown around the edges.
  7. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Leaving them on the baking sheet first will help them hold together.

Recipe Notes

This should make about 20 cookies.

Try to get debittered brewers’ yeast

You can buy certified gluten-free rolled oats and oat flour to make them gluten-free.

You can replace the dairy-free butter with coconut oil if you prefer.

If you are using a mixer instead of mixing by hand, use a slow to medium speed to mix all of the ingredients.

What are lactation cookies?

Lactation cookies are different than regular cookies because they are a type of food consumed to provide a boost in milk supply for a nursing mom.

Ingredients that increase breastmilk supply

A lot of lactation cookies are made as oatmeal cookies for breastfeeding because of lactation boosting properties. The three key ingredients that are most commonly found in lactation cookies are:

  • Oats
  • Brewers yeast
  • Ground flaxseed

Ways to customize them

There are many ways to customize your own lactation cookies. Feel free to change up the:

Seasonings: try pumpkin spice or cinnamon

Nuts: Try chopped almond or peanuts

Dried fruit: Try dried cherries, dried blueberries, or raisins

Make your oat flour for cookies

Making your oat flour from certified gluten-free rolled oats is an easy way to make these cookies gluten-free. Start by pouring your rolled oats into a food processor and blend on high until it is a fine powder.

How to make lactation cookies without brewer’s yeast

You can make lactation cookies without brewer’s yeast but you might not see as many benefits as if you were to make them with the brewer’s yeast. Some moms choose to not use brewer’s yeast or they don’t have them on hand in their kitchen or they are having a hard time finding them at the grocery store. Here are a few possible replacements:

Option 1: Instead of the brewers’ yeast – replace with a 1/4 cup of oat flour

Option 2: Instead of the brewers’ yeast – replace with a 1/2 cup almond flour

Tips on storing & freezing

These cookies are great for making in bulk and storing the extras for later! To store the lactation cookies, simply leave them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

To keep the lactation cookies in the freezer, allow them to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container lined with wax paper, parchment paper, or a freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer for up to two months.

For thawing the cookies, just allow them to thaw out and room temperature and enjoy.

Related article: 15 Tips for What Helps Your Milk Come in Faster 

Great cookie tools

Here are some great tools that will help baking your cookies easier!

KitchenAid mixer

Mixing bowls

Wooden spoon

Silicone baking mats

Cookie scoop

Baking sheet

Cooling rack

Storage Containers

Cookie mixes that you’ll love

Sometimes you don’t have the time with a new baby or all the ingredients to make lactation cookies from scratch and it’s nice to have a mix made just for you. Here are some favorites to have on hand for those times:

Majka No Bake Lactation Cookie Mix

Fertile Goddess Company Lactation Cookie Mix

Milk Bliss Dark Chocolate Lactation Cookie Mix

Mommy Knows Best Lactation Cookie Mix

Why Are They Called Lactation Cookies?

They are commonly called lactation cookies because of all of the added benefits for lactating mothers. These cookies are focused on a few ingredients that boost your milk production.

Related article: 9 Best Breastfeeding Tips for Producing More Milk

Do Lactation Cookies Work?

New moms often wonder if lactation cookies work for boosting their breast milk supply. Lots of moms use lactation cookies because so many see such a benefit after eating them. I find that it works great for boosting my milk supply. Eating some delicious cookies definitely doesn’t hurt and it’s a great way to reward yourself for doing an amazing job while boosting your supply.

Can Anyone Eat Lactation Cookies?

Since these cookies smell and taste so good, you might have to share them with the whole family. This might have you wondering if it’s safe for anyone to eat lactation cookies. We have the answer! Yes, anyone can eat lactation cookies. These oatmeal cookies for breastfeeding moms will not induce lactation in your husband or friends! If you or someone is pregnant though, I would suggest being mindful of how much you eat since you start the lactation process as early as 12 weeks in your pregnancy.

How many Lactation Cookies Should I Eat?

This will be quite dependent on your body and personal milk production. It’s reasonable to expect that eating 2-3 a day should result in an increase in your milk supply.

If you are dealing with a low milk supply also read Best Supplements to Boost Your Supply

How Long Does It Take For Lactation Cookies To Work?

It may take anywhere from 1 to 2 days, depending on the person. Moms will typically notice an increased milk supply almost immediately. So keep fighting; you’ll be producing more soon!

Conclusion

Your lactation cookies will be as good as the ingredients you use. The more quality, natural, organic, and healthy ingredients you can find, the better! The quality of your food is important for any mother but especially those breastfeeding because it’s not about what they eat anymore; it’s about what their baby eats too. You want a healthy lactation cookies recipe that gives all the great nutrients to you and your baby. This recipe makes great easy lactation cookies that are delicious and that give back in a big way by boosting milk production and providing all sorts of health benefits. Happy baking!

Be sure to read 6 Steps to Get Correct Latch for Breastfeeding

About the author

Lacy Reason is a highly experienced and compassionate lactation counselor, who has dedicated her career to educating and supporting new mothers on their breastfeeding journey.