Published 9/6/2022 • Updated 8/21/2023
Delicious Lactation Cookies
Calling all breastfeeding, pumping, combination feeding mamas ( +truly anyone looking for a nutrient dense cookie!) — this recipe is for you! You’ll absolutely love these chewy and flavorful oatmeal chocolate chip lactation cookies.
What are lactation cookies?
Lactation cookies are cookies that contain specific ingredients to help support breastfeeding. Because nursing parents’ bodies are working overtime to produce breastmilk, nutrient dense ingredients such as oats, brewers yeast and flaxseed meal can be helpful in supporting milk production and keeping the body properly nourished.
Ingredients for Lactation Cookies
Quick-cooking oats Flaxseed meal Brewers yeast Light brown sugar Maple syrup Vanilla extract Egg All-natural peanut butter Unsalted butter Dark chocolate chips Baking soda Sea salt
Ingredient Swaps
Because the name of the game in home cooking is doing what works for you (especially when you’re breastfeeding!), here are some ingredient substitution recommendations and tips. Amazing for meal prep: double triple or even quadruple this lactation cookie recipe to give to a new mom or keep on hand in your freezer throughout a breastfeeding journey. Chewy & delicious: there’s nothing worse than a dense and dry lactation cookie! But these cookies are chewy and oh so flavorful — aka the perfect snack to grab when you’re nursing. Nut butter: technically any drippy all-natural nut butter will work for this recipe. Try using almond butter or cashew butter if you don’t have peanut butter. Egg: we have NOT tested this recipe without an egg, but if you wish to test with a flax egg, let us know how it goes! Brown sugar: another dark granular sugar such as coconut sugar will work just fine in these cookies! Quick-cooking oats: we’ve made this recipe with both quick-cooking oats and rolled oats. We prefer quick-cooking oats, but either works. Butter: we haven’t tested this with any other fat, but let me tell you, butter makes these extra delish.
How to Make Lactation Cookies
Combine Wet Ingredients
Cream the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl (we used an electric mixer but you can use a whisk and do it by hand, too). Then, add the egg and peanut butter to the creamed mixture and mix until combined.
Add Dry Ingredients
Next, add the oats, flaxseed meal, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips and mix again.
Form Cookie Dough Balls
Scoop 2 tablespoons of batter into your hands and form it into a ball. Place it onto the cookie sheet and slightly press down to form a cookie shape. Sprinkle the tops with sea salt. Repeat the process above until you’ve fit 6 cookies on your baking sheet.
Bake & Enjoy!
Bake cookies at 350ºF for 11-14 minutes or until they begin to turn golden brown. Remove cookies and let cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Top Tips
Cookie dough too wet? If your cookie dough feels too wet to form into balls, place the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. When rolling cookie dough balls: We recommend slightly moistening your hands before rolling the cookie dough and washing your hands as needed when rolling because the dough is pretty sticky. Press cookie dough balls down before baking: The cookies will only spread a little bit when baking. If you don’t press them down, you will get dome-shaped cookies.
Storage
Let the lactation cookies cool completely. Then, transfer cookies into an airtight container and store them in a cool, dark place for up to 5 days.
Freezer Instructions
Let the lactation cookies cool completely. Then, transfer cookies into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag or container. Remove as much air as possible and then seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. Pro tip: make a double or triple batch of these lactation cookies for yourself or any other nursing mama to keep on hand in the freezer throughout their breastfeeding journey!
Oatmeal Cookie Recipes
Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip CookiesNo-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal CookiesIced Oatmeal CookiesOatmeal Raisin CookiesPeanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
