Lactation cookies are a delicious way for a breastfeeding mom to boost her milk production. As any new breastfeeding mom can attest to, you are pretty much starving all of the time. It’s great to have an easy to eat snack, that helps your breastmilk supply, and has the label “lactation cookies” so your family knows they are for mom only!
Some foods known to help increase breastmilk supply that are either included or optional in the recipe are: oats, nuts, healthy fats and oils, brewers yeast, flaxseed and brown rice. Since it’s not uncommon for newborns to have some level of intolerance to cow protein, I make these dairy-free when giving as a gift.
Depending on the size cookies you make, this recipe makes 60+ cookies. I like to make a huge batch, roll the dough in balls and freeze the ones I won’t eat in the next few days. These also make a great gift for a new mom.
Worrying about breastmilk supply is just one of the many struggles a breastfeeding mom may face. If you are facing this challenge, meet with a lactation consultant! For more advice, go to: Breastfeeding Lessons Learned.
LACTATION COOKIES
Ingredients:
• 4 Tbsp flaxseed meal
• 6 Tbsp water
• 2 cups whole wheat flour*
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt (or any sea salt)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3-4 Tbsp brewer’s yeast
• 1 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled**
• 1 cup coconut sugar and/or date sugar***
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs (replace with flax eggs for even more of a boost)
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups rolled oats (add more if you like)
• 1 cup your favorite mix-ins**** (almond slivers, cranberries, chocolate chips, raw cacao powder, etc.)* I use a combo of flours. This time I used a combination of whole wheat, sprouted grain and brown rice flours.
**You can use butter instead of coconut oil. Two of my babies had strong reactions when I ate dairy, so I prefer to make these dairy-free. It’s not uncommon for a newborn to have some level of intolerance to cow protein, so when giving these as a gift I always use coconut oil and dairy-free chocolate chips… just in case!
***You can replace 1 cup of date/coconut sugar with 1 cup white granulated sugar, or with 2/3 cups of honey. If using honey, lower the baking temperature to 325℉ and bake for a few extra minutes.
****If you want to keep them dairy-free, be sure to use chocolate chips made without milk. In the cookies pictures, I filled up a measuring cup halfway with dark chocolate chips, added about ¼ cup of white chocolate chips and then topped it with cacao powder.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350℉. Combine flaxseed and water. Let sit until ready to add to batter. In one bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon and brewer’s yeast. In a separate bowl cream the coconut oil with sugars, then add eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Stir in oats and your mix-ins. Roll dough into balls and place on lightly greased or lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies and how soft/crunchy you like them.
A lot of people say they notice more of an increase in supply when they eat the dough raw. Do not eat uncooked cookie dough if you are pregnant.
Galactagogues
(“galact-“=milk and “ogogue“=promote) Galactagogues are thought to help promote and increase the production of breastmilk. These are used by moms with varying degrees of success. Not everyone reports an increase in breastmilk production with galactagogues, but many people do. Adding galactagogues to your diet, in addition to frequent nursing or pumping, can boost your milk supply!
Brewer’s Yeast • Brewer’s yeast is different than baker’s yeast and nutritional yeast. Brewer’s yeast contains protein, B vitamins, iron, selenium, chromium and amino acids. Chromium and B vitamins can help fight off depression. The B vitamins, iron and protein help give you energy. If you have recurrent yeast problems or a yeast infection, it is best to avoid brewer’s yeast.
Oats • Oats are a good source of fiber and iron. They are also a good source of manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron. They are high in antioxidants and have some anti-inflammatory effects. Many women notice that when they eat oats in the morning, they are able to pump more milk during the day.
Flaxseed • Flaxseed has phytoestrogens that can increase breast milk production.
Coconut Oil • Coconut oil is said to increase the quality and amount of breastmilk.
Raw Nuts • Eating raw nuts can stimulate breastmilk production and the mono-saturated fats in nuts can increase the richness of the milk.
Other Healthy Ingredients
Pink Himalayan Salt • Pink Himalayan salt is the purest form of salt. It is a much healthier and more natural alternative to table salt. When making table salt, the refining process strips away all the naturally occurring minerals, except chloride and sodium. It is treated with chemicals and additives. Pink Himalayan salt is unrefined and has numerous health benefits. It is believed to improve digestion, mood, blood pressure, and regulate the body’s pH.
This recipe is adapted from: http://onepartsunshine.com/baby-shower-gift-idea-lactation-cookie-mix-in-a-jar/.
On this site you’ll find a great idea for how to give lactation cookies in a jar for a shower or new mom gift.
These are a great addition to a breastfeeding basket gift for a new mom, or mom-to-be!
great recipe! they taste so good that I’ve been binging on them and after a few days i’m pumping more milk after each feed. thanks! do i need to change anything else in the recipe if i replace the flour with gluten free flour?
I think when baking breads, it is recommended to add xanthan gum if you are replacing flour with gluten-free flour. With cookies, you may not need to do that. Adding a little more egg may be helpful but I’m not sure. Next time I make these, I’ll try replacing the wheat flour with almond flour at a 1:1 ratio and report back! This information may help: http://dish.allrecipes.com/how-to-use-gluten-free-flour/