Lactation Cookies.
No, never did I ever think I would be typing “lactation” and “cookies” in the same sentence and especially not on my blog.
But these
are
GOOD.
Here is my take on lactation cookies: I don’t know if the COOKIES really work, but I do believe that the key ingredients (oats, brewers yeast, coconut oil, flax) work. I sort of think that the cookies are an excuse to… eat cookies? But in a good way! Also, this is why I think they are so great – in those first few weeks, and heck, even now, I was so freaking hungry, like had never been so hungry in my life. Having something quick to grab, like something even quicker than a banana and almond butter, was imperative while in survival mode. Especially in the middle of the night.
Even since having Max, I’ve developed this hangry hunger every morning, to a point where if I don’t eat something very soon after waking, I feel physically sick. Most likely because he is taking calories from me at night? I’ve never dealt with that before. So having one of these as a snack in the middle of the night or even right when I wake up is a complete LIFESAVER.
Now, these are cookies. Like actual taste-good cookies. I tried a few recipes in the last couple weeks that tasted like cardboard and were drier than dirt. I wanted to make actual enjoyable cookies, ones I wanted to eat, ones I’d be happy to grab twice a day, maybe three times.
The texture: These are thick cookies, not cakey at all, slightly crunchy, but not in a bad or stale way – they are crunchy from the crazy amount of rolled oats inside. I wrote the recipe exactly as I’ve been making them – meaning mostly organic ingredients. Feel free to use non-organic ingredients and what you have on hand.
I know you’ll probably have questions on what you can substitute, what you can leave out or add, what you can change and so on, so I’ve added some notes below the recipe. These will taste best written EXACTLY as is. But I know that sometimes you gotta make some changes! I really, really suggest leaving the amount of fat/butter in the cookies – it adds to the calorie value and new moms need those calories! It will also help the cookie to be a more filling “snack.”
If you want to gift these to a new mom, I would make a batch and bake them, then make a batch and freeze them. Or bake half a batch and freeze the other half. Deliver both. Making a freshly baked double batch isn’t great because the cookies aren’t super soft and moist and that number of cookies will dry out before eaten. Unless of course their family will eat them too. If you’re a mom-to-be, you can totally make these ahead of time – scoop the dough into rounds, flash freeze it then place them in a ziplock bag. My friend Julie has a great tutorial on freezing cookie dough!
Do you have an awesome lactation cookie recipe? If so, share below!
What the video of how I make my Lactation Cookies!
Lactation Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached organic all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons brewers yeast
- 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons organic unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons unrefined organic virgin coconut oil
- 1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips/chunks, I like ghirardelli
- feel free to add: unsweetened flaked coconut chopped almonds, 1 to 2 tablespoons of almond butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, yeast, flaxseed, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and coconut oil on medium speed until creamy. Add in the sugar and beat on medium to high speed until fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. Add in the egg and egg yolk, beating until combined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract and beat until combined again. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined and mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula until they are evenly dispersed.
- Scoop the dough into 1-inch rounds (I use an ice cream scoop so they are fairly uniform in size) and place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the bottoms are just golden. Let cool completely before storing in a sealed container.
Notes
2. You can use all butter if you don’t have/can’t find coconut oil. If you swap any butter amount for more coconut oil, the cookies will spread a bit more. If you decrease the fat (butter/oil) amount in total, these cookies will be drier. It’s up to you!
3. You can use 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour with similar results – any more and the cookies with be drier and grittier.
4. You can probably decrease the sugar by 1/4 cup without issue.
5. I do not have experience in making these vegan, so I can’t say what it would be like without the eggs or with vegan butter. I also am not sure how the consistency would be with gluten free flour.
6. I personally think you can increase the brewers yeast amount by 1 to 2 tablespoons.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
1,879 Comments on “Lactation Cookies.”
Hi! Thanks so much for the recipe, Jessica! I so love the taste! And I agree, these taste a lot better than the others I ordered online! :) I must have undermeasured the butter though, since it’s kinda hard hihi! Anyway, just wondering, how many days will the cookies last on room temp, sealed? And how many days if refrigerated?
Thanks in advance!
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I make these cookies ALL the time! I love them b/c of their texture and INCREDIBLE flavor. I also make them for the New Moms in my group. I bake them a batch and then add on a dozen frozen with baking instructions. They’re a huge hit and calling them “Lactation Cookies” ( even if it doesn’t work) keeps the husbands away! lol
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Thank you for this recipe. Will be trying it soon. Can cane sugar be substituted for regular sugar? Does the measurement need to change?
I used regular sugar. They are delicious.
I have been making these cookies for months now! I never stray from the recipe and they turn out perfect every time! One time I used butterscotch chips just to mix things up a bit and they were delish! Nothing beats chocolate chunks though! And they definitely helped increase my milk supply! Thank you so much for sharing!Â
I love these and use them all the time. I replace the butter with vegan butter and the flour with a gluten free flour mix and add 1.5 tsp xanthum gum. They turn out great. Haven’t tried egg free yet….
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I just made these and they are delicious but did not turn out like I had hoped. The batter was really crumbly and falling apart. I had to shape with my hands instead of a scoop as you recommended. I followed the recipe exactly and I’m wondering if it would have made a difference if the coconut oil was in liquid form? Mine was soft but not liquid so I did heaping tablespoons but still have a dry crumbly cookie. Very yummy though!
I’m having the same issue! 😫
Same here. Falling apart and I followed all the instructions. Baking now and not even browning up :/
Melt the coconut oil before adding it to the butter. Also, the dough does come out crumbly. I found that scooping a mound into my hand using a ice cream scooper and squeezing it in my hand help to shape the cookies. I add a little extra coconut oil so the dough comes out moist.
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I made these the other day and added peanut butter and chia seeds and I love them! How many a day do you recommend and what time of day is best?
Where did you buy the brewers yeast? I have called all over my town (Raley’s, Bel Air, Winco), and they don’t carry it. Does it go by a different name?
You can use nutritional yeast as well. You will probably only find (either) at a health food store, or you can find them also at Earth Fare or Whole Foods in the wellness sections. Possibly GNC?
Did you use the same amount of nutritional yeast as you would brewers yeast?
I couldn’t find it local either but I was able to find some on Amazon and at a decent price.
Nutritional yeast and brewers yeast are two completely different things. Don’t use nutritional yeast. Your cookies will take like cheese. Brewers yeast is what helps with lactating.
Do you have to use the coconut oil??
So good and they really work. I ate 4 (oops?) and pumped more than ever the next morning.
Cookies were so crumbly and don’t stay together at all!! so disappointed
That’s the way my dough was but once formed in your hands and baked they turn out great!Â
I also found them to be crumbly and dry. I just assumed it was because I futzed with the ingredients a bit (2 whole eggs, PB instead of butter) and refrigerated he dough before scooping.Â
BUT when it was really crumbling and I didn’t feel like trying scooping I made them into bar cookies!Â
Hi,
just wanted to comment because these are probably one of the best oatmeal chocolate chip recipes I have tried. Lately, I have tried many. I didn’t have brewer’s yeast so I subbed it for coconut powder and used all butter. I don’t like to comment when I make changes, however, what I had on hand made delicious cookies. Next time, I will try it completely as written.
As the other commenters stated about the crumbly texture, it was so for me as well but I rolled them with my hands (1″ scoops) and pressed them flattish before freezing. It makes for nice round soft cookies. And with the small scoop, it made around 40. Thanks for the recipe. My friend with a new baby loves them and so do I!
I made them according to the recipe & they’re delicious! Also shaped them into 1″ balls instead of ice cream scooper size & got about 40. Plus they’re still big.
What kind of Brewers Yeast did you use? I can’t find it local and checked out Amazon, but I don’t bake much so I am not sure what to get.
These are great!! So yummy! They remind me of monster cookies but for moms!
Amazing cookies however I tweaked the recipe. Used all butter and caster sugar and 1/2 cup less oats. The cookies came out crispy on the edges and soft in the middle and not crumbly.
How long do these cookies last in a Sealed container ? I’m 38 weeks and would like to bake them before baby is bornÂ
I made lactation cookies and froze them in a couple different containers with the date. Put this on your list of things to bring to the hospital. Once baby comes you will have a treat that helps bring your milk in too ☺ I did this with my second and it was nice to have a treat after labor.
How many should you eat per day to increase milk supply do you think ?
HI! Can i use instant oats instead of old fashioned rolled oats? WOuld the texture be different?
I have the same question
Old fashion oats is what helps with lactation. I’d suggest you stick with old fashion oats.
These cookies are amazingly yummy! I previously ate a batch from an online mix and the taste and texture was no where near yours. I see others saying the dough is crumbly, which I assume should be. Once formed into balls with yours hands they turn out great. I even added sprinkles for fun. I hope they help to increase my milk. If not, Ill add more yeast the next time.Â
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Did anyone else find that these are quite bitter ? I’m guessing because there is so much brewers yeast in them. They tastes great but the after taste was very bitter. Next time I will only do 1/2 what the recipe calls forÂ
Ya I noticed the after taste is pretty strong from the brewers yeast!Â
I couldn’t even taste the brewers yeast in these compared to other recipes I have made.
You can buy non-bitter brewers yeast on Amazon.
You can get debittered brewers yeast from bulk barn, if you have a bulk barn in your area.
I got Solgar Brewer’s yeast on Amazon, and they weren’t bitter at all. I couldn’t even tell.
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These cookies are awesome. I’m impressed. No bitter after taste from brewer yeast. Nice and soft. I rolled them with my hands because it was a little crumbly. A must try!!!!
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I don’t usually post on forums but want to thank you so much for this recipe. I have made several different cookie recipes and they are extremely bitter but I couldn’t even taste the brewers yeast in these. Looking forward to seeing if they increase my supply. I’m not sure if I can stop eating them.
Also, I have noticed many of you have found the dough crumbly, maybe try using a spatula to press into the mix after using the beaters. I didn’t find it crumbly but think maybe that’s where the issues is.
Ho ly moly, this tastes amazing. I used the 60% cocoa chips, chopped pecans, 1 tbsp honey, and added 1 1/2 tsp almond extract. Used whole wheat flour. These taste amaze balls
Made these today and LOVE them!! So much better than store bought. I’m exclusively pumping for my little one and am looking for ways to boost/maintain my milk supply. I’ll also be making these for all the new moms in my life. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Just made these today and I LOVE them!!! My husband loves them as well! I followed the recipe almost exactly as it was written. Few things I changed-The amount and type of chocolate chips. I used 1/2 cup dark chocolate chip and 1/2 cup of semi sweet because that’s all I had. I felt 1 cup was perfect. I think if I would have added the extra 1/2 cup it would have been too much. Also, instead of using an ice cream scooper I used my hands. Lastly, after I formed them into a ball, I flattened it with my palms just a little bit and after it cooked the center of the cookie was super soft. I’m also hoping that it helps with lactation but if not I’m still baking these because they’re amazing! Thanks so much for sharing!
I’m surprised how quickly these worked… And they were freaking delicious! Thank you!
So crumbly! I made them as written. They came out of the oven looking basically exactly like they went in a d just fall apart. I didnt end up with a dough, really, I think bc of so many oats. I really had to press the mixture into a ball before placing on the cookie sheet. I’ll make them smaller next time and see how that works for me. They taste goos though!
So crumbly! I made them as written. They came out of the oven looking basically exactly like they went in and just fall apart. I didnt end up with a dough, really, I think bc of so many oats. I really had to press the mixture into a ball before placing on the cookie sheet. I’ll make them smaller next time and see how that works for me. They taste good though!
These turned out Amazing! I substituted an all-purpose Gluten Free Flour and used Earth Balance (vegan) butter. I’ve eaten 2 a day and my milk production is back to a healthy flow :) Thanks so much!
Do they need to be refrigerated after baking? How long do they stay good for?
I made them with only 1/2 cup sugar, since I need to watch my sugar intake and they came out delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
Hi I just had a little Max myself, and need serious lactation aid. What brand of brewers yeast did you use? I was going to get some from amazon but there are like 30 different brans.
Hi I just had a little Max myself, and need serious lactation aid. What brand of brewers yeast did you use? I was going to get some from amazon but there are like 30 different brands.
Hi ladies, if you let you batter stand overnight before baking it (even if u leave it in the fridge overnight) the cookie turn out soft and still crunchy but not as dry! Also, I used grinded coconut and coconut essence instead of vanilla essence and chock chip. Mine turned out like coconut cookies! Yam
Love this recipe! It really helped with my milk supply.
I’ve read some of the comments about the cookies drying out or crumbling. A baker friend also told me to store cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The bread will soften the cookies. I leave the bread in the container overnight and it’s a chewy cookie the next days. Hope that tip helps when you want to make a bigger batch at one time.
I made these as above with normal (not organic) ingredients. Substituted regular white sugar for the cane sugar and used maybe one more tbsp brewer’s yeast since I had an awkward amount left and just wanted to use it up. Make sure you mix the butter and coconut oil very well, I didn’t use melted oil and the butter was refrigerated so it required some scraping off the Mixer’s whisk (a few times) but my dough formed up nicely into balls in my hand. They were a bit crumbly when still warm off the tray but firmed up when cooled down.
Here in Ontario, Canada you can buy debittered brewer’s yeast at bulk barn for quite cheap!
I have eaten two of these cookies per day for three days and definitely have seen an increase in milk- I have low supply issues and supplement with formula so any increase is noticeable! They taste great and are a good and filling snack, the hubby has asked bashfully a couple times if he can have one. The recipe made about 24 cookies or so for me (many batches since I could only fit 8 dough balls on a tray). So far I haven’t experienced any thrush issues with the increase of yeast. I’m thinking about upping to three per day to see if that changes supply even more? It’s hard to know the “dosage” for this kind of a supplement.
How can I convert this recipe to a pumpkin spice version? I would like to add pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice.
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