Healthy Lactation Cookies

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These are the best lactation cookies for nursing mamas! They’re soft, chewy and made with ingredients to help boost milk supply like oats, flaxseed and brewer’s yeast.

Calling all my breastfeeding mamas out there! I’ve got the best lactation cookies recipe for you!

They are perfectly chewy and soft, studded with chocolatey goodness and have three key ingredients to help with milk production – oats, brewer’s yeast and flaxseed!

Before I was even pregnant, I remember looking up lactation cookies to make for friends and I had a really hard time finding any recipes that were actually healthy and not loaded with sugar and white flour. So I decided to created my own recipe, which is what I’m sharing with you today!

Chocolate chip lactation cookies on top of one another on a cooling wire rack.

Knowing that some mamas need to be dairy-free + soy-free and/or gluten-free, I created a lactation cookie that’s vegan, gluten-free and still delicious! When recipe testing for these cookies, I made several batches to make sure they were perfect.

Lucky for me, this meant that I had plenty on hand to freeze as part of my pre-baby meal prep. I also had Isaac taste-test them just to be sure the flavor was good and he LOVED them too!

Spoiler alert: it is fine for men to eat these cookies… they won’t start lactating. But feel free to tell your hubby that they will make him lactate if you want to keep all the cookies for yourself. 😉 It can be our little secret.

A woman's hand holding a chocolate chip lactation cookie.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

  • May help boost milk supply: These cookies are packed with ingredients known help boost milk production like oats, brewer’s yeast and flaxseed.
  • Absolutely delicious: These cookies have a soft and chewy texture and the perfect amount of sweetness to mask the bitterness of the brewer’s yeast.
  • Made with healthier ingredients: Before I created this recipe I had a really hard time finding any lactation cookies that were actually healthy and not loaded with sugar and white flour. So, I created this recipe that’s made with better-for-you simple ingredients like oats, oat flour, coconut sugar, coconut oil and flaxseed.
  • Allergen-friendly: These cookies are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free + soy-free so they’re perfect for mamas with allergies or who need to be dairy-free + soy-free due to breastfeeding.
  • Perfect for meal-prep: These cookies are great for pre-baby meal prep! Make a few batches before baby comes to store in the freezer.
Ingredients measured out to make Healthy Lactation Cookies: quick oats, oat flour, brewer's yeast, baking soda, cinnamon, coconut oil, sea salt, baking powder, vanilla, ground flaxseed, chocolate chips, water and coconut sugar.

Ingredients Needed

  • quick cooking oats – oats have been shown to help with milk production so naturally oats are the base of our cookies! Quick cooking oats result in softer, chewier cookies, but rolled oats will work as a substitute if that’s all you have on hand. You can also quickly process rolled oats in your food processor for 30 seconds or until they are the texture of quick oats. I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Rolled Oats.
  • oat flour – you can use store-bought oat flour or make oat flour at home.
  • brewer’s yeast – almost every lactation cookie has brewer’s yeast because it’s one of the best foods to help with breast milk supply. It’s a fungus and gets its name because it is used in the production of beer and bread. It’s packed with vitamins and minerals – most notably, vitamin B, iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium. It’s also a good source of protein. One 1/4 cup serving offers 8 grams of protein. While it has a lot of really great benefits, it’s important to note that you should talk to your doctor before adding brewer’s yeast to your diet as it can interact with a variety of medications.
  • cinnamon and sea salt – two flavor enhancers for these cookies.
  • coconut oil – helps to keep these cookies moist. We’re using melted coconut oil in place of butter, but feel free to swap this for melted vegan butter or regular butter if you don’t need these cookies to be vegan.
  • coconut sugar – I personally love coconut sugar but organic brown sugar works too
  • ground flaxseed meal – we’re making a flaxseed egg by combining ground flaxseed with water in place of a regular egg, but you can use a regular egg if desired.
  • vanilla extract – the perfect flavor enhancer for these cookies. Make sure you’re using pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
  • chocolate chips I love the addition of chocolate chips in these cookies! I recommend Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips which are allergen-friendly or Lily’s chocolate chips because they are low in sugar and calories.
Four photos showing the steps to make Healthy Lactation Cookies: mixing the cookie dough, scooping onto a baking sheet, and pressing the dough slightly down with a fork.

How to Make

Step 1: Start by whisking together your ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl to make your flax eggs. Set aside to let the flax eggs gel up for about 5 minutes.

Step 2: In a medium bowl add your quick oats, oat flour, brewer’s yeast, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir together to combine.

Step 3: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: oil, sugar, flaxseed eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.

Step 5: Take about a tablespoon of dough and round into a cookie, placing about two inches apart on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Press each cookie down with a fork a bit to make more of a cookie shape. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Note! The cookies may seem a little soft when you take them out from the oven, but don’t over bake or they’ll get too crisp. They will continue to set as they cool.

Six lactation cookies stacked on one another.

Ingredient Swaps

  • Quick oats – If you don’t have quick oats on hand, you can quickly process rolled oats in your food processor for 30 seconds or until they are the texture of quick oats. You can also just use regular rolled oats as a substitute. The texture might just be a tad chewier.
  • Oat flour – If you don’t have oat flour on hand you can easily make homemade oat flour with rolled oats. I haven’t tried making these cookies with a different flour, but some people have used all-purpose flour and said it worked well!
  • Flaxseed – If you don’t have ground flaxseed you can make chia eggs or use 2 large eggs instead if you don’t need these cookies to be vegan.
  • Coconut sugar – Regular cane sugar or brown sugar should work well as a substitute.
  • Coconut oil – Feel free to swap the coconut oil for another neutral oil like avocado oil or olive oil or you can use melted vegan butter. Regular butter will also work if you don’t need these cookies to be vegan.
  • Chocolate chips – Feel free to skip the chocolate chips or swap them with a different mix-in of choice. Some ideas: dried cranberries, raisins or chopped nuts like almonds, pecans or walnuts.
A chocolate chip lactation cookie on a wire rack with a bite taken from it.

Foods That Help Increase Milk Supply

As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I started thinking about breastfeeding and knew I wanted to at least try it.

I know women have vastly different experiences with this, so I wanted to go into it with an open mind, but also as prepared as possible. I researched which foods are full of galactagogues, which are substances that help increase milk production. Here’s a little list of the natural foods I found:

  • Oats – One of the reasons for decreased milk supply is low iron levels. Oats are super high in iron so some studies have shown that oats help with milk production.
  • Barley – Whole barely is the richest dietary source of beta-glucan, a polysaccharide that has been shown to increase prolactin (aka the breastfeeding hormone).
  • Brewer’s yeast – It is packed with vitamin B, iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium. It has a lot of benefits, but you should check with your doctor before adding brewer’s yeast to your diet. It can interact with a variety of medications and can cause some unwanted side effects.
  • Flaxseed – Flaxseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids (which are great for baby) and it also contains phytoestrogens that can influence breast milk production.
  • Fennel – Like flaxseed, fennel and its seeds contain phytoestrogens, which are known to help with milk production. If you’re looking for ways to include whole fennel in your diet, I love these recipes: crackling cauliflower, fennel salad and orange tofu with fennel.
  • Fenugreek seeds – Both fenugreek seeds and fennel can be found in Mother’s Milk tea.
Multiple chocolate chip lactation cookies near one another on parchment paper.

How to Store Lactation Cookies

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the fridge for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can I Make Lactation Cookies in Advance?

Yes! Like I said, I ended up making several batches while recipe testing these cookies and stored them in freezer-safe bags until I needed them. They held up just fine in the freezer and I had peace of mind knowing I had some prepped for when I needed them.

They honestly saved me when Olivia was in the hospital for a few weeks after her heart surgery. I was pumping every 2-3 hours and these cookies were one of my favorite snacks! And I swear they helped with my supply.

Five lactation cookies stacked on one another with a bite taken from the top two.

FAQ’s

Can I make these cookies without brewer’s yeast?

The brewer’s yeast is one of the main ingredients to help boost milk supply so I highly recommend picking up a bag if you want to make these cookies. I used Anthony’s brewer’s yeast, which I ordered from Amazon. That said, if you don’t have brewer’s yeast and can’t find it you could probably use 3 additional Tablespoons of oat flour instead of the brewer’s yeast! I haven’t tested this so I’m not sure if it would change the texture of the cookies, but let me know if you try it in the comments below.

Do lactation cookies actually help with supply?

This is a hard question to answer because everyone is different and there are so many different factors when it comes to increasing your milk supply. These lactation cookies aren’t guaranteed to boost milk supply and production, but they are made with many ingredients that are full of galactagogues, which are substances that can help increase milk production. Did these cookies help with my supply? I would say so! Of course, I was also staying well hydrated and fueling my body with nutritious foods, but I did notice a boost in supply when I was consistently eating these cookies.

When should I start eating lactation cookies?

I started eating lactation treats as soon as Olivia was born, but some people suggest starting 1-2 weeks before delivery to help establish your milk supply. That said, I do recommend talking to your doctor or lactation consultant before adding brewer’s yeast to your diet to make sure there are no issues.

How many lactation cookies should I eat in a day?

When consuming lactation cookies or any other lactation treat, consistently is key! The amount of cookies to consume each day depends on your body and your personal milk supply, but I would start with 1 cookie per day and then increase to 2 based on your results.

How long do lactation cookies take to work?

If you are consuming them consistently the average time frame to see results is 1-3 days, but this will vary person to person. It is also recommended to eat a lactation treat 1-2 hours before breastfeeding or pumping.

Can you eat too many lactation cookies?

Yes! If you consume too many lactation cookies you could end up with an oversupply of milk or you could encounter gas, bloating or headaches, which are all common side effects of brewer’s yeast.

Is it bad for someone who isn’t lactating to eat lactation cookies?

No! As I mentioned above, Isaac tested these cookies when I first made them and I know many moms who have made these and said their kids ended up loving them!

Chocolate chip lactation cookies on a baking sheet.

What Mamas Are Saying

“So I never leave reviews, it’s very very rare that I do. But I had to come and leave a review for these cookies! They were soooo delcious I had to stop myself from eating the whole batch! I ate about 3 a day and definitely notified that I pumped about an 1-2 more ozs per pump session… the cookies are so yummy and chewy, the brewer’s yeast isn’t even detectable.” –Jada

What a delicious and effective cookie! I just had my little one about a month ago and was frustrated that one breast had minimal output and I couldn’t quite keep up with her appetite. This literally tripled my output in one breast within 12 hours of consumption! I’m amazed! Will be making this regularly!” – Britt

“I just had a baby almost 3 weeks ago and I’ve struggled trying to keep my milk supply up. I made a batch of these cookies and they are SOOOOO tasty, and so much better than store bought lactation cookies. And I’ve been able to pump twice the amount of breast milk! I will definitely be making more soon!” – Sarah

More Recipes to Help with Milk Supply

Be sure to check out my full list of the best breastfeeding snacks and all of my healthy snack recipes!

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4.62 from 327 votes

The Best Lactation Cookies {for Milk Supply}

These are the best lactation cookies for nursing mamas! They're soft, chewy and made with ingredients to help boost milk supply like oats, flaxseed and brewer's yeast.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 24

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and spray two baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment or Silpat and set aside.
  • Make flax eggs by whisking together ground flaxseed with water. Set aside.
    A woman's hand uses a metal whisk to mix ground flaxseed with water.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together oats, oat flour, brewer's yeast, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
    Rolled oats in a large white mixing bowl.
  • In a large mixing bowl mix together oil, sugar, flaxseed eggs and vanilla until smooth.
    A metal whisk in a mixing bowl of the wet ingredients for the lactation cookies.
  • Add dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
    A woman's hand uses a silicone spatula to fold the wet and dry ingredients together for the lactation cookies.
  • Gently stir in chocolate chips. 
    Chocolate chips added to a large mixing bowl containing the dough for the lactation cookies.
  • Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press each cookie down with a fork a bit.
    A woman's hand uses a fork to press down and form the lactation cookies on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. The cookies may seem a little soft, but do not over bake or they’ll get too crisp. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet for about 5 minutes or until they start to harden up a bit. At this point you can transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
    Twelve lactation cookies on a baking sheet after being baked in the oven.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

  • Flaxseed: If you don’t have flaxseed feel free to use 2 large eggs instead.
  • Quick oats: If you don’t have quick oats on hand, you can quickly process rolled oats in your food processor for 30 seconds or until they are the texture of quick oats.
  • Coconut oil: Feel free to swap the coconut oil for another neutral oil like avocado oil or olive oil or you can use melted vegan butter. Regular butter will also work if you don’t need these cookies to be vegan.
  • Chocolate chips: Feel free to skip the chocolate chips or swap them with a different mix-in of choice. Some ideas: dried cranberries, raisins or chopped nuts like almonds, pecans or walnuts.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 63mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Cookies
Keyword: lactation cookies
Did you make this recipe?Mention @eatingbirdfood and tag #eatingbirdfood!

About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

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Recipe Rating




277 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I breastfed for 13 months and these were a major staple. They not only are a hearty filling but still tasty snack they definitely helped supply. I now make these for my friends once they deliver!

    1. I’m so glad you loved these cookies, Jessie! Thanks for making this recipe and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!

  2. I was hesitant because I’ve read that brewers yeast makes things bitter, but I have it a try. I added a little cocoa powder and salted caramel syrup about a tablespoon each and these came out amazingly well! Great recipe!

    1. Aw thank you so much, Ashley. I am so glad you gave these a try and they turned out great for you, plus your additions sound delicious. I appreciate you coming back and sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!

  3. 5 stars
    These are the most delicious cookies I have ever tasted! I accidentally only used one egg, and had to omit the baking soda because I was out. They still came out great. I’m not sure how much they helped my milk supply, but they didn’t hurt it. I will be making this recipe many more times.

    1. Amazing! I am so glad you found this recipe and it turned out great for you, Jodi. Thanks for your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!

  4. can I omit the Brewers yeast? I am making these for healthy snacks postpartum but I tend towards an oversupply and don’t want to push it! will that ruin the texture of I leave it out?

    1. Hi Briana – you could probably use 3 additional Tablespoons of oat flour instead of the brewer’s yeast! I haven’t tested this so I’m not sure if it would change the texture of the cookies, but let me know if you try it.

  5. 5 stars
    These are great lactation or not lol!! I’ve made them for our daughter who recently delivered her second with the brewers yeast and without for my husband and I. I subbed the oil for 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce and halved the sugar for the lacation ones and just a 1/4 cup of sugar for ours. I subbed 3TBS of PB2 unsweetened powder for ours too to make up for the brewers yeast. These make great bars in an 8×8 silicone pan, cooked at 350 degrees for 20-23 mins.

    1. WOO! This is perfect, Vicki. I am so glad you gave these a try and are loving them. Thank you for coming back and sharing your subs, review + star rating, I really appreciate it!

  6. 5 stars
    Can confirm all-purpose flour works in place if the oat flour, brown sugar works in place of coconut sugar, and vanilla protein powder works in place of the brewers yeast. Delish!

  7. My cookies turn out completely flat 🙁 What could I be doing wrong?
    I hope you can help me, I´ve tried the recipe twice.

  8. 4 stars
    I found the texture of these when moulding together really annoying as they just kept crumbling and thought I’d got the recipe wrong. Very glad I perceived as they are really tasty. not too bitter from the yeast and a lovely crunchy texture!

    1. Hi Nina – I am so sorry these were a bit crumby for you, did you change anything about the recipe? Was the dough more dry? Glad you did enjoy the flavor though and I really appreciate your review + star rating!

  9. 3 stars
    made these for a friend, followed the recipe exactly but my cookies actually were super crumbly. luckily my friend and my husband both loved the taste, so id recommend but sadly they didn’t hold together!

    1. Hi Reah – So sorry to hear these turned out crumbly for you. Question, were they crumbly when shaping into cookies or only after baking?

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