We Found a Recipe for the Easiest Lactation Cookies Ever

Dark circles, top knot, stretchy pants and a tired smile—oh hey, new mom! The last few weeks have no doubt been a blur of diaper changes, midnight feedings and sweet baby snuggles. Your needs have probably gone out the window, but what if we told you that one of the best things you can do for your baby is to eat cookies?

Lactation cookies taste like a rich dessert and are packed with nutrients and whole foods that are believed to stimulate milk production. Eating a couple of these magical cookies per day can help boost your milk supply while giving you a much-deserved treat. (As well as give you a break from smelling plain green beans as you mash up your own baby food).

How Do Lactation Cookies Work?

Lactation cookies combine several milk-producing foods into one bite-size portion. We included oatmeal, brewer’s yeast, flaxseed and coconut—which all can help boost your milk supply. Ingredients like oatmeal are high in iron, which may explain their benefits. Having a low iron level can lead to decreased milk supply. The other foods (like brewer’s yeast) are rich in probiotics and B vitamins.

Did you know? Other foods that can boost milk production are leafy greens, beets, sweet potatoes, asparagus and green beans. Get the best tasting iron-rich recipes here.

Wondering how the chocolate chips come into play? The sweetness from the sugar and chocolate chips covers up the taste of the more bitter ingredients (because no one actually enjoys the taste of brewer’s yeast).

How to Make Lactation Cookies

We adapted this recipe from Exclusive Pumping. It yields 4 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup flax seed, ground
• 1/4 cup water hot
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup brewer’s yeast. We love this brand.
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Step 1: Get mixing

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the ground flaxseed in a small bowl and pour in the hot water. Whisk with a fork until combined and set aside. Beat the butter, coconut oil, sugar and brown sugar with a stand or electric mixer until combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

Step 2: Add some goodness

Add the flaxseed mixture to your mixing bowl, then add the flour, brewer’s yeast, baking soda and salt. Mix by hand until combined. Fold in the oats one cup at a time. Once the batter is thick and combined, fold in the dried cherries and white chocolate chips. New to folding? Here’s our foolproof guide.

Step 3: Time to bake

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto your baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the edges start to brown. The cookies will still feel soft when you take them out.

Editor’s Tip: Place parchment paper over your sheet pan to prevent sticking and keep cleanup a breeze.

Step 4: Cool and enjoy

Remove the cookie from the oven and place on a cooling rack. For best results, allow the cookies to cool completely.

Editor’s Tip: When your cookies cool, you’re going to want to find a hiding place. Once your family senses that heavenly smell, they could disappear quickly. (Have ’em whip up their own batch of easy cookies).

Bonus: How to Make Gluten-Free Lactation Cookies

It’s easy to turn these cookies into one of your favorite gluten-free desserts. While oats are naturally gluten-free, most are processed in warehouses with wheat products, so make sure the label on your oats specifies that they are gluten-free (like this one).

Next swap out the white flour with your favorite alternative flour. Almond flour or coconut flour work well because they are naturally sweet and can help boost milk production.

Next, learn about the foods you should avoid when breastfeeding.

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