Brewer’s yeast and flax seed turn hearty Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies into nutritious and delicious Lactation Cookies. They taste amazing and just might increase a new mama’s milk supply!
Originally posted on January 8, 2013.
Delicious Cookies for New Moms!
Some women produce a surplus of milk for their little ones. And then there are women, like me, who can’t quite make enough. At least, that was my story with Baker. I pretty much tried everything to increase my milk supply when Baker was first born. I was proud to breastfeed him for 6 months, but nothing worked quite enough to supply him with all he needed so I supplemented with formula. He was, and still is, a big eater! After I stopped breastfeeding Baker, I started seeing these lactation cookie recipes. Some women swear by them and claim these cookies improved their breast milk production significantly. If eating cookies all day would help increase my milk supply even a little? Sign me up!
Once I found out I was pregnant with TWINS, I knew I would need to do something in order to produce as much milk as I could. So I played around with lactation cookie recipes until I created a cookie that I knew I could eat day after day and not get sick of. I called them my Mama’s Milk Makin’ Cookies. And they are so, so good. I also created this easy, No-Bake Lactation Bites recipe perfect for a nursing mom or anyone who needs a healthy, hearty, handy boost of energy!
Magic Ingredients: Oats, Flax Seed, & Brewer’s Yeast
The three main ingredients said to increase your milk supply are oats, flaxseed and brewer’s yeast. Combine those healthy ingredients with some peanut butter, banana and dark chocolate and what new mama wouldn’t want to eat these all day? I started eating these cookies the moment we got home from the hospital with the twins, and my milk supply definitely increased day by day. Whether it was the cookies doing the trick or not, I continued to bake them and eat them because they are packed with wholesome, nutritious ingredients to stay healthy and strong while caring for two newborns and a toddler. And it should go without saying, but these cookies are DELICIOUS and healthy for anyone. Simply leave out the brewer’s yeast if you just want a batch of hearty, yummy cookies perfect for snacks or even a quick breakfast.
How to Make Lactation Cookies
First, preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Add the mashed banana and mix until just combined.
Mix in the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the oats and flax seed and brewer’s yeast and mix until well-combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop 1.5 tablespoon portions of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Finally, arrange additional chocolate chips on the top of each scoop of dough to garnish.
Bake for 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are set and starting to turn light brown on top. After letting cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheets, transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Once room temperature, store in an airtight container for up to a week.
So I raise a cookie to all you mamas out there who are doing everything you can to produce milk for your precious babies. Breastfeeding is hard work and as my doctor has always told me, “some is better than none.” Good luck! And if you make these Lactation Cookies, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 
I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Lactation Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 27 mins
- Yield: 24
- Category: Dessert
Description
A delicious and nutritious lactation cookie recipe that just might increase a new mama’s milk supply!
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 1–2 ripe bananas, mashed (I usually use one because I like a denser cookie)
- 1–1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1–3/4 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons brewer’s yeast (found at health food stores)
- 1–1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the mashed banana and mix until just combined.
- Mix in the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the oats, flax and brewer’s yeast until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Drop heaping balls of dough onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are set and starting to brown. Let cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
I have left the banana out of the recipe completely a few times and the cookies still taste great. With two bananas, they are really moist and hearty. With one banana (my favorite way!), they are a bit denser yet still moist and hearty. Without the bananas, they are quite dense and hearty.
Be sure to try my No-Bake Lactation Bites as well. They’re easy and awesome!
Recipe adapted from drmomma.org
Thank you! I’m always looking for tricks to increase my supply when I have new babies…which is any day now. I’m going to try these!
Congrats & Enjoy! 🙂
Can your no bake lactation bites be frozen”
Hi Margie! Absolutely, just place the bites on a cookie sheet and freeze for about one hour. Remove from cookie sheet and place in an airtight freezer bag or container. Enjoy and best wishes! https://thebakermama.com/recipes/no-bake-lactation-bites/
My Princess is 3 weeks old, and I am only producing anywhere between 1 to 2 oz a boob. It’s not enough for her unfortunately so she gets formula as well. With these cookies, how many do I need to eat a day?
Hi Shelby! I’m not a nutritionist so I wouldn’t be able to recommend how many to eat a day. When I was nursing, I had to keep my caloric and fat intake really high to keep up with demand and fatten up my skim milk, so I would eat 2-3 a day. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Enjoy!
Are you using vanilla extract?
Hi Silvia! Yes, vanilla extract. Enjoy! 🙂
How many lactation cookies per day do you suggest a person should eat to increase breastmilk supply?
Hi Danielle! I couldn’t say for sure as each one of us is so different and the effect they might have on one lactating mom could be completely different for another. For me personally, I would eat 6-8 a day to see a good increase in my milk supply. But I know another mom who would eat just 2 and have a surplus in milk production that day. I would suggest making them and eating one or two each day for a few days to see what happens. Either way, they make for a great snack or energy boost. Enjoy! 🙂
Hello!! Great recipe! Have you tried using old-fashion rolled oats instead of the quick cooking ones? Just wondering how they turned out if you did. Thanks!!
Hi Andrea! Yes, I use old-fashioned oats a lot in this recipe actually and they turn out just as great. I just updated the recipe to reflect the option in oats. Enjoy!
How long i can store n use these cookies?
Hi Priyanka! You can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to one week. To freeze, layer cookies between waxed paper and store in an airtight container for up to one month. Enjoy!
Hi Maegan, would it b ok to use the flaxseed instead of the ground ones. N do I still use a cup or shld I put in less?
Hi Nis! You can use whole flaxseeds, but you will get more benefit from ground flaxseeds because the seed has already been broken making all the nutrients easier to digest. You can grind them with a blender, coffee grinder or food processor. Enjoy!
Have you tried this with gluten free flour? Thanks!
Hi Merrill! I have not, but if you’re using a gluten free flour that is recommended at a 1:1 substitute ratio, they should turn out great. Or you could try my no-bake lactation bite recipe which doesn’t have any flour in it: https://thebakermama.com/recipes/no-bake-lactation-bites/
Can I substitute coconut oil for butter?
Hi Haley! I’m not sure. I’ve never tried it and since peanut butter is much different in consistency than coconut oil, I’m thinking other ingredients will need to be adjusted for the cookies to hold their shape.
Is there a benefit to the dark chocolate vs a semi-sweet chocolate? Is it just preference or does dark chocolate help with supply as well! Thx!
Hi Christina! It’s a preference and dark chocolate is known to be better for you than semi-sweet or milk chocolate (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-dark-chocolate). Definitely use whichever chocolate you enjoy most! 🙂
Any chance this recipe could work vegan? Subbing applesauce for egg and using plant based butter?
Hi Lauren! I know that substituting the egg with applesauce will definitely work, but I’m not familiar with baking with plant-based butter so I couldn’t say for sure on that substitute. I also have a No-Bake Lactation Bites recipe that is really good: https://thebakermama.com/recipes/no-bake-lactation-bites/ Best wishes and enjoy!
Hello, can you use almond flour instead ?
Hi Sheila! I haven’t tested the recipe with almond flour so I couldn’t say for sure how they would turn out. I’m assuming the other ingredients will need some adjusting since the almond flour is so much finer in texture than oats. Certainly worth a try though. Fingers crossed they turn out just as great!
Can you substitute the chocolate chips in this recipe. I cannot eat chocolate. Suggestions please as I would love to try these cookies.
Thank you.
Hi Maria! You could just leave the chocolate chips out or replace them with raisins or dried cranberries. Hope this helps. Enjoy!