Delicious Lactation Cookies

Delicious, nutritious (sometimes), easy to make and filled with galactagogues (a food or herb that stimulates milk production) - what more could you ask of a cookie!?  This blog contains a couple of recipes for you...  Just in case you like one kind over another, or prefer variety in your pantry.  Check them out and comment below to let me know what you think, which recipe you like best, and if you substitute any ingredients. -Amanda xx

PS:  As I try to stay dairy and gluten free (unfortunately my body reacts), I usually substitute flour for gluten free flour, butter for Nuttelex/coconut oil, and milk for almond/coconut milk... etc... You can of course adapt these recipes in any way you like.  And you don't have to be a nursing mother to eat them either! 

PPS:  These cookies are pretty tasty and will hopefully help boost your supply.  However, if you have a condition or other underlying issue, it's best you consult your GP, a Lactation Consultant, IBCLC or your early childhood centre.

Recipe 1:
OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP LACTATION COOKIES

This recipe is by Noel Trujillo and I found it on Genius Kitchen.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flaxseed (same as linseed) meal
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips
2 -4 tablespoons brewer's yeast

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well.
Add eggs and mix well.
Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.
Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to butter mix.
Stir in oats and chips.
Scoop onto baking sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.

One of the comments on this blog really stood out to me.  Noochie_Mama says:
"These taste pretty good and do boost your milk supply, but it's not the healthiest recipe ... I follow the basic recipe, but I always use scant cups of sugars, 4 heaping T. of Brewer's yeast (this is the most crucial ingredient), 2-4T. Blackstrap molasses, half whole wheat flour and half whole wheat pastry flour or oat flour. Depending on what I have on hand and my mom's taste and needs, I usually add walnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit, hemp seeds, carob, almond butter, spirulina, sesame seeds or any combination of the above. I also add ginger if a mom has slow letdown, but only if she didn't have significant blood loss after the birth since ginger is a natural blood thinner. If it's been a few weeks since she gave birth and her bleeding has stopped, ginger is fine. I have added fenugreek to the recipe as well, but only if the mom is having serious supply issues. Otherwise, I recommend fenugreek tea since it's milder and easier to control the amount you consume. I've even made them vegan.... it's a good base recipe and it adapts well. Every version I've ever made has been tasty."

 

Recipe 2:
YUMMY LACTATION COOKIES

This recipe is from my friend and Doula colleague, Samantha Gunn.  She shares it on her blog with a bliss balls recipe too.  You can find my bliss ball recipe here.

INGREDIENTS
½ cup stewed apples
½ cup maple syrup (or honey)
½ cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups rolled oats
½ cup wholemeal, plain flour
3 tbsp brewer’s yeast (NOT baker's yeast!)
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup cranberries or sultanas
½ cup chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Blend the apples, egg and vanilla extract
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
Drop small tablespoons of mixture on lined baking trays.
Bake for 12-15 minutes
Enjoy!

Samantha says: 
"These freeze really well so they are great to bake ahead of time and have ready for yourself postnatally. They also make a great gift if you're visiting a friend that's recently given birth.  It should be noted that some brands of brewer's yeast taste stronger/more bitter than others so a little trial and error may be needed. I have made variations of both recipes including ingredients like coconut, cranberries and white chocolate so definitely feel free to experiment with them."

 

Recipe 3:
BellyBelly's Lactation cookies

You may already know that I love the BellyBelly blog.  90% of their fans love this recipe and say it really works!  As always, if you're having issues with your supply, there may be an underlying condition that needs addressing.  BellyBelly also has another article about this here.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup self raising wholemeal flour (if you have plain flour, add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder)
1/2 cup butter (you can use organic virgin coconut oil instead if you prefer)
3/4 cup brown sugar (if you want to reduce sugar, you could try just 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons flaxseed (same as linseed) meal
1 egg
2-3 tablespoons of water (depends on how moist you prefer the cookies to be)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional, for flavour)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional, for flavour)
1-2 tablespoons of brewers yeast – do not substitute with bakers yeast or any other yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt 1 & 1/2 cups oats – organic, steel cut oats are best for you, but rolled oats are fine
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup of your favourite biscuit ingredients

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg and vanilla.
Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the flaxseed and water, let them sit for a few minutes before adding to mix.
Add the dry ingredients (apart from the oats and your additional ingredients) and mix well again.
Finally, stir in the oats and your additional ingredients.
Make the biscuits (I use a dessert spoon as a rough size guide) and place them onto a lightly greased or lined baking tray.
Flatten them a little with your fingers or a spatula – if you like a soft centre, don’t squash them down too much. If you like you can just make them into balls – I do this and I love the soft centre!
Bake the lactation cookies for around 10-12 minutes, depending on how well cooked or crunchy you like your biscuits.

BellyBelly says:
"There are so many delicious ingredients you can add to your lactation cookies to flavour them up! You might like to add coconut, banana, grated apple, chic chips, sultanas, almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, chopped dried apricots, chopped prunes, dates… the list is endless. Our members have made variations of the lactation cookies recipe by using these delicious combinations: Coconut and banana; Choc chip and cranberry; White choc chips and macadamias; Dried apricot and white chocolate; Apple cinnamon (1 teaspoon of cinnamon instead of vanilla, 1/2 cup chopped dried apple and 1/2 cup sultanas)... For a healthier, lower carb and more fibre rich flour, use 50% or 100% coconut flour (you might need to add an extra egg). If you only have regular white flour to make lactation cookies, it’s fine, but remember it’s the most unhealthy flour."

About Essential Me

Hi, I'm Amanda.  I support women and couples during their pregnancy, birth and postnatal journey as a Doula, Ka Huna massage therapist and Pilates instructor.  I'm Based in Sydney and would love to help you.  Please check out my Top 10 Tips for the best possible birth experience here.  I'd love to meet you for an obligation free interview to see if you feel we're the right fit.  Contact me here. Thanks, Amanda x