The Best Lactation Cookie Recipes For Boosting Milk Supply

We’ve rounded up 11 of the best lactation cookie recipes, filled with ingredients meant to help boost your milk supply.

If your breastmilk supply is low and you’re looking for ways to increase it, enjoying a cookie may help. But not just any cookie --- a lactation cookie. These cookies taste as delicious as the standard cookies you know and love, but they are made with special ingredients that help promote a strong milk supply. These ingredients are called galactagogues.

Some types of galactagogues used in lactation cookies include:

• Oats: The most popular ingredient in lactation cookies by far, for good reason. Oats are packed with iron, which is needed for milk supply --- plus, they’re delicious!
• Flaxseed: Flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains phytoestrogens, or compounds that mimic your body’s natural estrogen hormones.
• Brewers’ yeast: Packed with iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B, which all help with milk supply. Don’t confuse this with baker’s yeast, as baker’s yeast doesn’t offer the same benefits.
• Some aren’t fans of the taste of brewer’s yeast, so choose debittered brewer’s yeast to make it easier to mask the flavor (or choose a recipe without brewer’s yeast).

Even though there isn’t enough proven research on galactagogues yet, they are widely thought to increase breastmilk production, and countless moms have shared that they help with milk supply.

Note: Before trying galactagogues, make sure that baby has the correct position and latch, and is nursing frequently and effectively. If needed, add pumping to remove milk. After all, the more milk is removed, the more milk you’ll produce. For more on these and other ways to increase milk supply, please read our complete list of tips for breastfeeding moms.

If you’ve tried several ways to increase your milk supply, and you’re looking for another method, trying lactation cookies certainly won’t hurt!

There are store-bought lactation cookies available, but they can be expensive (especially given the small amounts in each package). If you want to make your own, we’ve got you covered.

Today, we’ve rounded up the tastiest lactation cookie recipes for breastfeeding moms.

Note: if your baby has an allergy to an ingredient in lactation cookies, you’ll need to find a substitute for the ingredient or skip the recipe altogether. This is because allergens can get passed to your baby through breastmilk and cause baby to develop an allergic reaction. Fortunately, several of these recipes suggest ingredient replacements.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

Inspired by Bunsen Burner Bakery

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks room temperature butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/3 cup brewer’s yeast
• 3 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 Tbsp. almond butter or peanut butter (you can also leave out the nut butter)
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
2. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
3. Mix the butter, sugar and brown sugar together with a mixer for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
4. Then, beat in the eggs (one at a time) and vanilla using the mixer.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, brewer’s yeast and flaxseed.
6. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat them together until they’re just combined.
7. Add the oats (along with the nut butter, if desired) and mix again until the ingredients are just combined.
8. Stir in the chocolate chips.
9. Place spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.
10. Bake until the bottoms ar golden brown --- for about 10-15 minutes
11. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet to cool for about 10 minutes.
12. Then, let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack before eating.
13. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Oatmeal chocolate chip lactation cookies are one of the most popular types, so there are plenty of other recipes to try out. Here are a few more of our favorites:

• This lactation cookie recipe from How Sweet Eats is one of the most popular lactation cookie recipes on the internet. The fact that these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies freeze well is an added bonus! Be sure to scroll through the comments for readers’ variations on this well-loved recipe!

• If you’re looking for a vegan (dairy-free, egg-free), nut-free, and gluten-free version of oatmeal chocolate chip lactation cookies, check out this recipe from Eating Bird Food. These cookies are sweetened with coconut sugar instead of standard sugar, and the gluten-free oat flour means they contain even more galactagogues. And they also contain cinnamon and sea salt to add a different flavor profile.

• And these oatmeal chocolate chip lactation cookies from Detoxinista are also dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free, have a gluten-free option, and are sweetened with coconut sugar. They also only take 20 minutes to make!

• The Jar of Lemons version of the cookies are dairy-free and can be made vegan (they have an egg-free option in flax “eggs,” which also adds more galactagogue power to the recipe). Plus, the cinnamon inside and sprinkle of sea salt on the top add a yummy twist that complements the chocolate chips.

Versatile Oatmeal Cinnamon Lactation Cookies

Inspired by BellyBelly.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter (or coconut oil as a non-dairy substitute)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg (or 1/2 cup applesauce as an egg substitute)
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp. flaxseed meal
• 2-3 Tbsp. water (depends on how moist you prefer the cookies to be)
• 1-cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1-2 Tbsp. brewers yeast
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups oats

And if you wish, you can add in 1/2 cup total of any of the following:

• Mashed banana and coconut flakes
• Cranberry and chocolate chips
• White chocolate chips and macadamia nuts
• White chocolate chips and dried apricots

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
2. Grease a baking sheet, or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Using a mixer, mix together the butter and sugar. Then, add the egg and vanilla, and mix well.
4. In a different bowl, combine the water and flaxseed, and let them sit for a few minutes. Then, add them to the mixing bowl.
5. Add in all the dry ingredients except for the oats and any add-ins you’ve chosen. Mix well.
6. Stir in the oats and any add-ins
7. Roll the mixture into balls.
8. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet
9. Flatten the balls a bit with your fingers or a spatula.
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
11. Let cool and enjoy.

Easy Banana Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

Inspired by Colorful Foodie.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup of old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp. flaxseed meal
• 1 Tbsp. brewer’s yeast
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Use a fork to mash the banana until it’s relatively smooth.
4. Combine the mashed banana with all other ingredients, and mix well.
5. Place balls of dough on the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes for soft cookies, or bake for slightly longer for crunchier cookies.
7. Let cool and serve.
8. Freeze the cookies if desired.

We’ve also rounded up a few more banana-chocolate lactation cookie recipes for you to try:

• These banana and chocolate lactation cookies from Doulas of Northern Virginia have a nutty twist thanks to the addition of Nutella.
• If you enjoy the combo of peanut butter, bananas and chocolate, these “Mama’s Milk Makin’ Cookies” from The Baker Mama are a great fit for your taste buds --- and your milk supply.

You’ll find the tried-and-true oats, flaxseed and brewer’s yeast combo inside all three chocolate-banana recipes.

Oatmeal, Coconut, and Honey Lactation Cookies

Inspired by Mama Natural

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup gluten-free flour
• 1/4 cup brewer’s yeast flakes
• 1 Tbsp. ground fennel seed
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup almond butter (or substitute sunflower seed butter to keep the recipe free from tree nuts)
• 1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 2 eggs (or substitute an egg replacement)
• 2 Tbsp. raw honey
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
2. Grease a cookie sheet.
3. Using a food processor, blend the oats until they are flour-like.
4. If they aren’t already ground, grind the fennel seeds into a fine powder using a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle.
5. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
6. In a separate bowl, combine the almond butter (or substitute), melted coconut oil, honey, eggs (or substitute) and vanilla extract. Mix well, then pour this bowl into the dry ingredient bowl.
7. Mix the combined ingredients well with clean hands or a spoon.
8. Form the dough into small, flat balls and place them on the cookie sheet
9. Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes or until slightly brown on the outside of the cookie.
10. Let cool, then enjoy.
11. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Pumpkin-Fruit-Chocolate Lactation Cookies

Inspired by Birth Eat Love. Surprisingly, pumpkin falls into the galactagogue category! This recipe doesn’t contain brewer’s yeast, making it a great option for moms who don’t like the taste of brewer’s yeast.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup gluten free flour
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 Tbsp. ground flax meal
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries are recommended, but any fruit works)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or pieces (any type)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (any type, or can be left out completely

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 °F.
2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
3. Mix the flour, coconut sugar, oatmeal, sea salt, and flax meal together in a large bowl.
4. Add the coconut oil, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice, and mix well.
5. Add in the coconut milk and mix well until fully combined.
6. Add the chocolate, fruit, and nuts (if desired) and mix well.
7. Place spoonfuls of dough on the baking pan.
8. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the cookies are golden and puffy.
9. Let cool and enjoy.

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