Lactation Cookies
These lactation cookies taste absolutely delicious, and are great for boosting milk supply! They’re totally addicting.
I know I don’t share a ton about my family here, but one of the things I am really proud of is that I’ve been able to breastfeed all three of my girls for at least a year each. My baby Bee is almost fifteen months old now, and we are still going strong! I recognize that many women are not able to breastfeed (or just don’t want to) and I have no judgment or shade at all about other moms’ feeding choices, but this is what has worked well for my family. It has definitely been tough at times, and it has required some sacrifices, but it has been a huge benefit to us. I said it before in my post about our spica cast, but I think it really helped to soothe Bee (and me) as she was going through all of the ups and downs of hip dysplasia. Having that special one on one time together throughout the day to cuddle and nurse has been so important to me, and we both love it.
All of that being said, maintaining my milk supply has been pretty challenging this month as I’ve struggled with first a respiratory infection (not Covid!) and then pretty severe food poisoning. I got very dehydrated and wasn’t able to keep anything down for several days, and my milk supply dropped dramatically. I reached out to friends for help, and several people recommended Mother’s Milk tea (with fenugreek and fennel) and lactation cookies. I looked at Target and found a box of lactation cookies for $22 (what?!?) and knew immediately that I could make some myself for less money. I ordered some brewer’s yeast from Amazon and got to work. The result were these totally delicious, totally addicting lactation cookies!
These cookies have a ton of oatmeal and brewer’s yeast to promote lactation, but they’re also just a really good snack for when you’re hangry (and let’s face it, I’m often hangry). They’re loaded with lots of other good stuff too! Since I was making them for myself (instead of the whole family) I added all of the things I like, like toasted almonds, coconut, and dark chocolate chunks, and they are just so good! I don’t know if it’s the cookies or the tea, or the fact that I’ve been drinking as much water as possible, but my milk definitely seems to be returning to normal. (Obviously none of this is meant to be medical advice, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you have concerns!)
The recipe makes about three dozen cookies, so I baked a batch, and froze the rest of the dough for another day when I need cookies. These cookies are perfectly soft and chewy, and just slightly crisp around the edges. They have the perfect texture!
Lactation Cookies
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 5 tablespoons brewer’s yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons butter softened
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks
- 1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, yeast, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together hte butter and coconut oil. Add the brown sugar and sugar, and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and almond extract, and mix until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to form a thick dough. Gently fold in the dark chocolate chunks, toasted almonds, and shredded coconut.
- Scoop the dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Bake 12-14 minutes, until light golden brown on the bottom. To freeze the dough, scoop the dough into balls and place on a baking sheet. Freeze 20 minutes, then place in an airtight container or zipper bag until ready to bake.
