It works! These lactation cookies help boost your milk supply thanks to 3 key ingredients. Freezer friendly, and super delicious, these lactation cookies are a breastfeeding mama’s best friend.
We’re getting personal in here today! Haha. If you’ve followed my blog regularly, you know I have a baby boy, who is 8 1/2 months old now. So I’ve been nursing him, but when I started my health challenge in January, about 2 weeks into it, my milk supply dropped dramatically!
He was waking up constantly in the night to nurse, but he would try to eat and just cry. Repeat that during the daytime, and I felt so awful, but I really wanted to lose weight while nursing, so I had to figure out a way to do both. I know I was getting plenty of water (I was drinking 12 cups a day), and I had tried increasing my caloric intake by 300 calories (to about 1600 calories a day), but nothing was working. It’s been said that as long as the baby stimulates the breasts, your body will make more milk, but I got desperate.
I scoured the internet for a lactation cookie recipe that sounded legit, and I tweaked it to have less sugar, chocolate chips instead of raisins, and I used half coconut oil & half butter to incorporate some healthy fats (compared to just using all butter). Those adjustments created super delicious (and almost healthy) oatmeal chocolate chip lactation cookies. My husband and kids all love these too, and you don’t have to freak out. It’s not going to give them milk making abilities just by eating them. Everyone can enjoy these tasty cookies!
I ate 2 cookies the day I made these, and 1 each day after that. My supply was back and even better than before by the 2nd day, roughly 24 to 48 hours later! I continued my 6 week health challenge, eating 1 cookie a day for my milk supply, and I still lost 11.8 pounds by the end of it. Success!
The 3 milk boosting ingredients in these lactation cookies are: flaxseed, brewer’s yeast, and fenugreek. I found everything but the brewer’s yeast at Walmart. I had to go to a health store for the brewer’s yeast, which is the most effective ingredient out of the three. (I hear if you have a Whole Foods, they have it there. Or you can buy brewer’s yeast on Amazon.) All-in-all, I spent around $22 on those three key ingredients, which isn’t bad when you think about having to continually buy formula.
The old fashioned oats in these cookies also help with milk production, but I was eating oatmeal and that alone wasn’t helping. The combination of all 3, or rather all 4, saved my milk production! I even gave some to another one of my nursing friends, and she said they tasted better and worked better than a different recipe she had tried, so there you go!
Breastfeeding can have so many ups and downs, making milk shouldn’t have to be one of the stresses. Thank goodness I have these cookies! My favorite thing is to individually wrap them and put them in the freezer. I pull one out each day after lunch and nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds. It’s a delicious treat that helps me continue feeding my cute baby boy. Win-win!
Print or pin the recipe now! You won’t want to lose it! Share this post with your breastfeeding friends, it’s a great resource to have in case of emergencies. 😉
If you don’t feel like making your own lactation cookies, check out these Lactation Granola Bars from Oat Mama.
Lactation Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal
- 1/4 cup of water
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup of brewer's yeast (this is the main ingredient for milk production)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 9 fenugreek capsules (empty capsules and discard)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups of old fashioned oats
- 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Mix flaxseed meal and water; set aside.
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Stir together the flour, brewer’s yeast, salt, baking soda and fenugreek, set aside.
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Blend butter, coconut oil, and sugars well. Blend in eggs. Stir in flaxseed mixture and vanilla; mix well.
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Add dry mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
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Scoop 2 Tbsp of dough, 1 to 2 inches apart, onto a silicone lined baking sheet. (About 8 cookies per tray.)
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Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until matte on the top.
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Once cooled, individually wrap cookies in plastic wrap and place them in a container the freezer. Eat at least 2 cookies the first day, and one each day afterwards. (I have one every day after lunch. Just unwrap it and nuke it in the microwave for 30 seconds.) Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
WARNING: Consult your doctor before making this recipe. Discontinue use and consult your doctor if any adverse reactions occur.
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This sounds like an awesome recipe! Wish I’d had it a few years, ago, oh well. I tried taking fenugreek then and I guarantee a cookie would have been more pleasant than those horse pills.
Fenugreek never works for me on it’s own with the pill, but it helped in these cookies! And those pills always made me burp and it would taste like maple syrup, but not good tasting. Haha.
Hi Amber! I’m currently baking these today but just noticed that I used flaxseed protein? Not flaxseed meal? Do you think that makes a difference?
Like a protein powder with flaxseed? I’m betting it’s not as concentrated as straight flaxseed meal. The cookie texture and bake probably won’t be effected that much, but it might not be as effective for milk production as flaxseed meal.
When you say you wrap them individually and freeze them, what do you wrap them in? I made these today and they taste great! I am hoping I see an increase in my production, too!
Thanks!
Hi Kate! So glad you like the cookies! I like to wrap them really well with plastic wrap. Then I unwrap one and nuke it in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds when I want to eat one. Best of luck! These cookies saved me!
These cookies worked for me, I could only pump 1 ounce of milk per 15min, now after two days of cookies I pump double the amount!
That’s so great Amanda! Keep enjoying those cookies! Thanks for your feedback!
1 oz per 15 min? Wow lucky! I get 1 oz per 1 hour. These didnt really help my supply. But as you can see, i really struggle. Ive tried everything but my body just wont make a lot of milk sadly.
about how many calories per cookie do you think they are?
Hi Lauren! MyFitnessPal says 176 calories. Kind of a lot, but they were so worth it to help my milk supply!
I’m going to make these today but why do you individually wrap then? Does it make a difference
Hi Elvi,
If you are going to freeze them, wrapping them individually will help them retain their moisture better, so they don’t dry out and get freezer burn. If you are just storing them at room temperature, they will last up to 5 days in an airtight container. I hope they are a success for you just as they were for me!
Hello! I’m making these for my friend who is nursing. I live in a very small town and they only sell fenugreek as a liquid. Would this work as well? If so, do you know how much to use instead? Thanks.
Hi Jen, so I would try and match the dosage as close as you can. I used 9 capsules of 610mg EACH. The only thing is the liquid might make the cookies spread more, so I would also add 2 to 4 Tbsp more flour and then bake a few cookies to test them and see how much they spread. Then add more flour, and bake a few more if you need to, but I don’t think you’ll need more than 4 Tbsp extra. Good luck! Let me know how it turns out!
How long have you left these in the freezer? I am due with #2 at the beginning of August and would love to make a few batches over the next 2 months to last for a while. My production had a very slow start last time and I ended up taking fenugreek around the 4 mo mark and it made a big difference. Hoping to get a jump start as soon as baby is born with these!
Hi Molly,
I’ve only ever had them frozen for 1 month because that’s how long it takes me to get through a batch, but I bet they would last maybe two months in the freezer if you wrap them well. You’ll have to let me know how it goes! A cookie a day really made the difference for me, I hope it works out the same for you! Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!
Great, thank you! I will report back 😉
Have you tried freezing the cookie dough then baking? I’m wondering if this will prolong how long they last in the freezer? I am due in August and would love to get a head and make several batches of these to bake as I need. Any thoughts?
Hi Allison! It’s not going to hurt to try it. Most cookie doughs freeze well. If you do try it, will you come back and let me know how it worked out? My baby turned one and I’m no longer nursing to test it out. That way others know for sure if it will work or not. Thanks!
I will let you know for sure! Headed to the grocery store to make the dough and freeze it before Baby K makes his/her debut!
How fun that you are waiting to find out the gender! Congrats in advance!
Does it matter your weight for the dosage of cookies do you know? I’ve taken everything under the sun to boost my supply, and because of baby weight still being on, I always have to take the most as it usually says over a certain weight take x amount. Just wondering…I’m making these tonight, and I’m praying they work for me also 🙂
I’m guessing it might if most of those other dosages say so. You could try increasing all of the boosting ingredients a little bit. Try 1/3 cup brewer’s yeast, 12 fenugreek capsules, and 3 Tbsp of flaxseed meal. This may effect the spread of the cookies. It may be thicker and slightly more dry, but you could definitely try it. Keep me posted Betsy! I hope they work out for you!
Hi! will this work ok with one cup of flour?
They might be really flat, but you could try it. The flour gives the cookies shape.
I JUST made these and they are ridiculously bitter. I’ve purchased lactation cookies from other moms and theirs were ridiculously sweet. I’m still excitedly waiting for the results of your adapted recipe to kick in 🙂
But is there a happy medium between bitter cookies and saccharin sweet cookies?
Hi Chanelle! That’s interesting! I’m thinking the Brewer’s yeast is that bitter taste you are talking about. You can always try adding more chocolate chips, or increase both sugars to 1 cup each to help with the taste. It will effect the texture of the cookie though. I hope it works out for you!
I would suggest trying a different Brewer’s yeast. I used the Solgar stuff, and the cookies were great. They may be my second favorite cookie…though I am wondering if I can make a peanut butter version.
These are so delicious!!! I made them and thoroughly enjoyed eating them, as did my husband! LOL However, I didn’t really see a boost in my supply. Is it possible that these cookies just simply don’t do the trick for me or can I try adding more brewers yeast?
Hi Michelle,
So glad you liked the cookies, and I’m so sorry you haven’t seen a difference in your supply. Try adding 2 more Tbsp of Brewer’s yeast and see if that helps. This may effect the taste and texture of the cookies some, but hopefully not too much. You could also try eating the cookies, and adding extra bits of those key ingredients into a smoothie. I add 2 Tbsp of flax to my smoothies every day. I would maybe only do 1 Tbsp of the brewer’s yeast though and a tablespoon or two of oats. You don’t want it super thick. You can take fenugreek daily in the pill as well. I hope you find something that works best for you! Good luck!
How come you only ate one cookie per day. Could you eat more than one per day?
Hi Claire,
You can absolutely eat more than one per day. I just wanted a balance between keeping up my supply, and not gaining a bunch of weight from eating too many cookies. 😉 Just do whatever works best for you.
I can’t wait to try these! My hubby went out and bought everything to make them but he got the Fenugreek SEED capsules…are those okay to use or should I stick to the whole herb capsules? I saw on the bottle of the seeds that you should avoid taking them while pregnant and nursing so I wanted to check!
I think the bottle for the whole herb capsules says the same thing (to avoid while pregnant or nursing), but I’ve read a lot about it and chose to take it anyway. I’m not totally sure the difference between the seed and whole herb capsules. I believe they will both work for boosting supply, and since there is only 9 capsules, I doubt it will effect how the cookie bakes. It’s your call if you want to return it to get the whole herb or not, but they should work the same as far as increasing milk supply goes. I’m not a doctor or anything, just sharing my personal experience. I hope these cookies work well for you!
Thank you for the recipe! I just made these but I used 1 c almond flour and 1 c coconut flour instead of 2 c of ww flour. Also I had ground flaxseed instead of flaxseed meal and stevia instead of white sugar. I don’t know if I didn’t get my coconut oil soft enough or if it was the change in flours or ground flaxseed or what but they’re super crumbly and kinda dry. The taste is good though! It’s actually probably a good thing because now maybe I’ll stick to one a day instead of being tempted! Fingers crossed the milk gets a little push in the right direction!
Hi Sara,
So coconut flour actually can’t be swapped with whole wheat/all-purpose four cup for cup. For every 1 cup of regular flour you only use 1/4 cup of coconut flour AND you have to increase the eggs too (about 1 egg per 1-ounce of coconut flour). So next time, do 1/4 cup of coconut flour and 5 eggs (the 2 eggs from the recipe + 3 more for the coconut flour). Hope this helps! And I hope it works out for you!
Thank you, Amber! I guess it would’ve been smart to check in here or Google that first, oops 😬 But I got the important ingredients in there so I’m hoping it works, dry or not!
Can I use Milled flax seed instead of whole ground flax seed?
That should be just fine.
I added an extra tablespoon of almond extract in addition to the vanilla extract and wow it made such a difference these cookies are even more delicious than before.
Almond extract is so yummy! Great idea!
I baked these cookies last night & they are not only tasty but I awoke at 4am with my breasts really full. That has not happened for a couple of months! My milk supply is back up, thank you for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad it worked out great for you Eileen! I’m sure your baby will be happy too. 🙂
Did you notice any side effects from the Brewers yeast or fenugreek? I’ve been eating one cookie the last few days. Haven’t noticed more milk but I do get light headed or dizzy like amd a small headache within a hour of eating. Any ideas or experiences like this??
Hi Manda, I didn’t have any side effects, but I would stop use and consult your doctor about the supplements used if you are having those side effects.
I made these tonight and they were delicious! I followed he recipe exactly. Looking forward to seeing a boost in my supply, hope it works! Thank you, great recipe!
I’m so glad you like them! Fingers crossed that they help you!
Okay so it’s been 48 hours and I definitely notice an increased supply, my boobs have felt full all day long and have leaked multiple times today! They haven’t felt like this in a while, so happy!
Wonderful news!!! I’m so happy for you!
Could i use regular flour instead of whole wheat flour?
Absolutely!
I just made these cookies just as the recipe instructs and OMG they are Delish!!! I throughly enjoyed eating my 2, now the not eat more then 1 a day will be the hard part!! I’ll let you know if they work for my milk supply!! Today I really felt as if it was deminished so I’m praying they work fast!!
Glad you like the taste Ashley! I hope they boost your supply! *fingers crossed*
I made these cookies and they are soooo yummy. And I feel like they really are working for me. But I was wondering my 2 month old has been cranky since I started pumping and eatting these cookies about a week ago and I was just wondering if there was something in the cookies that could be causing her crankiness
Sometimes the Fenugreek makes them gassy. If it seems to be a problem, you can try the recipe without it, and/or double check with your pediatrician to see what they think. I am not a health professional by any means, so it’s better to be safe and ask the doctor if you’re worried about it.
Thank you. I started to look at other things and eliminating them. And it wasn’t the cookies. They are so good I could eat the whole batch in a day.
I’m glad you figured it out and it wasn’t the cookies! Thanks for the update Melissa!
What if you dont have coconut oil? Can you use vegetable oil?
You can use butter or shortening.
How much butter would you use?
The same amount as the coconut oil you are swapping it for, so 1/2 cup. (That makes 1 cup of butter total for this recipe.)
Perfect thank you
What if you only have 1/2 cup of butter?
Then go ahead and half the recipe.
Oh my goodness, these are so SO good! My husband really likes them too. 🙂 I used all purpose flour instead of whole wheat. (Only because I didn’t notice it in the recipe and didn’t have any) my daughter is almost 7 months old and my supply has dropped big time despite my best efforts (hormones.ugh) I’ll be sharing these with my breastfeeding friends and coworkers!!
Hi! I’m gonna try them tomorrow. Can i substitue almond and coconut flour for the whole wheat flour? What ratio would you suggest? ….will it be the same texture without adding the capsules? Thank you!!!
Hi Adriana,
Almond and Coconut Flour cannot be swapped cup for cup with Whole Wheat Flour because they are very different. Coconut Flour especially requires a LOT more eggs to keep your baked goods from drying out. You can use a gluten-free all-purpose flour (affiliate link) if you need it to be gluten free.
It will also be fine without the capsules. There’s not enough of it to make a difference with the texture of the cookie.
I tried it by substituting the ww flour with 1cup oat flour and 1 cup almond flour. Turned out a little more on the cakey side but just fine. I also made them like bars instead of cookies since the batter was a bit runny. Loved your recipe.
Glad you got it to work out with your alterations. 🙂
Omg these cookies are to good!! I love them but with all the calories I need to be careful. Hopefully they help with my milk supply
I hope so Desiree!
They didn’t seem to “flatten out” hopefully they are cooked enough and my supply increases with them!!
They’re definitely a thicker cookie. Maybe press them down a little bit next time. As long as they work though! Fingers crossed for you!
Hi Amber! So I’m planning to bake this cookie tonight. I’m just curious since I’m watching out my sugar consumption can I just use the 3/4 brown sugar and eliminate the other sugar in the recipe? Or what can you recommend? Also is it supposed to be chewy in terms of texture? Thanks a lot! I’m looking forward to have my milk supply up with this cookie.
You are always free to try and alter the recipe if you want to. I fear that without the extra sugar, it will be more crumbly and not spread as much. Maybe try doing 1 cup of brown sugar and then eliminate the granulated sugar. This cookie is pretty chewy, compared to crunchy. Especially if you freeze and microwave it. Good luck!
Thanks! Will let you know how it goes
Will be baking my 4th batch of this cookies today and it totally increased my milk supply. Took my first cookie and it immediately increased my supply. So my husband was so inpressed with the output that he’s funding all my baking needs to make this cookie!
By the way, can I replace the chocolate with raisin or a cashew nut? How many would I need if that’s the case?
I’ve only made with raisins and I used the same 1cup quantity. Also added 2tsp cinnamon!!
I’m so glad this recipe is working for your Lyna! You can absolutely substitute the chocolate with equal amounts of raisins or nuts. Feel free to customize it the way you would like. 🙂
I couldn’t find brewers yeast but the lady at the store said nutritional yeast was similar. Will the recipe still come out?
I’m betting it will still be okay. Good luck!
Just for the future- I found some brewer’s yeast at my local Sprouts. So maybe try a health food store next time since I don’t think most grocery stores carry it!!
So I am having a RCS in 2 days and my milk supply was very very low with my first. I am trying to do things to be prepared this time around. I was planning on making these cookies today. Would you think I should wait until my daughter is born before I start eating the cookies? Or I had even thought of freezing them and waiting to start eating them until I got home from the hospital if my supply was low. Thoughts?
I would freeze them and eat them as soon as you get home. I believe it’s safer to use the supplements after baby is out. Just make sure you nurse the baby like crazy in the hospital. Don’t give the baby any formula. If you look up size of baby’s stomach at birth and look at the images, you will see that the baby doesn’t need much. You can do it!
SERIOUSLY. BEST COOKIES EVER. I would make a batch and a half of these at a time and freeze half – as well as pass them along to my girlfriend’s that had babies after me!
They were perfect to help with the 3am hunger and you just needed a little pick me up.
I’m sad that I don’t need these anymore – they Totally worked for me – but am excited to pass along my leftover brewer’s yeast & fenugreek to a friend along with a small batch.
When I made the batch & a half I would also use coconut sugar and coconut butter as replacements for the half batch of sugar and butter. The chocolate chip chunks you can buy were Really good in these as well!
Hi Jenny! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed these cookies so much! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience! I hope your friend enjoys these as well!
Hi, there!
I love these cookies! I’ve made two batches for myself, and a batch for a friend. I’m about to make another batch, but I need to make them without any eggs. I’ve read that I can use flaxmeal or applesauce as egg substitutes. Do you have any experience or recommendations?
Thank you!
–Kate.
Hi Kate! I’m sure either of those would work fine. The texture of the cookie might be slightly different (it might not spread as much so you may want to press it halfway down before baking), but I would just go with the one you feel most comfortable with.
Just baked these delicious cookies today & ate 4!!!! I don’t have a problem with supply for my baby but the breast pump yes!! I can only pump 1.5 oz at a time. It takes so long to try an build a stash for when I want a night out. I’m really hoping these cookies can help me out with pump output!
I hope it helps! Good luck!
I tried making the cookies twice but the oats always turn out hard as if they’re still raw. Do you cook the oats first or put them in the processor before adding to the recipe?
That’s strange. Maybe try quick cooking oats then. Is your cookie dry too?
A friend made me these cookies and they were delicious and they worked great! I can’t wait to make them myself! On a side note, what was the 6 week health challenge that you completed?
That’s great Emily! The health challenge I did (and do occasionally when I get off track) is this one: http://www.nodietsallowed.com/game-health-challenge/
Hi, I am 2 week postpartum and BF and pumping. I am working on building a supply so I thought I’d try these. I went out and bought all of the supplies and the only thing I did differently was I only used 1 cup of brown sugar, no white sugar. I did have to leave them in my oven for 15 mins, but ovens vary. The cookies taste AMAZING! I already ate 3! I am very impressed! Just thought I would give that insight in case anyone is on the fence about making these.
Thanks again, I hope these work!
Thanks for sharing your experience Esperanza!
How much powdered fenugreek do you suggest using, as I don’t have the capsules?
Each capsule is 610 milligrams. So times 9 is 5490 milligrams or 5.49 grams.
Have you made a double batch of these before??
I haven’t, but I don’t think that would be a problem at all.
Can you make them as bar cookies to save time?
I don’t see why not. They’d probably take about 20-25 minutes.
I just wanted to say thank you. I had a hard time with my supply and found these cookies on pinterest and they helped a lot. Fast forward to two months I broke two toes and was on some pain killers and we just switched to formula I was 10 days into not breastfeeding and my LO was on formula, and I decided no I’m not quitting. Pulled the cookies I had left in the freezer out, read every article I could find on relactating, and within a day of me eating these cookies I went from pumping drops and crying because I didn’t think I could reestablish my supply to now pumping 4 ounces again, still eating two cookies a day. Thank you so much for all that you do.
I’m so happy this helped you Tiffiany! Thanks for sharing your story!
Hi! I am currently taking organic moringa pills right now. You think it’s okay to mix it in like the Fenugreek? Thanks!
You’re going to have to ask your doctor that one. I’m not sure. Sorry!
Hi! This recipe is awesome! Thanks so much! I was wondering if you could share the health challenge that you went on? Thank you!
Hi Sarah! Thanks for your comment! I have done several rounds of The Game On Health Challenge. It always helps me get back on track when I start to get off balance. Love it!
I made these cookies and they are fabulous. Definitely helped my milk supply. I didn’t use the white sugar and I found the cookies to still be delicious (wanted to take out some unnessasary sugar if it was possible & and it was). I also froze them all together in a freezer friendly container which worked great (didn’t individually wrap). I would eat one cookie per day right from the freezer and they are soooo good … in fact I’m making another batch right now for a friend and myself! One batch makes a generous amount! Thanks for the great recipe!