Updated March 6th 2025
Lactation cookies are literally cookies marketed as a way to help you increase your milk supply. They are usually made with an ingredient or two that are thought to have positive effects on milk production. Some of the ingredients might include brewer’s yeast, flax seeds, oatmeal and fenugreek. These cookies though, often have loads of added sugar because brewer’s yeast is quite bitter and fenugreek is quite savoury and they usually suggest eating a couple cookies per day. All that extra sugar for no guarantee they’ll increase your supply.
BUT Who doesn’t love cookies, especially for breakfast? Or snack, or anytime really? While I would never recommend a cookie to increase milk supply, a nutrient dense cookie like one of these will help give you a calorie and nutrient boost which is essential when you’re recovering from birth and making milk for your baby.
The reason these cookies are great for anytime is that they are full of nutrient dense ingredients and free of refined sugars. They are made with oats and flax to help nourish your body and support milk supply but can be enjoyed as an after day-care snack as they are great for kids too.
When I was making these cookies I wanted to keep them egg-free so that the recipe could be made vegan. The cookies overall are very allergen friendly as they are:
- Egg free
- Gluten free
- Nut free
- Dairy free* (if strictly coconut oil is used)
- Sesame free
- Peanut free
- Soy free
They remain soft and chewy after baking and will keep this texture once they are refrigerated. They can also be frozen and thawed out the day prior to eating.
They’re not your typical cookie. They’re sort of like a granola bar combined with a cookie because of the texture and the type of ingredients.
You don’t usually think of chia seeds or pumpkin seeds when you think of cookies. These cookies are made with ingredients that will help give you a calorie and nutrient boost which is essential when you’re recovering from birth and making milk for your baby.
Some of the nutrient dense ingredients used in these cookies include:
Chia seeds: very good source of omega 3s, iron and fibre. Essential nutrients when you are recovering postpartum and lactating.
Pumpkin seeds: source of magnesium, protein and other trace minerals.
Oats: oats are a source of fibre called beta-glucans that can help support healthy cholesterol levels. They are also thought to boost milk production; acting as a galactagogue (increasing milk supply)
Banana: rich in potassium, fibre and a source of vitamins and minerals. The banana also helps naturally sweeten the cookies while boosting the nutrition
How to make them:
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp ground flax seeds (also known as flaxmeal)
- 1/2 cup ghee (ghee is lactose free but not vegan as it is derived from butter. You can use coconut oil in place of this to keep it dairy free)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups gluten free oats
- 1 banana
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, unsalted
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine water and ground flax. Set aside for 5 minutes. This will create a flax egg.
- In a larger bowl mash the banana (using a fork is fine). Add the ghee (or coconut oil) coconut sugar and vanilla. Whisk together. Add in the flax egg. Whisk until combined.
- Combine oats, cinnamon, salt, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds. Stir. Add to wet ingredients. Fold everything together. Add in chocolate chips. Fold again just until combined.
- Use a 1/8 cup measuring cup to scoop cookies. Alternatively you can use a small ice cream scoop or place 2 tbsp of dough at a time into your hands and manually form the cookies. Place on lined baking sheets and flatten slightly.
- Cookies will not expand or spread out so don’t worry too much if they are close together.
- Bake 12 mins. Allow to cool on pans and refrigerate after they are cool.
- Yields 16-17 cookies.
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