BellyBelly’s lactation cookie recipe helps you make absolutely delicious cookies, suitable for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. Not only that – the whole family will love them.
So many readers have told us that this recipe has worked wonders for their milk supply. So why not give it a go and see if they can make your milk flow? The cookies make a fantastic gift for a new mama, too; tasty and useful – the perfect combination.
These oatmeal chocolate chip lactation cookies are the perfect pick-me-up for a tired new mama and can even boost milk production.
Read on to find out how they make the best lactation cookies online with our tried and tested lactation cookie recipe.
What are lactation cookies?
Lactation cookies are yummy cookies that contain ingredients known to increase breast milk supply. They are sometimes referred to as breastfeeding cookies and contain plenty of nutrients crucial for breastfeeding mothers.
Ingredients known to aid milk production are known as lactogenic foods. In this particular recipe, the lactogenic ingredients include brewer’s yeast and oats.
Do lactation cookies work?
Yes! Lactation cookies really do work for many new mothers, according to our readers.
In a poll, approximately 90% of our forum members told us BellyBelly’s recipe worked for them, increasing their milk supply. And you can see for yourself by scrolling through the countless testimonials from BellyBelly’s readers.
‘My boobs are spraying like a fire hose. I’m waking up wet in the night, in a way I haven’t since the early days. They are mental!’ — Audax
Please be aware that we can’t guarantee any specific results for increased milk supply. Breastfeeding cookies will not help mothers with underlying problems that need to be addressed. However, it’s worth a try.
Important note before making lactation cookies
Most milk supply problems are preventable and fixable. However, an incorrect latch or rigid feeding schedule can cause difficulties with supply, so be sure to speak to a lactation consultant and ask for advice if you are struggling with your breast milk supply.
Find out more in BellyBelly’s article 7 Breastfeeding Problems You Can Avoid With a Good Latch.
In Australia, contact the Australian Breastfeeding Association for support, or hire an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) to help diagnose what’s really causing your milk supply problems. If you’re in the US, contact La Leche League.
Most GPs are not trained in breastfeeding beyond a few hours of information. They cannot give you the same level of advice and support that well-trained breastfeeding workers can.
For more information, read The Shocking Lack Of Breastfeeding Education For Healthcare Providers.
Lactation cookies recipe
Prep time: Approximately 15 minutes
Oven temp: Preheat oven to 350F or 170C
Makes: Approximately 14-16 cookies, using a dessert spoon per cookie (double the lactation cookie recipe to make more)
Ingredients:
- 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)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional for flavor)
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 2-3 tablespoons of water (depends on how moist you prefer the cookies to be)
- 1 cup self-raising wholemeal flour (if you use plain flour, add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional for flavor)
- 1-2 tablespoons of brewer’s yeast (see note below)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups organic oats
- OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup of your favorite biscuit ingredients such as chocolate chips.
You don’t have to follow this exact recipe. See the list of variation ideas, below.
Method:
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, then add the egg (or applesauce if you’re making vegan cookies) and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flaxseed meal and water, and let them sit for a few minutes before adding them to the mix.
- Add the dry ingredients (apart from the oats and your chocolate chips or whatever you’ve chosen to add) and mix well again.
- Stir in the oats and your chocolate chips.
- Using a dessert spoon, scoop the mixture into your hand and roll it into a ball.
- Line a baking tray with a baking sheet and spread the cookies out on the baking sheet. Don’t have any baking sheets? You can use baking paper or lightly grease the tray.
- Flatten the cookies a little with your fingers or a spatula. Don’t squash them down too much if you like a soft center.
- Bake the lactation cookies for around 10-12 minutes, depending on how well-cooked or crunchy you like your biscuits.
- Once they have cooled, store them in an airtight container.
When making BellyBelly’s lactation cookies, please try to source organic, local ingredients wherever possible. We’ve included healthy alternatives where possible, but bear in mind these cookies need to be sweet enough to hide the very bitter taste of one of the most powerful ingredients.
If you’re breastfeeding, try eating the cookie dough as well as the cookies. It seems to be even more effective at increasing supply.
Warning: Do not eat uncooked cookie dough if you are pregnant. There is a risk of bacterial infection from eating raw eggs.
An important note about brewer’s yeast
You must get the right sort of brewer’s yeast. Click here to get some delivered straight from Amazon.
Brewer’s yeast is one of the most important ingredients in lactation cookies. However, it is not the same as baker’s or nutritional yeast, so don’t replace it with anything else.
Brewer’s yeast is exceptionally nutrient dense. This miraculous powder contains protein, fiber, selenium, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, copper, vitamin B6, potassium, and folate. So it’s packed with nutrients your breastfeeding body needs.
You can add brewer’s yeast to smoothies or other foods and drinks for the same effect.
Variation ideas for your cookies
You can add so many delicious ingredients to your lactation cookies to flavor them. Whether you prefer fruity biscuits or a chocolate overload, you can play around with lactation cookie recipes until you find something perfect.
You might like to add coconut, banana, grated apple, chocolate chips, sultanas, almonds, chopped prunes or dates – the list is endless.
Our members have suggested variations to our recipe, using these delicious combinations:
- Coconut and banana
- Chocolate chip and cranberry
- White chocolate 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. BellyBelly member Audax, added 2 tablespoons of stewed apple and found the cookies lovely and moist
- For healthier, lower-carb, and more fiber-rich flour, use 50% or 100% coconut flour. You might need to add an extra egg.
Vegan lactation cookies
If you want to veganize the recipe, applesauce is an excellent egg substitute. BellyBelly fans suggest using 1/2 cup of applesauce to veganize this recipe. There’s no reason vegan mamas have to miss out on the sweet treats; plenty of tasty vegan chocolate chips are available these days.
How do lactation cookies work?
There are specific ingredients in lactation cookies that are said to help you produce more milk. The more of these ingredients you consume, the more your milk production will increase.
Galactagogues are foods that promote breastmilk production or flow. Brewer’s yeast, flaxseed meal, and oats are galactagogues. This is why you must not leave out or substitute the brewer’s yeast when making lactation cookies.
Nutritional yeast and baker’s yeast are different ingredients and will not have the same effect.
‘I know they worked for me because I squirted after eating them for a bit. I hadn’t done that for months!’ — PumpkinZulu
How many lactation cookies should I eat?
You should aim to consume around 2-5 lactation cookies daily, usually before a feed. The more you eat, the more milk-producing foods you consume; this should improve your supply. However, if you notice your baby is unsettled after consuming them, cut back on the amount you’re eating.
‘I was eating 1-2 each feed and only just cooked them, so they were still quite soft. I noticed a huge difference when I ate them and soaked through everything. When my son was feeding, I’d hold a cup under my other breast and collect about 40 mls just from leakage!’ — Ryatha
How long do lactation cookies take to work?
Most mothers who ate BellyBelly’s lactation cookies almost immediately had a noticeable increase in milk supply. It might take up to 24-48 hours, however, to notice any change.
The more you eat, the bigger the impact, so try to eat the recommended daily dose. If you don’t like the flavor, try adding more chocolate or cinnamon to disguise the taste. Alternatively, you can have a drink ready to wash the taste away.
‘I’ve only used them for about 24 hours, and the milk is flowing! So happy and excited that they’re working so well!’ — Rika-Marie
‘I personally saw results a few hours later and by morning I was bursting, which hadn’t happened since my baby was 2 & 1/2 months old!’ — Kristina
Is it ok to eat lactation cookies while breastfeeding?
Yes, it is safe to eat lactation cookies while breastfeeding; that’s what they’re for. Lactation cookies don’t contain any ingredients that are harmful to you or your baby. Therefore, it should be perfectly ok to eat as many lactation cookies as you want. If you notice any symptoms in you or your baby, however, cut back on the cookies for a while.
Can children eat lactation cookies?
Yes! Lactation cookies are also perfectly safe for children and for family and friends, too. Don’t worry; it won’t give them a milk supply. Lactation requires developed milk ducts. If your kids want to eat your chocolate chip lactation cookies, it’s ok to let them try your baked goods.
Why not get them involved in the baking process, too? Kids love to bake cookies and can get creative about what sweet treats to add to sweeten the mixture.
‘I made a particularly potent batch this week. So much so my friends have been calling me ‘Wet Patches’. I haven’t needed to use breast pads for a couple of months. I doubled the flaxseed meal, added cocoa and hazelnut meal – and they taste like Nutella’ — Audax
The science behind lactation cookies
Although these specific lactation cookies have never been tested, scientists are starting to investigate the link between the foods we eat and breastmilk production. For example, an Indonesian study published in the Korean Journal of Family Medicine found that women who consumed Galohgor Nutraceutical lactation cookies experienced significantly increased breast milk production.
Putting lactation cookies to the test
‘Yes, they do work! I’ve found them especially helpful for afternoons and evenings when my baby is cluster feeding. It feels like I’m all out of liquid gold. So I munch a couple of bickies and have a big drink of water. I can feel my boobies expanding with fresh milk’ — Glamourcide
A BellyBelly forum member, Pholi, took it upon herself to run a little test and see if the BellyBelly cookies really made a difference to her milk supply.
Here are her results:
‘Started eating cooked lactation cookies at a rate of approximately 2 per feed. The average 24 hour yield over 5 days was: before: 372 ml; after: 412 ml. Increase of 40 ml, or 11%. I stopped eating cookies for 2 days. Average 24 hour yield: 397 ml. Decrease of 4%.
‘I started eating raw lactation cookie dough. According to collective BellyBelly community wisdom, this is supposed to be even more effective than cooked dough. I ate the equivalent of 2 per feed. Average 24 hour yield over 4 days: 449 ml.
Increase (from cooked dough average) of 37 ml, or 8%.
Increase (from no dough in the previous 2 days) of 52 ml, or 13%.
Increase (from before eating any cookies or dough) of 77 ml, or 20%.
Conclusion: When I ate the cookies, raw or cooked, it made a positive, measurable difference to my milk supply. But the raw cookie dough made a bigger difference. I was certainly not leaking or spraying or even feeling any fuller. I think that the fact that the numbers dropped when I stopped for 2 days strengthens the results’.
‘I made a batch yesterday morning. I’ve had to get up this early to express, as I woke up feeling full, leaky, and uncomfortable!! So they have made a difference!’ — Eza
Do lactation cookies make you gain weight?
The sugar and grain combination of lactation cookies can result in weight gain and inflammation. Both sugar and grains spike blood sugar levels, with the excess sugar being stored as fat.
Lactation cookies are great to try if you really need a milk supply boost. However, if you have problems with blood sugar levels or with your gut, or if you have thrush or concerns about weight gain, then eating cookies can make these things worse.
If you would rather skip the sugary biscuits, you could try the following:
Can lactation cookies cause gas?
Brewers yeast, the critical ingredient in lactation cookies, can cause mild cases of gas and bloating. If you feel any discomfort in your gut, cut back the number of cookies you’re eating, or reduce the amount of brewers yeast in your cookies.
If you have Crohn’s disease, you might want to give the cookies a miss if you’re worried about symptoms being triggered.
Do lactation cookies have side effects?
The brewer’s yeast can be tricky for sensitive tummies. If you notice bloating or gassiness after eating, you might want to cut back on the lactation biscuits. The sugar can also cause a sugar rush, so you might want to avoid eating them before bed.
Are lactation cookies ok for diabetics?
Unfortunately, this recipe is unsuitable for people with diabetes, as the cookies contain sugar and grains, which will spike blood sugar levels. In addition, the active ingredient is very bitter, and the recipe uses sugar to hide the bitterness.
What else can help with my milk supply?
Here are some ideas that will help:
- Start your day in a healthy way and read our article Healthy Breakfast – 13 Delicious and Healthy Breakfast Ideas
- Keep up your water intake. Have a glass of water next to you every time you breastfeed. Throughout the day, try to sip water every 15 minutes. Drinking water helps boost energy and concentration levels, which dehydration robs from you. Adding in an electrolyte powder to your water is beneficial (such as this lemonade electrolyte from Key Nutrients or Ultima Replenisher) because it will hydrate you more efficiently. Avoid sugary sports drinks from the grocery store – they are just sugar water
- Drink fennel tea. It can also help increase the milk supply
- Avoid dummies (pacifiers), formula, or nipple shields unless a lactation consultant advises them. They decrease direct nipple stimulation, which means less milk production
- Offer the breast more frequently. Demand equals supply as far as breast milk goes. When your baby is sucking at the breast, it sends your body signals to make more milk
- Fenugreek can also increase milk supply. If you have a colicky or windy baby, fenugreek can irritate your baby, so try other methods first. It’s also very bitter, so use it as a last resort
If your baby doesn’t seem well, is losing weight or doesn’t have plenty of wet nappies, please seek help without delay.
Although BellyBelly’s cookies are fantastic, they can’t fix problems that need to be addressed by a professional.
How can I increase my milk supply fast?
The best way to improve your supply is to breastfeed, breastfeed, breastfeed.
Here are some things you can do to increase your supply quickly:
- Breastfeed on demand, not to a schedule
- Have your latch checked by a professional
- Avoid pacifiers and bottles
- Stay close to your baby
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet
- Stay hydrated.
If you have problems with milk supply, see our article How To Increase Milk Supply Fast | 9 Best Things To Do.
