Yup. There’s such a thing! And boy was I ever so happy to eat this one! With my first child, I really struggled to nurse her after the first few months. I didn’t know about these delicious cookies at that point but I wish I had.
When I was pregnant with my second child, I did plenty of research because I wanted to nurse her as well but I didn’t want to struggle. But the better benefit of these cookies…. you’re always hungry when you are nursing and this was one of the few excuses left for me to eat cookies every day!
I’m not sure who’s recipe I used the first time around as I found it when I was at the hospital and honestly, I don’t remember much from those first few days. I gave the recipe to my sister-in-law Shivani and she was sweet enough to whip up batches for me until I was able to do so myself. Well, now it’s my turn to do the same for her!
If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that she just had the most adorable baby boy and I’m over the moon about being his aunt!
Anyways, over time, I changed the recipe a little to suit my tastes and needs but these delicious lactation cookies still provide the nutrients you need to help feed your little one!
Not sure how it works? Take a look:
- BREWER’S YEAST – this is considered to be a galactagogue but there are still studies going on to understand the full effects.
- OATS – this is considered one of the best foods to eat for breastfeeding mothers. They are also a great source of fiber, iron, magnesium, and zinc so you can’t really go wrong with this ingredient.
- FLAXSEEDS – these have phytoestrogens that help influence breastmilk production. Added benefits include a boost of energy, positive effect on your mood, and help in getting rid of the baby blues.
If you are nursing or know someone who is nursing, these are one the of the most helpful foods the new mom can have.
If you bake them, store them at room temperature for up to 7 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze the dough for up to 2 months.
If you’re making these as a gift for a new Momma, I usually like to bake a dozen to start her off and give her the dough so she can make the cookies as she wants them. I personally would freeze or refrigerate the dough and make a few each day in my little toaster oven so I could have fresh cookies out of the oven! So divine I tell you!
From my kitchen to yours, I hope these Lactation Cookies help you as much as they helped me!
Best Ever Oatmeal Lactation Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 c old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
- 1/3 c + 1 Tbsp Brewer's Yeast
- 1/4 c ground flaxseed
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 c unsalted butter
- 1/4 c Olive Oil
- 1 c brown sugar
- 1/4 c white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 c chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
- Add in the egg and whisk well to combine.
- Add in the oil and vanilla extract and continue to whisk.
- Add in the baking soda and baking powder and whisk to completely incorporate.
- Add in the salt and cinnamon and continue to mix.
- Now add in the flaxseed and brewer's yeast and whisk really well to combine.
- Finally add in the oats and flour and mix well.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop with a spoon or scooper onto baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Notes
** The order in which I added my ingredients is non-conventional from normal baking practices. I realize this. But it works. The cookies turn out softer and with a better texture for me when I use this method. If you don't feel comfortable, definitely stick to the traditional method of mixing wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them.
**If you are baking these from the freezer, you may need to add a couple more minutes to the baking time.
Here are the tools I used for this recipe:
These are so healthy and delicious. Thanks for sharing this.