One nourishing recipe, perfect for postpartum, breastfeeding, and the whole family.
If there's one recipe I've made more times than I can count over the years, it's these lactation cookies. And after welcoming our fourth baby this summer, they've once again become a staple in our home.
I was first introduced to these cookies by my dear friend Shelby, who lovingly made me numerous batches after the birth of our son Syrus. They were such a gift during those early postpartum days, and I've been making them ever since.
The original recipe comes from Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats, and I have to give credit where credit is due. Her original lactation cookies are absolutely delicious! Over the years, I've made a few adjustments, adding more of the nourishing ingredients I love, and they've become a favourite for our entire family.
I usually make a double or triple batch because, between all six of us, they disappear quickly!
A Little Nourishment for the Postpartum Season
Having experienced postpartum four times now, I've come to appreciate just how important it is to have nourishing food readily available.
Those early weeks and months are a beautiful blur of feeding, healing, resting (when possible!), and adjusting to life with a new baby. And when you're breastfeeding, the hunger can be something else entirely!
Our bodies need plenty of nourishment during this time, including adequate calories, protein, healthy fats, and minerals to support recovery and milk production.
These cookies are packed with some of my favourite nutrient-dense ingredients:
Oats: A wonderful source of complex carbohydrates and fibre, helping provide sustained energy throughout the day.
Hemp Hearts: Rich in plant-based protein, essential fatty acids, magnesium, and iron.
Chia Seeds: Packed with fibre, plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and antioxidants.
Ground Flaxseed: Provides fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, and lignans, which are beneficial plant compounds.
Almonds & Pecans: Offer healthy fats, plant-based protein, vitamin E, and minerals, along with a delicious crunch.
Brewer's Yeast: A source of B vitamins and other nutrients, traditionally used in lactation recipes.
Although ingredients like oats and brewer's yeast have long been associated with supporting lactation, research hasn't established that they directly increase milk supply. What we do know is that nourishing our bodies with a variety of nutrient-rich foods is incredibly important during postpartum recovery and breastfeeding.
And of course, there's the chocolate! Because nourishing food should also be delicious.Lactation Cookies & Energy Bites Recipe
The original recipe comes from Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats, and I have to give credit where credit is due. Her original lactation cookies are absolutely delicious! Over the years, I've made a few adjustments, adding more of the nourishing ingredients I love, and they've become a favourite for our entire family.
Ingredients
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1½ cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons brewer's yeast
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon hemp hearts
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup coconut oil
1½ cups organic cane sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup mini dark chocolate chips
¾ cup raisins
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup chopped almonds
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brewer's yeast, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In a separate large bowl, cream together the softened butter, coconut oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until everything is well combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
Now it's time for all the good stuff! Fold in the oats, ground flaxseed, chia seeds, and hemp hearts, followed by the mini chocolate chips, raisins, almonds, and pecans. The dough will be thick and hearty.
Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, portion the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. I love using a scoop because it makes every cookie beautifully uniform, and it's so quick and easy. Gently press each portion down with your fingers or the back of a spoon before baking.
Bake for approximately 10–14 minutes, keeping a close eye on them toward the end. You want the edges and bottoms to be just lightly golden. Be careful not to over bake them, as they can become hard and crunchy if they get too brown. I prefer mine soft and chewy! Let them rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
My Favourite Freezer Method
I almost always make a double or triple batch of these cookies, and freezing the dough is one of my favourite kitchen tricks.
Using my medium cookie scoop, I portion all the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, just as I would if I were going to bake them. I gently press them down so they're ready to go straight into the oven whenever I want freshly baked cookies.
Instead of baking them right away, I place the entire tray into the freezer until the portions are firm. Once frozen, I transfer them into a freezer-safe plastic bag.
Freezing them on the tray first prevents them from sticking together or losing their shape, and I love how neatly they store. It's incredibly easy to grab a few at a time without having to thaw an entire batch.
When you're ready to bake, simply place the frozen portions on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F, allowing a few extra minutes as needed. Keep an eye on them so they stay soft and chewy rather than becoming too brown.
More Than Just Lactation Cookies
While I originally started making these cookies for myself during postpartum, they've become a favourite for the whole family.
Over the years, I've made a few adjustments to increase their nutritional value, including adding more seeds and nuts and reducing the sugar to just one cup per batch.
They're so packed with nutrient-dense ingredients that I'm even happy to serve them to the kids as breakfast cookies from time to time! They're also wonderful tucked into school lunches, enjoyed as an afternoon snack, or grabbed when we need a little extra fuel throughout the day.
I love that something I originally made to nourish myself during those early postpartum days has become something I now feel good about sharing with my whole family.
A Little Love for the Fourth Trimester
If there's one thing I've learned through four postpartum experiences, it's that having nourishing food readily available makes such a difference.
Those early weeks are tender, beautiful, exhausting, and often wonderfully unpredictable. Anything that makes it easier to care for yourself while caring for a new baby is worth its weight in gold.
If you're preparing for the arrival of your baby, I highly recommend adding these cookies to your postpartum food prep list. Before my most recent birth, I made multiple batches and tucked them away in the freezer so I'd have nourishing snacks ready whenever I needed them. It's such a simple thing to do ahead of time, but having something homemade, delicious, and satisfying within reach during those early postpartum weeks is such a gift.
Trust me, your future self will thank you!
These cookies also make a beautiful gift for a new mama. I know firsthand just how special it feels to have someone show up with homemade food during those early days. Shelby's thoughtful batches after Syrus was born are something I still remember with so much gratitude.
A container of freshly baked cookies or a bag of pre-portioned frozen cookie dough can be such a practical gesture of love.
For more of my favourite postpartum preparations, you can also read my Postpartum Essentials Guide, where I share some of the things I've found most supportive throughout my own postpartum journeys.
And whether you're preparing for postpartum, feeding a hungry family, or simply looking for a nourishing little treat, I hope these become as much of a favourite in your home as they are in ours.
