Best Lactation Cookie Recipe

Me and cookies go way back.  My policy has always been something along the lines of, “When the going gets tough, eat cookies.”  I am the first to admit that this is not a physically or emotionally sound policy.  UNTIL you are a new mom and you are having trouble producing milk.  Then it is absolutely both physically and emotionally sound.  At least, that is my story and I’m sticking to it.

During pregnancy, one of the things I was most excited for was nursing my baby.  I read books and watched videos and solicited the advice of friends so that I could be as prepared as possible to help my new bundle latch properly and feed comfortably. I knew breastfeeding would be challenging.  I did not, however, know that getting my body to produce milk would be hard.  Here’s the deal, mommas:  Everything about being a new mom is hard.  EVERYTHING.  It is physically hard.  It is emotionally hard.  It is everything hard.  This is where my cookie policy (read above) kicks in.

I am the first to admit that it is the ingredients that help to increase milk production, not the cookies themselves.  Sure, you can eat your oatmeal, flax, and brewer’s yeast a la carte, but… ew. Momma, you just birthed a tiny human.  You are now letting said human suck and tug on your poor, raw, nipples.  And chances are you haven’t slept in a while, either.  You deserve a freaking cookie.  And you don’t have to feel bad about that cookie when it’s packed full of milk-producing ingredients!

So here’s the very simple, tried and true recipe.  If you have a new momma friend, I recommend baking two batches and delivering one fresh and one frozen so your friend has a good stash. You’ll notice this recipe calls for sugar, cinnamon, and a good serving of chocolate chips (or raisins, your choice!)  The sweetness is helpful in balancing the bitterness of the brewer’s yeast.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix flaxseed and water in a bowl and let sit.
3. Mix butter, eggs, and sugar until creamy, (I like to whip this extra so it’s nice and fluffy) then add vanilla and flaxseed mix.
4. Mix dry ingredients except oats and chocolate chips.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients mixing slowly until combined, then add oats and chips.
6. Drop large, rounded tablespoonfuls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about two inches apart.
7. Cook 12-14 minutes. (12 minutes is usually perfect in my gas oven, but you may need to adjust for your own oven.)

Ingredients: 2 cups of flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 4-5 tablespoons brewer’s yeast 4 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal 4 tablespoons of water 1 cup brown sugar 2 sticks of softened (not melted) butter ½ cup of granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. salt (I usually do a little less than the full teaspoon) 3 cups of old fashioned oats 1 bag chocolate chips (or a cup of raisins, your choice)