Time for lactation cookies! Serena Saeed-Winn shared this recipe with us, along with a very good reminder that feeding a baby is work and the person doing that work needs to eat, too. Hear more from Serena in Why Postpartum Midwifery is Vital to Healing.
Whatever you call them, cookies that can be made ahead, frozen, and eaten with one hand are useful food in a house with a new baby. Put a few on a postpartum snack tray and tuck the rest into the freezer.
No cookie can promise a particular milk supply. If feeding hurts or you are worried about how feeding is going, reach out to a qualified lactation professional or medical provider. In the meantime, having something good to eat nearby is a kindness.
Serena’s Lactation Cookie Recipe
Serena’s Lactation Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats Add more oats for a thicker cookie
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached organic all-purpose flour
- 5 tbsp brewers yeast
- 3 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 12 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp unrefined virgin coconut oil
- 1/2 cup white sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg (plus one additional egg yolk)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips/chunks
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice Optional
- 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut Optional
- 1/4 cup chopped almonds or walnuts Optional
- 2 tbsp almond butter Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 350 degrees F
- Soften butter and coconut oil
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, flaxseed, baking powder, soda, and salt
- In a separate bowl beat the butter and coconut oil on medium speed until creamy
- Add in the sugar and beat on medium to high speed until fluffy
- Add in the egg and egg yolk, beating until combined
- Add in the vanilla extract and beat until combined
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined and mixed
- Add oats and stir
- Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula until they are evenly dispersed
- Scoop the dough into 1-inch rounds (I use an ice cream scoop so they are fairly uniform in size) and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper
- Bake for 5-10 minutes based on desired crispiness
Listen While These Bake
While the cookies are in the oven, listen to Does My Baby Have Tongue Tie? How to Know and What to Do Next. Lisa Paladino, MS, CNM, IBCLC, explains possible signs, when feeding pain needs evaluation, and how families can find qualified help.
Learn more about Serena’s work at The KAZ Project, and add a few cookies to a Postpartum Snack Tray.
The content provided in this article(s) is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or other professional advice. Neither Sarah Trott nor Fourth Trimester Media Group LLC are liable for claims arising from the use of or reliance on information contained in this article.