Easy No Bake Lactation Cookies for Nursing Moms
Looking for an easy way to enhance your breast milk supply? These no-bake lactation bites are the perfect snack for new moms! Made with brewer’s yeast, peanut butter, and other natural ingredients, they’re a delicious treat designed to support your breastfeeding journey.
Breastfeeding can be a challenge, especially when it feels like you can’t produce enough milk. Even if you’re blessed with a generous mother’s milk supply, there are days when you might feel drained, especially when your new baby hits a growth spurt.
The good news? Scientific studies show that there are nutritional supplements and foods you can incorporate into your diet to promote breast milk production. These no-bake lactation cookies recipe, packed with beneficial ingredients, will not only boost your breast milk supply but also provide you with a delicious treat.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies:
- They contain brewer’s yeast, flax seeds, and rolled oats – all great sources of soluble fiber and known galactagogues to support lactation.
- Peanut butter and walnuts are not only delicious but also packed with healthy fats that benefit both mom and baby.
- Perfect for busy moms, these easy lactation cookies are quick to make without the need for baking!
Don’t forget to check out my Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies!
Gather together your ingredients.
The main bulk of these cookies is from oatmeal, which is known to be great for milk supply, and it’s also great for boosting energy! Milk has tons of calcium and EFA, and it also helps boost milk production. Nuts, flaxseed and brewer’s yeast are also agents for helping increase your supply!
To get started, combine your oats, chopped walnuts, flaxseed and brewer’s yeast in a mixing bowl. Set it aside.
Then, in a medium pot, heat up your milk, sugar, butter and cocoa until it comes to a rolling boil. Boil for about a minute and then add in your peanut butter and vanilla, mixing well. Dump all your wet ingredients into the dry and combine with a spoon.
Prepare a large cookie sheet with some wax paper and then spoon out your mixture in 1 TBSP portions onto the tray.
Refrigerate these morsels so they can firm up a bit, and then pop one in your mouth whenever you need a little pick-me-up! They can be eaten cold or at room-temperature, and you can keep them in a sealed container until you need them.
Seriously, they couldn’t be easier, and they taste awesome. Try them yourself!
Do They Work?
Absolutely! After my fourth baby boy, I faced challenges with my milk supply. I scoured various lactation cookie recipes, experimented with ingredients like nutritional yeast, and finally developed this no-bake lactation cookie recipe. The result? A noticeable boost in my breast milk supply and energy levels! I also found that it helped to even out my blood sugar levels after coming back from gestational diabetes.
If you’re allergic or dislike any ingredient, feel free to substitute. For instance, use almond flour instead of oats or cashew butter instead of peanut butter. The recipe is flexible, and many moms have shared their modifications in the comments and on a quick Pinterest search.
My husband and kids even enjoyed them and used them as little energy boosting snacks. And since they were so easy to make, I could whip up a batch as often as needed.
In the end, I ended up breastfeeding my son for 3 and a half years!
How Do They Work?
These no-bake lactation cookies work by using special ingredients called galactagogues. Galactagogues are substances that promote lactation. They can be man-made medications, but there are several that occur naturally.
The galactagogues in my no bake lactation cookie recipe are flax seeds, rolled oats, brewer’s yeast, peanut butter and walnuts. By combining several of these ingredients together, you can multiply their power to really help promote lactation in a breastfeeding mom.
Benefits of Key Ingredients:
- Brewers Yeast & Nutritional Yeast: Both are a fantastic source of B vitamins, which support the nervous system and boost milk supply.
- Flax Seeds: A good source of dietary fiber and fatty acids that promote lactation.
- Rolled Oats: A great source of soluble fiber and whole grains, known to support milk production.
Remember, while these lactation snacks are a great idea to boost your milk supply, always consult with lactation consultants if you have concerns about your breastfeeding experience. The combination of delicious snacks, mother’s milk tea, and expert advice will ensure a successful breastfeeding experience for you and your little one.
What If I Don’t Like or Can’t Eat an Ingredient?
Definitely leave it out! These no bake cookies are very forgiving. While I think this recipe is just perfect as it is, you can definitely change it to fit your needs. In fact, check the comments here and on Pinterest to see some of the ways others have changed it up to fit their own circumstances, as this recipe has been modified in some really awesome ways.
Easy No Bake Lactation Cookies for Nursing Moms
These are full of the best ingredients for boosting milk production in breastfeeding moms!
Ingredients
- 5 cups of oats
- 1 cup of chopped walnuts
- 1 cup of flaxseed
- 6 Tbsp of brewer's yeast
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup of butter (16 Tbsp)
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup of peanut butter
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl combine the oats, chopped walnuts, flaxseed, and brewer's yeast. Set aside.
- In a medium sized pot, heat the milk, butter, sugar, and cocoa over medium heat. Once it comes to a rolling boil, let it continue to boil for 1 minute. Then add the peanut butter and vanilla, and mix well.
- Add the pot mixture to the dry ingredients and combine.
- Prepare a cookie sheet with wax paper and spoon the mixture onto the paper. One spoonful makes a great snack size.
- Refrigerate and enjoy!
Notes
Use a tablespoon of mixture for each cookie. You can keep them rounded or flatten them out to your preference.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 100 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 86Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 29mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g
For another great recipe, check out my Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies!
Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.
Can you eat too many of these?! They are soooo good!!
I had my 4 year old helping me make these, but after trying to make sure nothing got spilled all over the kitchen and changing the baby, I realized we never added the sugar! 🙁 So i sprinkled some on top to try and save them because of course i had used the last of every ingredient to make these… ugh
Made these for my wife but made a half batch, ran out of oats, so I topped off the oats with sunflower seeds, replaced the walnuts with pumpkin seeds because I didn’t want to chop walnuts, replaced the peanut butter with tahini because I ran out of peanut butter.
I also didn’t scoop out the mixture. Instead I spread out out onto a quarter sheet pan and cut into mini squares because it was easier. Turned out pretty good! A testament to the versatility of this recipe.
So glad you gave it a try. It really is a great recipe for trying out different combinations. I hope she liked the cookies, and good for you for doing something nice for her!
For some reason mine turned out bitter 🙁
Hmm. I’m not sure what might have gone wrong. The only thing I can think of is if you might have forgotten to add one of the ingredients or if something was expired. I’ve not heard of it turning out bitter for anyone, but I’m really curious as to how it might have happened. If you try it again, I’d love to know if it works the second time around.
Thanks for the recipe! I’m trying to cut out dairy to help my baby with her tummy troubles. So I used coconut oil instead of butter and oat milk instead of regular milk. I also didn’t have walnuts so I crushed roasted almonds and added some dried coconut to it as well and it turned out great!! Thanks again!
Oooh I love hearing how people have modified these to work for them. It’s so helpful for others in the comments to learn from other mamas. Thanks for sharing!
Delicious if I do say so. Thank you.
Hi! Thanks for sharing this recipe. Can I replace the milk with almond milk? Would I use the same amount? (I’m baking for my niece who is lactose-intolerant.
Thanks again.
I have never left a review on anything but here I am because you need to make these! They are so good and almost taste like brownie batter. I can’t speak for the milk supply yet because I just finished licking the bowl but the taste is definitely 10/10. Thank you!
Yay! That’s so good to hear. I’m glad you like them so much. I have been making them/using them for over three years now, and my toddler is still going strong. I hope they work well for you!
@Karli, can u please tell me if these no bakes harden like regular no bakes? Thank You
What kind of butter did you use?
Any butter will work. Unsalted is best. I have used off-brand, name brand and even plant butter. All worked well.
How about the brewer’s yeast? What can i use as alternative to that?
So delicious! The butter and peanut butter keep it nice and moist. I cut down the sugar by half a cup and still worked great. Thank you!
Is there anything I could substitute for oats? Quinoa flakes maybe? I can’t eat oats anymore
These are delicious. My whole family enjoyed them! They really helped my supply with having a few a day. I also added oatmeal for breakfast and a daily Body Armor drink, so I am sure it is the combination of it all but I went from having to pump not only during the work day but into the evening to get enough milk for the next day for daycare to being able to freeze 30+ ounces in a week on top of providing the milk for daycare and nursing my baby when with him.
Oh yay! Glad they worked so well for you. It’s incredible how we can boost our supply by eating the right things!
These are so so yummy!!!
Is there any way to sub the flax seed for ground flax seed??
I’m pretty sure that would be just fine.
I used ground flax seed and it worked great.
I’m allergic to walnuts (and actually don’t like nuts in my sweet treats anyway) — is it just as simple as omitting the walnuts it would that mess up the consistency?
They won’t be as bulky, so you’ll likely get less cookies overall. But it shouldn’t mess up the consistency much. You can always add more oats if they are a little thin.
What kind of oats are best for this recipe? Quick oats or old-fashioned oats?
How many do I need to eat a day to keep my milk up?
It’s different for everyone. I just eat them as a snack a couple times a day, and it helps. But you kind of have to try and see what works for you. If you have a low supply, you’ll want to eat more, and if you have a decent supply already, you can eat less. I would start with three a day and see how it goes.
@Katie Reed, I loved them so much, I ate more than 3 the first day, more like 8
Saw a difference yesterday half way through the day after eating a few. Only thing, must drink plenty of water to work.
Hi! How long can i keep these for in fridge? Also can i keep them in freezer?
They will keep in the fridge for about three weeks, though they can get a little soggy. You can freeze them for sure, and I would take out a few at a time to give them a chance to defrost, but again, they can get a tiny bit soggy. I try not to freeze them if I can help it though, as I think fresh is best.
How long can I keep them for is it necessary to put in fridge
You definitely need to keep them in the fridge for them to stay fresher for longer. They will last about 3 weeks. Or you can freeze and take them out as needed.
I want to make these for my daughter who is vegan. The milk and butter is no problem to substitute, but I’ve never used yeast in anything. Where do I get it and can regular yeast be used.
Thanks
I bought the brewers yeast and flaxseeds on amazon
@Barbara, you should also be able to find them at your local health food store.
Yum! Thank you!