by Carrie Saum
This post made possible by a partnership with The Leaky Boob sister community, Our Stable Table.
Confession:
I am a cookie snob.
Lactation cookies are no different.
I found a recipe in my mom’s kitchen recipe box on a raggedy old index card. It wasn’t in her handwriting or my grandmothers’ handwriting. I snagged the card and kept it for a few years. But let’s face it. I made these cookies SO OFTEN that I committed the recipe to permanent memory.
When I had my son, we were too stressed and busy to think about lactation cookies while he was in the NICU for the first week of his life. We came home from the hospital, and I had to get serious about boosting my milk supply, especially since I was not sleeping or eating regularly, and pumping exclusively. (I know, I know. Not a great way to start motherhood, but those days were SURVIVAL. And it got better.)
My husband, who just happens to be an amazing baker, took over making the oatmeal cookies while I was working around the clock to feed my baby. My husband and I ate these cookies by the batch, a bright spot in a wild season, and I would wake up in the middle of the night to pump and feed my baby with a spoonful of the cookie dough in one hand and my newborn in the other.
These are ADDICTIVE.
Oh yeah. And the cookies totally boosted my milk supply. Which, let’s face it, was a bonus.
There are three versions of this cookie.
Version 1: The Regular Version. This version is perfect for eating in any form, raw, cooked, frozen, etc.
Version 2: The Lactation Version. This version gives extra milk-boosting power with the addition of flax meal.
Version 3: The You-Will-Never-Love-Another-Cookie-As-Much-As-This-Cookie Version. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. And it will still make you milky. Is that even a phrase? It shouldn’t be. I immediately regret writing it.
I’ll give you the base recipe with the tweaks (which are minor) along the way.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups unbleached flour ( 1.5 cups for V3)
- 2.5 cups old fashioned oats, not instant (3 cups for V3)
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips (You can use dark or semi-sweet chocolate but it’s less awesome.)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp whole milk (4 Tbsp for V2)
- 1/4 cup flax seed meal (ONLY for V2)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
- Using an elctric mixer or a lot of elbow grease, cream butter and sugars until fluffy and light. Beat in the eggs, milk and vanilla extract.
- Combine flour, (flax meal if you are making V2), baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a separate bowl.
- Slowly add flour mixture to the sugar mixture until it’s incorporated. Be careful not to over mix. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.
- On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, put dough in 1 inch rounds, making sure to leave plenty of room to expand.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes. I’ll let you decide what kind of doneness you like but I pull them promptly at 13 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and cool completely on cooling rack. Or until you can reasonably eat them without burning the crap out of your mouth.
- Skip baking them altogether and just eat the dough straight.
These are also pretty awesome to make and bring to your friends who have just become parents, so just go ahead and bookmark this recipe and plan to make them. You will be the favorite friend, possibly ever. This is also a great way to love your newly lactating Baby Mama, too.
If you like this recipe, head over to Our Stable Table for more great recipes and some great conversation.
Happy Lactating!
Carrie
Carrie Saum brings a passion for wellness and over a decade of experience in health care to her clients. A certified Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor (AWC) from the Kerala Ayurveda Academy, she empowers individuals and families to achieve health and balance through time-honored practices and health knowledge.
Carrie has extensive first-hand experience in vast array of medical and service fields. With background in paramedic medicine, Carrie spent ten years serving in the non-profit sector managing organizations, programs, and orchestrating resources to meet health needs of people across the United States and abroad in countries such as Guatemala, Mexico, Kenya, and Zambia. As an AWC, Carrie currently coaches her clients and their families about topics including nutrition, weight loss, and stress management.In addition to her work as a wellness counselor, Carrie is a passionate “foodie” and author. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and young son.
I am at almost 14 months of BFing my son. I’m pumping at work but my body just doesn’t seem to respond well to the pump. I get barely 100ml in one session. Anyone got any advice? (Will definitely be trying the cookies!)
you must be doing something right to have gotten to 14 months! way to go, momma! a few things that have helped me when pumping, though, are making sure i’m warm and comfy (i.e. relaxed), distraction, and eating healthy fats. so, at work, i actually take my shoes off & put a space heater on my feet, drink hot water while pumping (helps stimulate secondary letdowns), and use an old sports bra with slits cut in it to hold the shields on (cheap and easy!). that way, i can read a magazine, scroll facebook, or watch a video so that i’m not watching the bottles and stressing about how much is coming (or not coming) out. i also keep exercise to a minimum while nursing (personally, i’ve just noticed that the more i exercise, the lower my supply gets). hope that helps a bit!
Thanks, Nicky! Your encouragement means a lot and I’ll definitely give your suggestions a go!
How much vanilla should I use? It’s not included in the ingredient list, but is listed on step one. Thanks!
I used 2 tsp for v3 and it seems to be good. You could probably use a little less if you like a less prominent vanilla flavor. 🙂
Thank you for posting this! Being pregnant with my second I have heard about milk cookies but am Gluten-free and this recipe could easily be converted. I look forward to trying it out.
Have the you ever added Brewers yeast or fenugreek? How long until you see an increase in supply? I seem to have platued but it maxed out at 3 oz at a time after 2+ hours of not feeding. Kind of bummed, it’s my s come baby and I was hoping so much to do better this time. We had to supplement with our first because I could t get adequate breaks at work or pump enough to cover my work hours :/.
Thank you ,I will try to do it.
I have never tried cooking , These cookies looks awesome!