The Best Lactation Cookies

Hello there!

If you had told me a cookie would become one of my postpartum essentials, I probably wouldn’t have needed much convincing. Tell me it’s a cookie and it might help support milk supply? Now you really have my attention.

I started making these lactation cookies because I was looking for something simple that I could add to my routine while breastfeeding. I’d heard about lactation cookies before, but I had one major requirement: they had to actually taste good.

Because postpartum is hard enough. I was not about to choke down a sad, dry “healthy” cookie in the name of milk production.

And these? These are genuinely incredible cookies.

They’re soft and chewy with old-fashioned oats, shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips and just a hint of cinnamon. The brewer’s yeast blends right in with everything else, so you’re left with a cookie that tastes like something I’d happily make whether I was breastfeeding or not.

But then came the part I wasn’t expecting.

My Experience With These Lactation Cookies

After eating these, I noticed a pretty dramatic change in my milk supply. In my experience, my supply nearly doubled in less than a day.

I actually couldn’t believe the difference.

Of course, every breastfeeding journey is different, and what worked for me may not have the same effect for someone else. Milk supply can be affected by many different factors, and lactation cookies aren’t a guaranteed way to increase it.

But after seeing the difference I personally noticed—and considering how ridiculously good these cookies are—they quickly earned a permanent place in my postpartum recipe rotation.

If you’re breastfeeding or pumping and looking for a homemade lactation cookie recipe to add to your routine, this is the one I’d start with.

What Are Lactation Cookies?

Lactation cookies are essentially cookies made with ingredients that are popular among breastfeeding moms, often including ingredients like oats and brewer’s yeast.

And despite the name, they don’t have to taste medicinal, overly “healthy” or strange.

My version is very much a real dessert first.

The old-fashioned oats give them that hearty, chewy texture, coconut adds a little extra sweetness and texture, and mini chocolate chips make sure you get chocolate in practically every bite.

Honestly, even if they did absolutely nothing else, I’d still want to eat them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There are a few reasons these have become one of my favorite postpartum recipes:

• They’re actually delicious. Soft, chewy, sweet and loaded with chocolate chips.
• They’re easy to make. No complicated techniques or unusual baking equipment.
• They’re freezer-friendly. Make a batch before baby arrives and stash some away for later.
• They’re easy to grab one-handed. An underrated feature when you have a baby attached to you.
• They don’t taste like a “lactation” food. You could put these on a cookie tray and no one would know the difference.
• They contain oats and brewer’s yeast, two ingredients commonly found in homemade lactation cookie recipes.

And yes, your partner may start stealing them.

Consider yourself warned.

My Biggest Tip: Don’t Overbake Them

If you want that soft, chewy center, pull these cookies when the bottoms are just golden.

They’ll continue to set as they cool.

Waiting until the entire cookie looks completely baked can leave you with a much drier cookie once it cools—and we are not doing dry postpartum cookies around here.

Can You Freeze Lactation Cookies?

Absolutely, and this is one of my favorite things about this recipe.

If you’re currently pregnant and preparing for postpartum, you can make a batch ahead of time and freeze the baked cookies. Once they’re completely cooled, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag.

You can also portion the cookie dough into individual balls and freeze them so you can bake a few fresh cookies whenever you want them.

Future exhausted-you will be very grateful to past-you.

How Should I Store Them?

Once completely cooled, store your lactation cookies in a sealed container or zip-top bag.

Keeping them tightly sealed will help preserve that soft, chewy texture.

And by “store,” I mostly mean hide them somewhere no one else in your house will find them.

Do Lactation Cookies Really Increase Milk Supply?

This is where I think it’s important to separate my personal experience from a guarantee.

I noticed a significant increase in my own supply after making these cookies—nearly double in less than a day. That’s my experience, and it’s why I wanted to share the recipe.

But everyone’s body and breastfeeding journey are different. Eating lactation cookies doesn’t guarantee an increase in milk production, and evidence for individual foods or ingredients increasing supply is limited.

Think of these as a delicious, calorie-dense snack that can be part of your postpartum routine rather than a treatment for low milk supply.

If you’re concerned about your milk production, baby’s feeding or whether baby is getting enough milk, talk with your healthcare provider, pediatrician or a qualified lactation professional.

A Postpartum Recipe Worth Saving

Whether these become your secret weapon or simply the cookie you look forward to eating during a 2 a.m. feeding, I hope you love them as much as I do.

They’re chewy, chocolatey, ridiculously easy to grab when you’re hungry, and they taste like an actual treat—which, during postpartum, feels especially important.

If you’re expecting, save this recipe for postpartum or make a batch ahead of time and tuck them into your freezer.

And if you make them while breastfeeding or pumping, I’d genuinely love to hear about your experience.