No Bake Lactation Cookies {Gluten Free Lactation Cookies} (2024)

If you’re looking for the best lactation cookies ever, you’ll love these easy No Bake Lactation Cookies! Thanks to oatmeal, peanut butter, and mini chocolate chips, you’ll love how delicious these gluten-free lactation cookies are.

****To my lovely long-time readers, no I’m not pregnant. This is an updated post!****

There is nothing in this world like breastfeeding hunger and thirst. It’s insatiable! But you’re so busy trying to figure out how to make your boobs work and sit without busting a stitch. Who in the world has time to be constantly eating and baking?

I had allllll the problems you could possibly have breastfeeding both of my boys (I even wrote this postabout it) and I’m here to tell you that when you’re in the thick of it, you need cookies. Delicious, delicious cookies.

That is where these filling and high-protein no-bake lactation cookies come in! You can make them in just one bowl in only a few minutes. These are lactation bites meant to be eaten with just one hand. Wearing a clean shirt is completely optional.

Do Lactation Cookies Really Work?

Anecdotal evidence shows that they can help increase your milk supply. They were very effective for me and I’ve shared them with friends who found them helpful. I made a batch for my chiropractor and she noted she would get an extra 1-1.5 oz per pumping session.

What Ingredients Are in Lactation Biscuits?

It just so happens that many of the ingredients inthese yummy bites are also things that can aid in healthy breastfeeding.

• Brewer’s yeast – not to be confused with nutritional yeast – is high in protein, B vitamins, and iron; all are great for increasing or maintaining a consistent milk supply.
• Peanut/almond butter is full of protein which any hungry person can appreciate for keeping them fuller, longer.
• Flaxseed for omega-3s and fiber. And because pooping.
• Dates for calcium, iron, and natural sweetness. And because pooping.
• Oats for fiber and some sources say it can help increase milk supply. And because pooping.

Does Brewer’s Yeast Help With Milk Production?

Brewer’s yeast is considered agalactagogue which is any substance that can increase milk supply (think: fenugreek, blessed thistle, etc.). You can read more about galactagogue on kellymom(a website I used daily when nursing my boys).

You might ask yourself “is it safe to take brewer’s yeast while breastfeeding”? And the answer is yes it is! However (there is always a but),some babies react negatively to Brewer’s yeast in the form of colic-like symptoms. I’m the mom of two boys who were both total bears as newborns so it would have been hard to notice any change in their behavior. Infants. Am I right?

Where Can I Buy Brewer’s Yeast?

It’s available at health stores, stores that sell supplements and vitamins, and online (I found it $4 cheaper on Amazon than my local GNC).

Are Brewer’s Yeast and Nutritional Yeast the Same Thing?

Nope! They have similar properties but very different tastes. Nutritional yeast has a cheesy flavor and would not be delicious in these lactation bites.

How to Store Lactation Bites

You can store them in the fridge for up to three weeks. If you’d like to freeze them, put the lactation biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze them for two hours. Transfer to a freezer-proof ziploc. They’ll last for four months in the freezer. But you’ll definitely eat them before then!

How Many No Bake Lactation Cookies Do I Eat?

Start with one and see how your baby reacts. You can increase to two or three bites over the next few days. Each person may see results with different levels of consumption.

These are nutrient-dense and calorie-heavy cookies which is important for breastfeeding moms! But avoid frequent snacking on them because you need lots of other balanced foods in your diet too.

Here’s How to Make Them

*A detailed (with measurements) and printable recipe is available at the bottom of this post.

Start by pulsing the pitted dates in a food processor. No food processor? See the recipe notes below. Add the oats, brewer’s yeast, flax seeds, and cocoa powder. Pulse a few times.

Microwave the coconut oil, peanut (or almond butter), and honey for 1 minute in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the ingredients from the food processor, then the puffed rice cereal. Stir to combine.

Wait 5 minutes and stir in the chocolate chips. Roll into balls and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment and pop those suckers in the fridge for an hour.

Variations

• To make these healthy lactation cookies vegan, replace the honey with pure maple syrup or Lyle’s Golden Syrup.Lyle’s Golden Syrupis a magical elixir that tastes like if maple syrup had sex with a stick of butter. You’ll want to make sure the chocolate chips are dairy-free (like Enjoy Life).
• Feel free to add small dried fruits and mix up the flavors. Dried cranberry with some orange zest? Yes, please! Dried cherries and chocolate chips? Heck yes. Cinnamon? All the amens.
• If you are gluten-free, make sure you pick gluten-free oats. As brewer’s yeast is a byproduct of brewing beer, it does contain gluten. You can buy gluten-free brewer’s yeast online. Anthony’s Brewer’s Yeast is gluten-free and available at a reasonable price on Amazon.
• Nut allergy? Replace the peanut butter with sunflower butter.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Brewer’s yeast has a malty and salty taste. It’s not pleasant alone but masked with the other ingredients it isn’t bad. Make sure you buy one marked “debittered” to avoid a nasty aftertaste. Since it has a salty taste you’ll want to make sure the peanut or almond butter you use isn’t overly salty.
• Want to make these into no bake lactation bars? Place parchment with the side overhanging into a 9×13glass pan. Press the cookie mixture in, compacting it. Refrigerate for two hours. Grasp the parchment and lift it and the mixture out of the pan. Cut into 2×2 squares. Voila, no bake lactation bars!
• Anyone can eat these – they will not cause milk production unless you’re a nursing female. That being said, honey should be avoided for anyone under the age of 1.
• The oats you use will be uncooked. I prefer old-fashioned oats but quick-cooking (aka instant) will work too.
• If you’re facing a slump (which can die in a dumpster fire), there is hope for you. Read this post for how I overcame the Six Month Breastfeeding Slump.
• Not in the mood to bake but still want to boost your supply? Try this delicious Lactation Smoothie from Mommy My Way.

More Quick No-Bake Snacks Like This

• Strawberry Fudge Energy Date Balls
• Mexican Hot Chocolate Lara Bars
• Lemon Bliss Balls
• Chocolate Chip Banana Energy Bites
• Homemade Lara Bars
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Homemade Granola Bars

This recipe was originally published in March 2016. It has been retested and updated with reader feedback. New photos have been added. For reference, this is one of the photos from the original post: