These Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies are the best lactation cookie recipe. Gluten-free, plant-based, and filled with almonds, these cookies make for a great breastfeeding snacks for nursing moms!
If you read my recent post about my struggles breastfeeding and with my milk supply, you probably understand the inspiration for this post. I need more milk to feed my hungry, hungry hippo of a son.
After speaking with my doula and lactation consultant, I was given a list of the top foods to really increase in my diet in an effort to up my milk. In an effort to add more of those foods into my diet, I came up with these salted chocolate chunk cookies. These are legit the BOMB DOT COM.
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
Hey, I have to eat anyway, might as well make choose foods with boobie benefits. And while I have no qualms about eating oatmeal for breakfast every day (LOVE it anyway), or steeping ginger in my tea, the idea that I can eat delicious lactation cookies throughout the day and night for the same effect definitely got me excited. Here’s why this is the best lactation cookie recipe that you need to try:
- They’re so tasty
- Not just for new moms. Everyone will love these!
- Packed with healthy goodness
- Vegan friendly
Key Ingredients
Oatmeal — This helps keep our cookies gluten-free and packed with healthy goodness.
Flaxseed — Flaxseed has vitamins and minerals on top of protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids! We use it for the cookies and to make an egg substitutes.
Ginger — Ginger is believed to help increase breast milk production so we’re adding candied ginger and ground ginger to our salted chocolate chunk cookies.
Almonds and Almond Butter — To help bind the cookies, we add almond butter and the almonds also add a nice dose of healthy fats.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Preheat the oven the 350 degrees F and line three baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat. Prepare the flax eggs by combining 2 tbsp of flaxseed with 5 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes until it looks thick and gloopy.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together the oats, gluten free flour, brewer’s yeast, flaxseed, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.
Step 3: In another bowl (or your stand mixer), beat the vegan butter until softened. Add in the sugar and beat until it looks smooth and fluffy. Add in the almond butter, flax eggs, and vanilla and beat until mixed.
Step 4: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and then fold in the chocolate, almonds and ginger.
Step 5: Roll into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place on the baking sheet with about 2 inches between them (12 per baking sheet).
Step 6: Sprinkle generously with fleur de sel and bake for 20 minutes until the bottoms and sides turn golden brown. Allow the salted chocolate chunk cookies to cool for at least 5 minutes before picking up.
Expert Tips
Want more cookies? Simply roll these salted chocolate chunk cookies smaller!
I put in vegan dark chocolate that I’ve cut into small pieces. You’re welcome to use whatever chocolate you have on hand! Try some caramel chips! You can also cut up some larger chunks to put on top of the cookies.
When the cookies are cool to touch (5 minutes), transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Since the pan is hot, the residual heat will continue to cook the cookies if they stay on.
Recipe FAQs
Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for 6 months. Simply place a piece of parchment between cookies or freeze them flat on a sheet pan before transferring to a bag so they don’t stick together and you can take out one cookie at a time to thaw.
After we spent an afternoon baking these up, my hubby came home from work and inhaled three of them hot off the baking sheet. So yes, if you’re wondering, they’re totally safe for dads and won’t make my non-mom friends leak milk if you’re not breastfeeding. I’ve since served these gluten free salted chocolate almond vegan lactation cookies to friends with and without kids, and EVERYONE agrees they’re absolutely delicious. You know it’s the best lactation cookie recipe when it’s approved by the kids too.
You most definitely can! Swap flax egg for regular egg and vegan butter for regular unsalted butter.
While brewer’s yeast is used for the production of beer and bread, it is also used as a nutritional supplement. It is a a source of B vitamin and considered a probiotic.
More Recipes You Might Like
Want more lactation cookies like my Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies? Try these ones!
- Salted Toffee Vegan Lactation Cookies (Gluten Free!)
- Lemon Poppyseed Vegan Lactation Cookies
- Vegan Carrot Cake Lactation Cookies (Gluten Free)
Moms who struggled with milk supply and breastfeeding, what were your secrets? Would you agree with me that this is the best lactation cookie recipe ever?! Leave me a comment below!
Salted Chocolate Almond Vegan Lactation Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten free rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons brewers yeast
- 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegan butter
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup natural almond butter
- 2 flax eggs 2 tbsp ground flaxseed with 5 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup vegan dark chocolate cut into small bits
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup candied ginger minced
- Fleur de sel for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 350 degrees F and line three baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.
- Prepare the flax eggs by combining 2 tbsp of flaxseed with 5 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes until it looks thick and gloopy.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, gluten free flour, brewer’s yeast, flaxseed, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.
- In another bowl (or your stand mixer), beat the vegan butter until softened. Add in the sugar and beat until it looks smooth and fluffy. Add in the almond butter, flax eggs, and vanilla and beat until mixed.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and then fold in the chocolate, almonds and ginger.
- Roll into balls about 1 1/2 inchs in diameter and place on the baking sheet with about 2 inches between them (12 per baking sheet).
- Sprinkle generously with fleur de sel and bake for 20 minutes until the bottoms and sides turn golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before picking up. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for 6 months.
Video
Notes
- Want more cookies? Simply roll these salted chocolate chunk cookies smaller!
- I put in vegan dark chocolate that I’ve cut into small pieces. You’re welcome to use whatever chocolate you have on hand! Try some caramel chips! You can also cut up some larger chunks to put on top of the cookies.
- When the cookies are cool to touch (5 minutes), transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Since the pan is hot, the residue heat will continue to cook the cookies if they stay on.
Nutrition
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Sarah Calderwood says
Wow these are delicious thanks 😊
Salpy says
Abbey, I just made these cookies and they are delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe <3.
Vaishnavi says
Can the recipe be halved?
Abbey Sharp says
Definitely.
Courtney Stewart says
Do you have the nutritional information for these cookies? I made them and they are delicious but I am wanting to track my nutrition and want to put more than just the calories into my counter.
Abbey Sharp says
Yes, it is found in the recipe at the bottom of post.
Marlin says
Thanks for sharing these delicious recipes.
I am a breastfeeding mom and I think I need these cookies right now. May I know what can I use instead of brewed yeast?
Abbey Sharp says
just any instant yeast is fine.
Dorothy says
I made these cookies for my lactating daughter-in-law and they are really delicious. (Well, of course I had to taste them to make sure they were fit for her to eat.) We didn’t need them to be gluten free so I used regular all purpose flour but I would gladly make them again with gluten-free flour for my friends with celiac disease. They will love them!
Abbey Sharp says
Amazing! So happy to hear
Kimberly says
My friend sent me this recipe and asked me to make the cookies for her (she’s a new mom). The yeast really stunk and the cookie dough too, but the cookies tasted really good! It’s always good to have a pleasant surprise. My friend said the cookies helped her lactate better too, just like they’re meant to do! Thanks for this recipe!
Abbey Sharp says
That’s great! Thanks so much for sharing Kimberly
Kim says
This looks so delicious and yummy!! Hope the kids will love it.
Abbey Sharp says
Yes! I’m sure they will!
Chrissy says
I’m not breastfeeding but totally making these this weekend anyway! When I had a short stint of struggling with milk supply, ironically a dark beer (jack abby’s!) at night always helped. I know people say it’s a myth but if I had one at night right after I nursed, then 4-6 hours later when I had to nurse again my boobs were crazy full. It worked wonders, lol.
Abbey Sharp says
good to know! Enjoy Chrissy 🙂
Jessica Levinson says
These cookies look delicious! Eating these throughout the day sounds like a win to me!
Abbey Sharp says
Yes! totally 🙂
Rachel says
I’ll share this with my very pregnant bestie!
Abbey Sharp says
amazing! Thanks love
Kelci says
Hi there – These look amazing! But I’m wondering if there’s a substitute to the almond butter? My newborn in gassy/colicky so I’m cutting possible irritants out of my diet, including nuts.
Abbey Sharp says
What about a seed butter? Like sunflower seed butter?
Beth says
I’m a fellow RD and majorly struggled with breastfeeding with BOTH my daughters. Biggest thing that helped my supply was pumping min 8x a day for min 15 a pump when they weren’t nursing at all. Anytime I missed pumps and didn’t meet 8x/day my supply would drop. Power pumping and cluster pumping helped as well but both are super time consuming so who can keep that up! And pumping is super time consuming period – you’re kicking @$$ by doing all you’re doing for your little guy!!
Abbey Sharp says
I’ve been pumping like CRAZY and yes it’s so time consuming, but for now it’s working so I have no choice!
Kelly says
These are so smart! And it doesn’t hurt that you get to eat a tasty cookie to stay healthy.
Abbey Sharp says
Right! Win win !
rebecca says
lactating or not, these cookies look delicious! I’d totally eat them
Abbey Sharp says
Yes! Love it