This gluten free Maple Pecan Lactation Cookies Recipe is rich in galactogogues, which are thought to contain milk supply-boosting nutrients in lactating women. They’re subtly sweet and nutty with the flavors of coconut, maple, and pecan!
When a dear friend and quite possibly the kindest person you know has her first baby (a sweet little girl), you do the only thing you can when you live 12 hours away: make cookies and mail them to her!
I would have loved to pop by to help clean, organize, and stock the freezer in preparation for baby’s arrival. The only issue impeding my efforts was geography (which was unfortunately, quite a problem!). But I still wanted to do something to show my friend I love her.
My friend is breastfeeding because it’s what’s best for her and baby. (If you’re interested, you can read about the benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby on Healthline and read all about nursing on WebMD.) I was brainstorming gift ideas, and lactation cookies came to mind.
If you’re not familiar with them, lactation cookies contain ingredients believed to help nourish lactating women and boost their milk supply.
Gluten Free Lactation Cookies
This Maple Pecan Lactation Cookies Recipe is particularly healthy and nutrient-dense. They’re gluten free and almost paleo expect for the addition of oats, which are a key ingredient. Other key ingredients are brewer’s yeast, fenugreek, and flaxseed meal.
Knowing my friend’s preference to not over-indulge in sugar, I sweetened these cookies just ever so slightly with coconut sugar and a hint of maple. If you like things on the sweeter side, feel free to double the amount of coconut sugar. Or you can use regular brown sugar instead if it’s what you have on hand.
Lactation Cookies Recipe
This recipe is full of nutritious ingredients, including:
- Coconut oil
- Coconut butter
- Eggs
- Pure maple syrup
- Pure vanilla extract
- Old-fashioned rolled oats
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
- Golden flaxseed meal
- Coconut sugar
- Hemp hearts
- Brewer’s yeast
- Sea salt
- Fenugreek
- Cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Pecans
And these cookies are very easy to make, similar to drop cookies!
Do Lactation Cookies Work?
I’m not a doctor and I can’t personally speak as to whether or not these cookies actually perform their intended function. I’ve heard there is some controversy as to whether they actually do improve milk supply. Either way, these cookies are full of nourishing ingredients, and my friend raved about the flavor, so it’s a win in my book.
The other perk about having these cookies on hand when you’re nursing this that you have cookies on hand. During such a busy time when a mom is juggling so many things, I don’t think it could ever be a bad thing to have a nutritious snack ready and waiting for when she’s hungry and needs to eat something fast.
What Makes Lactation Cookies Work?
There are certain ingredients, which are called galactogogues, that increase milk supply in lactating women. The ingredients that are thought of as galactogogues in this recipe include: oats, brewer’s yeast, fenugreek, and flaxseed meal.
Read Foods to Increase Breast Milk Supply on Very Well Family, and 7 Lactogenic Foods for Nursing Moms on Motherly.
More Nutrient-Dense Make-Ahead Snacks:
- Falafel Spiced Roasted Chickpeas
- Easy Stuffed Dates
- Gluten Free Crackers
- The Best Hummus
- Fudgy Double Chocolate Protein Bars
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below because I love hearing from you! You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media. To stay up-to-date FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Xoxo, Faith
Maple Pecan Lactation Cookies Recipe (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup coconut butter also called coconut manna
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup golden flaxseed meal
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 1/4 cup brewer’s yeast
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F; line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
- Melt together the coconut oil and coconut butter on the stovetop; transfer to a bowl and cool slightly. Whisk in the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Set aside for now.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, flaxseed meal, coconut sugar, hemp hearts, brewer’s yeast, salt, fenugreek, cinnamon, baking powder, and pecans.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry.
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough, roll it into a ball, place it on the cookie sheet, and flatten it slightly. Continue this way until all the dough is rolled.
- Bake the cookies until light golden on the bottom, about 15 minutes, rotating the trays once halfway through.
- Cool completely on the trays before removing.
Faith's Tips
- Store the cookies covered in a glass container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
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I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
I haven’t lactated in 43 years but I’m going to make these for myself :-) Plus I have bags of hemp from being on the auto delivery plan so this will be a great way to use them. Thank you so much!