Chocolate Lactation Cookies (Vegan and Gluten-Free!)

Recipe by Sarah Jampel
Not Yet Reviewed

These lactation cookies are soft, fudgy, and full of galactagogues (ingredients that are purported to boost milk supply), including flax, brewer’s yeast, coconut, and oats. Naturally vegan and gluten-free, they’re sweetened with maple syrup, easy to scale up or down, and ideal for freezing (see “tips,” below). Whether you’re baking for a nursing parent or simply in the mood for a wholesome, chocolatey treat, these cookies deliver.

Prep
20 mins
Bake
10 to 12 mins
Total
1 hr 10 mins
Yield
2 dozen cookies
Two Chocolate Lactation Cookies on a plate with a glass of milk and another cookie on the counter next to the plate. - select to zoom
Two Chocolate Lactation Cookies on a plate with a glass of milk and another cookie on the counter next to the plate. - select to zoom
Breaking a Chocolate Lactation Cookie to show the soft texture. - select to zoom
Vegan and gluten-free chocolate cookies shown sliced and stacked from the side. - select to zoom
Baked Chocolate Lactation Cookies arranged evenly on a baking sheet. - select to zoom
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Instructions

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  1. In a large bowl, whisk the maple syrup, coconut oil, cocoa powder, flax meal, water, and vanilla. 

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the oat flour, oats, coconut, brewer’s yeast, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  

  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a flexible spatula to stir until no dry patches remain.  

  4. Set aside, uncovered at room temperature, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cookie dough has thickened slightly. 

  5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment. 

  6. Add the chocolate chips and dates to the cookie dough and stir until evenly distributed. 

  7. With a rounded tablespoon measure or level Tablespoon Scoop (about 30g to 35g each), portion the cookie dough onto the baking sheets, 12 cookies each, spaced evenly apart. 

  8. Using your fingers, flatten each cookie slightly, to about 1/2" thick. Sprinkle with sparkling or granulated sugar, if desired.  

  9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating top to bottom and back to front halfway through, until the edges are set and the cookies are matte. Let cool completely on the baking sheet.  

  10. Store the lactation cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.  

Tips from our Bakers

  • To freeze the lactation cookies: Once the cookies have been pressed down to 1/2" thick (step eight), transfer them to the freezer in a single layer and set aside until frozen solid (about 1 hour). Transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Bake the cookies directly from frozen, sprinkling with sugar before baking, if desired. Add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time. 

  • These lactation cookies are less sweet than most cookies. We find that a sprinkle of sugar (sparkling, granulated, maple, coconut, turbinado, or whatever your preference) helps to balance the flavor, but feel free to skip it to make cookies with less sugar.

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