Leaning Into Motherhood + Vegan & Gluten-Free Lactation Cookies (Recipe)

Are they even lactation cookies if your doula didn’t finish them for you?

Nutrition and recipe creation certainly looks different for this new mama. Rather than brainstorming which fresh herbs or from-scratch sauces will go best with a particular dish, I’m now prioritizing simple, make-ahead recipes, and learning to trust my (very capable) partner to step in with meal preparation.

Whatever recipes I DO manage to prepare are usually thrown together in the stolen minutes when baby is napping (yes, minutes). Often, I don’t get to finish them, as was the case with this batch of lactation cookies. Thankfully, our doula arrived for our postpartum appointment just as Genevieve was stirring for her next feed, and kindly offered to roll out the dough and put them in the oven for me.

I’ve heard it said that, “If you haven’t met me yet as a mom, then you don’t know me”. There is no going back after having a baby – only forward. When I gave birth to Evie, I also birthed a new version of myself – one I am slowly getting to know by leaning into this season of different routines, different priorities. Patience, and grace, I’m learning, are key. As is the perspective that the newborn phase is fleeting, and precious, and not something to be wished away. As the country song goes, “you’re gonna wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast.”

Along with my sleep schedule, my body, and my very identity, my focus as a health practitioner has also evolved. Through the pre-conception months, pregnancy, and postpartum recovery, I’ve experienced the difference that nourishing ourselves well can make. And I’ve cultivated both knowledge and passion for supporting mamas nutritionally during this most demanding and transformative season of life. 

Food connects us, bringing families and cultures together in ways that nothing else can. It transports us, to times and places where we felt safe, free, or mothered. And, if we allow it, food also has the power to support and heal us. From the Ayurvedic chicken soup that I was gingerly spoon-fed after giving birth, to the supply-boosting cookies that now serve double-duty as a convenient snack and supportive tool in helping me feed my baby girl, intentionally- and lovingly-prepared food will always be something I am passionate about.

So, while I will always create recipes and resources for everyone, through all seasons of life, I hope you will join me on this journey as I feel my way back into this space as a mother, hoping to offer a few new recipes and resources to mother other mothers. 

Vegan & Gluten-Free Lactation Cookies

Makes 20 cookies.

🌻 ¼ cup flaxseed meal

🌻 ½ cup water

🌻 1 cup coconut sugar

🌻 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled

🌻 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

🌻 1 2/3 cups oat flour*

🌻 ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats*

🌻 ¼ cup brewer’s yeast*

🌻 ½ teaspoon baking soda

🌻 ½ teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon

🌻 ¼ teaspoon sea salt

🌻 2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

🌻 Flaky sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together ground flax and water; let it sit for 5 minutes.

Add the coconut sugar, melted and cooled coconut oil, and vanilla extract to the bowl; whisk together until smooth and well combined.

Next add in the oat flour, rolled oats, brewer’s yeast, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Use a spoon to scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Don’t make them too big (they spread quite a bit). You should get about 20 cookies. There is no need to flatten or shape the cookies. They will bake well as-is.

Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden brown. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before removing. You can store these in the fridge or freezer and remove as needed (they defrost quickly). I find the texture is best when eaten cold (either recently removed from the freezer or straight from the fridge).

*Oats and brewer’s yeast are both considered “galactagogues” – foods believed to be beneficial during breastfeeding due to their ability to increase milk supply. I buy the Oat Mama Lactation Brewer’s Yeast from iHerb.com, but any debittered brewer’s yeast from your local health food store will do.