Freezer-Prep for Postpartum: My Go-To Lactation Cookies
Let's talk about one of the most underrated parts of birth prep: feeding yourself after the baby arrives.
In those early postpartum days, you are going to be hungry. Like, wide-awake-at-3am-cluster-feeding-and-suddenly-ravenous hungry. And the version of you holding that brand-new baby deserves food that's actually nourishing and replenishing, not just whatever you can reach with one hand.
That's where these cookies come in! I found this recipe over 7 (!!) years ago and basically ran on these cookies for this first 3 months of my son’s life. This recipe is adapted from the wonderful Better Beginnings — with full credit and thanks to them for the original. ✨
I love a snack that pulls double duty. They're soft, genuinely delicious, and packed with ingredients traditionally used to support energy and milk supply: oats, whole wheat flour, brewer's yeast, and ground flaxseed. They're a "breakfast" cookie: yes, you can absolutely have a cookie for breakfast. It’s postpartum, there are no rules.
A quick note on the lactation ingredients: brewer's yeast and ground flaxseed are the optional add-ins that turn these from "great cookie" into "lactation cookie." They're traditional galactagogues (foods believed to support milk supply) and they're what give the recipe its postpartum reputation. That said, every body and every feeding journey is different. These cookies are a comforting, nourishing snack, not a magic fix, and they're not a substitute for personalized support from a lactation consultant or your care provider if you're working through supply concerns.
If you're skipping the lactation add-ins, no problem at all, just use the full cup of all-purpose flour and enjoy them as a regular (still delicious, still nourishing) breakfast cookie.
This recipe is super flexible. Don’t have zucchini? I’ve used carrot - deliciious! Don’t have walnuts, try pecans or throw in some sunflower seeds or raisins, because - why not?
Why I recommend making these before baby arrives
Here's my hot doula tip: add a batch of these to your third-trimester to-do list.
Tuck them in the freezer alongside your freezer meals, and future-you - the one running on broken sleep with a baby on their chest - will be so grateful. They thaw quickly, they're easy to eat one-handed, and they make a genuinely thoughtful gift if you're putting together a meal train or a care package for a friend who's just given birth.
Make a double batch (each “single” batch makes 13 - 14 GENEROUSLY-sized cookies). Trust me.
The Recipe
Postpartum Lactation Breakfast Cookies
Soft, nourishing cookies packed with oats, banana, and zucchini — with optional brewer's yeast and flaxseed to support milk supply. Makes about a baker's dozen.
Prep tip: The brewer's yeast and ground flaxseed are optional lactation add-ins. If you skip them, use a full cup of all-purpose flour instead of half.
This recipe is adapted from the wonderful Better Beginnings — with full credit and thanks to them for the original. ✨
Ingredients
½ cup all-purpose flour (use a full cup if skipping the lactation add-ins)
3 Tbsp brewer's yeast (optional — lactation add-in)
5 Tbsp ground flaxseed (optional — lactation add-in)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 ripe banana, mashed
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini
¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. If you're making these as lactation cookies, also whisk in the brewer's yeast and ground flaxseed. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and mashed banana until smooth.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined — don't overmix.
Stir in the shredded zucchini, walnuts, and chocolate chips. The dough will be sticky — that's exactly right.
Scoop the dough into balls (an ice cream scoop works beautifully) and place them on your lined baking sheet.
Bake for 13–15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking. Larger cookies will need a little longer.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely. Store in the freezer, or enjoy fresh — no judgment if they disappear quickly!
A little nourishment goes a long way
Postpartum is a season of being poured-from constantly - and you can't pour from an empty cup (or an empty cookie jar 🍪). Stocking your freezer with something this easy to grab is a small act of preparation that genuinely pays off in those tender early weeks.
If you found this helpful, you might like my Home Birth Essentials Checklist - another doula-approved way to feel a little more ready before baby day.
And if you're looking for support through pregnancy, birth, and beyond, that's exactly what I'm here for. Book a free consult and let's chat. 🤍
