If you are a new mom, you may be wondering if you can freeze lactation cookies and cookie dough. I had this same question when I was pregnant and looking to prepare some meals and snacks for after the baby arrived.
Cookies are a fan favorite for people of all ages, but they can be an especially rewarding treat for a new mother. Breastfeeding is hard on a mother’s body, and sometimes you just need a little something to give you a boost. Lactation cookies can give breastfeeding mothers an even better mood-booster.
Can you freeze lactation cookies and cookie dough? Like many other types of cookies and cookie dough, you can freeze lactation cookies and their dough. This is a great way to prepare some cookies while you are pregnant for after the baby arrives.
In fact, freezing the dough into already-rolled cookie sizes also makes it easy to bake a couple at a time for when you crave one.
Although lactation cookies have been around for a long time, they are certainly seeing a rise in popularity right now. Luckily, these beneficial treats can help breastfeeding mothers and be frozen for later use.
What are Lactation Cookies?
Despite a lack of scientific evidence to firmly support the benefits of lactation cookies, many mothers swear that these special treats make breastfeeding easier.
Lactation cookies are just like regular cookies; only they contain essential ingredients that aid in lactation.
There are many recipes online that can teach you how to bake your own lactation cookies to help you feel better. These recipes can have all kinds of normal cookie ingredients, like chocolate or nuts, to add more flavor.
It is important to note that you should always consult a health professional before you start implementing changes to your diet, especially when recipes contain ingredients that your body may have a reaction to.
For serious concerns about lactation, consult a health professional who specializes in lactation.
Freezing Lactation Cookies and Cookie Dough
If you look online for lactation cookie recipes, you will likely notice that many of them mention freezing either the dough itself or actual cookies.
This is perfectly safe and may make things easier on a new mother who has a never-ending list of things to do.
You might buy lactation cookies instead of making them yourself. If you do buy lactation cookies from a bakery or store, make sure to read the labels to see if it is safe to freeze those cookies.
Premade cookies may have additional ingredients that should not be frozen.
When I was breastfeeding, it seemed like I was always hungry. It can be difficult to restrain yourself from eating a whole batch of cookies in a short period of time.
To help solve this problem, I only baked a few cookies at a time and made sure to freeze the rest of the dough for later.
Another option is to bake the entire batch of lactation cookies. Once they have been fully baked and cooled down to room temperature, then you can freeze them.
To make things easier on yourself, you might consider making the dough for lactation cookies, baking a small amount of the cookies right away, and then freezing the rest of the dough for later use.
You can even roll your lactation cookie dough into the right size cookies before freezing the dough so that you can easily bake one or two at a time without the mess of making a whole batch of lactation cookie dough.
How To Freeze Lactation Cookies in 5 Steps
Step 1 Mix The Dough
You should start by mixing the ingredients in the lactation cookie recipe until the dough has come together per your recipe instructions.
Step 2 Form
Next, lay out a piece of parchment paper and form the dough into individual cookie dough balls. This can be done with a cookie scoop, or using two tablespoons.
Step 3 Wrap The Cookie Dough In Parchment Paper
Wrap your cookie dough balls so that the parchment paper is separating the individual cookies and they are not touching.
You may need a few sheets of parchment paper.
This parchment paper will help your cookies to avoid freezer burn so they are fresh when you bake them.
Step 4 Freeze The Cookie Dough
After your cookie dough has been wrapped tightly in the parchment paper, put the cookies into a freezer safe ziplock bag.
Squeeze as much air out of the ziplock bag as possible.
Freeze the cookies flat for 2 – 3 hours until they are frozen solid.
After the cookies are frozen solid, then you may move the bag and store it upright if that allows the bag to fit better in your freezer.
Step 5 Bake The Frozen Cookie Dough
When it is time to bake your lactation cookies, pull a few of the cookie dough balls out of the freezer.
Next you will want to bake the lactation cookie dough per your recipe instructions.
You may need to add an extra minute or two if your cookie dough is frozen when you place it in the oven.
Bonus Alternate Steps
You can also try baking all of the cookie dough and then freezing the already-baked cookies.
However, there are a few important things to note when you do this.
First, be sure that the cookies have completely cooled down to room temperature before putting them in the freezer.
Next, wrap the cookies tightly in parchment paper or wax paper before storing them in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. This will ensure that they do not freeze together in a clump.
After the cookies are frozen and you are ready to pull out one or two to eat, try microwaving them for 10-20 seconds before eating. This will help them to regain some of that fresh-baked taste!
What Makes Lactation Cookies So Special?
Even if there is not yet exact scientific evidence about the effects lactation cookies have on a breastfeeding mother, the ingredients themselves are extremely beneficial, if not essential, for the overall health of moms who are breastfeeding.
Lactation cookies have galactagogues in their ingredients. Galactagogues are substances that can be found in certain herbs or foods that encourage lactation in the body.
These substances promote lactation and make breastfeeding easier on a mother.
What are the Key Ingredients in Lactation Cookies?
While specific recipes may vary in ingredients and measurements, lactation cookies typically have the same general ingredients.
These key contents of the cookies are what makes lactation cookies so beneficial for nursing mothers and their babies.
Brewer’s Yeast
Brewer’s yeast has a lot of benefits to help with milk supply.
This particular ingredient has lots of iron, vitamin B, and protein. Brewer’s yeast also has some minerals like chromium and selenium.
Fenugreek
Long used to aid in the production of breastmilk, fenugreek is an herb that helps balance estrogen levels in the body because it is rich in phytoestrogen.
Fenugreek can also help to lower your blood sugar levels. Maintaining normal blood glucose levels is a key aspect to keeping a breastfeeding mother healthy.
Oats
One of the most important ingredients in lactation cookies is a healthy amount of oats.
This key fiber provides protein, iron, complex carbohydrates, and vitamins.
Oats also boast high levels of saponins, which help increase prolactin levels. Prolactin is an essential hormone for lactation.
Flaxseed
This key ingredient in lactation cookies contains fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6.
These fatty acids are healthy and may help prevent cardiovascular disease for the mother.
The omegas in flaxseed also are key for developing a baby’s immune system, so having a good concentration of the fatty acids in breastmilk is a huge plus.
Why Should I Eat Lactation Cookies?
Like any other food, lactation cookies may not be something you like or need. That being said, you may find yourself realizing that there are some reasons that you might try eating lactation cookies for your benefit.
The science behind lactation cookies has yet to be completely determined. Most scientists do not have enough evidence to truly point lactation cookies out as a way to improve lactation.
At the same time, though, many mothers swear by lactation cookies; many say that they experience a notable difference.
Mothers may decide to start eating lactation cookies for any number of reasons, but some of the common reasons are to remedy issues with lactation supply and provide better support for the health of both the mother and the baby.
Issues with Lactation Supply
Sometimes, mothers have a hard time producing an adequate milk supply for their babies. While formula is always an option, many mothers prefer to breastfeed because the milk is full of so many nutrients for the babies.
Mothers may find that they are only producing a low supply of milk, so they might try lactation cookies to encourage the body to produce more milk.
These cookies can also help with a breastmilk supply for mothers who can only pump their breastmilk at certain times or certain locations, such as before or after work.
Supporting the Baby’s Health
Most mothers try to breastfeed their babies as long as they can. A mother’s breastmilk contains so many essential nutrients to help the baby grow and develop an immune system.
If eating lactation cookies means that the mother produces more breastmilk, then she can nurse her baby for longer and increase the amount of nutrients the baby takes in.
Plus, the ingredients in lactation cookies are good for the mother and the baby.
The key ingredients in lactation cookies then become key elements of the mother’s breastmilk, which then are transferred to the baby.
Supporting the Mother’s Health
Being a new mother is absolutely exhausting. Breastfeeding can be extremely challenging for some mothers, and they can become physically exhausted easily.
Lactation cookies are a quick, easy method of getting calories and nutrients into the mother’s body.
Although lactation cookies should be eaten in moderation like normal cookies to avoid weight gain or excess consumption of fats, nursing mothers often need some extra calories, and lactation cookies can at least provide nutrients and calories.
Further Information and Sources
There are many different lactation cookie recipes that are available. You can easily find a variation that has ingredients or flavors that you like in cookies. For additional information, see the following sites:
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