• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Fit Mitten Kitchen

balanced baking and real food recipes

Subscribe to receive my FREE Healthy Nut Butter eBook!
Free eBook!
  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
        • Egg Dishes
        • Oatmeal & Granola
        • Pancakes & Waffles
        • Scones
        • Smoothies
      • Desserts
        • Bars & Brownies
        • Cakes & Cupcakes
        • Candy
        • Cookies
        • Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts
        • PIes, Tarts & Crisps
        • Cinnamon Rolls
      • Healthy Drinks
      • Lunch & Dinner
        • Appetizers
        • Bowls
        • Salads
        • Sandwiches & Wraps
        • Sides
        • Soups & Chili
      • Snacks
        • Bars & Balls
        • Muffins & Breads
        • Nut & Seed Butters
    • Dietary
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • No Added Sugar
      • Nut-Free
      • Oil-Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
    • Method
      • Food Processor & Blender
      • Freezer
      • Grill
      • Instant Pot
      • No-Bake
      • Oven
      • Slow Cooker
      • Stovetop
    • Protein
      • Chicken
      • Plant Based
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Turkey
    • Recipe Videos
  • About
    • Meet Ashley
    • Work with Me
      • Partnerships
    • Contact
  • Lifestyle
    • Real Talk
    • Travel
    • Workouts
  • Shop
Home Recipes Lactation Energy Bites
GF Gluten-Free DF Dairy Free V Vegan VG Vegetarian

Lactation Energy Bites

Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe
Posted:9/11/20
Updated:2/15/22
lactation energy bites

Easy No-Bake Lactation Energy Bites for a quick pop-able snack to enjoy whether you’re nursing or pumping to help increase breast milk supply. Vegan friendly and gluten free. Ready in 15 minutes, easy to throw together and perfect meal prep.

plate of lactation oatmeal bites on plate with glass of milk

This recipe is a reader request from my expecting and nursing mamas.

My older sister had her baby six months before me, so I was already thinking about lactation recipes and easy ways to increase milk supply for our breastfeeding journeys before Finn arrived.

I’m thankful we’ve been able to breastfeed and I haven’t had too much trouble with my milk supply, but there are days I worry some.

I already eat a ton of oats but on the days I am feeling concerned or like I could use a boost, I pop some of these bites.

I’ve been working on cookies too but first, these super easy energy bites!

Why I Love These Bites

  • Just eight ingredients (almost all of which you likely have on hand)
  • No baking required
  • One bowl mixing (no food processor needed!)
  • Quick and easy
  • Tastes like chocolate chip cookie dough
stack of bites on a small plate

How Lactation Bites Help

Whether you’re nursing or pumping, or doing a combination of the two, enjoying these lactation energy bites can help support breast milk supply thanks to these three ingredients:

Key Ingredients to Help Boost Milk Supply

  • oats – Whole grain oats are thought to have properties that support the hormones responsible for making breast milk. They’re a source of iron, which can be beneficial in encouraging milk supply. (Low iron levels can inhibit supply.)
  • flax seeds – we’re using flaxseed meal versus the whole seed because it’s believed when flaxseeds are milled down, they’re easier to digest. Flax seeds are a good source of essential fatty acids and also contain phytoestrogens that can influence breast milk production.
  • brewer’s yeast – a nutritional supplement rich in B vitamins, iron, protein, chromium, selenium, and other minerals that can help with milk production and also boost energy levels.

And then we’ve got other ingredients used in traditional energy bites like honey or brown rice syrup to help hold the bites together and chocolate chips because they’re everyone’s favorite add-in.

And they make these bites taste like chocolate chip cookie dough!

ingredients for lactation bites - oats, flaxseed, brewers year, nut butter, honey, chocolate chips

How to Make the Best Lactation Bites

Step 1 – pick your nut butter

I like cashew butter because I think it makes these bites taste like cookie dough. But almond butter, peanut butter or a combination or these all work. If you like tahini or sunbutter and want something that is nut free, that works too!

Step 2 – add sweetener

A liquid sweetener here is best. Raw honey is great and has some nutritional benefits. But brown rice syrup or maple syrup is a great vegan friendly alternative.

Step 3 – add dry ingredients

Once you’ve mixed together the nut butter and sweetener, start adding in dry ingredients.

TIP: place the mixed dough in the freezer for 10 minutes to help make ball rolling easier.

mixing together peanut butter oats and flax in a glass bowl

Step 4 – roll

Use a medium cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to get the perfect sized energy balls.

mixing oats, chocolate chips, and peanut butter and scooping into ball son parchment paper

Step 5 – eat

Dig into these delectable little bites!

chocolate chip oatmeal balls on a pan lined with parchment paper

How to Store Energy Bites

As you’re rolling the energy bites, place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Once you’ve got all of the bites rolled, transfer the tray to the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Then after the balls have chilled, you can store them stacked in a container and store in the fridge, or in a container (or something like a Stasher bag) in the freezer.

stack of lactation balls on small cream plates next to lots and chocolate chips

I hope you enjoy these bites as much as we do!

Let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a comment and rating below! It helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley

Print

Lactation Energy Bites

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

Healthy No-Bake Lactation Energy Bites made with oats, flaxseed and brewer’s yeast make for the best nursing snack. 

  • Author: Ashley
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 24 balls 1x
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: No-Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup creamy natural nut or seed butter (I used homemade)
  • 1/3 cup raw honey or brown rice syrup (or maple syrup)
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
  • 3 TBSP brewer’s yeast
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1–2 TBSP melted coconut oil or avocado oil
  • 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (dairy-free if needed)
 

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine cashew butter (or nut/seed butter of choice) and sweetener; use sturdy spatula or spoon to combine.
  2. Add in oats, flaxseed meal, brewers yeast and cinnamon; stir until almost combined, adding 1-2 TBSP of melted oil as needed. Then add in mini chocolate chips, stirring until evenly mixed in.
  3. Place bowl in freezer for about 10 minutes (or fridge for 20 minutes). The cold mixture will make forming the energy balls a lot easier.
  4. Using a 1/2 round tablespoon or small cookie scoop, scoop mixture into rounded balls and roll between palms to shape. You should get roughly 24 rounded tablespoon size balls.
  5. Store balls in fridge, up to two weeks or keep in freezer.

Notes

If you’re looking for support on ways to build milk supply, highly recommend this webinar (and the course!) from certified board lactation consultant, Lindsey Shipley. (affiliate)

Keywords: lactation bites, lactation recipes, no bake energy bites

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @fitmittenkitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #fitmittenkitchen

P.S. Something I wish I would have done before Finn was born was take this breastfeeding course. I’ve been going through it and there is SO much amazing info that would have made our breastfeeding journey much less stressful. Highly recommend!! (affiliate)

Source on breastfeeding foods here.

About Ashley

"Ashley Walterhouse is the founder of Fit Mitten Kitchen, based in the Greater Lansing Area of Michigan, AKA “the Mitten.” Ashley grew up as a picky eater but later discovered that eating healthy was actually easy and fun. She started FMK in 2015 as a way to share her newfound love of developing healthier recipes for all to enjoy."

Previous Post
Steel Cut Overnight Oats
spices on small plate with spoon
Next Post
DIY Pumpkin Spice Recipe

Reader Interactions

Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Beth H says

    11/28/2020 at 11:05 am

    Delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Aunt M Kitchen says

    12/1/2020 at 12:51 am

    I have not made this, but am planning to. But am a chemist, and have two comments. 1. doctors advise nursing moms to not eat raw honey nor feed it to newborns. It can carry a form of botulism that adults will not catch but infants can. Infants are not to be given honey until they are over 1 year old, to prevent this potentially deadly infection, and IT IS NOT KNOWN WHETHER IT GOES INTO BREAST MILK OR NOT. So, just to be safe, please use agave nectar or maple syrup or even simple syrup made from white sugar, and do not risk this disease in your infant. 2. Raw oats give some folks digestive troubles. They contain a form of starch that many cannot easily digest so pass into the large intestine undigested where bacteria do digest them, but make lots of gas at the same time as a byproduct. This gas is even more likely to be formed in the baby’s gut. Just like eating broccoli can give the baby gas pains, so can eating raw oats. So, to avoid this effect, spread the raw oats on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5-10 minutes or until they turn brown and smell nutty. The nutty smell assures you they have cooked enough to not make your child ill. Cool them and use them in the recipe as normal.
    I’m looking forward to making these, not because I’m nursing, but because they are high protein and I must eat high protein foods due to a medical condition.

    Reply
  3. Lisa says

    1/13/2021 at 11:57 pm

    Is there a brewers yeast you recommend?

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      1/17/2021 at 7:43 pm

      Now Foods or Anthony’s are my go-to!

      Reply
  4. Annie says

    4/24/2021 at 12:36 am

    I don’t have flaxseed, should I wait to make these?

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      4/26/2021 at 12:34 pm

      Hi Annie – If you’re making these with lactacion in mind, you might want to wait. But if you don’t have them on hand you can omit or sub in chia seeds.If you don’t have either of those, the recipe will still yield similar results. Let me know if you have any more questions!

      Reply
  5. Natalie says

    5/27/2021 at 12:09 am

    Super tasty! However, I put the mixture in the fridge as instructed and it became incredibly crumbly and impossible to work with (so I’m just eating it by the spoonful). I’m going to attempt adding a smidge more coconut oil and rolling them immediately and forgoing the chilling process all together next time.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Amy says

    7/27/2021 at 4:49 pm

    What is the recommended daily serving of these?

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      8/2/2021 at 3:58 pm

      Everyone is different so I can’t say a “daily” serving necessarily. I personally enjoy 2-3 in one sitting.

      Reply
  7. Deb says

    9/10/2021 at 5:43 pm

    We added 2 TBSP cacao to the recipe. Tastes great!! They also helped increase milk supply (though we did also need to use homeopathy as well).

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      9/19/2021 at 2:20 pm

      Awesome! Thanks so much for leaving your feedback 😀

      Reply
  8. Tatum Latham says

    6/23/2022 at 3:55 pm

    I ate way to many lol, they’re so good and i’ve noticed an incredible difference

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      6/27/2022 at 10:40 pm

      Glad you love them!

      Reply
  9. Gibby says

    8/23/2022 at 1:23 pm

    Did you use golden or brown flaxseed?

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      10/20/2022 at 2:22 pm

      I used golden but either work!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

More...

31 Holiday Cookies for Your Cookie Exchange

baked gingerbread bundt cake

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

bowl of pear salad with fresh pomegranates and candied pecans and orange poppyseed dressing jar

Pomegranate Pear Salad

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

overhead view of honey glazed carrots on rectangle baking dish with fresh thyme

Honey Glazed Carrots

stacked gingerbread truffles on green plate next to red gingerbread cookie cutter and red towel in background

Easy Gingerbread Truffles

pieces of cranberry orange baked oatmeal on oval plate

Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal

mocha mini cheesecake with whipped topping on black plate and dessert forks

Mini Mocha Cheesecakes

Free recipe ebook!

Subscribe and get a FREE healthy nut butter ebook!

Thank you for subscribing!
Trending Now
butternut squash, feta and kale salad in bowl Lunch & Dinner
chai latte in mug with cinnamon and star anise Cozy Drinks
banana peanut butter cinnamon rolls on small white plates with banana slices Cinnamon Rolls
As Featured On
  • Browse by Diet
  • Gluten-Free
  • Dairy Free
  • Vegan
  • Paleo
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
Exclusive Member of Mediavine· © 2023 · All Rights Reserved · Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Back to Top

Subscribe & receive a free nut butter ebook!

Thank you for subscribing!
1134 shares