Lactation isn’t exactly the sexiest topic—‘I’m lactating!’, proudly proclaimed no one ever—and products designed to help with lactation typically tend to align with the general vibe of the practice, which is to say that they, too, tend to be overly serious, clinical, and devoid of any appeal beyond the functional.
Today, however, recipe developer, cookbook author, and expectant mother Molly Baz is bucking this trend with the release of a new recipe catering specifically to the lactating: The Big Titty Cookie.
Unlike the many dry, bland products on the lactation cookie market, The Big Titty Cookie is one you’d *actually* choose to eat regardless of your lactation status; it combines functional ingredients with unexpected flavors to delicious ends. In other words, it’s classic Baz, who is known for her clever flavor combinations and creative recipe reinventions.
“I’ll be the first to admit I am no expert in postpartum nutrition or care—I’ve never done this whole pregnancy thing before!—so I looked to experts in the field to help guide some of the ingredient choices I made for these cookies,” says Baz. “They are super nutrient-dense—I chose whole grains and ingredients that are known to have health benefits for women, regardless of pregnancy. Lucky for me, all of those ingredients, when combined, also amount to some really delicious cookies.”
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A look at the ingredients
Intentionally included in the cookie are what’s known as galactagogues—foods, herbs, and other substances believed to increase milk supply in nursing mothers. “Some popular galactagogues include oats, fennel, brewer’s yeast, nuts, and seeds,” says registered dietitian and lactation consultant Judy Li, RD, IBCLC.
Specifically, The Big Titty Cookie includes oats, which lactation consultant Morgan Dixon calls “a hero galactagogue” due to its beta-glucan content, as beta-glucans may increase prolactin, the milk-producing hormone. The cookies also contain flaxseeds, which Dixon notes are rich in phytoestrogens thought to increase milk production.
While most evidence to support the efficacy of these galactagogues is anecdotal—there has not been enough formal research conducted to date, and Baz emphasizes that she is not making claims about the cookies’ medical effectiveness—Dixon says there are solid benefits to consuming them while nursing a baby nonetheless. “Generally speaking, the most efficient way to increase your supply is by more breastfeeding or pumping, and from there adding skin-to-skin contact and spending a lot of time with your baby,” says Dixon. “However, the nutritional benefits in galactagogues, which are all packed with vitamins, minerals, and a ton of other good things, definitely benefit the quality of breastmilk even if you don’t see an immediate increase in production.”
In addition to galactagogues, The Big Titty Cookie also includes turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom, all of which have anti-inflammatory properties Dixon says are beneficial to postpartum moms as their bodies attempt to recover, nurse, and care for a newborn simultaneously. The cherries used to make the sour cherry jam at the center (er, nipple) of the cookie are also rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and cherries are known to fight inflammation, promote healthy weight management, and aid in more restful sleep, among other benefits. Coconut is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, too, as well as in healthy fats—all of which are beneficial for new moms (and to good health in general).
Baz took care to ensure her cookies catered specifically to postpartum people beyond their nutritional content, too. She says they are easy to make in a home kitchen—requiring zero fancy techniques—and that they’re designed to be baked from frozen so that expectant parents can prepare them in advance of giving birth to be quickly baked off as desired postpartum. “No woman should be deprived of freshly baked cookies, and especially not after going through the gargantuan triumph of childbirth,” she says.
And of course, function was far from her only consideration. As with any of her recipes, Baz prioritized flavor first and foremost. “I have been feeding them to everyone around me for the past few weeks, both men and women, and the unanimous conclusion is that they’re just super delicious, spiced oatmeal cookies,” she says. “The puddle of sour cherry jam that sits at the center is what really sends them over the edge for me—I’m a freak for sour cherries and this is exactly where they belong.” (In other words, there’s no shame in stocking your freezer with these boob-shaped cookies even if you’re not lactating—they’re truly just tasty.)
“No woman should be deprived of freshly baked cookies, and especially not after going through the gargantuan triumph of childbirth.” —Molly Baz, recipe developer
The recipe inspiration
Lest you think Baz is transitioning to mommy blogger, she actually created The Big Titty Cookie as a one-off foray into the space in partnership with a brand she loves: Swehl, a company aiming to modernize and de-medicalize breastfeeding through a suite of functional-yet-playful products, accessible educational content, and robust community-building.
Baz says it took her a long time to come around to the idea of being a mother, but that in a way, discovering Swehl helped ease her into the transition. “I’ve lived in fear of all the change that this new human in my life will bring, so when I learned about Swehl and their approach to normalizing this very daunting part of the childbearing journey—in a way that emphasizes that breastfeeding is for all types of moms, not just the ones who have known they wanted to be moms forever—I felt like I was in the right community,” says Baz. “It’s maybe cheesy to say, but Swehl kind of opened my eyes to a part of the ‘mommy industry’ that I had always overlooked because I was so afraid of the cringy ‘momfluencer/mommy blogger’ side that’s so present in today’s culture.”
This admiration is mutual, according to Swehl co-founder Elizabeth Myer, who says her team has been longtime fans of Baz. “Molly is the epitome of a Swehl parent: she’s confident, cool, and wears a lot of different hats—’mom’ being one of them now,” she says.
In addition to the recipe, Baz’s partnership with Swehl includes a billboard in Times Square, which launched yesterday and features cheeky campaign imagery that will run through Mother’s Day. It also includes an IRL Big Titty Cookie drop on Friday, May 10, at multiple locations in Los Angeles, including Gjusta, Leora, and all three Cookbook locations, where cookies will be given away free until they’re gone using the password “Swehl.”
Swehl will also be giving away Big Titty Aprons to those who either pick up or bake Big Titty Cookies and post about it on social media using the hashtag #bigtittycookies anytime between today and Saturday, May 11. “Ultimately, this campaign is all about infusing fun into parenthood, and empowering our community along the way,” says Swehl co-founder Betsy Riley.
Typically, Baz’s recipes are only available to those who join her gated club or purchase her cookbooks, Cook This Book and More is More, but she’s given Well+Good exclusive access to The Big Titty Cookie recipe below. Don’t forget to hashtag #bigtittycookies to be entered to win a Big Titty Apron!
The Big Titty Lactation Cookies Recipe
Active time: 30 mins
Total Time: 5 hours, including chilling
Yield: 14-16 cookies
Ingredients
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
3⁄4 cup all purpose flour (105 g)
1⁄3 cup whole wheat flour (43 g)
1 1⁄2 cups whole rolled oats (180 g)
1 tsp baking soda
1 1⁄2 tsp salt
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
2 tablespoons whole flaxseed (20g)
2⁄3 cup finely shredded coconut flakes (40g)
8 ounces (1 1⁄2 tightly packed cups) dark brown sugar
2 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cherry jam (Divina brand sour cherry spread is best)
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
1. Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, rolled oats, baking soda, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, flaxseed, and coconut flakes.
2. Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium until fluffy and light tan in color, about 2 minutes.
3. Scrape down the sides of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat again on medium-low just to incorporate.
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment. Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop or 1⁄4 cup measure, scoop and portion out 12 cookies, and arrange them side by side on parchment. (We’re not going to bake them here so it’s okay if they touch.)
6. Using the backside of a teaspoon measure, make a fairly deep divot on the top of each cookie. Fill each divot with about 2 teaspoons sour cherry jam. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to let dough hydrate and chill for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
7. Once chilled, transfer the plate or baking sheet to the freezer to freeze until firm (or until ready to bake at a later date.) Once frozen, cookies can be transferred to a resealable container and kept frozen at this point for up to several months.
8. Bake: Preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange 5 cookies on each sheet, or as many as you’d like to bake off. Bake, rotating the sheets 180 degrees halfway through, until cookies are no longer wet on top and golden brown at the edges, 15-18 minutes. If they come out misshapen at all, you can use a spatula to scoot the unruly edges back in towards the center to create a more perfectly round cookie. Or just embrace their wild side.
9. Let cool slightly, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
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