1 day 55 minutes

Mama Kelce’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

ByRebecca Hubbell Updated

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Crunchy chopped pecans, sweet white chocolate, milk chocolate chips, and cozy cinnamon stand out in Mama Kelce’s Cookies!

Mouthwatering sweet, cozy flavor nestled in chewy homemade cookies with crispy edges, a touchdown chocolate chip recipe that has taken over social media, the NFL, and Swifties alike!

Mama Kelce's cookies on a wire rack.


 

Cookies Just Like Mama Kelce Always Makes

Donna Kelce, mother of NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce, was seen handing her sons a container of her freshly baked chocolate chip cookies before the boys faced off against each other in the 2023 Super Bowl. The whole world watched the exchange and immediately wanted to know just how good Mama Kelce’s homemade cookies were!

From that heartfelt exchange, her chocolate chip cookies instantly became famous! And for a good reason, too: Mama Kelce’s Homemade Chocolate Chip cookies are made with a combination of white and milk chocolate chips for a delicious balance of sweetness, chopped pecans for crunchy goodness, and a hint of cinnamon to ensure a cozy touch of comfort.

Basically, a Chocolate Chip Cookie meets a Butter Pecan Cookie!

These chewy, crispy-edged cookies are made with simple ingredients and deliver mouthwatering flavors that will be an instant touchdown with anyone! Mama Kelce makes them for charity bake sales, to bring her boys a taste of home, and I’m sure her son’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, has even tried them.

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Kelce Cookie on a wooden serving board, one is broken in half.

And I can promise you that this is the most tested and perfected version of her famous cookie recipe on the internet!

Rebecca’s Recipe Review

Taste: Insanely cozy and deliciously sweet. White and milk chocolate is the perfect combo with a southern touch of pecans and an old fashioned hint of cinnamon!

Texture: Crunchy edges and soft, chewy centers. Gobs of chocolate and bits of nuts make them perfect!

Ease: 6/10

Pros: Simple ingredients and amazing flavor!

Cons: The cinnamon. Freshly baked, cinnamon adds a lovely, cozy flavor. One or two days later, the cinnamon flavor intensifies and becomes the main flavor. So, I would keep that in mind when baking ahead. We also noticed that the cinnamon was even stronger when microwaved to warm up than when at room temperature. I might reduce cinnamon to 3/4 teaspoons if baking a day in advance of an event.

Would I Make This Again? 100% yes! Donna Kelce has won me over with her famous cookie recipe! I made a few tweaks to improve upon instructions and texture, but otherwise these are PERFECT!

Pecan cinnamon chocolate chip cookies on a table.

You’ll find that Donna Kelce’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is filled with pantry staple ingredients such as salted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and ground cinnamon. It’s also made with a combination of all-purpose flour and cake flour, giving the cookies structure as well as giving them a tender, chewy crumb.

To create more texture and flavor, this recipe is made with both baking powder and baking soda. Donna Kelce even let us in on her tip of dissolving the baking soda in warm water to activate the leavening agent and evenly disperse it throughout the cookie dough.

Finishing off the cookie dough are white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and chopped pecan pieces which can be optional! Kelce does recommend using Ghirardelli brand chocolate chips for their high-quality flavor!

I completed 4 rounds of testing on these cookies and tried to stay true to the original recipe while ensuring the best results. We tested a hand mixer vs the stand mixer and found no noticeable difference. All batches were made using a stopwatch at the exact times in the recipe to keep things consistent.

Ultimately, we found that depending on the type of cookie you want, there are two ways to make them with only one slight change: the amount of flour.

When making these cookies using our standard weighted measurements of 130g per cup of flour (what you get when you spoon and level off a cup with a knife), the results yielded thinner, crunchier, and chewier cookies. This may be the preferred texture of some, but it’s not my preference. They were also noticeably greasy, after all, 3 sticks is a lot of butter.

So, anyway, I started thinking back to how my mom and mother-in-law measure their flour. They scoop into the bag or container with the measuring cup and shake it from side to side to level off the top. This yielded a weighted measurement of about 155g per cup of flour, resulting in about a 19% increase in flour in the recipe.

The additional flour resulted in cookies that were a bit thicker with crisp edges and chewy but soft centers. For me, these were the best and likely more true to the ones Donna makes.

Ingredients to make Donna Kelce's Cookie recipe on a table.

A full recipe card with step-by-step photos and ingredient quantities for these cookie can be found at the end of the post. Leave a comment if you have any questions about this famous dessert recipe!

  1. Melt salted butter in the microwave. Afterward, transfer the melted butter into a large bowl and allow it to cool.
  2. Add light brown sugar and granulated sugar into the bowl of melted butter. Mix the sugars and butter using a hand mixer.
  3. Mix in the large egg, additional large egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down as you go!
  4. Dissolve the baking soda with hot water in a small prep bowl. Then stir it into the butter mixture by hand.
  5. Mix all-purpose flour, cake flour, salt, baking powder, and ground cinnamon together in a separate bowl. Afterward, beat the dry ingredients into the melted butter and sugar mixture a little to a time at low speed.
  6. Fold the white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and pecan pieces into the cookie dough.
  7. Scoop the cookie dough out onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, stacking the balls two high. Transfer the baking sheet of cookie dough to the fridge to chill. See notes below for chill test results.
  8. Transfer the chilled balls of cookie dough onto a new baking sheet freshly lined with parchment paper and preheat the oven.
  9. Press additional chopped pecans into the tops of cookies.
  10. Bake the homemade chocolate chip cookies until they become golden brown.
  11. Swirl inside a large circular biscuit or cookie cutter or a plastic bowl to reshape them and help make them a little thicken.
  12. Immediately press additional chocolate chips into the tops of the baked cookies to give them a more finished look!
Scoops of cookie dough with pecans and chocolate chips on a baking sheet.

Chilling The Dough

During our recipe testing, I tried different chill methods with widely varying results. These results and recommendations are for the increased flour that the recipe calls for. The notes in the recipe card will contain tips for the thinner cookie option.

Chill in a bowl – this made the dough WAY too tough to scoop after chilling, which meant a lot more work. I don’t recommend this method.

Scooping before chilling – Taking the time for this extra step before chilling means saving a lot of time later and delivering more consistent results.

Chilling for 3 hours – A delicious cookie you can enjoy the same day you make them. Lighter in color with less caramelization and flavor development than those with a longer chill.

Fridge chill for 24 hours – My husband’s favorite of the test cookies. The sugar felt a bit more crystalized within the cookie, and it was chewier.

Freezer chill for 24 hours – My personal favorite of the bunch. These cookies were the perfect blend of crispy, chewy, and soft.

A chart showing the different results from chilling cookie dough.

Butter – I prefer baking with high-quality Irish or European grass-fed butter since it has a higher fat content and lower water content, resulting in baked goods with richer flavor. However, you can use sweet cream butter (which is what the original recipe calls for).

Double Stacked Cookie Dough – Double stacking scoops of cookie dough give the baked cookies a bit more thickness and a perfectly chewy, gooey center! This accomplishes the same thing as rolling the balls into cylinders but with less hands-on work.

Chill Time – Scoop and stack the dough, then chill the cookie dough uncovered for at least 1 hour. Then, cover them with plastic wrap and chill for an additional 2 hours or preferably 24. The chill time produces cookies with a delicious, well-developed caramel flavor!

Cinnamon – You may want to consider reducing the ground cinnamon to 3/4 teaspoons if you’re baking these cookies a day in advance of enjoying them. While the cinnamon does add cozy flavor to the cookies it can be a bit intense a day or two after baking.

Overhead photo of Mama Kelce's cookies on a wire rack.

How To Store Kelce Cookies

Once Kelce’s Chocolate Chip Cookies have cooled, transfer them into an airtight container or Ziploc bag with the excess air squeezed out of it. Then store them at room temperature to enjoy for 3 to 4 days.

How To Freeze Chocolate Chip Cookies

Freezing homemade chocolate chip cookies is a great way to prep for gatherings ahead of time or to have a ready-to-bake treat in the freezer for guests! Freezing cookie dough is also perfect for a late-night sweet treat, simply pull one or two from the freezer to bake without creating a kitchen mess, a true win-win!

To freeze cookie dough, follow the instructions of the recipe up to the portioning out of the dough and double stacking the scoops on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Then instead of transferring the baking sheet into the fridge for a second chill, place it in the freezer to flash freeze the dough.

This will prevent the cookie dough from freezing together in one big ball. After an hour or so, transfer the frozen cookie dough balls into a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container and store the dough in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To freeze baked cookies, spread the cookies out onto a baking sheet and flash-freeze them in the freezer. Afterward, transfer the flash-frozen baked cookies into a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To enjoy, thaw the baked cookies at room temperature or nuke them in the microwave one at a time for 15 seconds.

A woman's hand holding a cookie to the camera.

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you’ve tried this recipe, please let leave a review in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos, or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there.

Mama Kelce's Cookies on a white plate.
5 from 3 votes

Donna Kelce’s Cookie Recipe


Author Rebecca Hubbell
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling/Chill Time 1 day 20 minutes
Total Time 1 day 55 minutes
Servings 38 cookies
Donna Kelce's Chocolate Chip Cookies are a winning recipe that has taken over social media! These homemade cookies are chewy with crispy edges and packed with a mouthwatering flavor of crunchy chopped pecans, sweet white chocolate, milk chocolate chips, and cozy cinnamon. It's no wonder everyone is raving about them!

Ingredients
  

Instructions

  • Melt 1½ cups salted butter in the microwave at 20-second increments (do not overdo it!). Pour the melted butter into a large bowl and cool for 15 to 20 minutes. I found slicing the butter into tablespoons made for a more even melt.
    Butter cubed up in a bowl.
  • Add 1½ cups light brown sugar and 1 cup granulated sugar to the butter mixture and mix with a hand mixer for 4 minutes.
    Sugar being added to melted butter in a white bowl.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 1 large egg, 1 additional large egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and mix for 30 seconds.
    Eggs and vanilla being added to cookie dough batter.
  • Add 2 tablespoons hot water to a small prep bowl with 1 teaspoon baking soda and stir to dissolve. Stir into the butter mixture with a rubber spatula.
    baking soda and water in small prep bowls.
  • In a separate bowl, add 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup cake flour, 1½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and mix to combine. Add this mixture ½ cup at a time to the bowl, beating on low after each addition just until combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
    Dry ingredients for cookies being whisked in a bowl.
  • Fold in 1 cup Ghirardelli white chocolate chips and 1 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips, as well as 1 cup pecan pieces, if desired, with a rubber spatula.
    Chocolate chips and pecans being added to a bowl of cookie dough.
  • Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the balls (1.5 tablespoons—about 1.1 oz. each) onto a parchment-lined baking pan. Stack the balls two high and chill for 1 hour before covering them with plastic wrap (the dough is soft and any pressure from covering could squish them). Refrigerate them for at least 3 hours, preferably 24.
    Scoops of cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a fresh baking pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the cookie dough balls on the baking pan, leaving 3 inches between scoops. I recommend baking no more than 8 cookies per 12×17-inch pan. Use two cookie pans to rotate batches, ensuring the pans have cooled before baking the next batch on them.
  • Press additional chopped pecans into the tops of the dough before baking. You don't want to do this after, like with the chocolate chips, because we want the pecans to toast and have a better flavor.
  • Bake for 11 to 14 minutes, rotating halfway through; most of the cookie will be golden (more so on the edges). If baking from frozen, bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
  • Swirl inside a large circular biscuit or cookie cutter or a plastic bowl to reshape them and help make them a little thicken.
    Cookies on a baking sheet.
  • Press additional chocolate chips into the tops of the freshly baked cookies. This gives them a more polished look (and extra chocolate!)
  • Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 minutes after swirling and adding chips before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Video

Notes

During testing, the results yielded thinner, crunchier, and chewier cookies when making these cookies using our standard weighted measurements of 130g per cup of flour (what you get when you spoon and level off a cup with a knife). This may be the preferred texture of some, but it’s not my preference.
Anyway, I started thinking about how my mom and mother-in-law (and all the other 90s moms) measure their flour. They scoop into the bag or container with the measuring cup and shake it from side to side to level off the top. This yielded a weighted measurement of about 155g per cup of flour, resulting in a 19% increase in flour in the recipe.
The additional flour resulted in cookies that were a bit thicker, with crisp edges and chewy but soft centers. For me, these were the best and likely more true to the ones Donna makes.
If you are using the spoon and level method, you’ll actually want to use 2 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon of all purpose and 1 1/4 cup cake flour.
If you like the thinner cookies, use 260g of all-purpose flour and 130g of cake flour with no additional changes to the recipe. It’s VERY important that the dough is chilled because it is super soft. You also need to pop your pan in the freezer for 5 minutes before putting the dough on to bake each round, this helps prevent spreading. You want to let them cool on the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before they are set enough to transfer to a wire rack.
  • Scooping before chilling – Taking the time for this extra step before chilling means saving a lot of time later and delivering more consistent results.
  • Chilling for 3 hours – A delicious cookie you can enjoy the same day you make them. Lighter in color with less caramelization and flavor development than those with a longer chill.
  • Fridge chill for 24 hours – My husband’s favorite of the test cookies. The sugar felt a bit more crystalized within the cookie, and it was chewier.
  • Freezer chill for 24 hours – My personal favorite of the bunch. These cookies were the perfect blend of crispy, chewy, and soft.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram @sugarandsoulco and follow on Tiktok @sugarandsoulco and Pinterest @sugarandsoulco for more!

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I love sharing mouthwatering and fun recipes with all of you! My recipes are inspired by classic comfort food, the places I travel, and pop culture! I have a serious sweet tooth and love a good cocktail and pancakes and bacon are definitely my weakness! So stick around a discover something delicious!

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5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I used the scoop and shake flour method.
    I have some dough balls frozen for a quick bake on Super Bowl day.
    Go Chiefs!!

    Reply

  2. So you bake them with 2 scoops onto of each other?

    Reply

  3. Recipe looks great-definitely want to try!

    For the thicker cookie am I correct in changing flour to

    2 + 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon of all purpose and 1+ 1/4 cup cake flour instead of the 2 cups all purpose and 1 cup cake flour?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Correct, so it depends on how you’re measuring. Grams is the most accurate, but if you are fluffing your flour and then spooning and leveling, then those are the correct measurements. If you’re just scooping your measuring cup into the flour and shaking to level it then use the 2 and 1.

      Reply
  4. Mary Beth says:

    5 stars
    5 stars for your testing!! I made from another source and they were good but I think with your suggestions I can take them up a notch. The only changes I will make will be to lose the white chocolate chips and use only semi-sweet.

    Reply

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