If irresistibly chewy cookies loaded with chocolate are your idea of the perfect cookie, then this recipe for Mama Kelce’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies is a must-try! And don’t miss the secret ingredient that elevates these cookies to a whole new level.
Table of Contents
What do football, Taylor Swift and the best cookies you’ll ever taste have in common? Mama Kelce (a.k.a Donna Kelce). If you’re totally lost, let me fill you in: Taylor Swift is currently dating Travis Kelce, a tight end football player for the Kansas City Chiefs. Just before Super Bowl 57, Donna Kelce was spotted handing her sons (yes, Travis is not the only football star in the family; brother Jason Kelce played for the Philadelphia Eagles!) a container filled with her homemade chocolate chip cookies.
The photo went viral, and, long story short, that’s how we’ve arrived here: Mama Kelce’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. Soft, chewy and loaded with Ghirardelli chocolate chips, plus a hint of cinnamon!
Unlike your typical chocolate chip cookies, this famous cookie recipe is generously loaded with top-notch ingredients, leaving no room for compromise. So, if your vision of the perfect cookie includes an abundance of gooey chocolate and an unbeatable level of chewiness, then this recipe is Taylor-made for you!
What Makes Them Unique
- Two types of chocolate chips. Not only does Mama Kelce use two kinds of chocolate chips (white and milk chocolate) in her recipe, but she also calls for a specific brand: Ghirardelli.
- Ground cinnamon. The secret ingredient! I love ground cinnamon in my cinnamon roll cookies recipe, but I’ve never thought to add it to good ol’ chocolate chip cookies. This addition adds an unexpected layer of complexity to the classic dessert, introducing a subtle warmth and a gentle hint of spice that complements the sweetness of the Ghirardelli chocolate chips and sugar. It’s a small but transformative ingredient that takes these cookies to a new level.
- All-purpose flour and cake flour. All-purpose flour gives these cookies the structure they need, while cake flour adds a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Together, they create the perfect balance of chewy and soft, making these cookies stand out from your usual chocolate chip recipe.
- Activating the baking soda. What’s truly unique about this recipe is the process of activating the baking soda. Before incorporating it into the dough, Mama Kelce dissolves the baking soda in hot water. This seemingly minor step is the secret to achieving cookies with a wonderfully chewy texture albeit flatter. By dissolving the baking soda, its leavening power is evenly distributed throughout the dough. This extra effort creates that perfect contrast between crispy edges and a soft, chewy center.
- Sweet cream butter: While most of my recipes typically call for regular unsalted butter, like in my go-to mini chocolate chip cookies, Mama Kelce’s cookies recipe calls for sweet cream butter, which adds richness. When in doubt, regular ol’ butter works great and is actually what I use when I make this recipe.
- Sugars: You’ll need light brown and white sugar. Both contribute moisture and sweetness to the cookies, with light brown sugar adding a subtle molasses flavor and chewiness, and white sugar contributing to crisp edges.
- Eggs: You’ll need 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk for this recipe. The extra yolk adds richness and tenderness to the cookies.
- Vanilla extract: If you have homemade vanilla extract, it’s a wonderful option to use!
- Baking soda: Dissolved in hot water to activate; carefully microwave water then stir in baking soda to dissolve. This helps promote an even rise and a chewy texture.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure to the cookies. It contains a moderate amount of protein, which contributes to their chewiness.
- Cake flour: Has less protein than all-purpose flour, making it ideal for producing tender, delicate crumbs in the cookies.
- Baking powder: Also helps give them rise.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is a surprising but delightful addition, providing warmth and a gentle hint of spice.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor by balancing the sweetness and intensifying the other ingredients.
- Ghirardelli white and milk chocolate chips: A dynamic duo resulting in a perfect blend of flavors and textures in every bite.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Melt the butter. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in 20-second intervals. Carefully pour the melted butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Cream the butter and sugars. Add the white sugar and brown sugar to the bowl; cream together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Add the egg and egg yolk one at a time, beating between each addition, then beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add dissolved baking soda.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips. Gently fold in the white and milk chocolate chips, along with the pecan pieces if you’re using them, until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours; ideally overnight. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 3 hours and up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven and line your baking sheets. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop and bake. Drop 2- to 3-tablespoon mounds of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing the mounds at least 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 2 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Scoop, then chill your cookie dough. Unlike traditional chocolate chip cookies, this recipe starts with melted butter, which means the chilling of the dough is not only required but essential for cookie success. Mama Kelce suggests chilling the dough prior to scooping it, but I found more success (and less spreading) when I scooped, chilled and then baked the cookies.
- Switch up the spice. I love the addition of the ground cinnamon in these cookies, but a pinch of cloves, allspice or even pumpkin pie spice would also be welcome additions.
- Wondering how to make perfectly round cookies? As soon as they come out of the oven, grab a round cookie cutter (slightly larger than the cookies) or even a drinking glass with a wide rim. Place it over each cookie and gently swirl it around, letting the edges bounce against the sides. This quick trick will shape your cookies into perfect circles, no matter what shape they started with!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sweet cream butter is simply butter made with pasteurized cream and salt. You can easily swap in good ol’ unsalted butter in this recipe and still achieve amazing results.
Absolutely! It has a lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour, which makes it ideal for creating tender and delicate textures in baked goods, including cookies. When used in cookie recipes, cake flour can result in cookies that are softer and finer in crumb, giving them a delightful melt-in-your-mouth quality.
Be sure to follow the directions carefully and refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours. Chilling the dough is crucial to help your cookies maintain their shape during baking. When it comes time to bake them, the scooped dough should still be very, very cold.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Scoop the dough into portions and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer the portions to an airtight container or bag, and bake straight from the freezer as needed.
To speed up the process of making these cookies, prepare the dough then scoop it into mounds on a baking sheet. Freeze the scooped dough for 20 minutes then bake the cookies directly from the frozen state, adding on 1 to 2 minutes to the total bake time.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sweet cream butter (See Kelly's Notes)
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (dissolved in 2 Tablespoons hot water)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake or pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup Ghirardelli white chocolate chips
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Let it cool for 15 minutes then add it to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the brown sugar and white sugar to the butter and beat on medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat just until combined.
- Add the vanilla and dissolved baking soda and beat just until combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Add the flour in 1/2-cup increments to the stand mixer and beat just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans (optional).
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 3 hours but ideally overnight. (See Kelly's Notes.)
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon mounds of the dough onto the baking sheets, spacing each mound at least 3 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies until golden brown and the centers are still not fully set, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheets before serving.
Kelly’s Notes
- If you don’t have sweet cream butter, you can easily swap in regular unsalted butter.
- Important! Unlike traditional chocolate chip cookies, this recipe starts with melted butter, which means the chilling of the dough is not only required, but essential for cookie success. Donna suggests chilling the dough prior to scooping it, but I found more success (and less spreading) when I scooped, chilled and then baked the cookies.
- I love the addition of the ground cinnamon in these cookies, but a pinch of cloves, allspice or even pumpkin pie spice would also be welcome additions.
- Important Recipe Update (August 2024): I have made this recipe dozens of times and have recently made the switch to using 1 ¼ cups butter (instead of 1 1/2). The slight decrease in butter quantity means even less chance for excessive spreading.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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The cookies tasted good but they were flat. I chilled the dough and then scooped it and froze the balls . I baked them from frozen and they still came out flat
Hi Heather! This is a thin, slightly crispy cookie recipe (given the butter quantity). If you prefer thicker, chewier cookies, check out my recipe for Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I love this cookie recipe! Itโs an elevated classic chocolate chip cookie Kelly mentioned a shortcut for chilling the dough on her Instagram but I couldnโt find it so I took a gamble. I formed balls of dough (25 g each – rounded tablespoon) and put them in a large airtight tupperware with wax paper separating the layers. I had 3 layers of 24 balls. I put the tupperware in my deep freezer for about an hour and they turned out great!! In my oven, they took 12 mins. Make sure to put the remaining balls back in the freezer between batches! Otherwise, I didnโt alter the recipe in any way – I live at 8000 ft and didnโt need to adjust for altitude ๏ธ Thank you, Kelly! (and Donna!)
Absolutely perfect technique, Carly! I’ll update the recipe with the notes I shared on IG :)
I leave out the cinnamon, salt(I use salted sweet butter instead) and pecans. They taste so good!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe!
I made these exactly as was stated in the recipe. They are a very tasty cookie, but I felt they were more of a sugar cookie with chips. Not sure if I would make them again
Thanks for your comment!
I made these they were delicious! Instead of cinnamon I added 1/2 of cinnamon chips. They were amazing! I also refrigerator them for 6 hours and they turned out great.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Michelle!
I really wanted to love this recipe but almost wonder if the ingredient list was wrong. There cookies are way too sweet and the amount of cinnamon almost overpowers the cookie. I chilled the dough overnight and found I had to actually dig to get enough dough to form a ball! After the 1st batch I left the remaining dough to come to room temperature. This is also the 1st cookie recipe that says to let the cookie cool completely on the pans.
Good effort but I guess we are simply enamored with traditional Toll House cookie recipe. โค๏ธ
Best cookies ever
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, June!
Followed this recipe exactly. But my cookies spread way too much.so they were to flat and crispy. I felt like this was way too much butter. What else could have went wrong??
Did you chill the dough as directed?
Did you refrigerator them the full time? I noticed when I started baking each pan they were getting flater, so I refrigerator the dough a little bit and they were back to puffy and amazing
Yep! You can definitely keep the dough refrigerated in between batches.
Hi! Iโve made 3?batches of these cookies and are excellent just as recipe is written!
Love them, no change !! Thank You!!
Love this! Thanks for your comment, Linda!
Followed the recipe EXACTLY (such a great point about scooping and then chilling the dough) and they were hands down the GREATEST cookies ever. These are all my family want me to make now!!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Amanda!
Am I able to use dark brown sugar instead of light brown?
Sure! It just has a slightly more molasses flavor.
Hi Kelly!
If doubling the recipe, do I use 2 large eggs and 2 large egg yolks or still only use 1 large egg yolk?
Thank you!
Hi! Use two large eggs and two large egg yolks. Enjoy!
Do the 2x recipe it clearly says 2 eggs and one egg yolk! So this is wrong????
Hi Jackie! Doubling the recipe requires 2 eggs and yes, 2 egg yolks.
I definitely want to make these! What do you think about adding some chopped walnuts?
That would be great, Lee!
Should I buy salted or unsalted sweet cream butter? My store sells both. Thank you!
Unsalted!
This is my new go to chocolate chip cookie recipe! Definitely worth the effort of making ahead and chilling. I know this isnt your specific recipe Kelly, but your recipes never fail to disappoint!
Thanks so much, Julie! I tried to tweak it to ensure great results every time, and in a fraction of the time!
These are amazing, worth the work! So much joy in my children that I actually made a good chocolate chip cookie !
Woohoo! ENJOY!
I had to chuckle. With 2 big growning boys/men hanging around the kitchen for the final product no wonder Donna made them disappear in the refrigerator overnight. In the quiet morning all scaverging men were off to school/work and she could bake in peacefulness. Bliss.
Loved the recipe. Many thanks.
Haha! Love this, Karie!
WOW! So good! Not sure why I thought the recipe called for semi-sweet chocolate chips, but it doesn’t matter. If I hadn’t just read milk chocolate (after I baked them), I would not have known I hadn’t followed the recipe. They are THAT good. They are worth the hype.
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Leah!
These cookies are the absolute best, my mom and I both stopped making the toll house chocolate chip cookies and we only make these now. They are my number one requested dessert to bring to a party.
LOVE reading this, Amanda! So thrilled you’re enjoying the recipe!
The only cookie recipe Iโll ever use!
Thrilled you enjoyed it, Marco!
So good!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Lisa!
These sound very good and I look forward to trying them. Just a tip for everyone though. “Sweet cream butter” is just a fancy way of saying “butter”. There is no difference.
Thanks, Sally!
Do you have equivalent measures in ounces or grams? If not, how do you measure your flour: spoon and level or dip/scoop and sweep?
Hi Barbara! Spoon and level :)
Made these. They were good but we didnโt really like the cinnamon. The texture was perfect though. Has anyone left it out and how were they without the cinnamon
Thanks for your note, Doris! You can make these without the cinnamon and not need to change anything else. Enjoy!
ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! Warm, gooey and delicious. These are new fav already!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Talia!
Wow. Best chocolate chip recipe. So lucky to be following your site. Your recipes are great and your tutorial is wonderful. Thanks.
Love reading this, Sue! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I have come across your Instagram stories about these cookies so many times that I had to try them! I wasnโt certain theyโd work because I have celiac and need to eat gluten free. I replaced the two types of flours with 3 cups of King Arthur 1:1 gluten free baking flour and they worked beautifully! They were soft and chewy on the inside with a perfect crispy outer layer. Love the cinnamon in the dough! Just wanted to comment in case anyone else needed to make them gluten free. Thanks for the recipe!
Amazing! I’m so thrilled to read this, Heather!
Just what I was wondering- a good GF flour for this recipe. Thanks!
Yes! Cup4Cup works great. Enjoy!
I’d give these TEN STARS if I could! Never dreamed I’d replace my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe but this is the new winner at my house. Make sure to chill the dough! Recipe is a dream!!!
Love reading this, Mindy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Went flat every time. Added more flour to last batch to see if they wouldnโt go flat. Turned out somewhat better. Or I guess add less butter. Checked and rechecked the recipe to make sure I did everything correctly. Donโt waste your time.
Hi Patty – It sounds like the dough wasn’t chilled enough.
Made these for Super Bowl Parties and everyone raved about them. Made one batch gluten free and one regular using King Arthur one to one flour. Split the batches into a classic (white chocolate/milk chocolate/pecan) and revised (dark chocolate/semi sweet chocolate/almonds). Fed everyone at both parties and at work the next day.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Shelby!
I tried it with less butter the second time, and they turned out great! They looked slightly different, but tasted amazing. I also top with extra chocolate chips
It’s so wild you mentioned that, Addy, because I just tested the recipe using 2 1/2 sticks of butter (instead of 3) and we all liked them even MORE than the original. Enjoy!
Did you only change the amount of butter or did you make other changes to dry ingredients? Iโm getting ready to make them and my friend had issues with this recipe being flat cookies.
Hi Becky! I didn’t change the butter amount compared to the recipe Donna originally shared. This does yield a flat, crispier (chewier) cookie.
Made them yes they spread a little so follow how far you separate on cookie sheet but great cookies Thankyou wish I could post pic
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy the recipe, Joyce!
I am so frustrated with these cookies. I did EVERY single thing right. Shaped into balls, fridge overnight. Scoop, measure, knife. All of it. And they are runny and flat. I really wish gram measurements were provided. The cookies are just to big at 24 cookies. I weighed the dough to get 24 precise cookies.
NEVER AGAIN.
Hi Hannah – Did you refrigerate the dough for the time specified?
Iโm chilling dough better to chil like momma Kelsey states. Will let you know when taste tested.
Made these twice now! Iโm not a good baker but this was easy. I used milk chocolate chips and heath bar in the cookie and boy that was addicting they are soooooo good. Definitely my new go to cookie recipe
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoy the recipe, Lindsey!
These cookies were delicious! Mine yielded 53 cookies using a 1 1/2 Tbsp. scoop, but the recipe says it yields 24. Not sure if I did anything wrong.
The yield can vary depending on if you did a flat 1.5 tablespoons or mounded! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Susana!
Hi Kelly! I’m so excited to try these! Curious though …. did you: 1) place the entire cookie pan with scooped batter into the fridge for the 3 hours and 2) did you place the pan straight from fridge to oven?
Hi Sophie! Yes, I scoop all the dough balls onto the same baking sheet, put that one in the fridge, and then when it’s time to bake, I divide the chilled dough balls onto baking sheets and put them straight into the oven (no need to keep them at room temp prior to baking!).
Since this recipe calls for sweet cream butter or salted butter, do I still use 1 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt?
Hi, Susana! If you’re using salted butter then you can leave out the 1 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt!
These cookies came out great. Next time I will scoop before chilling as they did spread a lot when baking!
I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Jackie!
Do you need cake flour or will 3 cups of all purpose be fine?
Hi Stef! I haven’t tried this recipe using only AP flour, but I think it’d work!
Are we supposed to use salted or unsalted sweet cream butter?
Either variety works! I’ve made the recipe with both and they turned out equally awesome. Enjoy!
What should the consistency of the dough be like once everything is mixed and before chilling? Mine seemed too runny which made scooping difficult but is that how itโs supposed to be? Or should it have been sturdier? Thanks!
Hi Connie! It’ll be thicker than cake batter but thinner than traditional cookie dough.
I have made these twice now. The second time I didn’t have enough light brown sugar so I used dark and they still worked great! The key thing, I think, is to do the swoooshing thing (is that the official name?) while they’re still warm with a big cup or something to make them perfectly round. I use semi-sweet CC because I never have white or milk and everyone loved them! My new favorite recipe. I have some dough in the freezer now and am trying not to go make some this second. :)
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoy the recipe, Jenna!
What, pray tell, is the swooshing thing?
Hi Cheri! What are you referencing?
These are the most delicious chocolate chip cookies we’ve ever made. They are especially yummy when they are warm. We will definitely be making these again and again. Our new go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Melissa!
Dangerous! These were so good! I am not a very good baker, but these were super easy to make. I didnโt scoop prior but I will for sure next time as the dough is too hard to scoop out. Making a second batch tomorrow as we devoured them!!
I’m so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Kelly!!
New favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. How could they not be with the amount of butter and brown sugar. The cinnamon adds just a hint of something different. Your tip about making the balls before refrigerating overnight is important. Thanks Kelly!
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Ruth Ann!
I made them yesterday/baked them today and they are great!!! I followed your lead and scooped them THEN chilled them and then baked them. The only thing I would do differently is not take them out of the fridge until ready to go into the oven. They still spread a lot even though I only took them out of the fridge for the short time while the ovens heated up. I used a size 20 disher and got exactly 30. I don’t usually like cinnamon and chocolate together (too bitter) but it added a pleasant nuance in these cookies, so if you are considering leaving it out, don’t!!! My husband is going to have to take them to work tomorrow to keep me from eating them!
I’m so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Shannon!
Do you have measurements on grams? Thanks so much!
Hi, Najia! I’m sorry, we don’t provide those measurements in grams but feel free to use an online converter and the recipe should turn out well!
What sweet cream did u use? And if itโs not available where I live what can I use?
Feel free to use unsalted butter as it works great as well if you can’t use sweet cream butter!
I have not made these yet, but Iโm curious to try it using brown butter or
Hi, Caroline! I haven’t tried using brown butter but I think that would work great! Let me know if you try it!
Do you mean you made the dough, then made dough balls, then chilled?
Thanks!!!
Yes, that’s correct! That’s how I found it worked best!
Huge fan of all things football, Taylor Swift and sweets so I had to try this recipe. My husband said they are the best cookies heโs ever eaten. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
YES! My husband said the same thing. So pumped you all are enjoying them!
This is a really solid CC cookie recipe, top 4 I think. I tried to keep the recipe 100% original, but I had to omit the white chocolate – I really donโt care for it at all – instead subbing in some dark chocolate chunks. I also didnโt have regular white sugar so I used golden, but thatโs allegedly a 1-for-1 swap. They came out great, albeit a bit salty bc I used salted butter and didnโt reduce the kosher salt at all, which I should have. Total nitpick though. Great chew, great outside crunch on the edges. The cinnamon is noticeable but subtle, and a nice touch.
Note: my dough was not runny at all, it made a very traditional cookie dough. After chilling for 3 hours it was actually quite stiff. I did let the melted butter cool quite a bit before mixing, so that may have had something to do with the consistency.
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
Looks great but could your credit or link the original source so we can see her steps?
Hi Jen! She didn’t ever post the recipe, she just talked about how she makes this recipe that was inspired (I think!) by a Joy of Cooking recipe from way back. I’ll try to track down where she mentioned it!
Wow!! These majorly lived up to the hype. Chewy and crispy. Not usually a white chocolate fan but wanted to be true to the recipe. One word: YUM!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Amanda!
I followed the recipe exactly and, while they taste great, they look terrible. Extremely thin and spread all over the pan. Some were over cooked, while others were a bit undercooked. We will eat them but no way could I put them out for guests or bring to work.
Hi Amy – Did you refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 3 hours?
Made these for the Chiefs game today and they were SO PERFECT. My new favorite cookie recipe for game day. Thanks for sharing!
Woohoo! Love reading this, Blakely.
How much hot water is necessary to dissolve the baking soda? Didnโt see that mentioned.
Hi, Mary! Use 2 Tablespoons of hot water to dissolve the baking soda.
Just made these and they are hands down the best cookies I’ve ever made. Followed the recipe exactly as written and they came out perfectly. THANK YOU!
YES! So pumped you enjoyed the recipe!