The first time I baked these cookies, I’ll be honest—I wasn’t expecting much from the white chocolate chips. I’ve always been more of a semisweet chocolate loyalist. But something about the mix of milk chocolate, white chocolate, and cinnamon had me sneaking bites of the dough before I even chilled it. The smell alone reminded me of holiday baking sessions in my mom’s kitchen, when we’d “accidentally” leave out an extra spoonful of cinnamon in the batter.
What makes these special is the balance—they’re crispy at the edges, chewy in the middle, and they stay that way for days. The melted butter trick really does something magical, giving them a subtle caramel taste that you don’t get with just softened butter.
I’ve tried so many cookie recipes in my baking experiments—thick, cakey ones, gooey bakery-style ones, and those jumbo café cookies—but these truly stand out for their flavor. It feels like a homey cookie you’d actually pack into a tin for family gatherings or sneak into lunchboxes.
What People Are Saying
When I brought these to a Sunday get-together, the tray was gone before I even sat down. A friend who normally “doesn’t like nuts in cookies” grabbed a second one, pecans and all. That’s when I knew this recipe wasn’t just another novelty cookie—it’s the kind that quietly wins people over.
I’ve read that some bakers swap walnuts for pecans, or add a little cornstarch to keep them from spreading too thin. That’s the fun part—you can make small tweaks depending on your style. But across the board, the feedback is the same: these cookies get compliments everywhere they go.
Tips That Really Help
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Make them once as written. Trust me on this—bake the original recipe before adjusting anything. That way you know what makes them special. The second time, feel free to tinker. I’ve reduced the butter slightly, and it made them a little thicker without changing the taste.
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Chill the dough. I used to hate recipes that asked for chilling, but this step is worth it. Even three hours gives the dough time to settle and deepen in flavor. I like to scoop the dough first, then chill it—it makes baking the next day so much quicker.
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Shaping trick. Some of mine came out a little lopsided. No stress! A quick nudge with a spatula while they’re hot turns them into bakery-perfect circles.
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Size matters. Two tablespoons of dough make a nice everyday cookie. Three tablespoons make the kind of oversized, “treat yourself” cookie you’d pair with an afternoon coffee.
Ingredients You’ll Need
I love recipes that use pantry staples with just a few extras to make them shine. Here’s what stood out for me:
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Butter – I usually go with salted, but unsalted works fine if that’s what you have. Just adjust the salt a touch.
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Two types of sugar – The brown sugar gives that soft chew and caramel note, while white sugar keeps the edges crisp.
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Egg plus extra yolk – That extra yolk adds richness without making the dough heavy.
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Cinnamon – This is the secret twist. It pairs so well with the white chocolate chips.
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Flour mix – Using both all-purpose and cake flour makes a big difference in texture.
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Chocolate chips – Milk chocolate feels creamy, and white chocolate gives that sweet contrast. Together, they’re so much better than semisweet alone.
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Nuts – Pecans are the classic choice, but walnuts are just as good. Skip them if you’re not a nut person.
How I Make These Cookies
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Melt the butter – I do this in short bursts in the microwave and let it cool while I prep the rest. Don’t rush the cooling—it makes a difference.
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Mix with sugars – Whip the butter and sugars until they look fluffy. This is where the caramel flavor starts to build.
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Add the eggs and vanilla – I crack mine into a separate bowl first to avoid shell surprises.
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Mix baking soda with hot water – A quirky step, but it works. Stir it in and watch the dough come together.
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Combine the dry ingredients – Flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt get whisked in a separate bowl before folding into the wet mix.
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Stir in the chocolate and nuts – I always save a small handful of chips to press into the tops right before baking—they look prettier that way.
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Chill the dough – At least three hours. Overnight is even better.
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Bake and reshape if needed – They spread thin, so don’t panic. A quick spatula tuck makes them round and picture-worthy.
Cookie Questions Answered
How do you store them?
I keep mine in an airtight tin on the counter, and they stay soft for three days. If you want them fresh for longer, freeze the dough balls and bake as needed.
Why are my cookies flat?
It’s usually butter that’s too warm or not enough chilling. Try reducing the butter slightly or adding a spoonful more flour.
Do I really need cake flour?
I’d say yes. The mix of all-purpose and cake flour makes a noticeable difference. If you can’t find cake flour, you can fake it by replacing two tablespoons of every cup of all-purpose flour with cornstarch.
Mama Kelce’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’ve ever wondered what makes a chocolate chip cookie legendary, look no further than Mama Kelce’s kitchen. These cookies are perfectly chewy, loaded with both milk and white chocolate chips, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and the crunch of pecans. The dough requires a little patience with chilling, but the result is bakery-style cookies that are well worth the wait.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 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 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in the microwave in short bursts, then let it cool for about 15–20 minutes.
- Beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the egg, yolk, and vanilla.
- Stir the dissolved baking soda mixture into the dough.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans with a spatula.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours (or up to 24).
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough (about 2 tablespoons for regular cookies or 3 tablespoons for large) onto the baking sheet, leaving plenty of space for spreading.
- Bake for 10 minutes for smaller cookies or 13–15 minutes for larger ones, until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 3–4 dozen small cookies or 2 dozen large cookies, depending on portion size.
- Cookies will spread a bit in the oven; you can gently reshape them with a spatula while still warm if you want perfectly round edges.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft and fresh.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 1663Total Fat 61gSaturated Fat 25gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 31gCholesterol 137mgSodium 1514mgCarbohydrates 262gFiber 8gSugar 175gProtein 22g
TastyFitnessRecipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although tastyfitnessrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
My Final Thought
I didn’t expect to fall for these cookies as hard as I did. They’re nostalgic yet different, sweet but balanced, and they come with a bit of a story—which always makes food taste better. Whether you bake them for a big game day spread or just a quiet weekend at home, they’ll win you over one chewy bite at a time.
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