What to know about Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson’s new product — cookies
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Cael Sanderson launched Cael’s Cookie, selling soft-baked Sport Cookies online.
- Box of six sells for $29.99 before presale discount; shipping starts January 2026.
- Full nutrition and ingredient list not published; packaging claims 9g protein per cookie.
Legendary Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson once boasted his own line of ASICS wrestling shoes — but, on Tuesday, he stepped up to sell an entirely different product line.
Cookies. Or, to be more specific, “Sport Cookies.”
Sanderson’s new food product — Cael’s Cookie — officially launched online Tuesday, a week after the Nittany Lions’ head coach teased a surprise announcement on his Instagram page. The soft-baked chocolate chip cookies are marketed as a healthy snack, featuring “ancient grains” instead of ultra-refined flour and “real fats” (from coconut, almond and flax) instead of seed oils.
A box of six cookies sells for $29.99, with $5 off during Tuesday’s presale. According to the Cael’s Cookie website, the product is set to ship during the first week of January 2026 and three additional flavors will be released by the end of March.
The cookie’s tagline is, “Natural Fuel for the Fight!”
“The idea behind Cael’s Cookie was to create something that feels closer to real food,” a spokesperson told the CDT in an email. “A soft-baked cookie made with organic ingredients that actually tastes homemade, not compressed or chalky. That format allowed for better texture, better mouthfeel, and a more satisfying eating experience; something that simply doesn’t exist in the current bar or snack space.”
In a promotional video that features Sanderson, the former Olympic gold medalist and four-time NCAA champ recalled how he first tried creating these 20 years ago when nothing like it was on the market. “But now there’s cookies in every gas station, every grocery store, and none of them compare to our cookie,” Sanderson continued in the video. “It’s not even close. ... I love them; that’s why I’m trying to bring them back.”
Based on the cookie packaging, one cookie comprises 420 calories, 21 grams of total fat, nine grams of protein and 52 grams of carbs. Ingredients include but are not limited to kamut flour, pea protein, ground flaxseed and barley grass powder.
“Feels like a meal,” the website states.
Sanderson is one of the legends of college wrestling, and fans tend to follow his every move. As a coach, he’s so far won 12 national titles and coached 42 national champs. As a student-athlete at Iowa State, he finished his career with a perfect record of 159-0 and three Dan Hodge Trophies (wrestling’s equivalent to the Heisman).
As the Nittany Lions’ head coach, his program is currently riding a 75-match win streak — just one shy of tying the all-time major college record set by Oklahoma State from 1937-1951. Penn State is 4-0 so far in 2025.
This story was originally published December 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM.
