These chocolate chip pudding cookies are chewy, moist and stay soft for days. This recipe will quickly become your go-to for amazing chocolate chip cookies.
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Pin RecipeI am definitely a fan of soft chocolate chip cookies. I know many people like a good crunchy cookie (if that is you, try this chocolate chip cookie recipe here!), but I have always preferred my cookies nice and tender. By adding pudding mix to the cookie dough, the cookies bake nice and chewy and they stay that way for quite a while. A chocolate chip pudding cookie taste fresh for days after being baked. Do you know what that means? You should make a double batch so you can eat them all week long.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookie Recipe
My chocolate chip pudding cookie recipe uses instant vanilla pudding which, as I already mentioned, keeps the cookies super soft. But it also adds a whole lot of amazing vanilla flavor to the cookies. If you are a big fan of vanilla pudding, then you will go crazy for the rich, pudding-y taste of these cookies. Just another reason to love them!
Let me add one more reason why you should give these pudding cookies a try- they are easy! Cream the sugar and butter, add the eggs and vanilla, add the pudding mix then stir in the dry ingredients and you are done. Anyone can make these easy chocolate chip cookies and get perfect results every time. So, give them a try, and let me know what you think! I plan on making a big batch, too!
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Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter to make cookies.
- Brown sugar – I like dark brown sugar because it has an intense, rich taste. Brown sugar also helps keep the cookies soft and tender since it is moister than regular, white sugar.
- Instant pudding – Any brand of instant pudding will work. Just be sure to get instant pudding mix not regular pudding as they are quite different.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – These cookies are already pretty sweet so semi-sweet chocolate chips balance the flavor well.
Variations
I love this recipe exactly as it is written but you can make a few tweaks or try these substitutions if you’d like.
- Use chocolate pudding mix in place of vanilla. This will give you a cookie that has a great, milk chocolate taste.
- Try using white chocolate chips for a super vanilla tasting cookie.
- Replace the flour in the recipe with a gluten free baking flour mix to make gluten free chocolate chip cookies. Just make sure that your pudding mix is also gluten free. Many are and will be labled as such.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
- Get set up: Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Then, line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Make the cookie dough: Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy then add the eggs, vanilla, and powdered pudding mix to the bowl. Beat well then mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the chocolate chips in by hand.
- Scoop the cookies: Use a cookie scoop to make 3 tablespoon-sized balls. Place the cookies on the prepared baking tray, spacing them about 2-3 inches apart. They will spread a little.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 11-13 minutes. When the cookies are fully baked, the tops will no longer look wet and the edges will be golden brown.
- Cool the cookies: Let the cookies cool on the tray for 10 minutes then move them to a cooling rack or enjoy while warm!
Quick Tip
If you are not baking the cookie dough right away, place the bowl in the fridge to keep the dough cold. If the cookie dough is too warm, the cookies tend to spread to thin. Keep the dough cold to make thick, chewy pudding cookies.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
You can store these cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. They will stay fresh for about 4-5 days.
You can also put the cookies into a zippered freezer bag and freeze them for up to three months. Take a pudding cookie out of the freezer, put it on a plate, and pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds to make it warm and fresh once again. This is a great way to have dessert on hand and ready to go anytime you have a cookie craving!
FAQs
If you love pudding cookies but have no actual pudding, you can replace it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 2 tablespoons of sugar and an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract. Whisk the cornstarch and sugar together and add them to there recipe along with the eggs and vanilla. The cookies will still bake nice and soft with a strong vanilla taste.
Chewy cookies often have cornstarch in the recipe. Cornstarch prevents gluten from forming in the flour and keeps the cookies soft. Pudding mix has cornstarch in it which is why pudding cookies are so tender. Baking the cookies until just the edges are brown and the tops are still very soft is also key to making chewy cookies. If cookies are overbaked, they will be dry and crunchy.
Regular vanilla pudding mix needs to be cooked in order to make the starches set and thicken. Instant pudding is made with pre-gelatinized starch that will get thick with just a cold liquid, no cooking needed. For cookies, you want to use instant pudding mix which will automatically help the cookie dough be chewy and tender.
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Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoon
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 box (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set the tray aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Scrap down the sides of the bowl to ensure the butter is well-mixed.
- Add the powdered pudding mix to the bowl along with the vanilla and eggs. Blend everything together for 3 minutes. You want to really beat the eggs and pudding into the butter well.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and stir everything together slowly. The batter will be thick and smooth.
- Stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips by hand.
- Scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet tray making 3 tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls. You can use a measuring spoon or a cookies scoop to make perfectly sized cookies.
- Bake the cookies for 11- 13 minutes. The edges of the cookies will be slightly brown (very light!) around the edges and the top of the cookies will no longer look wet.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet tray before moving them to a cooling rack.
Hi,I’m planning to make this and give it to my friends for tomorrow morning get together.
I wanna know if it will be ok to mix it all up today ,put the dough in the refrigerator and bake it tomorrow morning?
Thank’s
Hi! That’s so nice of you. Yes, it should be fine. Just keep a close eye on them, and adjust the baking time as needed. 😊