Irresistibly Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies: Your New Favorite Recipe!
If you’re searching for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie—one that boasts an incredible melt-in-your-mouth softness with a delightful chew, look no further! The not-so-secret ingredient behind these extraordinary treats is instant vanilla pudding mix. If you’ve never experienced the magic of chocolate chip pudding cookies, prepare to be absolutely wowed. This simple addition transforms a classic recipe into something truly unforgettable, delivering a depth of flavor and an unparalleled texture that will make these your go-to cookies for every occasion.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the remarkable results it yields. To create these luscious cookies, instant vanilla pudding mix is incorporated directly into the dry ingredients. There’s no need to prepare the pudding according to the box instructions; it’s used in its dry, powdered form. This genius trick does two wonderful things: it infuses the cookie dough with an extra boost of rich vanilla flavor, and thanks to the cornstarch content in the pudding mix, it ensures every single cookie bakes up incredibly soft and wonderfully chewy, a texture that lasts for days.
This recipe is perfect for both spontaneous cravings and planned baking sessions. You can bake the entire batch of cookies right away to enjoy warm, fresh-from-the-oven goodness, or you can freeze some of the dough for later. Having pre-portioned cookie dough in your freezer means you’re always just minutes away from warm chocolate chip cookies whenever the mood strikes!
Key Ingredient Notes for Perfect Pudding Cookies
While this recipe for pudding cookies shares many similarities with traditional chocolate chip cookie recipes, a few star ingredients play crucial roles in achieving their signature texture and flavor. Understanding these components will help you create the best possible cookies.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: This is truly the secret weapon! The cornstarch present in instant pudding mix is key to these cookies’ ultra-soft and uniquely chewy texture. It helps to absorb moisture, preventing the cookies from drying out and giving them that desirable tenderness. For this recipe, I use a 3.4-ounce (approximately 96g) package of instant vanilla pudding. It’s vital to double-check that you’re using instant pudding, not “cook and serve” pudding, as they behave very differently in baking. Also, ensure you grab the correct size package, as larger boxes are also available. While vanilla is classic, feel free to experiment with other instant pudding flavors like chocolate, butterscotch, or cheesecake for exciting variations!
- Unsalted Butter: Baking with unsalted butter gives you precise control over the overall salt content in your cookies. The quality of your butter can also impact flavor. Always remember to bring your butter to a true room temperature before you begin mixing. Softened butter creams much more effectively with sugar, creating a light and airy base for your dough, which contributes to the cookies’ texture. If your butter is too cold, it won’t emulsify properly; if it’s too warm and melted, it can lead to greasy, flat cookies.
- Brown Sugar: The molasses in brown sugar is essential for adding moisture, depth of flavor, and that characteristic chewiness to the cookie dough. This recipe uses packed light brown sugar. If you find yourself without brown sugar or can’t locate it in your area, you can easily make your own brown sugar substitute at home with just two ingredients (granulated sugar and molasses).
- Granulated Sugar: While brown sugar brings chewiness, granulated sugar contributes to the cookies’ delicate crispness around the edges and aids in spreading. The combination of both sugars creates a perfectly balanced texture.
- Eggs: Large eggs, preferably at room temperature, act as a binder, adding structure and moisture to the dough. Room temperature eggs also emulsify better with the butter and sugar, resulting in a smoother, more uniform dough.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract is crucial for enhancing the overall flavor profile of these cookies. A good quality vanilla extract makes a noticeable difference. Don’t skimp on this!
- All-Purpose Flour: Make sure to measure your flour correctly. Spooning and leveling the flour (rather than scooping directly from the bag) prevents you from adding too much, which can lead to dry, dense cookies.
- Baking Soda and Salt: Baking soda helps the cookies rise and spread, contributing to their soft texture. Salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors, making the chocolate truly pop.
- Chocolate Chips: I typically use semi-sweet chocolate chips for a classic flavor, but this is where you can truly personalize your cookies! Feel free to use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or a combination. You could also get creative with other mix-ins like chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts), dried fruits (cranberries, cherries), toffee bits, or even sprinkles for a festive touch!
How to Make the Best Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Making these cookies is a straightforward process, but paying attention to a few key steps will ensure you achieve that perfect soft and chewy texture every time. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process:
- Prepare Your Baking Environment: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature when your cookies go in, which is crucial for even baking. Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This prevents sticking and promotes even browning on the bottom of the cookies, making cleanup a breeze.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, instant vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Whisking thoroughly ensures that all ingredients, especially the baking soda and pudding mix, are evenly distributed throughout the flour. This is critical for consistent rise and flavor in every cookie. Important Note: The pudding mix is added straight from the box, as a dry ingredient. Do not prepare the pudding as the box instructs with milk or water.
- Mix Together the Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a large bowl and a handheld electric mixer), beat the softened unsalted butter until it’s smooth and creamy. This typically takes about 1-2 minutes. Next, add both the packed light brown sugar and the granulated sugar to the butter. Beat this mixture for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until it becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. This “creaming” process incorporates air into the butter and sugar, which contributes significantly to the cookies’ final texture. To this creamed mixture, add the large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, mix in the pure vanilla extract. Throughout this process, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula to ensure that all ingredients are thoroughly combined and no pockets of unmixed butter or sugar remain.
- Gradually Add Dry to Wet Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined. It’s crucial not to overmix at this stage, as overworking the flour can lead to tough cookies. Once the flour is mostly incorporated, remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the chocolate chips by hand using a spatula. This ensures they are evenly distributed without overmixing the dough.
- Scoop and Bake the Cookie Dough: For consistently sized cookies that bake evenly, I highly recommend using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough. Drop the scooped dough balls directly onto your prepared parchment paper-lined cookie sheets, ensuring you leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading. This recipe yields approximately 40 cookies, so you will likely need to use all three cookie sheets or bake in batches.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are lightly golden brown and the tops appear just set and slightly puffed. The centers may still look a little soft, but they will firm up as they cool. Overbaking is the enemy of soft cookies, so err on the side of slightly underdone rather than overdone. Once removed from the oven, let them cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. This allows them to set up without breaking. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature!
Frequently Asked Questions About Pudding Cookies
Here are some common questions bakers have when making chocolate chip pudding cookies:
Can I Use Cook and Serve Pudding Mix?
No, it is essential that you use instant pudding mix for this recipe. Cook and serve pudding mixes contain different starches and ingredients that require cooking to thicken, and they will not yield the same results when simply mixed into cookie dough. The instant pudding mix acts as a dry ingredient, contributing cornstarch and flavor directly to the dough without needing any prior preparation.
Can I Use Another Flavor of Instant Pudding Mix?
Absolutely! While I made this chocolate chip cookie recipe with classic vanilla pudding mix, the possibilities are endless. Other instant pudding flavors like chocolate, butterscotch, cheesecake, banana cream, or even lemon would work wonderfully and create unique flavor profiles for your cookies. Just ensure it’s an instant variety and the same size package (3.4 ounces).
Can the Cookie Dough Be Made in Advance?
Yes, this is one of the convenient aspects of this recipe! The cookie dough can be prepared up to three days in advance. Simply cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate until you’re ready to scoop and bake the cookies. If the dough becomes too firm to scoop easily after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes to soften slightly before scooping.
Storage Instructions for Baked Cookies and Dough
Proper storage ensures your delicious chocolate chip pudding cookies stay fresh and enjoyable for as long as possible, whether baked or as raw dough.
- Baked Cookies: Once completely cooled, chocolate chip pudding cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to five days. To maintain maximum freshness and softness, you can even place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies; the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: For longer storage, baked cookies can be sealed in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe airtight container and frozen for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw them on the countertop at room temperature for an hour or two.
- Unbaked Cookie Dough (Refrigerated): As mentioned, unbaked cookie dough will last up to three days in the fridge. It’s crucial to cover it tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container to prevent the dough from drying out and absorbing refrigerator odors.
- Freezing Unbaked Cookie Dough: This is a fantastic option for having fresh cookies on demand! You can freeze the scooped cookie dough balls for up to three months prior to baking. To do this, scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm (about 1-2 hours). Once firm, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container, labeling with the date. When you’re ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw them first! Simply place the frozen cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake as usual, adding an additional 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Expert Baking Tips & Troubleshooting
Achieving bakery-quality cookies at home is easy with a few simple tips:
- Instant Pudding is Non-Negotiable: Remember, instant pudding is a key ingredient for these specific chocolate chip cookies and cannot be substituted with “cook and serve” pudding mix or sugar-free varieties. The cornstarch content and flavor profile of instant pudding are what give these cookies their signature texture.
- Customize Your Mix-ins: Don’t feel limited to semi-sweet chocolate chips! Feel free to swap them out for an equal amount of your favorite additions. White chocolate chips, milk chocolate chunks, dark chocolate morsels, dried fruit (like cranberries or chopped apricots), chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds), or even toffee bits would be delicious. A mix of different chocolates can also add wonderful complexity.
- For Thicker Cookies, Chill the Dough: If you prefer your cookies to be thicker and spread less, I highly recommend chilling the cookie dough. Place the entire bowl of dough, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before scooping and baking. Chilling solidifies the butter, which prevents the cookies from spreading too quickly in the oven. You can also chill individual scooped dough balls for about 15-30 minutes before baking.
- Avoid Overbaking for Ultimate Softness: This is perhaps the most important tip for soft, chewy cookies. Be careful not to overbake them! You’ll know they’re done when the edges are lightly golden brown and the tops are just set. The centers may still look a little pale and slightly undercooked, and this is exactly what you want. The cookies will continue to cook slightly and firm up as they cool on the hot baking sheet. Taking them out when they look “just right” usually means they will be perfectly soft and chewy once fully cooled.
- Room Temperature Ingredients Matter: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together properly, creating an emulsified, light, and airy base for your cookie dough, which leads to a superior texture.
- Measure Flour Correctly: Always spoon your flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, leading to too much flour in your recipe, which can result in dry, dense cookies.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to tough and chewy (not in a good way!) cookies.
More Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes to Love!
If you’re a chocolate chip cookie enthusiast, you’ll love exploring these other delightful variations:
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
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Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (290 grams)
- 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (230 grams; 2 sticks)
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar (150 grams)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70 grams)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (340 grams)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt together until well combined. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure that everything is well combined.
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Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined, then mix in the chocolate chips on low-speed until fully incorporated into the cookie dough.
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Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave a little room between each ball of cookie dough as they will spread some while they’re baking.
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Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned and the tops are set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Freezing Instructions: The cookie dough will freeze well for up to 3 months. Frozen cookie dough balls can be baked for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Baked cookies can also be sealed in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and frozen for up to three months. When ready to enjoy, thaw on the countertop.