These chocolate chip cookies made with instant pudding mix are incredibly soft and chewy. They bake up with golden edges, a subtle caramel-like flavor, and slightly gooey centers. The recipe is quick and easy and requires no dough chilling. Pour a tall glass of milk and get ready to bake!
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pudding Mix
If you haven’t tried cookies with pudding mix, you’re in for a treat. These are some of the softest, chewiest chocolate chip cookies I’ve made, and the recipe is reliable every time.
One of the best parts is there’s no need to chill the dough, so you can go from mixing to baking without delay.
Why add pudding mix to cookies? The instant pudding mix keeps the cookies extra tender and adds a pleasant vanilla note. Do not prepare the pudding — simply add the dry 3.5 oz (4-serving) package of instant vanilla pudding mix directly into the batter. If you attempted to make the pudding first, the dough would be ruined.
Tips for Making These Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Butter consistency: Use softened butter, not melted. Remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before starting, or cut it into chunks and microwave briefly in 10-second bursts. Melted butter will cause the cookies to spread too much.
- Sugar balance: Combine brown and white sugar. Brown sugar brings caramel notes and chewiness, while a portion of white sugar keeps the cookies from becoming overly dense or rich.
- Pudding mix: Add one 3.5 oz package of instant vanilla pudding mix straight into the dry ingredients—do not prepare it first.
- Flour measurement: Measure flour accurately. Whisk the flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup, and level it, or weigh it — 288 g (about 10.125 oz) for this recipe. Too much flour will produce dry, crumbly cookies.
- For thicker cookies: Chill the shaped dough balls for 20 minutes up to 24 hours before baking.
- Bake placement: Use the center oven rack so the tops brown evenly without burning the bottoms.
- Undercook slightly: Pull the cookies from the oven when the tops are just set for a soft, slightly gooey center.
- Finish like a pro: For visually appealing cookies, press a few reserved chocolate chips onto the tops right after they come out of the oven.
These chocolate chip pudding cookies are irresistible warm from the oven and remain soft and tasty for several days when stored properly. The added pudding mix creates a tender, chewy texture that keeps people coming back for another.
If you enjoy this recipe, consider trying other chocolate chip cookie variations such as cream cheese chocolate chip cookies, thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies, double chocolate cookies, cookie cakes, or single-serving cookie recipes.
If you want to freeze the cookie dough to bake later, prepare the dough and form it into balls, then freeze them in a zip-top bag. Bake from frozen when ready—expect an extra minute or so of bake time. For more details on freezing cookie dough, consult a dedicated guide on freezing cookie dough.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3.5 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix*
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
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In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown and white sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
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Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until combined.
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On low speed, mix in the dry pudding mix, flour, baking soda, and salt. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl as needed.
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Fold in the chocolate chips. Reserve about 1/4 cup to press onto the tops after baking if desired.
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Portion dough into balls about 1.5 tablespoons each and space them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
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Bake one sheet at a time for 8–10 minutes, until the tops are just set but still soft.
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Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Cookies can also be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator.
To freeze dough: shape into balls, freeze on a tray until firm, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake from frozen, adding about 1 minute to the bake time.
Nutrition
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