For an easy year-round treat, try these Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies. They bake up soft and chewy in the center with a lightly crisp edge, packed with chocolate chips and finished with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. Best of all, the dough requires no chilling—just mix, scoop, and bake.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients Needed
- Vanilla Instant Pudding Substitute
- How to Make the Recipe
- How to Keep Your Chocolate Chip Cookies Super Soft for Days
- Recipe FAQs
- More Cookie Recipes!
- Super Soft Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies Recipe
Ingredients Needed
These are the ingredients for exceptionally soft chocolate chip pudding cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Instant Flavored Vanilla Pudding (powder). Use the dry mix—do not prepare the pudding. A homemade substitute is provided below if needed.
- Vegetable Shortening (can be substituted with unsalted butter; cookies will spread more if you use butter).
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Large Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Chocolate Chips (or chopped chocolate bars)
- Sea Salt Flakes (optional, for sprinkling)
For exact quantities and step-by-step instructions, see the recipe card below.
Vanilla Instant Pudding Substitute
If instant vanilla pudding mix is unavailable, you can make a homemade dry mix that mimics the store-bought packet. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This batch makes about 2 1/2–3 cups; the cookie recipe calls for one packet (approximately 1/2 cup or 96 grams).
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Nonfat Dry Milk
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 cup Cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Powder
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together until evenly combined and store in an airtight container.
- Use 1/2 cup (96 grams) of this mix in the cookie dough.
If you can’t source these items, you can omit the pudding mix from the cookie recipe. It primarily increases moisture and flavor.
How to Make the Recipe
Overview: mix dry ingredients, cream the shortening and sugars, combine, stir in chocolate, scoop, and bake—no chilling required.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. Combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, and instant vanilla pudding mix in a medium bowl.
- Cream the shortening and sugars. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening with granulated and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry mixture until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate. Fold in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces.
- Scoop and bake. Drop dough by spoonfuls or use a 1½ tablespoon scoop, spacing cookies about 1½ inches apart. Optionally sprinkle sea salt on top. Bake at 375°F for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden at the edges.
Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack so they set without breaking—use a spatula to move them as they will be very soft initially.
How to Keep Your Chocolate Chip Cookies Super Soft for Days
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The cookies absorb moisture from the bread and remain soft for several days. Replace the bread slice as it becomes stale.
Recipe FAQs
The powdered pudding mix boosts moisture and enhances flavor, which helps produce a softer, chewier cookie.
Use the homemade dry mix listed above or omit the pudding—cookies will still be good but may be less moist.
No. This recipe is designed to be baked immediately. If you prefer, you can refrigerate the dough for later—cover tightly or store in an airtight container.
A 1½ tablespoon scoop produces cookies similar to those pictured.
Stored in an airtight container with a slice of bread, they stay soft for up to five days.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
More Cookie Recipes!
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If you try this Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Super Soft Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 3.4 oz Instant Flavored Vanilla Pudding (powder only)
- 1 cup Vegetable Shortening
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar (lightly packed)
- 2 Large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 12 oz Semi-Sweet or Milk Chocolate Chips (or chopped chocolate)
- Sea Salt Flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF and position the rack on the second level (just above center). Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, and instant vanilla pudding in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Using a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on medium-high until combined.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until incorporated; scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Reduce mixer to low and gradually add the dry mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
- Drop dough by spoonfuls or use a 1½ tablespoon scoop, spacing cookies about 1½ inches apart on the prepared sheets. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.
- Bake 8–10 minutes at 375ºF until edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven, optionally press extra chocolate into the tops and shape with a round cutter if you like.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container for up to a week (see notes for freezing).
Notes
- Make-ahead: Scoop dough onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer dough balls to a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to baking time.
- Recipe adapted from a local school cookbook.
Nutrition
Calories: 170 kcal | Carbohydrates: 19 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 10 g | Sugar: 11 g
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients used.