The Ultimate Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pudding Mix
Every baker dreams of creating the perfect chocolate chip cookie: soft, exquisitely chewy, and bursting with rich chocolate flavor. For years, I perfected recipes, but it was the addition of a simple secret ingredient — instant vanilla pudding mix — that truly elevated my cookies to legendary status. My husband, a self-proclaimed chocolate chip cookie connoisseur, now declares these “the best ever!” These soft and chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pudding don’t just meet high standards; they set them. They’re incredibly easy to make, and even easier to devour!
Prepare to amaze everyone with these truly exceptional Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies, enhanced by the brilliant inclusion of a box of pudding mix! This innovative twist adds an unparalleled depth of vanilla flavor and a tender, moist texture that keeps them fresh for days. No one will ever guess the secret behind their irresistible deliciousness!
Why These Pudding Cookies Are a Must-Bake
If you’ve been searching for that elusive perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, look no further. Our chocolate chip pudding cookies are not just another recipe; they’re a revelation. Here’s why they’ll become your new go-to:
- Unmatched Softness & Chewiness: The secret ingredient, instant pudding mix, transforms the texture, delivering cookies that are incredibly soft, buttery, and satisfyingly chewy with every bite.
- Enhanced Moisture & Vanilla Boost: The pudding not only adds moisture, ensuring your cookies stay fresh longer, but it also infuses them with a rich, comforting vanilla flavor that takes them over the top. It’s a double dose of deliciousness!
- Generously Loaded with Chocolate: We believe a chocolate chip cookie should truly live up to its name. This recipe ensures each cookie is packed with a generous amount of melty, delicious chocolate chips.
- A Proven Crowd-Pleaser: This recipe has garnered rave reviews from countless friends and fellow food bloggers, including Danielle from Hugs & Cookies XOXO, who praised its unique texture and incredible flavor. Prepare for compliments!
In our household, chocolate reigns supreme! It’s always a delightful dilemma choosing between rich, decadent chocolate cookies and classic, or jazzed-up chocolate chip varieties, like these incredible Layered Chocolate Chip Cookies. These soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies with pudding mix were an instant sensation with my entire family, solidifying their place as a new favorite.
A Glowing Reader Review:
Don’t just take our word for it! Here’s what Claudia shared via the comments, perfectly capturing the magic of these cookies: “I am telling all your readers that these are by far THE BEST Chocolate Chip soft cookies I ever had! Baking the rest now and will post it tomorrow… OMG everyone TRY THIS RECIPE!!!!! IT’S AWESOME! THANKS, Liz! It’s a keeper! I hope I have a pan left to photograph! They are eating them faster than I can put them on the cookie sheet!” Such enthusiastic feedback truly makes baking worthwhile!
Key Ingredients for Perfect Pudding Cookies
Crafting the perfect cookie begins with understanding your ingredients. Each component in this recipe plays a vital role in achieving that desirable soft, chewy texture and rich flavor. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need:
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cookies. We recommend a quality brand like King Arthur Flour for consistent results. For precise baking, consider weighing your flour rather than scooping, as scooping can pack too much into your measuring cup, leading to dry cookies.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These leavening agents work together to give your cookies the perfect rise and spread. Baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients (like brown sugar), promoting spread, while baking powder provides lift. PRO-Tip: Always check the expiration date on your baking powder. If you’re unsure of its potency, test it by placing a teaspoon in a bowl and adding ⅓ cup of very hot water. If it fizzes vigorously, it’s good to go! If not, replace it before you start baking.
- Table Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors in the cookie dough.
- Room Temperature Butter: High-quality butter makes a noticeable difference. We prefer name-brand butter as it typically has a lower water content. Keeping butter at room temperature (softened, but not melted) is crucial for proper creaming with sugars, creating air pockets for a light, tender texture. Stock up when it’s on sale and store it in the freezer!
- Granulated White Sugar & Dark Brown Sugar: The combination of these two sugars is essential. Granulated sugar contributes to crisp edges, while dark brown sugar, with its higher molasses content, provides incredible moisture and chewiness, resulting in an even softer cookie.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (Small Box, 3.4 ounces): This is our secret weapon! Ensure you purchase instant pudding mix, not the “cook and serve” variety. We typically use the Jell-O brand. The cornstarch in the pudding mix absorbs moisture, leading to an incredibly soft, moist, and long-lasting cookie, while also boosting the vanilla flavor.
- Room Temperature Eggs: Like butter, eggs at room temperature emulsify better with the other ingredients, leading to a more uniform and consistent dough texture. This prevents a curdled appearance and ensures a smoother mix.
- Vanilla Extract: Opt for pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. The difference between pure and imitation vanilla is substantial and truly shines in baked goods.
- Semi-Sweet & White Chocolate Chips: We love the combination of Ghirardelli semi-sweet and white chocolate chips for a balanced flavor profile. If you prefer a deeper chocolate flavor, bittersweet chocolate chips are a fantastic alternative to semi-sweet. Feel free to use just one type of chocolate if you prefer, or even experiment with milk chocolate or chocolate chunks for varying textures.
- Toasted Pecans (Optional): Nuts add a wonderful crunch and earthy flavor. If you choose to include them, make sure to toast your pecans (or any nuts) lightly before adding them to the dough. Toasting brings out their natural oils and intensifies their flavor, making them even more delicious.
How to Bake Your Soft & Chewy Pudding Cookies: Step-by-Step
Follow these straightforward steps to create a batch of the most delicious chocolate chip pudding cookies you’ve ever tasted. Precision and patience are key for perfect results!
Expert Baking Tips for Flawless Pudding Cookies
Achieving cookie perfection is easier with a few insider tips. These expert suggestions will help you ensure your chocolate chip pudding cookies are always a success:
- Choose the Right Pudding: Always double-check that you’re purchasing a small box of instant vanilla pudding mix. The “cook and serve” variety will not yield the same results, as instant pudding contains different starches that are key to the cookie’s texture.
- Room Temperature Matters: PRO-Tip: Ensure your eggs and butter are at room temperature. This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s crucial for emulsification. Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, creating a homogeneous dough that results in a more even texture and bake.
- Avoid Overmixing: Once you add the flour, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only until just combined. You can stir by hand or beat very slowly. Over-activating the gluten in the flour by overmixing will lead to tough, cakey cookies instead of the desired tender and chewy texture.
- Chocolate Chip Choices: While we love a mix of semisweet and white chocolate chips, feel free to experiment! Try dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even chocolate discs or chunks for a more gourmet look and varied melt. You can also mix in other flavors like butterscotch chips or toffee bits.
- The Chill Factor: PRO-Tip: Chilling your cookie dough for at least a couple of hours (or even overnight) before baking is a game-changer. While you can bake them immediately, chilling prevents the cookies from spreading too much, resulting in thicker, chewier cookies. It also allows the flavors to meld and deepen, enhancing the overall taste.
- Aesthetic Touch: For bakery-worthy cookies, reserve a handful of chocolate chips to press gently into the tops of the warm cookies immediately after they come out of the oven. This creates a beautiful, visually appealing finish.
- Consistent Sizing: Use a medium-sized cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to portion out your dough. This ensures all your cookies are uniformly sized, which promotes even baking across the batch.
- Do Not Overbake: PRO-Tip: This is perhaps the most critical tip for chewy cookies! Overbaking is the quickest way to dry them out. The ideal cooking time varies depending on your oven and the temperature of your dough. When the edges are set and lightly golden, but the very centers still look a bit glossy and slightly underdone, it’s time to pull them out. They will continue to set on the hot baking sheet.
- Monitor Your Oven: Pay attention to your oven’s behavior. The cooking time range (typically 12-14 minutes) is a guideline. Make a note of the exact time that yields your perfect chewy cookies for future batches.
- Shape While Warm: PRO-Tip: For perfectly round cookies, use a spatula to gently nudge and reshape any misshapen cookies immediately after they come out of the oven, while they are still hot and pliable. This simple trick can turn a rustic batch into a professionally presented one, especially if you’re serving them to guests. Always use an oven mitt or hot pad as the baking sheet will be very warm.
It seems I’ll need to keep a permanent stash of instant vanilla pudding in my pantry from now on – these cookies are that good! And speaking of pudding-enhanced treats, I’ve recently fallen in love with some amazing Dark Chocolate Pudding Cookies, which were also a huge hit with the family. The possibilities are endless!
Frequently Asked Questions About Pudding Cookies
For optimal freshness, store your baked chocolate chip pudding cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. While most cookies last about 3 days, the pudding mix in this recipe helps them retain their moisture and chewiness for an impressive 5-7 days. For best results, place a slice of bread in the container; the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, keeping them softer for longer.
Absolutely! Freezing is a fantastic way to extend the life of your cookies. Once they have completely cooled to room temperature, place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty zip-top bag. Layer them with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature for a few hours, or warm them slightly in the microwave for that fresh-baked feel.
Yes, this dough is quite versatile! You can easily customize your cookies with various add-ins. Beyond different types of chocolate chips and toasted nuts, consider incorporating toffee bits, shredded coconut, dried cranberries, or mini marshmallows. Just be mindful not to overcrowd the dough. Adding too many mix-ins (more than 2 cups total for this recipe) might make the dough too crumbly and prevent the cookies from holding together properly.
This is a fantastic meal-prep hack for cookies! To freeze dough balls, first scoop them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1-2 hours). Once firm, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container. They can be stored for up to 3 months. You can bake them directly from the freezer; simply add an extra 2-4 minutes to the baking time, watching carefully for golden edges.
Flat cookies are a common issue with several potential culprits. The dough could have gotten too warm before baking, causing the butter to melt too quickly in the oven. Your oven temperature might be too hot or inaccurate. Old or expired baking powder (or soda) is another frequent offender, as inactive leavening won’t provide the necessary lift. Lastly, inaccurate measurement of flour (too little) or too much butter can also lead to excessive spread. Always ensure your leavening agents are fresh and ingredients are measured precisely.
Expand Your Baking Repertoire: You May Also Like:
If you’ve fallen in love with these irresistible chocolate chip pudding cookies, you’re in for a treat! Explore these other fantastic cookie recipes that are sure to impress:
- Better Than Brownies Chocolate Cookies from Brown Eyed Baker – For serious chocolate lovers, these are incredibly rich and fudge-like.
- German Chocolate Cake Cookies from A Dash of Sanity – All the flavors of the classic cake in a delightful cookie form.
- Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies – Recreate the iconic, thick, and chewy New York-style cookie at home.
- Flourless Chocolate Cookies – A fantastic gluten-free option that’s intensely chocolatey and wonderfully chewy.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake with M&M’s – Perfect for celebrations, this giant cookie cake is always a hit.
- Southern Living’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies – A classic, reliable recipe for perfectly balanced cookies.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks – A fun, dippable twist on your favorite cookie, perfect for sharing.
- Plus, discover even more of the Best Cookie Recipes on our site for every craving and occasion!
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Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
20 minutes
12 minutes
32 minutes
3 dozen
Soft, chewy, and utterly delicious chocolate chip cookies with a secret ingredient: instant vanilla pudding mix. This recipe is adapted from a beloved favorite by Hugs & Cookies XOXO, guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounces)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1-2 cups chopped, toasted pecans, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set this dry mixture aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and both sugars (dark brown and granulated) until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the instant vanilla pudding mix until fully incorporated. Then, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until just combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough. Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and optional toasted pecans until evenly distributed.
- If the dough feels too warm or sticky, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Chilling helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (approximately 1 ½ tablespoons), drop mounds of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers appear just set but still slightly soft and glossy. Do not overbake for the chewiest results!
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your perfect soft and chewy pudding cookies!
Notes
You may use all semi-sweet chocolate chips, all white chocolate chips, or any combination you desire!
Remember to always buy Instant pudding mix, not the “Cook and Serve” variety, as it will not yield the same delicious results.
For a beautiful bakery-style finish, reserve some of your chocolate chips (or add a few more!) to press into the warm cookies immediately after they come out of the oven.
For an extra boost of flavor and texture, consider toasting your pecans before adding them to the dough.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop
- USA Pan Bakeware Half Sheet Pan
- Reynolds Cookie Baking Sheets Non-Stick Parchment Paper, 25 Sheet, 4 Count
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36 cookies (3 dozen)
Serving Size:
1 cookie
Approximate Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 128
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 24mg
Sodium: 136mg
Carbohydrates: 14g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 13g
Protein: 1g
*Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients used and precise measurements.
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