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With a rich, buttery dough that is loaded with irresistible morsels of chocolate, these Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies nail every delicious detail. And, bonus, they stay soft and chewy for days.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
I have made this recipe more times than I can count, over the years. They’re perfect for potlucks and gift-giving. And, I get asked all the time how they are so soft and chewy.
The not-so-secret ingredient is instant pudding mix. It’s that simple. In addition to their incredible chewy texture, these cookies freeze beautifully, making them especially easy to have ready to go when you need them.
And, I happen to know that both the cookies and the dough taste awesome straight out of the freezer. Yes, I did admit that. I often bake about half of the batch and freeze the remaining cookie dough.
When I am ready to use the frozen dough, I set it on the counter for 20-30 minutes to thaw slightly and then scoop out the number of cookies I want to bake.
Why Add Pudding Mix to Cookies?
Perhaps you’re among the many bakers who’ve never tried pudding cookies before. Well, if you’re wondering why put pudding mix in cookies, let me tell you: the word you’re looking for is MOIST.
Pudding mix has several dry ingredients (such as corn starch) that help absorb and retain moisture, making its use in cookie recipes a neat little hack. A cookie recipe with pudding mix will result in moister cookies that stay chewier longer.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies Recipe
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
- flour and baking soda
- granulated sugar and brown sugar
- one package instant vanilla pudding
- butter and eggs
- vanilla extract
- semi sweet chocolate chips
- Maldon salt for topping (OPTIONAL)
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour and baking soda and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Then, add in the pudding mix and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Next, stir in the flour mixture, making sure that it is well incorporated. Last, add the chocolate chips and stir well to mix them throughout the dough.
Scoop into approximately 2 tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 11-12 minutes. Remove from the oven when puffy and barely cooked through. Do not let them brown.
If desired, sprinkle with Maldon salt as soon as the cookies are removed from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
Looking for more recipes like these salted chocolate chip cookies?
The chewiness of pudding cookies and the decadence of toffee and chocolate create a decadent treat in Toffee Coconut Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies. This is an easy cookie recipe that’s perfect with each and every bite.
This is NOT your average chocolate chip cookie recipe. These are hands down the best Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. Be warned, you will not be able to eat just one!
Chewy, crisp Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are a classic cookie. If you prefer a firmer, but still chewy oatmeal cookie, this is the one for you. And, these Chocolate Chip Nutella Cookie Cups look absolutely drool-worthy.
These Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies are loaded with both white and dark chocolate, in addition to a good amount of coconut. They are delicious warm from the oven and every bit as fantastic two days later.
Oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips, M&Ms, and a drop of maple syrup all combine to make my grandmother’s Monster Cookies. This recipe is loaded with all of our favorite cookie flavors.
Looking for more great chocolate recipes? Creamy vanilla ice cream is swirled with decadent fudge while tiny peanut butter cups dance in every spoonful of this homemade Moose Tracks Ice Cream.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 cup butter softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 3.4 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 eggs room temp
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- Maldon salt for topping OPTIONAL
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour and baking soda and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add in the pudding mix and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Slowly add in the flour mixture, making sure that it is well incorporated. Last, add the chocolate chips and stir well to mix them throughout the dough.
- Scoop into approximately 2 tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 11-12 minutes. Remove from the oven when puffy and barely cooked through, do not let them brown. If desired, sprinkle with Maldon salt as soon as the cookies are removed from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 6/30/11 – recipe notes and images updated 1/24/24}
I made these and they were great, but they seem to flatten out and then stick together once I put them in a container afterwards. Any thoughts?
I've never had these cookies flatten out when I made them. Possibly your butter was too soft or one of the dry ingredient measurements might have been off a bit. If they were fully cooked and sticking together, my guess would be that the flour might have been measured wrong. Without being in your kitchen with you though, it is hard to guess. I'm glad the taste was still great for you!
Thanks for your comments — I actually have been letting the butter set out on the counter to soften. Is it better to use it straight from the refrigerator?
Soft enough to indent with your finger is great. Soft enough that your finger goes all the way through with very little pressure, is too soft. If your butter wasn't too soft, I'd add just a bit more flour to the next batch and see if that helps. It's possible that the weather, your altitude, or another random ingredient is affecting your results as well.
I a I am def going to make these some time this week!
So if we don't use whole wheat flour then we use 4 c of ap flour?
Yes, 4 1/2 cups total.
Do you think I can substitute these cookies instead of using the "toll house version" for a recipe where the base is the cookie dough? These sound so much better.
Yes! I substitute homemade for store bought cookie dough in all recipes like that one. Enjoy!
on the back of a Toll house Nestles chips there's a recipe for choc chip cookies….that is what she was referring to….not store bought cookies…….in answer to the question Yes you can substitute for this recipe and add what you like.
This is her recipe ! why are you trying to take it over? Start your own site ! You have no idea what this person meant ., Your comment justs came off rude and at least don’t sign it as Anonymous! Sorry Mary ! Anonymous just has a comment for almost every question we are asking , only we are asking you not Anonymous!
Made choc chip cookies like these today but used a small box of instant butterscotch pudding mix. Yummy
Best choc chip cookie ever, my 13 year old son says they are "restaurant quality", recipe is easy to half.
Would it make a big difference if I use Sugar Free Pudding?? That's all I have at home and I'm trying to save a trip to the store. =)
Should work just fine, Jenn!
LADIES!!!! LADIES !!!!! POLIZZZE!!!!……try using……banana pudding!!!!! NNNICE!!!!!!!!banana and chocolate………YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My family has been making these for years. Like, 35 years… They are amazing! We use either vanilla or pistachio pudding for chocolate chip cookies. Or chocolate pudding for chocolate cookies. However, with all the sugar in the pudding, we've never used 1 1/2 cups of each sugar in addition! Or two packs of pudding, only one.
By white sugar do u mean granulated sugar or confectioner sugar
Granulated sugar. Enjoy!
I am interested in trying the whole wheat flour for the healthier alternative. I dont understand the pudding (powder) would make it softer.. however i do know that the brown sugar is what makes the cookie harder ,rather than moist, I bake my cookies, and when cooled I put them in a container or baggie with a slice of bread. (any kind) this keeps the cookies moist and the slice becomes hard – this also can be done with your brown sugar to keep it from becoming a brown sugar rock. storae brown sugar in container with one slice bread and it never clumps . Try it and I will try your version too – Thanks !!
This is an awesome recipe. I've made them twice in the last 2 weeks. My son and his friend (older teens) said they were the best cookies they've ever had!!
Ive always added a BIG box of vanilla pudding to the Toll House recipe and have never adjusted the amount of sugar in the recipe…they turn out perfect every time.
Pudding isn't new I have been making my cookies this way for years got the recipe from all recipes.com….adding wheat is a great to add…
Made these several times. My daughter loves them, she brought some to her work, now I have to bake for her and her co-workers!
These cookies are great. I used all purpose flour. So good n moist n soft.
I made these over the weekend…with peanut butter chips…. They were delish!!!!
Ericka
I've made 3 batches of these cookies.. nom nom nom….. :0)
Used bread flour. Incredible!
I made these and they are so good I will be making them a lot everyone loved them