These chocolate chip pudding cookies have a pillowy texture thanks to a secret ingredient.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Updated on May 17, 2024
We found a really tasty twist on a classic cookie, and it’s all thanks to one unexpected ingredient: a box of instant pudding mix. When this special ingredient is added to the batter, the result is chocolate chip pudding cookies. They have a thicker and softer texture than regular chocolate chip cookies, but melted butter and an extra egg yolk balance the soft, thick cookies with a touch of chewiness.
Why use pudding mix?
Boxed instant pudding mix is made primarily of sugar and cornstarch, plus preservatives and flavorings, so the sugar in the mix gives a little boost of sweetness to cookies and the cornstarch does something that’s really interesting. Cornstarch creates a thicker cookie, preventing the spread that often happens with regular cookies. It also creates a very soft, tender, cakelike texture.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookie Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Packed light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs and egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Vanilla instant pudding mix
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
Step 1: Combine the first ingredients
Pour the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar into a large mixing bowl, and stir them together until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the eggs, egg yolk and vanilla extract until they’re blended.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients and chill
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Add this mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, and stir them together to make a soft, moist cookie batter. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least four hours or overnight.
Step 3: Bake the cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment. Scoop the dough by tablespoonfuls and place about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake the cookies until they’re set at the edges and lightly browned on top, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookie Variations
- Try other pudding mix flavors: Other pudding mix flavors can be used in this chocolate chip pudding cookie recipe. The flavor and color added by a pudding mix will be on the mild side, but you can always give these a boost with flavored extracts and food coloring. For example, you could use pistachio pudding mix with a few drops of almond extract and a little green food coloring.
- Change up the mix-ins: Try white chocolate or milk chocolate chips, chopped nuts or colorful sprinkles in your cookies.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to five days.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookie Tips
Should you use instant or cook-and-serve pudding?
This recipe calls for an instant pudding mix, but the same-sized box of cook-and-serve pudding mix will also work. Don’t make these cookies with prepared pudding though—that won’t work at all!
Should you chill this cookie dough before baking?
The dough for these chocolate chip pudding cookies is extremely soft after mixing, so if baked immediately, the cookies won’t hold their shape—the butter will run out when the dough hits the heat. For the best results, refrigerate the cookie dough for at least four hours before baking.
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Yield
3-1/2 dozen
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars. Stir in eggs, egg yolk and vanilla until blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until set and edges are lightly browned, 11-13 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
Nutrition Facts
1 cookie: 138 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 79mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
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With the help of the sugar and cornstarch in the boxed pudding mix, these cookies will come out thick with a cakelike, pillowy texture. It's a twist on the classic cookie that definitely deserves a spot in the recipe box! —Nancy Mock, Southbridge, Massachusetts
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