Best Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies Recipe with Video
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Chocolate chip pudding cookies are pillowy soft in the center with perfectly crisp edges. Try them – you’ll never go back to your old recipe! The first time you make this simple cookie recipe, you’ll be hooked. This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe – ever!
The secret to extra gooey melt-in-your-mouth treats? Make your chocolate chip cookies with vanilla pudding!
It’s the perfect spin for a classic cookie, and turns this cookie from a good recipe into a great recipe. If you’re a fan of traditional chocolate chip cookies, you’ll love this easy twist!
They taste like regular chocolate chip cookies, but what is different is the texture of these cookies. They’re light and fluffy – and so good.
Plus, they’re such an easy cookie recipe to make! The next time that you have a craving, keep this recipe at your fingertips. It’s sure to be one of your favorite recipes for making cookies moving forward.
This has been my go to recipe for many years. You are going to love them.
These are particularly amazing when made into ice cream sandwiches. Simply add a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two rounds and press together.
For extra flair, roll the edges in sprinkles or your favorite toppings.
If you have a bake sale or cookie swap coming up, you’ll find plenty more cookie recipes to choose from especially our cherry cheesecake cookies.
They are guaranteed to be a hit!
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies – Tips and Tricks
- Use room temperature ingredients. Butter needs to be softened to cream properly, and eggs will incorporate more evenly into the dough when they aren’t cold.
Let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes or so before starting the recipe. - Check the label carefully. It’s crucial to use the instant variety for chocolate chip cookies with pudding.
Regular mixes won’t set up correctly and the dough will be too soft. - Want a different size? You can make these any size you would like with a few adjustments.
For larger treats, increase the time and lower the temperature if they start to get too dark. Smaller treats will bake up quickly, so keep a close eye on them to avoid burning. - Get them perfectly round. Grab a biscuit or round-shaped cutter that is slightly larger than the chocolate chip pudding cookies.
When they first come out of the oven, place the cutter around each one and move it in a circular motion. It will shape the soft edges into a perfect circle! - Storage: These will keep at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a week.
Variations
- Change the chocolate. These soft chocolate chip cookies are already perfection, but you can use other options like white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or dark chocolate chips, too.
- Use a different dry pudding mix. The fun part about adding the secret ingredient (pudding mixture) is that you can try adding a different box of instant pudding mix to the recipe.
Vanilla, chocolate, mint – all are great options and is sure to create delicious pudding cookie recipes. - Add peanut butter. A lot of people LOVE adding peanut butter to their cookie recipes.
While I’m more of a classic chocolate chip cookies type of gal, do what makes you happy! Peanut butter cookies are yummy, too.
Video: Chocolate Chip Cookies With Vanilla Pudding
To see us make this from start to finish, watch the video at the top of this post.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Stand mixer or large mixing bowl with hand mixer
- Baking Sheets – A standard 13×18 jelly roll pan is the perfect size for these chocolate chip pudding cookies. I’m able to fit two dozen rounds per pan.
- Parchment Paper or Silpat Mats – Line your pans with these for easy cleanup!
- 2 Tablespoon Scoop – Also great for meatballs, ice cream, and portioning out leftovers.
- Cooling Racks – Cool a large batch of treats without taking up a lot of counter space.
FAQ - Common Recipe Questions
The regular setting works just fine for these chocolate chip cookies with pudding mix.
Check to make sure your leavening agents are still active – look at the expiration dates or test the reaction. Baking powder will bubble with boiling water, and baking soda will bubble with vinegar.
Also, make sure your butter isn’t too soft to start since that can make your treats spread out and flatten. If it has already been added into the dough, just refrigerate the dough to firm it back up.
The size may be too big. Try using a smaller scoop for more even baking.
Dark metal baking sheets may also be the culprit. Reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees and try again.
If you store cookies in an airtight container, they should remain soft cookies during the duration. However, if any air gets to the baked cookies, they will firm up a bit and go from chewy cookies to a bit harder in texture.
Don’t fret.
You can get this soft cookie recipe back to chewy chocolate chip cookies by putting them in the microwave for a few seconds. The heat will warm the cookies and give you the best chewy chocolate chip cookies, ever.
You bet. This easy recipe makes the best chocolate chip cookies, but it does make a large batch. That means that once you get done baking all the cookie batter, you might find that you have some leftovers.
This is especially true if you make smaller cookies.
Once the baking time has passed, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and let them cool completely on a cooling rack. You can then move and store the cookies in a freezer bag to enjoy later.
If I have a lot of cookies to freeze, I like to put them in serving freezer bags so that I only thaw a few at a time. Helpful tips like this help me not eat them all in one setting!
To thaw the cookies, leave them in the fridge for a short time, or put them on the counter to come to room temperature. Pair with a cold glass of milk, and enjoy.
No matter if you enjoy this delicious chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven or chose to freeze and enjoy later, you’ll see why it’s a family favorite dessert. The simple steps make the best cookies!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Best Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies Recipe with Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, softened
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 3.4 ounce package instant French vanilla pudding, unprepared
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats. Set aside.
- Reserve 1/4 of milk chocolate chips to top the cookies to make them extra pretty. You can skip this step if you prefer.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl with an electric mixer) beat butter, sugar and pudding mix together until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Beat together until mixed, 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined (until you don’t see flour.
- Add the remaining 1 cup milk chocolate chips and the semi sweet chocolate chips and run the mixer on low (or hand mix) until chocolate chips are incorporated into the dough, about 30 seconds.
- Using a 2 tablespoon scooper, scoop cookies onto a baking sheet (I bake 6 rows of 4 per 13×18 jelly roll pan).
- Top each cookie dough scoop with 4 or 5 chocolate chips (from the reserved ¼ cup) and gently press them in so they don’t fall off.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown around the edges and the top looks matte.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. The cookies will be puffy, but they will settle down and hug your chocolate chips as they cool.
- Use a spatula to place cookies on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published November 2021, updated and republished December 2024
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Absolutely delicious! Will make these again…and again….and again.
I tried this recipe and OMG, fantastic, the best I’ve ever made. This is my first recipe review, which is saying something, as I have downloaded over 5,000 recipes, I know, a bit obsessive, but I’m afraid I’ll miss something good 🙂 They disappeared very quickly.
We found out later my brother hid a bunch from us! He prides himself as a really great cook, which he is, so that was a big compliment. We did find his stash and ate those too LOL. Everyone asked for the recipe, I was tempted not to give it to them so it would be MY secret/special recipe, but couldn’t as I wanted everyone to enjoy. Thank you Donna, I’ve tried a bunch of your recipes from your cookbook, never disappointed! Jean
Hi Jean,
Thank you so much! They are one of our favorites!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
I made these cookies and they were good but I was wondering about using chocolate pudding?
Donna and Chad, you’ve outdone yourselves with this chocolate chip pudding cookies recipe! It’s incredibly delicious and easy to make. It’s definitely a new favorite in my household.
Hi Summer!
We’re so glad you enjoyed!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
I have been making my chocolate chip cookies with pudding mix for at least 40 years, if not more, so I was surprised and delighted to see your recipe using pudding mix! In my opinion its the only way to make chocolate chip cookies. They are so good and everyone loves them. I use chocolate pudding mix to make chocolate chocolate chip cookies which the grandkids especially love! Thank you for all your great recipes!
Hi!
We’re so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
These chocolate chip pudding cookies are amazing! I added a teaspoon of cinnamon for a warm, spicy kick, and they turned out even better than I imagined. So easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Hi Ashley!
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
I commented before but I should have given this recipe five stars. Make them all the time now. Yum!
Hi Claire!
We’re so glad that you enjoy.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn