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These 4th of July Cookies are my favorite pudding cookie recipe ever. And that’s an hefty endorsement, since I love pudding cookies so much! Fireworks Pudding Cookies – a brown sugar pudding cookie full of red, white, and blue!
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BEST 4th of July Cookies EVER
If you’re looking for the best EASY 4th of July Cookies you’re in the right place! These are my favorite cookies in the world:
- They’re pudding cookies – so they stay soft for days.
- You can use any mix-ins but we love 4th of July M&Ms and sprinkles – or use any colors! I’ve made these for Easter and Christmas too!
- They freeze well, so you can make them ahead of time!
Tons of brown sugar, stay soft for days, and so much flavor – they’re going to be your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe EVER!
What is a pudding cookie?
When I say that these pudding cookies are my favorite pudding cookies, I’m not joking. I’ve made lots of pudding cookies over the years (like lemon, coconut, oatmeal, and chocolate) but up until now my favorite have been the Cashew Buttersctoch ones. Soft and full of flavor, those cookies were a hit. Butterscotch and cashews not withstanding, I think what made those cookies such a winner was the brown sugar. They were full of it…and so are these.
Pretty much these cookies are brown sugar pudding cookies. Brown sugar is the only sugar in the cookies, besides what’s in the pudding mix itself. Using all brown sugar in a recipe intensifies and deepens the cookie flavor while leaving them pillowy soft and chewy.
So, pretty much, when you add brown sugar AND pudding mix to a cookie? Softness explosion. If you like a soft cookie that still has some chew, these are for you.
The best part about a pudding cookie recipe is that you can completely change the cookie with one simple substitution. Those Cashew Butterscotch cookies had butterscotch pudding. (Hence the deep color and intense butterscotch flavor!) I chose a simple vanilla pudding for these cookies, so you really taste the brown sugar and vanilla you’d expect from a chocolate chip cookie.
Ingredients Needed
- Instant Pudding Mix – This is the secret ingredient to the best cookies. I use vanilla for this recipe, but you can use any flavor to change up the cookie recipe. Chocolate Pudding Cookies are fantastic too!
- Regular cookie ingredients, like butter and vanilla extract, all purpose flour and baking soda.
- Brown Sugar – these are totally brown sugar cookies – which adds tons of flavor AND keeps them soft.
- Patriotic Sprinkles and M&Ms – Use your favorites!
How to make 4th of July Cookies
These cookies are easy and come together fast. They do require chilling, but that’s because I love an extra-soft and gooey cookie. I added 4th of July M&Ms and red and blue sprinkles so they look like Fireworks Pudding Cookies! We all know that cookies are perfect for summer parties. They don’t melt or require serving utensils, which makes these the perfect party cookie!
FAQs
Freeze the cookie dough or baked cookies for up to 3 months. If baking frozen cookie dough, allow it to thaw before baking.
Sometimes you’ll notice cookies staying in a ball while baking. This has to do with how chilled they are and sometimes even the brand of ingredients you use. If you notice this happening, just press them lightly with the palm of your hand to help them flatten.
Fireworks Pudding Cookies
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter , softened
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 3.4 ounce box INSTANT Vanilla Pudding Mix (just the mix, don't make the pudding)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups (155g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup red and blue sprinkles or any colors
- ¾ cup 4th of July M&Ms or any color of M&M
Instructions
- Note: This dough requires chilling.
- Cream butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You can also use a hand mixer.) Mix in egg and vanilla until smooth. Add pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined. Mix in flour, then stir in sprinkles and M&Ms.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment or a silpat baking mat. There’s no need to space them out, you’re going to chill them. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats. Place chilled cookie dough balls 2” apart on cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes or until the edges just start to turn brown. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to one month.
Recipe Notes
- Sometimes you’ll notice cookies staying in a ball while baking. This has to do with how chilled they are and sometimes even the brand of ingredients you use. If you notice this happening, just press them lightly with the palm of your hand to help them flatten.
- Freeze cookies or dough for up to 3 months. Thaw cookie dough before baking.
Does anyone know if I can use gluten free flour?
I’ve used it in other cookies (the 1:1 all purpose substitute) and it worked but made them a little more crumbly. The pudding should compensate, but let me know how they turn out!
My first batch of these cookies are chilling as we speak, waiting to be baked. The dough looks (and tastes lol) great! They will be going to a family 4th gathering this evening (if there are any left)! Thanks for sharing!
Enjoy!!
A trick I learned to keep cookies fresh was to keep a slice of white bread in the container. It works great!
I made these for work and they were gone in minutes! I’m definitely keeping this recipe on hand. They were tasty!
Love the recipe! Does anyone know by chance how many cookies this batch makes?
About 2 dozen (2 tablespoon size).
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