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Not only is this the best pudding cookies recipe, but it’s also the best chocolate chip cookie recipe…and one of the only ones I ever want to make! They’re soft and gooey and full of chocolate – and they stay soft for DAYS!
Have you ever just wanted the BEST basic recipe for something? A recipe that you can print out and have and never use another recipe ever again? You guys, THIS IS IT. This is basically the same recipe I use for all my pudding cookies (including Fireworks Pudding Cookies and Santa’s Favorite Cookies).
If you’ve never had a pudding cookie then you need to STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING and go make this recipe. Pudding cookies are soft and chewy, gooey and full of flavor, and they stay soft for days. Really, they’re the BEST cookie you’ll ever eat.
Ingredient Notes
- These have all the basic cookie ingredients save for a not so secret ingredient: INSTANT Pudding Mix. You use a small box of instant pudding in the cookie batter (not cook ‘n serve!) Don’t make the pudding, just throw the powder in when you’re making the dough. The pudding mix keeps them soft while it adds a ton of flavor. These are chocolate chip pudding cookies, but you can use any flavor pudding to change up the cookies and any kind of mix-ins too.
- I use ONLY light brown sugar in these cookies. I like brown sugar cookies best because brown sugar has a more caramelized flavor and it also helps keep the cookies soft. My favorite blondie recipe is also purely made of brown sugar – there is a theme there.
How to make Pudding Cookies
- You cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the egg, salt, baking soda, and dry pudding mix.
- Once it’s all mixed, add in the chocolate chips or other mix-ins.
- You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for a thick and puffy cookie. I know, waiting an hour to bake them is hard, but it’s worth the wait. See how they’re like little pillows of heaven? You get that because you refrigerate them.
Storing Cookies
Store baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Because of the pudding mix and brown sugar, they’ll stay soft for several days. You can also freeze pudding cookies for several months.
Expert Tips
- Use a cookie scoop to get evenly sized cookies. I love using a 2-tablespoon size, but for mini cookies, use a 1-tablespoon scoop.
- Cookies are done when they’re golden brown around the edges and no longer look glossy in the center.
- Do not skip chilling the dough for the best flavor!
- Make sure to use instant pudding mix only – not sugar-free or cook ‘n serve pudding. You want the dry pudding mix, so you cannot use snack-pack pudding!
The BEST Pudding Cookies Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter , softened
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 (3.4-3.9 ounce) box Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups (155g) all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (255g) chocolate chips
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 chocolate chips or other mix-ins.
- 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 1 hour.
- 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
- Use the powder mix, not actual pudding. Only use instant, not cook ‘n serve, and I don’t recommend sugar free pudding mix.
- Most pudding mix comes in two sizes: small and large. Use the smaller size, which is about 3-4 ounces.
- You can use ANY flavor instant pudding to change up the cookie flavor
- Use any mix-ins (up to 1 1/2 cups total)
Sound good can i use Bird pudding powder
I am not sure what that is
So I noticed I bought sugar free pudding mix and it’s NOTICEABLY lighter in weight in the package, will that have any affect on the recipe, provided I use 3.4oz of it?
One package is enough – it still yields the same amount of pudding that a regular one does. The only thing you might notice is the cookies might not spread as much (sugar-free subs will do that).
Just a little tip for diabetics I use a sugar free brown sugar, Lily’s chocolate chips, and sugar free jello! They turn out amazing every time!
These are delicious especially the pistachio and white chocolate chips I love these so much I have made them A LOT
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