Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

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Introducing the softest and chewiest chocolate chip pudding cookies to ever come out of your oven! Adding Instant pudding mix creates the perfect cookie that dreams are made of.

Instant pudding mix is the gift that keeps on giving! It is so versatile and is a key ingredient in many delicious desserts. We love the addition of pudding in this Strawberry Cheesecake Salad or my Layered Pistachio Dessert. It’s also a vital ingredient in Stabilized Whipped Cream!

Everybody loves a delicious, soft, chocolate chip cookie and these chocolate chip pudding cookies are the ones to make! The secret to the softness in this cookie recipe is the pudding mix! It magically results in the softest, chewiest, irresistible chocolate chip cookies. Using instant pudding powder in cookie dough keeps your cookies soft for days! Choose your favorite pudding flavor to create the world’s softest chocolate chip cookies. Your friends and family will LOVE these cookies and request them for everything gathering.

Heaven to me is warm homemade cookies right out of the oven! It’s my love language to my family and friends. If you’re looking to show your love through cookies then make these Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles, my easy No Bake Cookies, or our favorite Butter Pecan Cookies

Ingredients You’ll Need

Classic pantry staple ingredients are all that you need to make these yummy cookies. The only ingredient out of the ordinary is the instant vanilla pudding mix so make sure to grab a box while you’re at the store. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Salted Butter: This adds richness and a creamy texture.
Light Brown Sugar: I love how brown sugar brings a caramel-like flavor and moisture.
Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness to the cookies.
Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: I know it sounds odd, but trust me on this one because it results in the softest cookies!
Eggs: I always use large eggs when baking because they add moisture and structure.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a sweet flavor to the cookies. As you can see in the recipe, I added a bit more than most recipes, and I love the results!
All-Purpose Flour: Gives structure and a soft texture.
Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and become tender.
Salt: This balances sweetness and enhances flavor. I used salted butter, so I didn’t add a lot of extra salt.
Milk Chocolate Chips: Melts to create gooey pockets of sweetness.

Let’s Make Chocolate Chip Cookies With Vanilla Pudding

This chocolate chip pudding cookie recipe is easy to make and are always a hit! Everyone always asks me for the recipe because they are irresistibly soft and the secret ingredient of pudding mix always blows their mind. This recipe is a keeper!

Preheat Oven/ Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit then line a sheetpan with parchment paper.
Cream the Butter and Sugars: Cream together the butter and sugars using an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer. Beat for 2 minutes until light and creamy in color.
Add the Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Mix in the dry pudding mix.
Mix in the Vanilla and Eggs: Add the vanilla extract and eggs and mix until combined.
Add the Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the dough is just combined.
Stir in the Chocolate Chips: Stir in the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
Scoop and Roll: Scoop cookie dough into approximately 2 tablespoon-sized balls and gently roll between your palms to form a round ball. Place the cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2” apart.
Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden.
Cool and Enjoy: Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a baking rack to finish cooling. The centers will seem soft, but they will firm up as they cool.

First photo of butter and sugars mixed and pudding powder added. — Cream together the butter and sugars
then blend in the pudding powder.

Second phot of the eggs and vanilla added. — Cream together the butter and sugars
then blend in the pudding powder.

Tips For Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

I have made these cookies time and time again and I have some tips to get you perfect results! I can’t wait for you to make them and I want you to have success, so here are my tips below!

No Chilling Necessary: This chocolate chip cookie recipe is so fast and easy. It doesn’t require any chilling so you can enjoy the cookies in no time at all! It is however ok to chill leftover dough. Chilling the dough results in a puffier cookie.
Instant Pudding Powder: Don’t skip this ingredient, it is the secret to these soft and chewy cookies! The ingredients in the pudding mix act as a preservative to prolong the softness of the cookie. Be sure to use instant pudding powder, not cook and serve.
Roll the Dough: I have found that rolling the dough for this recipe creates a perfectly shaped cookie.
Chocolate Chips: The beauty of this recipe is that you can choose the chocolate chips you would like to add. I prefer milk chocolate chips, but you can use semi-sweet, white, or a combination of all three!

Top view of chocolate chip pudding cookies with a bite out of one of them.

Use INSTANT Pudding

Make sure the pudding is “instant” and not “cook and serve.” There’s no need to make the pudding beforehand, you just need the dry mix to go into the cookie dough.

Storing Leftover Cookies and Dough

These chocolate chip pudding cookies store great and the pudding mix keeps them soft days later! I also have tips for freezing the dough!

On the Counter: Store baked cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5-7 days. The ingredients in the pudding mix act like a “preservative” to keep them softer for longer.
To Refrigerate Cookie Dough: If you know you will be baking these cookies within the next few days then you can just refrigerate the dough. Store it in an airtight container and it will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Allow the dough to sit on the counter to soften a bit before scooping.
To Freeze Cookie Dough: If you are not quite ready to bake your cookie dough then place the dough in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months in the freezer. To save time, roll the dough into balls and then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for about an hour, then layer the cookie dough balls in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer.

Close side view of chocolate chip pudding cookies stacked on a plate with the top two cookies bitten into.

More Pudding Cookies to Try

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit then line a sheetpan with parchment paper.
Cream together the butter and sugars using an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer. Beat for 2 minutes until light and creamy in color.
Mix in the dry pudding mix.
Add the vanilla extract and eggs and mix until combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the dough is just combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
Scoop cookie dough into approximately 2 tablespoon-sized balls and gently roll between your palms to form a round ball. Place the cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2” apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden.
Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a baking rack to finish cooling. The centers will seem soft, but they will firm up as they cool.

Updated on April 13, 2024
Originally Posted on May 24, 2019

Serving: 24cookiesCalories: 227kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 171mgPotassium: 32mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 281IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.