Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

What We're Cooking

The Secret to the Softest Chocolate Chip Cookies: Vanilla Pudding Mix

There’s nothing quite like pulling a tray of warm chocolate chip cookies out of the oven—the gooey chocolate, the golden edges, and that irresistible smell that fills the whole house. Over the years, I’ve tried dozens of cookie recipes, but this one has a secret ingredient that changes everything: vanilla pudding mix. Yes, you read that right. A simple box of instant pudding creates the softest, chewiest, stay-fresh-longer cookies you’ll ever bake.

Why Vanilla Pudding Works

The pudding mix adds both flavor and moisture to the dough. It gives the cookies that bakery-style chewiness and keeps them soft for days (if they last that long!). The subtle vanilla boost also deepens the flavor of the brown sugar and chocolate chips, making each bite extra indulgent.

The Ingredients:

by weight

1# Salted Butter, softened
12 oz. Brown Sugar
4 oz. Granulated Sugar
2 (3.4 oz) box Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
4 large Eggs
0.4 oz Vanilla Extract
620 g All-Purpose Flour
15 g Baking Soda
24 oz Semisweet Chocolate Chips OR to sight - wink wink

The Ingredients:

by measuring

2 cup Salted Butter, softened
1 ½ cup Brown Sugar
½ cup Granulated Sugar
2 (3.4 oz.) box Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
4 large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
4 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
24 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Add the pudding mix,
4. Add eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
5. Add in flour and baking soda. Mix till just incorporated.
6. Add in chocolate chips.
7. Scoop dough using the B&P “Small Cookie Scoop” or 2 oz. balls and place on baking sheets.
8. Bake 6 minutes, rotate and bake for an additional 3 minutes OR until edges are lightly golden but centers still look soft. Remember EVERY oven is different so customize to what works best for your oven.
9. Cool on the sheet until ready to transfer!

Tips for the Best Results

Don’t overbake—these cookies are meant to be soft! Take them out when they still look slightly underdone in the center.
Try switching up the pudding mix flavor—lemon, butterscotch, or chocolate pudding also work beautifully.
Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before baking for a bakery-style finish.
Always play with your add ins—pecans, walnuts, white and/or butterscotch chips, etc.
Save time later and double your recipe now, scoop and freeze raw cookie dough, toss in a zip-loc and bake from frozen.

These cookies are my go-to whenever I need something quick, comforting, and sure to impress. The vanilla pudding makes them melt-in-your-mouth soft, with just the right balance of chewy and gooey. Once you try this recipe, you may never go back to regular chocolate chip cookies again.

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