Everyone loves chocolate chip pudding cookies, but these are the absolute best ones. Soft, made with a combination of butter and shortening, two kinds of chocolate chips and lots of vanilla flavoring.
You might also like our collection of famous copycat chocolate chip cookie recipes. From Gideon's Bakehouse to Subway and Chick-fil-a to Disney we've got you covered!
Watch our step by step video!
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
It's no secret that chocolate chip cookies are my favorite kind of cookies. I have probably 20 versions of them on this site! They are a classic, comfort treat. Adding a box of instant vanilla pudding mix to the cookie dough is nothing new, it's how many people make their cookies. This is just my version. I use both butter and shortening (butter for flavor and shortening for texture), two kinds of chocolate chips (milk and semisweet) and a truck load of vanilla (1 Tablespoon of extract and a box of vanilla pudding mix). The cookies have soft, fudge-like centers once cooled and can be warmed in the microwave for a few seconds the next day for a gooey cookie. This post is chalked full of tips for making the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookie Ingredients
Butter and Shortening: I use salted butter and regular shortening, but you can use butter flavored shortening if you'd like. I recommend always using butter or a combination of butter and shortening for the best flavor and texture. I typically don't use shortening alone and I never bake with margarine.
Sugar: a combination of brown and white sugars sweeten the cookie and give them great texture.
Eggs: for richness.
Vanilla Extract: have you tried making your own vanilla extract? It's easy to do and delicious. I use an entire tablespoon of vanilla in this recipe, but you can measure with your heart.
All purpose flour, salt and baking soda: for baking I like using kosher salt, but you can use whatever you'd like.
Vanilla Pudding Mix: you can use any flavor of pudding mix that you'd like, but just remember that the flavor will come through to the cookies. Vanilla is a good, safe choice for a classic chocolate chip cookie and you'll need a regular sized box (3 oz.)
Chocolate Chips: of course. One regular bag is sufficient, I like using half milk chocolate chips and half semisweet chocolate chips (about a cup of each).
Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Butter: As mentioned before, always use butter or a combination of butter and shortening. Butter yields the best flavor!
Light Baking Sheets: I only bake on light colored baking sheets. My favorite are these aluminum half sheet pans that you can buy onAmazon (Sam's Club also sells a similar one). The light colored pans bake much more evenly than dark pans.
Cookie Scoop vs. Hand Scooped: I like both methods for different reasons. Using a scoop ensures that your cookies are all the same size and the tops bake up smooth. Using your hand and dropping rustic balls of cookie dough on the pans will give your cookies those beautiful nooks and crannies. That's what I did for the cookies in these photos. Either way works, you do you!
Do Not Overbake: As soon as the cookies start to look golden around the edges, pull the pans out of the oven. The cookies may seem underdone, but will continue to bake on the pans as they cool. Sometimes I'll transfer the cookies to a wire rack after a few minutes, other times I'll let the cookies cool completely on the pan. It just depends on how gooey you want the centers to be.
Store Properly: Cookies left out on the counter will dry out by day 2. I store my cooled cookies in an airtight container or wrap individually in plastic.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Cream butter, shortening and sugars together until fluffy. I used an electric hand-held mixer.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add to the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating until completely mixed.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop balls of cookie dough onto the baking sheets. These are about 3 Tablespoons in size and I did not scoop them. Just grabbed balls of dough with my hands.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.
The Best Recipe for Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter softened (1 ½ sticks)
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix (3.4 ounce box)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups chocolate chips (1 bag)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, if desired. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl cream butter, shortening and sugars.Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Combine flour, pudding mix, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, slowly, mixing thoroughly.
- Add chocolate chips and stir by hand until incorporated.
- Portion dough into 3 Tablespoon sized balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, 6-8 cookies per sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, or until edges look light brown. Cool on cookie sheet. Cookies will firm up as they cool.Note: if making smaller cookies (2 Tbsp. size) bake for 10 minutes or until edges look light brown.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 2 dozen large cookies or 3 dozen regular sized cookies.
- I use half milk chocolate chips and half semisweet chocolate chips.
- You can use regular shortening or butter flavored shortening. If you prefer to not use shortening at all you can use all butter. The consistency will not be the same as mine (quite as soft), but they will still be delicious!
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container or wrap individually in plastic to keep fresh.
Brandy says
Hi everyone! Brandy here, everyone needs a good chocolate chip pudding cookie recipe, and I hope these will become yours. So soft and the pudding adds great flavor. Enjoy!
Sue B says
Can you make the tiny chocolate chips with this recipe
Brandy says
You can make these with mini chocolate chips!
Susan Bawarski says
Can you use this recipe to make the tiny chocolate chip cookies?
Brandy says
I don’t see why not! Would be cute and yummy!