This Chocolate Chip Vanilla Pudding Cookie recipe is the BEST cookie recipe I have in my cookbook! They have a secret ingredient that makes them out of this world. They also have vanilla pudding in them so tell me, how can you go wrong? Best of all, NO CHILLING of the dough is necessary!
They're finallyyy here!! I have been working on this cookie recipe for over a year now. Soft-baked, chocolatey and thick, these cookies are to die for! Christmas will be here before you know it so you better get those mixers ready!
I made a batch to bring to work and I had FOUR people come to me throughout the day just to tell me how good they were. I love when people truly enjoy what I cook/bake. It just makes me so happy! So four people going out of their way just to give rave reviews? I was on cloud 9!
My overall goal for this recipes was to create the "perfect" chocolate chip cookie recipe...which is kinda funny when you think about it.
But, IS there such a thing? I mean, there are SO many delicious chocolate chip cookie recipes out there that I don't think it's possible to have the 'best', 'perfect', 'ultimate' cookie recipe.
With that said, this is MY kind of perfect. With a hint of coffee flavor, you get that mocha taste without being overwhelmed by coffee. These cookies are also super THICK which everyone loves! So if you want thin and crispy, you've come to the wrong place.
But wait, have you tried my Deep Fried Oreos yet?
Why These Are "The BEST"
Yes, I do think these are the best.
Why?
Because they are made with a secret ingredient! No, pudding mix is NOT the secret ingredient.
The SECRET INGREDIENT is INSTANT COFFEE!
These cookies are ALSO:
- soft
- moist
- chewy
- flavorful
- pillowy
- buttery
- puffy
- sweet but not too sweet
- have a deep molasses flavor from the brown sugar
- they never get rock hard
- you do not need to chill/refrigerate your dough!
These are not your thin, crispy cookie. They are the opposite. Thick and chewy and melt in your mouth delicious.
And for the record, let me say...I do enjoy BOTH types of cookies but we'll leave thin n' crispy for another day.
Get that cold glass of milk readyyy...
Instruction & Tips
- Cream together your butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. This is important to make sure your dough is airy and fluffy.
- Add in the other wet ingredients such as vanilla extract and eggs and mix again. Doing this before adding the dry ingredients helps everything incorporate better.
- Add in your dry ingredients such as flour, pudding mix, baking powder, salt and instant coffee leaving your chocolate chips for last. Adding the chips last will keep them from breaking up.
- Mix in your chocolate chip on LOW speed until just incorporated. You can use chocolate chips or chop up a chocolate bar into small pieces.
- Use a mini ice cream scoop to scoop balls of cookie dough onto a greased baking sheet. An ice cream scooper will help make your cookies consistent in size and uniform.
- Bake on the middle rack at 325 degrees F for 11-12 minutes. The middle rack will ensure your cookies don't burn on the bottom.
- Move to a cooling rack until cooled. Then scarf down 5-10. These babies will be extra delicate when they come out so make sure they cool down before you tamper with them.
The Instant Coffee
I added a little instant coffee because I was going for more of a mocha flavor. If you don't like coffee, don't worry, it's not like a cup of espresso hitting you in the face. It's more subtle making people wonder, "What IS that?" (in a good way).
Also, in case you didn't know, coffee helps to enhance the flavor of chocolate. This is why it is added to many chocolate cake recipes.
BUT if you don't want to add it, you can leave it out entirely.
The Pudding Mix
All pudding cookies are made with dry instant pudding mix!
Yes, regular cookie dough with instant pudding powder added straight to the dough! You do NOT need to mix the pudding with milk prior to adding it. Just throw in the powder with your dry ingredients!
I use Jello's instant vanilla pudding mix (the 3.4 oz box).
The awesome thing about pudding cookies is that you can add ANY instant pudding to your mix.
Other instant pudding add-ins:
- chocolate
- butterscotch
- banana
- cheesecake
- white chocolate
- lemon
Other Mix-Ins
If you wish, you can tweak this recipe to your liking by adding other ingredients like:
- walnuts (my favorite), pistachios, pecans
- oats
- raisins
- coconut
- M&M's
- white chocolate chips
- peanut butter chips
- sprinkles (for kids!)
Storage/Freezer Tips
Storing: Pudding cookies will last about 3-4 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature and 4-7 days in the fridge.
Freezing Raw: If you want to freeze your cookies, I recommend doing so while the dough is RAW. Scoop them into balls and lay on a baking sheet. Flash freeze them (until they harden) then toss them in a baggie so they don't stick to one another. OR you can roll into a cookie log and freeze in plastic wrap. Then cut your log or pop a ball onto a baking sheet and bake.
Freezing Baked: If you made an excess amount of cookies, wait for them to cool completely then, then flash freeze them on a baking sheet before adding them together. This will keep them from sticking.
FAQ's
Nestle semi-sweet balance the sweetness well but you could use milk or dark chocolate too.
No! Just add the DRY mix in.
I have not tried but keep in mind the conversions. You will need a lot less coconut flour.
Yes if white sugar is all you have but I highly recommend trying them with brown sugar. It makes a difference in flavor AND keeps them moist longer.
No you do not need to.
More delicious chocolate desserts you may like:
Salted Dark Chocolate Snack Bark
Vanilla Pudding Puppy Chow Recipe (without peanut butter)
2 Ingredient Chocolate Strawberry Yogurt Truffles
Easy Baked Churro Bites (with chocolate sauce)
Gooey Chocolate Chip Vanilla Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ Stick Unsalted Butter (10 Tbsp.) ((if using salted, omit the salt below))
- ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar ((light or white can be substituted))
- 1 ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1 Large Egg
- ¾ Tsp. Instant Coffee Powder ((or espresso powder) *Optional)
- ¼ Cup Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
- 1 ½ Tsp. Baking Powder
- ½ Tsp. Salt
- 1 Cup Flour
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. (yes 325!)
- In a mixer (using the paddle attachment if you have) cream together your butter and sugar on high until pale and fluffy. (about a minute or two.)
- Add your egg, vanilla extract, and instant coffee. Mix on medium speed until fully combined.
- In another bowl, add all of your dry ingredients. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed and add your dry into your wet scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once. Make sure you do NOT over mix!
- Stop mixer once the ingredients are mixed together. Lastly, add your chocolate chips and mix very briefly until they are dispersed throughout the dough.
- Scoop about 2 oz. of dough onto a nonstick baking sheet. No need to press them down.
- Bake on the MIDDLE rack for 12 minutes. Do not over-bake! They may not look done but they are! Allow to cool before transferring so they do not fall apart. Store in a sealed bag or container for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 3-5 months.
Recipe Notes
- walnuts (my favorite), pistachios, pecans
- oats
- raisins
- coconut
- M&M's
- white chocolate chips
- peanut butter chips
- sprinkles (for kids!)
Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!