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Soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies made with pudding to keep them soft! Perfect for dunking in a cold glass of milk, sandwiching around ice cream, or warm and gooey straight out of the oven.

Looking for more soft cookies? Try pistachio pudding cookies, triple chocolate pudding cookies, or pumpkin pudding cookies next!

two chocolate chip pudding cookies stacked on top of each other with a bite taken out of the top one
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I posted this recipe a while back, but I thought it deserved some new love and recognition. This is by far my most favorite recipe here on WMM and the pictures needed to match that! Plus I’ve included an easy step by step recipe video to show you just how easy it is

Why I Love these Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

These are the best cookies you will ever have! Hundreds of people make these each week, with rave reviews. This is going to become your new favorite cookie, especially if you like soft and chewy cookies. They’re like classic chocolate chip cookies, but ultra soft and gooey with crispy edges.

The best part of these chocolate chip pudding cookies? They’re quick and they require zero chilling! They only take around 10 minutes in the oven, a few extra to cool and you’re ready to dunk in a big glass of milk! They’ll look a little undercooked when you take them out of the oven, but I promise they will finish cooking on the baking sheet. I always like my cookies just barely cooked so they are extra soft.

The recipe makes about 14-15 cookies, so if you’re making them for a party or family I recommend doubling it to take to your event. But if not, I like to freeze the dough so I’m ready to take fresh baked cookies anywhere at the last minute. I always double this recipe when I make it so I can freeze half of the dough.

I think this recipe holds the perfect amount of chocolate chips. There’s plenty of chocolate in every bite! The dough is thick enough to hold all the good stuff, so if you’re a chocolate lover feel free to add more.

They’re so soft, extra chewy, deliciously-buttery, have just the right amount of vanilla flavor, and are oozing with melted gooey chocolate. They make your house smell magical and they melt in your mouth right out of the oven. This recipe is unfailing and you can always count on it to bake someone’s day, get some compliments at a party, or as a pick me up just because.

They make the best addition to your Christmas cookie spread during the holiday season and are a crowd pleaser all year round. They’re a go-to in my house and I’m sure you will make them countless times too!

Video: Watch How to Make Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

These chocolate chip pudding cookies are the softest and most delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever had and it really deserves to shine. They’re a favorite of anyone I make them for and the favorite of readers here on What Molly Made!

On top of the video, I also went in to more detail about how you make these chocolate chip pudding cookies so perfect. I’ve made this recipe countless times and over the course of the last few years have nailed down the unique tips and tricks that made these cookies turn out perfect every time. I hop you enjoy them just as much as I do!

I’ve been making these chocolate chip pudding cookies ever since an old friend’s mom gave me the pudding secret. At the time the pudding phenomenon was unheard of and it used to be “our secret ingredient.” Now everyone is hip to the wonderful ingredient that keeps these cookies so soft.

I’ve spent a few years perfecting this recipe, but we finally found my favorite techniques through lots of trial and error. So I want to share them with yo

15 chocolate chip cookies made with vanilla pudding cooling on a black cooling rack

I’ve been making these chocolate chip pudding cookies ever since an old friend’s mom gave me the pudding secret. At the time the pudding phenomenon was unheard of and it used to be “our secret ingredient.” Now everyone is hip to the wonderful ingredient that keeps these cookies so soft.

I’ve spent a few years perfecting this recipe, but we finally found my favorite techniques through lots of trial and error. So I want to share them with you!

5 Tips for Making Perfect Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies Every Time

  1. Make sure to cream the butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar for the allotted amount of time. When you cream the butter and sugar together the sugar cuts into the butter and creates air pockets. This is what makes the cookies bake tall and not spread everywhere. It also makes them so thick and chewy!
  2. Measure the flour correctly. To measure it perfectly, spoon the flour into the measuring cup then scrape it off the top.
  3. Use parchment paper! A silicone baking mat works well too, but I swear by parchment. It creates even baking and the cookies stay thick and chewy the whole time.
  4. Use 1/4 cup of cookie dough for each cookie. Yes, that’s a lot of cookie dough! But it’s what makes them so perfect and thick. You’re going to feel like it’s a lot but don’t worry, it’s the perfect amount. I like to roll my dough into a rustic looking ball, it doesn’t have to be perfect!
  5. Place chocolate chips on top when they come out of the oven. There’s a good amount of chocolate chips in the batter, but adding a few more chocolate chips to the top of the cookie right when you pull them out of the oven makes them look perfect! That way the outside matches all the yummy and gooey cookie on the inside?
six freshly baked chocolate chip pudding cookies on a piece of parchment paper with melted chocolate chips on top and a bit taken out of the center one so you can see the gooey inside

 I’m a sucker for soft-baked chocolate chip cookies. Emphasis on the soft-baked part. Give me a big crunchy cookie and I could pass it up any day of the week.

The simple Ingredients

As for the ingredients, nothing out of the ordinary or fancy schmanzy. Just the usual: flour, butter, baking soda, sugar, eggs, vanilla and love of course ❤️.

Then comes the secret ingredient: the vanilla pudding. Just the instant pudding packet! The dry pudding goes right into the batter.

I promise these cookies will stay soft for days!

Customize These Pudding Cookies

  • Try using another type of pudding mix like white chocolate pudding mix, cheesecake pudding mix, pistachio pudding, or even chocolate pudding.
  • Swap out the chocolate chips for something else like white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or dark chocolate chips.

How to freeze cookies

If you want to make them in advance the cookie dough or the baked cookies freeze really well. Just cover in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Or freeze the dough and bake from frozen (just add an extra minute or two).

freshly baked chocolate chip cookie with pudding mix broken in half and sitting on parchment paper to show the gooey chocolate inside
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4.39 from 940 votes

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 32 minutes
Soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies made with pudding to keep them soft! Perfect for dunking in a cold glass of milk, sandwiching around ice cream, or warm and gooey straight out of the oven.

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Servings: 15 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (vegan butter works too)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
  • In a separate bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on high speed until light and creamy, at least 3 minutes. Do not skip this step. 
  • Add the dry pudding mix, vanilla and eggs and beat on high for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  • Slowly add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and turn the mixer on low speed to start so the flour doesn't get everywhere. Turn the mixer up to high speed and mix until combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and repeat until dough is just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula until incorporated.
  • Use a large cookie scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup to drop the cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden and just set on the top. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for two minutes then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Notes

How to freeze the dough: roll the dough into balls then freeze on a baking sheet. Once they’re frozen solid, transfer to a plastic bag and freezer for up to 6 months. Bake from frozen for 1-2 minuets longer.
How to freeze baked cookies: Allow to cool completely then store in an air tight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp then warm up in the microwave or oven.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.3g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 12.6g | Cholesterol: 32.5mg | Sodium: 489.9mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 34.9g

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

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Recipe Rating




251 Comments

  1. Cookie Baker says:

    1 star
    I really wish these turned out, but they didn’t. I did everything per the directions, even read the comment about whipping butter and sugar for 2 minutes and not over. I bought a new baking soda to ensure a fluffy cookie. They take okay but I took them out and they are as flat as can be. I’m not sure what went wrong here.

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Hey there! There could have been a lot of things that go wrong. The biggest culprit of flat cookies is too soft butter. Room temp butter should be cool and firm to the touch still (about 60°F). You’ll also want to check that you’re measuring your ingredients correctly. I’ve made these truly hundreds of times without an issue so I’m guessing something was amiss! Hopefully I can help troubleshoot. Thanks!

  2. Beth Sherman says:

    5 stars
    OMG…this is the recipe I have been looking for! Crunch on the bottom doughy/soft on top!!! Super easy!!! Thanks…this will be my go to recipe!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Love that Beth! Thanks!

  3. Audrie says:

    5 stars
    I’ve made these cookies so many times and they’re always so yummy. The first couple times I’ve made these, they didn’t flatten or get oily and he recently they’ve been really flat and sometimes oily. I tried to to use cold butter, add more flower, I tried to chill them, I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. They were perfect the first couple times now I can’t figure out what I need to fix.

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Hey Audrie! Cookies can be so tricky when they don’t work. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly. I would triple check the butter like you said, measure the flour just right, and use room temperature eggs. I would also double check the expiration on your baking soda. It should only be opened for 6 months max or you need new.

      You could also be over beating the butter and sugar. Don’t go beyond the 3 minutes (max). I find 2 minutes is the best. If you overmix, you will end up aerating the dough too much, which causes the cookies to rise and then fall, leaving you with flat cookies. Next time test one cookie by itself and if it falls flat then chill or freeze the dough overnight. Hope this helps!

  4. Christy says:

    5 stars
    These NEVER let me down!! Everyone always raves about these and asks for them to be brought at any event!!
    I’ve also done versions with chocolate pudding and one with banana pudding!!! Nom nom nom!!!!!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Yum banana ones sound amazing! Thanks Christy!

  5. Elena says:

    5 stars
    I’ve made these cookies so many times and they’re always a hit!! So perfect and gooey😍 We currently live in Italy and I’ve given some to our Italian neighbors and their minds were blown!! Your recipes are loved all around the world.

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Oh my gosh, Elena! Thank you for taking the time to share.

  6. Helen says:

    Oh my! These are delicious!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Thank you!

  7. Sherry says:

    5 stars
    Made these cookies with my grandchildren.
    And they were Delicious 🥰
    Most definitely will continue to bake these cookies with them.
    By the way.. we had none left that night. Made two dozen.

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      I love that so much! What a special tradition:)

  8. Stephie says:

    5 stars
    Finally a recipe that my cookies do not flatten out while baking!!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Such a compliment! Thanks!

  9. Chelsea says:

    5 stars
    There are never any left when I make these! Everyone absolutely loves them!!

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Our favorites too! Glad you like them, Chelsea!

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