Instant pudding makes these Pudding Cookies the softest, chewiest cookies you’ve ever had! Super simple to make and no chilling required!
Soft & Chewy Pudding Cookies
Ever since I learned how easy it is to make homemade pudding, it’s unlikely you’d catch me at the grocery store buying a packet of the instant stuff. You know, the little box of powder where you just add milk and wait five minutes? I thought I was done with it for good.
And for the most part I am. At least I’m done buying it for its intended purpose. However, did you know that instant pudding can be a great addition to some of your favorite baked goods?
It’s not uncommon for bakers to add a packet to their favorite cake recipe for added moisture or even to whipped cream for a stabilized, flavored frosting, but my personal favorite way to incorporate pudding into my baking is in the form of these Pudding Cookies.
The Key is in the Cornstarch
Cornstarch is a favorite “secret ingredient” of mine, and if you’ve tried my chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter cookies (or just about any of my other cookie recipes!) you might have noticed I use it frequently.
You’ve probably heard me say this a million times, but adding cornstarch helps to make cookies (and other baked goods like my favorite coffee cake) soft and tender.
Well guess what: Cornstarch is a key main ingredient in instant pudding, so it probably makes sense that it helps make these Pudding Cookies super soft and chewy, too, in addition to adding a little extra fun flavor.
What Flavor of Pudding Should I Use?
You can use any flavor of instant pudding that you’d like, but here are a few of my personal favorites:
- Vanilla (a safe bet that doesn’t add an overwhelming flavor)
- Caramel (current favorite, and the flavor I used to make the cookies you see in the photos here)
- Cheesecake
- Cookies & Cream
Feel free to experiment with your own favorite varieties, and if anyone is bold enough to try a fruit flavor, I’d love to hear how that tastes (I’ve stuck to sweet dessert flavorings only so far)!
Now, if you’re a cookie snob and the idea of adding instant pudding to your cookie dough doesn’t sit quite right with you, I totally get it. Additives and artificial flavorings are usually things I avoid in my baking and over the years I’ve become quite the cookie snob myself! Please feel free to stick to my other super soft cookie recipes, like my M&M Cookies or Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies if instant pudding just isn’t your thing!
However, adding pudding mix to my cookies was one of my favorite experiments when I was just learning how to bake, and to this day it’s one of my favorite ways to get super soft cookies and remains one of my family favorites.
Enjoy!
I originally shared this cookie recipe over on The Recipe Critic!
More Recipes You Might Like:
Let’s bake together! Be sure to check out my video at the bottom of the recipe where I’ll show you exactly how I make these Cinnamon Roll Cookies in my own kitchen! If you enjoy watching, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I’ve already uploaded over 150 recipe videos that you can watch for free!
Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups (360 g) + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 3.4 oz packet (96 g) Instant vanilla pudding mix (or preferred flavor)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (170 g) milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Place butter and sugars in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer and use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugars together until well-combined.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened, 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Stir in dry pudding mix and beat well.1 3.4 oz packet (96 g) Instant vanilla pudding mix (or preferred flavor)
- Add vanilla extract and eggs, stir well to combine.½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 ¾ cups (360 g) + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until completely combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips.1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup (170 g) milk chocolate chips
- Scoop cookie dough into approximately 2 Tablespoon-sized balls and gently roll between your palms to form a round ball. Place cookie dough on prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2” apart.
- Bake at 350F (175C) for 10-12 minutes (the centers will still seem very soft, this is fine, they will continue to cook and firm up as they cool).
- Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet before removing and enjoying.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Jan
Really tasty and soft centered. I actually like my chocolate chip cookies crispy but yum. What a great flavor, too.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Jan! 🙂
Heidi
Hi Sam, would sugar free and fat free instant pudding miux work? Would I need to adjust other ingredients for it?
Thank-you!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Heidi! We honestly haven’t tried it to know for sure. If you do, please let us know how it goes 😊
Julie
Made these last night. Doubled the recipe, using my stand mixer. Taste great! Thank you.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you liked them, Julie! Thanks for the review 🩷
Christian Scott
My kids and husband love ❤️ the cookies
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy they were a hit, Christian! Thanks for the review 🩷
Lucy
Just made these. Delicious.
I stopped after two but wanted more. Any recipe I have tried from you all have been delicious!!
Thank you!!
Sam
Thank you so much, Lucy! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed everything so much! 🙂
Glenda Harding
by far the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Glenda! 🙂
patrizia lovisa
I live in Italy and I can’t find instant pudding. Is there a substitue or how can I make it from scratch?
Sam
Hi Patrizia! I’m not sure how you would substitute it here. I would recommend either my eggless chocolate chip cookies or my worst chocolate chip cookies instead. 🙂
Lyndsey
Can I make these cookies bigger by using a bigger scoop of dough?
Sam
Hi Lyndsey! That should work. I would just worry about making them too large as they are a rather soft cookie and could start to fall apart when picked up if made too big.
Dallas
Can I use salted butter?? All I have
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yes! Just reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon. Read our post on using salted vs. unsalted butter to understand how to do this conversion in the future 😊