Soft and chewy chocolate chip pudding cookies are gooey and flavorful thanks to vanilla pudding mix. This twist on chocolate chip cookies is a fail proof favorite!

Chocolate chip pudding cookies on the counter.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy.

Best Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies Recipe

These pudding cookies are my all-time favorites! They taste similar to my best chocolate chip cookie recipe, but have a softer texture like chocolate chip sourdough cookies.

One of my friends made this chocolate chip pudding cookies recipe for a church activity a few months ago and shared it with me. Unlike a flat, more crisp original Toll House cookie recipe, they have a gooey middle and stay soft and chewy for days!

Ingredient Notes

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Instant vanilla pudding mix: You only need to use the dry instant pudding mix and no added ingredients. This secret ingredient makes the chocolate chip pudding cookie recipe extra soft for days.
  • Salted butter: I like to use salted, but you can use unsalted if you prefer.
  • Baking staples: All-purpose flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips: I used semisweet, but you can use a mix of milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet, bittersweet or even white chocolate chips.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

  • Cream together the butter and sugars using an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and then beat in the eggs, one at a time.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
  • Slowly combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients until mixed thoroughly.
  • Fold chocolate chips into the cookie dough and stir to combine.
  • Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
  • Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are light golden brown. For soft cookies, the centers will look a little underdone. Rest on the pan for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
A stack of pudding cookies with chocolate chips.

Pudding Cookies Tips and Variations

  • It must be instant pudding mix (not cook & serve). Don’t make the actual pudding!
  • You can do a mix of milk chocolate and white chocolate chips or even try butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips or dark chocolate chips.
  • My preference is using instant vanilla pudding mix, but chocolate would work too. I use butterscotch pudding for my butterscotch pudding cookies.
  • This recipe calls for the smaller box of instant pudding mix (3.4 oz). If you can only find the bigger one, add in a little more than half a box! It will be fine if it is not exact.
  • Add chocolate chips on top of the cookies right out of oven for the perfect touch!
  • Make them mini sized like my favorite mini chocolate chip cookie.

Storage

  • Store: Store baked cookies 2-3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. You can also freeze baked cookies up to 3 months.
  • Freeze: Flash freeze the cookie dough in balls until solid then keep in a freezer bag and bake straight from frozen! Place cookie dough balls on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet, let sit at room temp while oven preheats, then add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.
A chocolate chip pudding cookie being dunked into a glass of milk.

Want more soft cookie recipes? Make the best M&M cookies, pistachio cookies or chewy brown sugar cookies.

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookie Recipe

4.99 from 276 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 53 minutes
Servings: 24
Soft and chewy chocolate chip pudding cookies are gooey and flavorful thanks to vanilla pudding mix.
Print Pin This! Rate

Video

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup salted butter , softened
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix (just the dry mix)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips , plus more to taste (can do a mix of milk or white)

Instructions

  • Prep. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 
  • Cream wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the 1 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth and fluffy. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 eggs one at a time until combined. 
  • Combine wet and dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/3 cups flour, 3.4 ounce dry pudding mix, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Slowly stir into the wet ingredients until well combined. Fold in the 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.
  • Scoop. Using a medium cookie dough scoop, portion the dough onto the baking sheet.
  • Bake. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown; you want the center to look a little underdone. Let sit 2 to 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk! 

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Pudding mix:
  • Add it in dry…don’t make the actual pudding!
  • This recipe calls for the smaller box (3.4 ounce). If you can only find the bigger one, add in a little more than half a box! It will be fine if it is not exact.
  • It must be instant pudding mix (not cook & serve).
  • You can substitute other flavors of pudding mix (i.e. chocolate, butterscotch, etc.), however vanilla is my favorite.
Storage: Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. 
Freeze: 
  • Dough: Freeze the cookie dough in balls until solid and then store in a freezer bag up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, place cookie dough balls on a parchment- or silpat-lined baking sheet and let sit at room temp while the oven heats up. Add 1 to 2 minutes to the original cooking time.
  • Baked cookies: Let cool completely, then add to a freezer bag. Store in freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 170mg, Potassium: 96mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 263IU, Vitamin C: 0.03mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.