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.

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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 280 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.
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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.