Soft Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies | Easy Vanilla Pudding Cookie Recipe
Want super soft, fluffy chocolate chip cookies packed with melt-in-your-mouth flavor? 🍪 These Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies are the ultimate treat! Thanks to instant vanilla pudding mix, these cookies stay soft and chewy for days.
This quick and versatile recipe also makes it easy to create double chocolate chip cookies, banana nut cookies, and more. If you’re searching for the best soft chocolate chip cookies with pudding, this easy recipe is your new favorite!
📋 Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Cooling Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: ~30 minutes
- Yield: About 36 cookies
🧾 Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 (12 oz) bag milk chocolate chips
- Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
🍪 How to Make Soft Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar, until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, and vanilla extract, mixing them in well.
- Add the pudding mix. Mix lightly.
- Add the flour and baking soda. Mix just until combined — don’t overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips (and walnuts if using).
- Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons or use a cookie scoop to place on an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake for 11 minutes — cookies will look slightly underbaked. That’s perfect!
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredient |
Amount Used |
Package Size |
Full Package Cost |
Used Cost |
Butter |
1 cup (2 sticks) |
1 lb (4 sticks) |
$3.98 |
$1.99 |
Brown Sugar |
3/4 cup |
2 lb bag |
$2.18 |
$0.41 |
White Sugar |
1/4 cup |
4 lb bag |
$2.28 |
$0.09 |
Instant Vanilla Pudding |
1 small box (3.4 oz) |
per box |
$1.32 |
$1.32 |
Eggs |
2 large |
1 dozen |
$2.19 |
$0.36 |
Vanilla Extract |
1 tsp |
2 oz bottle |
$4.48 |
$0.37 |
All-Purpose Flour |
2 1/4 cups |
5 lb bag |
$2.24 |
$0.30 |
Baking Soda |
1 tsp |
1 lb box |
$1.24 |
$0.02 |
Milk Chocolate Chips |
12 oz bag |
12 oz bag |
$2.48 |
$2.48 |
Optional Walnuts |
1/2 cup |
8 oz bag |
$4.24 |
$1.06 |
🧾 Total Used Cost (no nuts): $7.32 ($0.20 per cookie)
🧾 Total Used Cost (with walnuts): $8.38 $0.23 per cookie)
🍫 Easy Flavor Variations
- Double Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies: Swap the vanilla pudding for instant chocolate pudding.
- Banana Nut Cookies: Use banana pudding mix and add 1 cup chopped walnuts.
- White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies: Replace chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and add 1/2 cup macadamia nuts.
❓ FAQ About Pudding Cookies
What does pudding mix do to cookies?
It makes them ultra-soft, fluffy, and gives a boost of vanilla flavor that stays fresh for days.
Can I freeze pudding cookie dough?
Yes! Scoop onto a baking sheet, freeze, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen — just add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
Do I have to chill the dough?
Nope! This dough bakes perfectly without chilling.
🍪 Related Recipes You’ll Love
- Double Chocolate Butterscotch Chip Cookies
- Strawberry Pudding Cookies
- Lemon Almond Pudding Mix Cookies
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Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- cookie scoop or tablespoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks )
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed )
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 12 oz milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy.1 cup butter, softened3/4 cup brown sugar1/4 cup white sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract; mix until well combined.2 large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in the instant vanilla pudding mix and mix lightly.3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
- Add the flour and baking soda; mix just until combined. Do not overmix.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda
- Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts (if using).12 oz milk chocolate chips
- Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons (or use a cookie scoop) onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 11 minutes. Cookies will look slightly underbaked — that’s perfect!
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Equipment
Notes
- For softer, chewier cookies, avoid overbaking.
- These cookies stay soft for days when stored in an airtight container.
- Try swapping the vanilla pudding for chocolate or banana pudding for flavor variations.
If you altered the ingedients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cooking/baking time.
Nutrition
✨ Final Thoughts
These Soft Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies are perfect for any occasion — bake sales, parties, holidays, or just because you deserve a soft, delicious cookie. 🍪💛
Once you try baking cookies with pudding mix, you’ll never go back!
Love this base recipe! I tried swapping in lemon pudding and adding lemon zest—turned out like sunshine in a cookie. 😍 Might experiment with pistachios next!
These reminded me of the soft sugar cookies I had growing up! I used a splash of almond extract along with vanilla and they had a really nice depth of flavor.
Made these vanilla pudding cookies with the kids—so soft and chewy! Added mini chocolate chips and they were gone in an hour 😂
Ok I added chocolate chips AND drizzled melted chocolate over the top because… why not? 😅 Totally worth it. This dough is such a great base for mix-ins.
I chilled the dough for 30 minutes before baking and it made them extra thick and chewy—highly recommend if you like a softer cookie. My family knows me as, “Butter Lover Who Always Adds Extra”
Super easy for a beginner like me! I accidentally used French vanilla pudding instead of regular and it still turned out delicious. Wonder how butterscotch pudding would taste?
Made a double batch for my office cookie swap and they were the first ones gone! Next time I’m thinking about adding white chocolate chips and dried cranberries—anyone tried that combo?