Chocolate Chip-Pudding Cookies - Moist and Delicious!

Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside.  To me, that is the perfect chocolate chip cookie!

The idea of using pudding mix in chocolate chip cookie dough has been around for some time and I even have a recipe saved that was a state fair winner in 1992 but I never got around to trying the method until recently when I saw a more current adaptation. I seldom use boxed mixes anymore and try to make most everything from scratch but I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised with the results! Normally, an all-butter chocolate chip cookie can sometimes turn out flat and and become hard quickly.  These did not.

I wanted to bring a treat for my grandsons on the 4th of July, so I mixed up a large batch and brought 2 dozen to their house and saved some to freeze for when they come to visit here. Last week, my grandsons were at our house for the day so I defrosted those I had frozen and they were just as delicious as the fresh-baked cookies.  Both boys loved them!

 

I used unsalted butter and I felt they needed a tiny bit more salt so I sprinkled a pinch of sea salt over the top of the next few batches right when they came out of the oven.  I also didn't have chocolate chips so I simply chopped up 2 Ghirardelli 60% Cacoa Baking Bars that I did have in the pantry into chip-size pieces.

If your curiosity gets the better of you - give these a try!  I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised also.  Two young, very active, grandsons-approved. 

 

PLEASE READ if you have a toddler in your family, I highly recommend the Puddle Jumper swim float that my two-year-old grandson is wearing in the photo above.  Since children that age can still be quite top-heavy, this keeps them afloat with the head above water very well. They are also Coast Guard approved.  I know both Target and Costco have carried them this year.  It's wonderful for brave little swimmers like ours :)

In the garden, it seems I am surrounded by purples and blues now. These flowers are clematis vines, for those of you who are interested.  Clockwise, starting from the upper left going around the outside, you see Jackmanii Superba, Etoile Violette, Royal Velours, and Emelia Plater with Etoile Violette in the background.  In the center box, Vesuvius (also known as Galore) and Juuli is the lighter flower.

This is my favorite time of year when my clematis are in full bloom. I could even go without cookies if they would only last until the end of summer :)

Moist Chocolate Chip-Pudding Cookies

Adapted from Barefeet in the Kitchen

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 dozen medium-sized cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature (1-1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 oz) packages instant vanilla pudding
2 eggs, room temp
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour and baking soda in a medium bowl, whisk together, and set aside. In a large bowl or a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars. Add in the pudding mix and beat until light and fluffy - about 1 minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Slowly add the flour mixture and incorporate well. Last, add the chocolate chips and stir well to mix them throughout the dough.

Place cookies on a silipat or parchment-paper lined baking sheet.  You can drop them by tablespoons-full or use a medium cookie scoop for uniform cookies and bake for approximately 11 minutes, depending on your oven.  They should be golden brown around the edges. 

Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing. 

The baked cookies freeze well, as does the cookie dough.