Chocolate Pudding Cookies

I make these chocolate pudding cookies when I want a soft, chewy chocolate cookie that stays soft for days. They are thick and rich, with melty chocolate chips in every bite and a center so tender it almost tastes like a brownie.

My husband is a chocoholic, so these are the cookies I make when he needs a little pick-me-up or a special treat. I have made them more times than I can count, tweaking the amount of pudding and the bake time until the centers came out soft and a little fudgy every time instead of dry.

This is the version I reach for when a chocolate craving hits and I do not want to wait around. There is no chilling the dough, and a double hit of chocolate makes every bite rich without being too sweet.

If you love the pudding cookie trick, you will also want my chocolate chip pudding cookies, which use the same soft-cookie magic with a classic vanilla base.

Key Ingredients

• Unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder: This builds the deep chocolate base of the dough. Dutch cocoa is smoother and less sharp than regular, which is why I reach for it here. If you only have regular unsweetened cocoa, it works too.
• Instant chocolate pudding mix: This is what keeps the cookies soft and tender for days. Use the dry mix straight from the box and make sure it says instant, not cook-and-serve. Do not make the pudding first.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Three cups sounds like a lot, and that is on purpose. The chips melt into the dough and give you chocolate in every bite without making the cookies overly sweet the way milk chocolate can.
• Light brown sugar: The brown sugar carries most of the moisture and the soft, chewy texture. I use more brown than granulated for that reason.
• Salted butter: Softened to room temperature so it creams up light and fluffy. Room-temperature butter is what gives you an even dough that bakes evenly.

How to Make Chocolate Pudding Cookies

Step 1: Heat the Oven and Prep Your Pans Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.

Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients Add the flour, Dutch cocoa, and baking soda to a medium bowl. Whisk until fully combined and set it aside.

Step 3: Cream the Butter Beat the softened butter on medium-high for 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth. A stand mixer or a handheld mixer both work here.

Step 4: Add the Sugars Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat for another 1½ to 2 minutes, until the mixture is lighter in color and fluffy.

Step 5: Beat in the Eggs Lower the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Keep beating until no yellow streaks remain.

Step 6: Add Vanilla and Pudding Beat in the vanilla just until combined, then add the instant pudding mix and beat just until combined.

Step 7: Add the Dry Ingredients Add the dry ingredients about 1½ cups at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough comes together.

Step 8: Fold in the Chips Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until they are evenly spread through the dough.

Step 9: Scoop and Bake Use a 3 tablespoon scoop for larger cookies or a 1½ tablespoon scoop for smaller ones. Place the dough 2 inches apart and gently press each one down a little. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still look slightly underdone. Rest on the pan for 2 to 3 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

Storage and Freezing

• Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• To freeze baked cookies, seal them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
• You can also freeze the dough for up to 5 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before scooping and baking.

More Cookie Recipes

• Hot Chocolate Cookies
• Cookies and Cream Cookies
• S’mores Cookies