Soft, rich, and loaded with melty chocolatey goodness, Chocolate Pudding Cookies are the kind of cookies that disappear fast. With a super tender texture and pops of white chocolate and butterscotch in every bite, these cookies are anything but ordinary.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Softness - Instant pudding mix helps create incredibly soft, chewy cookies that stay tender for days.
- Flavor - Chocolate dough plus white chocolate and butterscotch chips gives every bite amazing depth.
- Texture - Crisp edges, soft centers, and melty chips make these irresistible.
- Easy - Simple pantry ingredients come together for a bakery-worthy cookie without much fuss.
I loooove cookies- that is not a surprise. These cookies go back to my college days, when I learned to add instant pudding mix to cookie dough, and now it's my favorite cookie "trick."
Adding instant vanilla pudding to my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies or my Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies is incredible, but I love switching it up and making these chocolate pudding cookies!
What This Recipe Needs
- All-Purpose Flour - Gives the cookies structure while keeping them tender.
- Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix - The secret ingredient for softness, moisture, and rich chocolate flavor.
- Butter - Adds richness and helps create that classic chewy cookie texture.
- Brown Sugar - Adds moisture and a subtle caramel-like sweetness.
- Eggs - Bind everything together and contribute to a soft texture.
- White Chocolate Chips - Add creamy sweetness that balances the rich chocolate base.
- Butterscotch Chips - Bring warm, buttery sweetness and make these cookies stand out.
- Baking Soda - Helps the cookies rise just enough while staying soft in the center.
Substitutions
- Swap white chocolate chips for milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips.
- Replace butterscotch chips with peanut butter chips for a fun twist.
- Try gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour if needed.
How to Make Chocolate Pudding Cookies?
- Step 1: Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla.
- Step 2: Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
- Step 3: Add in the flour, salt, baking soda, and chocolate instant pudding mix.
- Step 4: Fold in the white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
- Step 5: Scoop rounded spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Step 6: Bake at 375°F for 8-11 minutes
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Expert Tips
- Don't overbake - pull them when the centers still look slightly soft.
- Use good-quality white chocolate and butterscotch chips for the best flavor.
- Add a few extra chips on top before baking for bakery-style cookies.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes so they set up perfectly the transfer to a cooling rack.
Variations
- Triple Chocolate Cookies - Add semisweet chocolate chips for even more chocolate.
- Salted Butterscotch Version - Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before baking.
- Nutty Chocolate Cookies - Add chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- Holiday Cookie Twist - Mix in festive sprinkles or colored chips for special occasions.
Want more easky cookie recipes? Don't miss my Easy Marshmallow Cookies, Hot Cocoa Cookies, Chocolate M&M cookies, Red Velvet Cookies with Cake Mix, Soft Lemon Cookies, and these amazing Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies!
Instant Pudding Tips
What is Instant Pudding Mix? Instant pudding mix is a blend of ingredients (primarily sugar) that, when mixed with milk, creates a delicious pudding that doesn't need to be cooked.
How to Find Instant Pudding Mix? Instant pudding mix is usually found in the baking aisle. Now, for those who are in Europe and other countries (I am US-based), you probably won't have access to instant pudding mix. No worries.
I've been told- and feel free to correct me if I am wrong! - but you can find instant chocolate custard mix. Pudding and custard are different, BUT I think in the case of making these cookies, it should work- let me know if you try it!
Can I Make My Own Instant Pudding? Absolutely- it's relatively easy and only requires a few ingredients, but one of them is Instant Clear Jel, which you might have to order online. Anyway, I found this great recipe from a fellow blogger that explains how to make it!
What Does Instant Pudding Mix Do To The Cookies? It adds chewiness and softness to the cookies, along with whatever flavor of pudding mix you choose.
What Size Of Instant Pudding Mix Should I Use? There are typically two sizes available at stores: a large one (ranging from 5 to 6 oz) and a small one (ranging from 3 to 4 oz). Sizes/weights vary by brand, but I've found that regardless of the brand, if I use a small box, the cookies taste great and can handle the few ounces of variation.
When Do You Add The Instant Pudding To The Mix? Do You Need To Make The Pudding First? You will add the instant pudding mix to the flour as a dry ingredient. Do not make it into pudding and then add it to the recipe. It will not work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely - portion the dough and freeze for easy bake-later cookies. To bake from frozen, bake as normal (same temp), but add a few minutes to the baking time. Set your timer for 10 minutes, check the cookies, and then adjust from there. You will probably need ~4 more minutes of baking.
That's the pudding mix working its magic - it keeps the cookies tender and rich.
No. Instant pudding is best here, as it's designed to work properly in cookie dough.
Yes! They add creamy sweetness and buttery depth that pair beautifully with chocolate.
Store them in an airtight container once cooled to help maintain that chewy texture.
Yes, slightly underbake them for an even softer, fudgier center.
More Related Recipes
If you like this recipe, make sure to check out all my easy desserts like Buttermilk Chocolate Cake, Easy Lemon Bars Delicious German Chocolate Cookies, Bakery Style Rice Crispy Treats Chocolate Stripped Popcorn, and these Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes!
If you like this recipe, make sure to give it a 5-star review and leave a comment down below!
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Video
Chocolate Pudding Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 2 ¼ cups flour 270 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 package instant chocolate pudding small package between 3 and 4 oz
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer bowl cream butter, sugar and vanilla.1 cup butter softened, ¾ cup granulated white sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add in eggs one at a time. Letting the first egg incorporate fully into the batter before adding the next.2 eggs
- Add in the flour, baking soda, salt, and dry pudding mix. Mix until fully combined.2 ¼ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 package instant chocolate pudding
- Fold in butterscotch and white chocolate chips to cookie dough. (1 cup butterscotch chips, 1 cup white chocolate chips
- Drop rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-11 minutes. I like to take these out earlier rather than later so they stay soft.
- Let cookies cool for a few minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack, and then enjoy!
Notes
- Freeze the dough in cookie balls, then bake when you want a fresh cookie (more details in post)
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container up to a week.
Judy Booth says
I've made these using vanilla pudding, they were great! Then I made the chocolate pudding ones adapting with gluten free flour. Excellent! Now I'm making another batch of the chocolate cookies for a party and will sprinkle with powdered sugar. So easy. So addictive. So good.
Lisa says
Yay! So glad you like them!
KMHayes says
I accidentally made brownies 🤣
I didn't measure my flour right or something and my mixture came out the consistency of like cake batter instead of cookie dough. But I was afraid to try and add more flour in case I mismeasured something else and just didn't know what it was. (I am NOT a baker lol)
So I just poured it into a pan and made brownies hahaha. The flavor is great. I added some freshly brewed hot coffee to it and that might be what caused my dough to be batter instead.
Lisa says
I love when baking accidents still turn out to be something tasty! Glad the brownies were good! XD
Kathleen says
I only have semisweet chips , will they as well?
Lisa says
Yep! Sounds great!
Angie says
Can I use Jello pudding cups for this recipe instead of the mix?
Lisa says
I wouldn't recommend it. It might make the dough too wet. Also, the dry pudding mix when added into the mixture helps keep the cookies soft because it reacts with the other ingredients. If you just add premade jello then the jello won't do anything to the cookie dough.
Kylee says
These are SUPER yummy! I can't stop eating them. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Lisa says
Yay!! I’m so glad you like them!!!
Christy says
I have a very similar recipe and make these with peanut butter chips. My kids also love Strawberry pudding with white chocolate chips!
Lisa says
Peanut butter chips sounds amazing and I've never used strawberry pudding in a cookie before but man I need to try it asap!
Betty Geis says
What size pudding mix? There are large as well as small packages.
Lisa says
Great question! It's the smaller size. Around 3 oz I believe 🙂
April says
Yummy! I have never had a pudding cooking. Since I now know why people use pudding in their cookies thanks to your post, I will give this one a try. I think my kiddos would love these cookies.
Lisa says
Awesome!
Stephanie says
I love to put pudding mixes in things to add flavor and moisture! These look so delicious and easy 🙂
Camila says
Beautiful photos, Lisa! I wanna drop what I am doing and go make this asap!! So yum!!!
Lisa says
Thanks Camila!
Melve says
This is amazing! Everything I want is in this cookie! Thank you so much for sharing.