Chocolate Chip Cookies with Vanilla Pudding
Modified: Published: by Nora Breyer Combine Good Flavors 0 Comments
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These chocolate chip cookies with vanilla pudding are thick and soft, with plenty of melty chocolate and those irresistible, slightly half-baked centers. This easy small-batch Christmas cookie recipe started with one leftover egg yolk, a little pudding mix, and my determination not to let either go to waste.
These Christmas cookies came from one of those little kitchen moments I love most: looking at a few leftover ingredients and turning them into something truly delicious. I had an extra egg yolk, some vanilla pudding powder left in the packet, and absolutely no intention of letting either go to waste. So, naturally, I turned them into cookies.
And I am so glad I did.
These soft chocolate chip cookies with vanilla pudding are easy, festive, and such a lovely little batch to bake during the holiday season. They come out thick and soft with plenty of melty chocolate and centers that stay just a little half-baked in the very best way. They are exactly the kind of simple homemade treat that makes Christmas baking so much fun.
And since Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year, recipes like this make me extra happy. Twinkly lights, Christmas music, a warm kitchen, and freshly baked cookies cooling on the counter… there really is nothing better.
Merry Christmas, my lovelies!
Just a few ingredients
See the recipe card for quantities.
Why You Will Love These Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cookies with Vanilla Pudding
Cream the Butter and Sugar
Place the softened butter and granulated sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Beat them together until the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
Add the Egg Yolk and Vanilla
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, then mix until everything is nicely combined.
Mix in the Pudding Powder
Add the dry vanilla pudding mix and beat it into the butter mixture until incorporated.
Add the Dry Ingredients
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix only until a soft dough comes together. As soon as you no longer see dry streaks of flour, you can stop.
Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Stir in the chocolate chips until they are scattered throughout the dough. Try not to steal too many while you are at it. I know. Difficult.
Chill the Dough
You can bake the cookies straight away, but I like to chill the dough for 15 to 30 minutes. That short rest helps control the spread and gives you a slightly thicker cookie.
Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 6 to 8 portions and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look soft and a little half-baked. You want that tender middle, but the cookies should not look wet or raw inside.
Let Them Cool
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. They will continue to set from the heat of the tray while keeping those lovely soft centers. Then transfer them carefully to a cooling rack. Whether you can resist breaking one open while the chocolate is still warm and melty is another matter entirely. I usually cannot.
Storage
- Once the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough. Portion it first, freeze the dough balls on a tray until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
- Bake them straight from frozen and add roughly 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time. Keep an eye on the cookies rather than relying only on the clock. You still want the centers to stay soft.
Tools you’ll need
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Tips & Tricks
- Do not wait for the centers to look completely firm. Once the edges are set and the middle still looks soft, take the cookies out. That is how you get the slightly half-baked texture rather than a dry cookie.
- Chill the dough if your kitchen is warm. Even 15 minutes in the fridge can help the cookies hold their shape and stay a little thicker.
- Stick with softened butter. Melted butter changes the consistency of the dough and can make the cookies spread more than intended.
About the Vanilla Pudding Flavor: Because the vanilla pudding mix goes into the dough dry, you will notice a distinct vanilla-pudding note in the finished cookies. I quite like it with the chocolate, but it is worth knowing before you bake them.
Prepared vanilla pudding is not a direct substitute here. It would add much more moisture to the dough, so a version made with prepared pudding would need its own properly tested recipe.
More Christmas Recipes
Looking for more festive treats? Browse my Christmas recipes for cozy cookies, beautiful desserts, and festive drinks that make holiday planning easier, whether you need something for a cookie tray, Christmas dinner, gifting, or simply a cozy December afternoon at home.
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Chocolate Chip Cookies with Vanilla Pudding Powder
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
- Digital kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet
- Cookie scoop or spoon
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons Dry vanilla pudding mix
- ¾ cup All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ cup Chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter and ¼ cup Granulated sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy.4 tablespoons Unsalted butter, ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- Add 1 Egg yolk and 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined.1 Egg yolk, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Add 2 tablespoons Dry vanilla pudding mix and beat until incorporated.2 tablespoons Dry vanilla pudding mix
- Add ¾ cup All-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon Baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon Salt. Mix just until a soft dough forms.¾ cup All-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon Baking soda, ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Fold in ⅓ cup Chocolate chips .⅓ cup Chocolate chips
- For thicker cookies, chill the dough for 15 to 30 minutes. This step is optional.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 6 to 8 portions and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some room between each cookie.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look soft. They should not look wet or raw.
- Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them carefully to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Use the vanilla pudding mix dry, straight from the package. Do not prepare the pudding first.
- Do not overbake. The soft, almost half-baked center is part of the texture of these cookies.
- “Half-baked” refers to the soft finished texture, not raw cookie dough.
- Chilling the dough for 15 to 30 minutes helps reduce spreading and gives you thicker cookies.
- To freeze the dough, portion it into balls first. Bake from frozen and add approximately 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
- Because the pudding mix is used dry, the cookies have a noticeable vanilla-pudding note.
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Do not eat the raw cookie dough. The flour and egg yolk need to be properly baked before eating.
- When I call these cookies half-baked, I am talking about their soft, gooey texture. The finished cookies should not be wet or raw in the center.
- Wash your hands, utensils, bowls, and work surfaces after they come into contact with raw egg or flour.
For further information, check Safe Food Handling – FDA.
