If you’ve never added pudding mix to your cookie dough, this is your sign to try it! These chocolate chip cookies with pudding mix and oats bake up with soft centers, crisp edges, and a subtle nutty flavor thanks to the oats. It’s a texture lover’s dream and one of the best ways to elevate a classic.
Unlike some pudding mix cookie recipes that turn out cakey, this version stays chewy and rich. The addition of instant vanilla pudding mix adds moisture and a boost of flavor, while the oats give structure and a satisfying bite.
Why You'll Love These Cookies
- Perfect texture: Soft centers, crisp edges, and no cakiness.
- Freezer-friendly: Make ahead and bake straight from frozen.
- Customizable: Add cinnamon, nutmeg, or your favorite mix-ins.
- Pro-approved: This is one of my favorite go-to recipes when I want dependable, crowd-pleasing cookies.
Tips for the Best Pudding Mix Cookies
- Use a combination of butter and shortening for the perfect balance of flavor and structure. If you prefer all butter, check out my Deluxe Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pudding Mix.
- Scoop and chill: I like to portion the dough with a medium cookie scoop, chill the dough balls, then freeze them. Bake straight from frozen for perfectly shaped cookies on demand.
Recipe
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pudding Mix
Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pudding Mix
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups flour (294 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt, every so slightly rounded
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature (114 grams)
- ½ cup shortening (96 grams)
- ¾ cup brown sugar (145 grams)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (145 grams)
- 3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup quick cooking oats, not instant
- 2 to 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Cream the butter, shortening and both sugars with an electric mixer, scraping sides of bowl often. Beat in the vanilla pudding. When well mixed, add the vanilla and eggs and beat until eggs are mixed in.
- Add the flour mixture to the batter and stir until it is almost fully mixed in. Add oats and continue stirring until flour disappears. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Drop batter by (heaping!) tablespoons, spacing about 2 ½ inches apart, onto the parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake cookies for 12 minutes or until edges are brown and tops appear set. Let cool on sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Notes
You can use heaping teaspoons and get about 60 cookies (bake time will be shorter), but I've made these several times since first posting and prefer using heaping tablespoons. Heaping tablespoons will give you about 32 to 35 cookies.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Anna says
Thanks Jen! Where do you get the vegan pudding mix??
Jen says
I make these all the time. This morning I used lemon pudding, white chips and coconut (as well as a splash of lemon extract). I’m vegan so always replace the egg with flax egg without issue. Thanks for. Great, adaptable recipe!
Anna says
Wow, pistachio sounds great right now! Thanks for the idea.
April says
I wanted to give pudding cookies another try after finding other recipes too cakey and found your blog. I used pistachio pudding and added 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and they came out perfect. The pistachio is not too strong and adds a wonderful twist. The texture was exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you for this super yummy recipe!
Katie says
Do you have to make the pudding first? or just put the pudding mix in as is? Thanks 🙂
Lori says
I was looking for a pudding cookie recipe and came across your blog from a Google search. Just finished taking the last tray out of the oven and I already know I should have made a double-batch!
These are delish. Just the right combo of crispy edges and soft centers with a perfect salty-sweet taste. I used salted butter and only one cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Sassy says
I have been browsing your blog for a couple of months now, but this is the first recipe that i have tried, i just finished baking them and they are very yummy.
I made a double batch as i end up giving away alot of my baking. I only had one box of instant vanilla pudding mix and several boxes of chocolate , so i added a box of the chocolate, and they turned out great, just more chocolaty!
Thank you so much for the great recipes!
Anna says
Michele,
I didn't realize there was such thing as a Cookie Ministry. That is great! I am going to go read more about it.
These are soft, but not super-soft or cakey. I think people would like them, though.....and be able to eat them.
Michele says
Hi Anna,
I'm going to bake these cookies this weekend for the Mobile Loaves and Fishes (MLF) Charity here in Austin. MLF goes out in catering trucks every night to feed the homeless. I'm part of the Cookie Ministry that provides homemade cookies as part of the nightly meal. We have to make soft cookies since many of the people have dental issues. These sound perfect!
Crystal says
Just finished making these and mmm are they good!! I cooked them for 11 mins at 350 and they turned out perfectly!!! I also used only margarine instead of shortening and margarine as I don't have that in the house.
Deb says
I made these last night and they are so much better than the ones on allrecipes. These are soft and chewy and not as cakey as the other ones. My husband LOVES them
Michelle R says
I made this this weekend, and got rave reviews from everyone. I loved the texture and flavor, and they looked very attractive, too. Thanks for the unique recipe - I never would have thought about adding pudding mix to cookies.
Katrina says
Oh, did you like them still today, Anna? Also--sounds like you got a dog. We're anxious to hear (and see) all about it.
Katrina says
Made these today. They are pretty good! Mine look pretty much just like your picture. I didn't do anything different except used unbleached all purpose flour. Good CCC, not my favorite, but decent.
Kelly says
Puddin' on the ritz cookies!
Joe says
It is quite the cute addition - good choice for a name too! Jeff thought about looking for a new pup right away, but I think he wants to wait a bit after what we just went through. Max has been very quiet and reserved... so we think we probably won't wait too long so he has a playmate again.
Anna says
Joe, indeed there is! That's why there's no new cookie today. I am exhausted.
Joe says
Ooh! Is there a new resident in the CookieMadness household that we will soon get to see?
Julie O'Hara says
They definitely look good. Pudding is something I haven't tried in CCC.
rebecca says
very intriguing. i think i will try these! get my coworkers to like me at my new job. 😉
Anna says
Argh. I just replied to all the comments individually and then accidentally deleted my response. I need to go to bed.
I'll look forward to hearing some reviews on this recipe. In my opinion, it's better than the other one. The cookies are soft, but they have crispy edges (at least on day 1) and an interesting flavor.
Rina says
I can't thank you enough for thinking of this new twist - I've tried the allrecipes recipe (Award-Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies) a few times and always found it to be too cakey. I thought it was just me =). I will try these (and probably add walnuts or pecans) soon!
Sharla says
I have a very similar choc chip cookie recipe with pudding in it... mine doesn't have the oatmeal tho...i like baking them on a stone and letting the middles stay chewy..mmm..dunked in milk...ok so too bad i'm too tired to make them RIGHT now!! =)
o and as for a name...how about chocolate chip cookies!! no more explanation needed!! something about that pudding...makes them SO delicious you wont go back to the regular kind!!
Claire says
Looks good! This lends itself to different varieties with different pudding flavors.
bakingblonde says
I will have to try these. I have tried the other recipe from allrecipes you mention and did not like them at all. No one at work did. They were cakey and tasted artificial. I like the addition of oatmeal (maybe I will throw in some PB or use butterscotch pudding for an added depth of flavor). YUM!
Kitchen Scrapbook says
I'm gonna try these tomorrow or Sunday, sometime after a trip to the store. I'm slam out of chocolate chips right now! I have already have 'my' choc chip cookie recipe, but I'm always ready to try others anyway... I might find one that's even better than 'the usual! 🙂
Kelly says
Mmmm..this sounds good. And an interesting twist on an old standby! This one's going in my googlereader to be tried!
HoneyB says
They look so delicious! I would love one for dessert tonight!
Midge says
Anna, the fact that you grace us all with your time, efforts and great recipes in your blog each day is incredible. You always make my day!! Thanks...
Katrina says
Looks good! Want to try these, you are right, seems weird that they aren't cakey from the pudding mix. Love the big lump on top of the one in your picture and all the chips. Yum!
VeggieGirl says
No worries for posting later than usual -especially since you grace your loyal readers with another FABULOUS chocolate chip cookie recipe! Yum!
Anj says
Now, that looks like a cookie worth trying!
KAnn says
Woops...I forgot to add that it is the addition of the pudding and the oatmeal.
KAnn says
This is interesting to me as this is the Nestle Toll House recipe with the addition of the pudding...in order to get a chewy cookie at this altitude, I used one stick of butter for flavor and 1/2 C of shortening. I began using one C of brown sugar and a half C of white sugar, as well. They look gorgeous!