These aren’t just soft cookies. They’re melt-in-your-mouth, thick and chewy cookies with an ingredient that keeps them perfectly tender for days.
If you’ve never tried pudding cookies before, this is the recipe to start with. It’s easy, beginner-friendly, and freezer-friendly. These cookies don’t spread much on their own, so you get a thick, bakery-style texture with minimal effort.
I’ve tested this recipe multiple times, tweaking the ratios until I landed on the perfect thick, chewy texture. The vanilla pudding mix adds softness and just a hint of vanilla flavor that makes these cookies taste like they came straight from a bakery case.
Whether you’re baking for a holiday tray, after-school treat, or just because, these are the ones that make people ask for the recipe.
Why You’ll Love Pudding Cookies
- Soft and chewy with perfectly crisp edges
- Stay fresh and soft for days
- No chilling overnight (just 30 minutes in the fridge)
- Beginner-friendly with no fancy equipment required
- Easy to customize with mix-ins
Ingredients for this Pudding Cookies Recipe
- Unsalted butter – Use softened, not melted, for the right creamy consistency.
- Light brown sugar – Adds moisture and rich flavor.
- Granulated sugar – Balances the brown sugar and helps with structure.
- Egg – Provides moisture and binding.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the pudding flavor.
- All-purpose flour – The base structure of the cookie.
- Instant vanilla pudding mix – Do not prepare it. Just add the dry mix. It adds softness and structure.
- Baking soda – Gives lift and helps the cookies stay tender.
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors.
How to Make Cookies with Pudding Mix
1. Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Add Egg and Vanilla
Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
3. Add the Dry Ingredients
Add the flour, instant pudding mix (just the dry mix), baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low speed until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms, about 1 minute.
4. Scoop and Shape
Use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to portion the dough. Roll each portion into a ball and gently flatten the tops slightly with your hand. These cookies won’t spread much.
5. Chill the Dough
Place the dough balls on a baking tray. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour.
6. Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place the chilled dough balls on the prepared sheet, spaced a couple of inches apart. Bake for 13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
7. Cool and Enjoy
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips & Tricks
- Use softened butter – Too cold and it won’t cream properly; too warm and the cookies may spread.
- Flatten them slightly – These cookies don’t spread much on their own, so giving them a gentle press ensures they bake evenly.
- Don’t overbake – They’ll continue to bake on the sheet as they cool. The tops may show light cracks. That’s your cue for chewy centers.
- Add-ins welcome – Try chocolate chips, crushed Oreos, sprinkles, or white chocolate.
- Chill time matters – It helps keep the cookies thick and chewy.
- Pull from the oven at the right time – You want edges to look set and the centers to look slightly soft and pale.
Why These Pudding Mix Cookies Work
Instant pudding mix = soft, thick, consistent.
The dry mix contains modified starches and sugar that:
- Bind extra moisture so the cookies stay soft for days.
- Limit gluten development (less overworking risk), keeping the crumb tender.
- Boost structure so the cookies hold height even with a slightly underbaked center.
Butter temperature matters. Properly softened butter creams with sugar to incorporate air, contributing lift. Over‑softened or melted butter collapses structure and encourages spreading.
Short chill = better edges + thicker centers. A brief 30–60 minute chill firms the fat and hydrates the starches so cookies spread less and bake more evenly.
TL;DR: Pudding mix adds softness and stability. A short chill controls the spread. Softened (not melted) butter builds structure.
Troubleshooting & Common Mistakes
My cookies spread too much.
- Butter was too warm; chill formed dough balls 30–60 minutes.
- Oven not fully preheated; wait for a true 350°F.
- Dough under‑measured flour. Lightly spoon and level.
They’re puffy and dry.
- Over‑measured flour; lightly spoon and level.
- Overbaked; pull when centers look just set.
They taste bland.
- Use fresh vanilla and a quality instant pudding.
- Add ¼ tsp extra vanilla or a pinch more salt to brighten.
Cracked tops but raw centers.
- Your oven may run hot. Drop to 340°F and add 1–2 minutes.
- Make smaller scoops (~2 Tbsp) for more even baking.
Dough is sticky.
- That’s normal with pudding dough. Chill 30 minutes so it’s easier to scoop.
Variations
Pick a pudding + mix‑in combo and keep the base method the same.
- Chocolate Chip: Vanilla pudding + 1–1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
- Birthday Cake: Vanilla pudding + ½ cup white chocolate chips + ¼ cup rainbow sprinkles
- Cookies & Cream: Vanilla or Oreo pudding + 1 cup chopped chocolate sandwich cookies
- Butterscotch Bliss: Butterscotch pudding + 1–1½ cups butterscotch chips
- Lemon Shortbread: Lemon pudding + ¾ cup white chocolate chips + fine lemon zest
- Chocolate Fudge: Chocolate pudding + 1–1½ cups chocolate chunks
- Toffee Crunch: Vanilla pudding + 1 cup toffee bits + ½ cup chopped pecans
Storing Vanilla Pudding Cookies
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months or freeze unbaked dough balls as mentioned below.
Make‑Ahead, Scaling & Freezer Guide
Make‑Ahead Dough: Portion, slightly flatten, and refrigerate up to 48 hours (well‑covered). Bake straight from the fridge.
Freeze Dough Balls: Freeze flat on a sheet, then store in a freezer bag up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, but add 1–2 minutes.
Freeze Baked Cookies: Cool completely; freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp or warm 8–10 seconds in the microwave.
Scaling: Double all ingredients 1:1. Mix only until combined to avoid tough cookies. Bake in batches for consistent results.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You need instant pudding mix for the texture to turn out right.
The cookies will spread more and be thinner. Still tasty, but not as thick or chewy.
Yes! Scoop and slightly flatten the dough, freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen with an extra 1-2 minutes.
Yes, just use a good 1:1 gluten free flour blend and make sure your pudding mix is gluten free as well.
It adds starches and sugars that hold moisture and support structure, giving you thick, soft cookies that stay tender for days.
More Easy Cookie Recipes
- Triple Chocolate Pudding Cookies
- Condensed Milk Cookies
- Cheesecake Cookies
- Oatmeal Rice Krispie Cookies
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Pudding Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Pinch salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixer is light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix until fully incorporated, then stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
- Add the flour, instant pudding mix (just the dry mix-don’t prepare it), baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low speed until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms (about 1 minute).
- Using a standard large cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll it into balls. Gently flatten each one slightly with your hand. These cookies won’t spread on their own like a traditional cookie.
- Place the shaped cookie dough on a tray, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 hour). This helps prevent spreading and gives the cookies a thicker, chewier texture.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Arrange the chilled dough balls on the sheet, leaving space between each.
- Bake for about 13 minutes, or until the edges look set and the centers still look slightly soft (they’ll continue to cook as they cool). Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use instant pudding mix (not cook & serve).
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading.
- Cookies will look slightly underbaked in the center. This is perfect! They’ll finish setting as they cool.
- Try flavor swaps like butterscotch, chocolate, or lemon pudding for easy variations.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
