Mix & Match Pudding Cookies

Note: This post was originally published on November 28, 2012 and updated on December 1, 2020.

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Raise your hand if you gobbled 'til you wobbled on Thanksgiving. Did you go to bed so full that you promised yourself you wouldn't eat another bite of anything rich & indulgent until Christmas? Did you then wake up the next day and have a slice of leftover pumpkin pie for breakfast? {It's ok, I won't tell.}

We've been trying to eat healthily in preparation for, well... more eating for the holidays. Especially because you know that over the next few weeks, there will be plenty of candy, cookies, cakes, cocktails, and Christmas parties to get your belly to jolly old St. Nick status. 

I'm kicking off the cookie-baking season with an old tried & true recipe that I've updated with new tips and tricks that will help even the most hesitant baker be able to get in on the food festivities this year. These Mix & Match Pudding Cookies are the ultimate holiday cookie if you're looking for a versatile cookie dough with tons of flavor possibilities!

Pudding in Cookies

I see you scratching your head, wondering if I've {finally} fallen off my rocker. But nope, these cookies do indeed call for dry instant pudding mix. I have not tried making these with regular cook and serve pudding mix and I'm not sure what the outcome would be, but my thoughts on this are... why mess with a good thing?

You do NOT need to make the pudding before adding it to the mix. Simply beat in the dry, powdered mix with the butter and let it work its magic. 

What Does Adding Pudding Mix to Cookies Do?

This is a very good question that I think most of us have when we come across this recipe for the first time. From a scientific/chemistry-related stand-point... I have no clue. However, if I had to guess, I'd say that the cornstarch in the instant pudding mix has a similar affect on the recipe as using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour in baked goods. The final result is a softer product. 

From a taste and texture-related standpoint, I can tell you that I've made a LOT of cookies in my lifetime thus far, and I've found that adding pudding mix to cookies simply makes them soft, chewy and flavorful. Does it also add some extra ingredients that we could do without? Absolutely! But in these uncertain times, I say we need to live a little.

Easy Pudding Cookies Recipe

Ok, so we know that instant pudding mix is essential in this recipe {more details on that below}, but you'll also need the following ingredients for these soft, addictive cookies:

• Butter. Butter is the fat that gives cookies their rich, decadent flavor. 
• Brown sugar. Generally speaking, using brown sugar in cookies creates a more moist, chewy end product thanks to the molasses.
• Baking soda. This is the rising agent that will give the cookies a little lift as they bake.
• Eggs. As always, eggs lend structure and helps bind the dough.
• All-purpose flour. Cookies need flour to give them substance and texture! In this case, the flour creates a nice, thick and chewy cookie.

As I mentioned, these cookies have been on the blog since 2012. They're a recipe I found on the Kraft Heinz My Food & Family site {or maybe even the magazine they produced back then!} and adapted to create all kinds of variations.

Tips For Perfect Cookies

These cookies are truly "mix and drop", making them a great cookie for novice bakers or baking with little ones! While they're mostly foolproof, I do have are a few tips that will ensure cookie success:

• Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure to scoop out the dough. This will keep each dough ball around the same size so that bake time will be the same for every cookie.
• Space cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on the baking pan to make sure that they don't spread into one another as they bake.
• Do not overbake. These cookies will be very soft -- too soft to move from the baking pan -- when they first come out of the oven but they will firm up a bit as they cool. In order to maintain their soft and chewy texture, try not to overbake. 

Flavor Variations

When I tell you that there are endless combinations for these cookies, I truly mean it. Not only can you customize your cookies with mix-ins such as nuts, spices, extract, sprinkles and candy bits, but you can also use different instant pudding flavors to change up the cookie base! Here are a few creative combos that I've come up with using the a chocolate instant pudding base:

Chocolate & Sea Salt Pudding Cookies: Make dough as directed. After scooping onto baking sheet, sprinkle lightly with coarse flaky sea salt such as fleur de sel, then bake.

Mexican Chocolate Chili Pudding Cookies: Add 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper to flour mixture. Continue through step 5, then add ½ cup mini chocolate chips to dough and mix until distributed. Bake as directed.

Chocolate Toffee Pudding Cookies: Follow Steps 1-5. Add 1 cup Heath Bits 'o' Brickle Toffee Chips to dough and mix until just incorporated. Bake as directed. (Note: I found that these cookies spread a bit more due to the add-in, so be aware of the spacing.)

Mocha Chip Pudding Cookies: Add 1 ½ tablespoons of instant espresso powder to flour mixture. Stir 1 cup of mini chocolate chips into the dough before scooping. Bake as directed.

"Hot Chocolate" Cookies: Make dough as directed. Stir 1 cup of mini chocolate chips into the dough before scooping. Place a few Vanilla Mallow Bits into the tops of the cookies. Bake as directed. 

More Drop Cookie Ideas

Looking for more easy drop cookies? Try out a few of my favorites:

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Salted Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
• Chocolate Cherry Cookies