Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

I really wanted some soft chewy cookies to take to my residents on the last day of my Medicine wards rotation, and this recipe did the trick!  These cookies were pillow-soft and just the right amount of sweet.

Quick Tip: It's important to keep cookie dough on the chillier side.  After mixing, you can put the bowl in the refrigerator for 5 minutes for a quick cool or longer if you've got the time.  I usually will drop half of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking dish, stick it in the oven, and then let the rest of the dough chill in the fridge until that first batch is cooked, even if I have another baking sheet.  It's baking science/magic that helps the cookies to hold their shape while baking.

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 3 dozen cookies
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3.4 oz package vanilla instant pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup boxed yellow cake mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until creamy.  Add in the pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.

3.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, yellow cake mix, baking soda, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine.  Add in the chocolate chips.

4.  Using a small spoon, drop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet.  The cookies do not spread much, so you can put them close together.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden and set.  Remove cookies from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod