Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Foodiewife

I've lost count of how many recipes claim to be "the very best" chocolate chip cookie. I've got a few different versions on my food blog-- and they are all good. This is the first time I've tried adding vanilla pudding mix into the cookie dough (and I've seen this on many food websites). You know what? These are one of THE BEST chocolate chip cookies I've ever made! When baked and cooled, they become thin, with crispy edges. The center of each cookie has a soft and chewy texture. I hate to admit it, but the cookie dough is highly addictive. Since it's spring time, I used pastel colored M&M chocolates, but traditional semi-sweet chocolate chips work great, too. I adapted the recipe to make 3 1/2 dozen (I would've had four dozen, but many teaspoons were scooped into the dough and eaten raw.) Recipe very slightly adapted from "The Very Best Baking". Please click on the recipe source to see how I made these, on my food blog "A Feast for the Eyes".

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 package Instant vanilla pudding (small size)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter (2-sticks), softened
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon water
• 12 ounces chocolate morsels (I used colorful M&M chocolate pieces)

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, instant vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, and salt, set aside.

In another large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until it is light and well mixed.

Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure they are well mixed into the creamy mixture.

Next, add the vanilla and the water.

Carefully add the flour mixture to the creamy mixture and bring the dough together, and just as the flour is beginning to be moistened, add has just combined.

Fold in the baking chips, with a spatula to combine.

Bake at 370°F for about 10 minutes. (I recommend using parchment paper.) The cookies might not looked baked, but resist the urge to bake them longer. The edges should be lightly brown.

Allow to cool on cookie sheet 1 to 3 minutes, then remove and cool on racks.

These cookies will firm-up on the cookie sheet.

Note: I "halved" the recipe which yielded a little over dozen cookies. This can be easily doubled.