Very Vanilla Pudding Cookies
These Vanilla Pudding Cookies are light and fluffy, with a perfect vanilla flavor. Delicious hot from the oven or on the second day.
These vanilla pudding mix cookies might be the best cookies I’ve ever made. They might be the best cookies I’ve ever eaten… and I’ve eaten my fair share of cookies.
These instant pudding cookies are light and fluffy, with a perfect vanilla flavor. I love it when I can’t decide if a cookie tastes better hot from the oven or on the second day. When still warm, they tasted like the cookie form of vanilla pudding. I prefer my vanilla pudding warm like the way my mom used to make it when I was a kid.
Once upon a time I wanted to make vanilla pudding all by myself. That’s when I learned the very valuable lesson that you have to follow a recipe, and that it really does make a difference what order the ingredients go in. Read: don’t add eggs to a warm mixture… unless you want scrambled eggs in your pudding. I’ll never forget that.
What’s in Vanilla Pudding Cookies?
If the title of this recipe didn’t give it away, there’s an important “secret” ingredient in this pudding cookie recipe. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Instant vanilla pudding mix
How to Make Pudding Cookies
- Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the eggs.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet.
- Scoop pudding mix cookie dough into balls.
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes.
Can I Use Another Flavor of Pudding?
Yes! I typically make these pudding mix cookies with vanilla pudding, but I’ve had readers leave glowing reviews after they used different flavors of instant pudding. Red velvet, butterscotch, chocolate, lemon — anything seems to work well here!
Do I Have to Use Instant Pudding Mix?
Yes, the instant pudding mix is a key ingredient. Do NOT use cook and serve pudding, it has to be instant. If you can’t find instant pudding mix where you live, I’m not sure this is the right cookie recipe for you. Sorry!
Tips for Making Instant Pudding Cookies
- Add the instant pudding mix to the dough like it’s a dry ingredient. You don’t need to make it as the box instructs.
- These cookies are gobbled up in no time at my house, but I’m sure the baked cookies or raw cookie dough would both freeze beautifully. You can bake the frozen dough straight from frozen.
- You can prep the cookie dough in advance, roll into balls, and chill in the fridge for a few hours before baking, if desired. This way you can have freshly baked cookies for guests!
More Easy Cookie Recipes:
- Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cookies
- Salted Caramel Cookies
- Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 small package instant vanilla pudding
Instructions
- Beat butter and sugar until fluffy; gently beat in eggs.
- Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and vanilla pudding mix in a separate bowl.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 9-10 minutes.
Notes
- You MUST use instant pudding. Cook and serve pudding won't work.
Nutrition
This may be a dumb question, but with the vanilla pudding..do you make the vanilla pudding like the directions on the package? Or you use the powder in the recipe?
Hi Ali! Use the powder in the recipe. Hope you like them!
Thanks so much! I bought the sprinkles to go on them. So excited!
Hi Emily! I also like to use instant puddings in my recipes 😉 And I love anything what is vanilla! I will definitely try this one! I recently baked a fluffy vanilla tea cake using of course an instant pudding and it turned out great! Maybe if you have a sec you could visit, I would be honored! http://dessertlandia.blogspot.com/2013/09/fluffy-vanilla-cake.html
🙂
Is it the 3.4 oz box of pudding mix? They also make a larger 5.1 oz size
Hi Ashley- I used the smaller 3.4oz box. Hope that helps!
Thanks, they turned out great!
Is that instant pudding mix or the one you cook, or does it matter?
I’m not sure if it matters, but I use the instant pudding mix. I’ve never tried using the one that you cook. Hope that helps! 🙂
These look delicious! Quick question: When you say pkg of vanilla pudding do you mean the powdered kind or the pre-made kind in a pack?
The powder, not the premade. Hope that helps!
I literally JUST made these while my Husband was cooking dinner… HOLY COW. I used the no fat no sugar vanilla pudding. They’re like a giant clouds of awesomeness that melt in your mouth. My kids LOVE them too. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
SO glad you liked them!! 🙂
Emily!!! These look so so good! I am in love with pudding cookies right now – cannot wait to make these 🙂 Stopping in from Two Cup Tuesday – pinned to share.
Hi there! Beautiful pictures and I’m so excited to try this recipe! Question for you- how many cookies doe this recipe yield? I would like to make them for our potluck at work next week and wanna make sure I bake enough!
Hey Carly– thank you! I use a cookie scoop and get approx 3 dozen.
Thank you so much for the prompt reply! Can’t wait to make these 🙂
What a delight to find your blog via Kitchen Meets Girl! Your cookies look fabulously d’lish and I will definitely be making a batch soon! YUM 🙂
This amazingness will be featured today on Smart School House for Whimsy Wednesday! You are awesome! Can’t wait to see what you’re brining to the party today.
Hearts & Hugs,
Kelly at Smart School House
http://www.facebook.com/SmartSchoolHouse
HI! Thanks for linking up to Tasteful Tuesdays at Nap-Time Creations. Just wanted to let you know that you will be featured at this weeks party. Can’t wait to see what you will link up this week!
http://www.nap-timecreations.com/
These look great – but I have a question…Is it the big or little box of instant pudding?
Hey Julianna– sorry about that!– I used a little box.
I love these!!! So pretty too. 🙂
May I ask a dumb question? Is it instant pudding that is intended for this recipe or the cook & serve type? Thanks!!
Leslie- I wondered that too when I started making pudding cookies! I use the instant pudding in my recipes. (And since I tried it, I haven’t gone back to making them without!)
I love pudding cookies! And I’m sure I’ve eaten (more than) my fair share of cookies, too. 🙂 Thanks so much for linking up at What’s in Your Kitchen Wednesday!
These are great looking cookies
I love vanilla and I should definitely try this recipe
These would be so fun to make with my kids. They would love them….thanks for sharing. Pinned for later 🙂
I love love love pudding cookies!! They are always so soft and delicious! Great reminder to watch the recipe…I have added eggs to a hot mixture before…not a good thing 🙂
Im so making these….maybe even now…..
Visiting from Lil Luna….these look delicious and I can’t wait to try them! Love vanilla anything!