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Thursday, July 22, 2010

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies


These chocolate chip cookies have been on my "to make" list for a long time. I've seen plenty of blogs bragging about these cookies that use an instant pudding mix to provide the ultimate soft & chewy cookie texture. Yet somehow, my desire to try more unique cookies like cheesecake cookies and oatmeal raisinet cookies trumped the seemingly boring regular chocolate chip cookie and this recipe kept getting pushed to the back burner. But then Taylor blogged her version of these pudding chocolate chip cookies and convinced me it was time to finally give these a go.

What was I waiting for?! These are some of the BEST chocolate chip cookies I've ever had.  I don't know what it is about the pudding mix that makes magic in these cookies, but I am thankful for whoever happened upon that recipe one day. (How DOES that happen? Someone mistook their pudding mix for flour?! I digress...) I made these two days before I planned to serve them and even on the 2nd day they tasted freshly baked. Pick up a box of instant pudding and try these--you'll be amazed!

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Greens and Chocolate
**makes 4 dozen cookies


Ingredients:
-2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
-3/4 cup brown sugar
-1/4 cup granulated sugar
-2 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
-2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
-1 packet instant vanilla pudding (I used a large 5.1 oz. box, but you can use the smaller one as well)
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp salt
-2 cups chocolate chips (this makes for very chock-full cookies. If you prefer a higher cookie to chocolate ratio, decrease the amount of chips!)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cream butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs and continue to beat. Mix in the pudding mix until fully combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Drop tablespoons of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

This post is linked to Eat at Home.