Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

For an easy year-round treat, give these Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies a try! They're super soft and chewy on the inside with a little bit of crispiness on the outside, loaded with chocolate chips, and topped with some sea salt flakes. And the best part? There is NO chilling required for the dough! They're absolute perfection!

Recipe updated and fresh new photos! 10.22.2019

When you're having a crap day and that day isn't even half way over, these Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies are fan-freakin-tastic to make my friends. I was running late for a doctor's appointment this morning and rushed out the door with my hair still wet, no make-up on, and feeling like a total hot mess. My appointment wasn't even 15 minutes away, so I thought I maybe I could still get there right on the dot.

Well, I was late, but it's because of the cop that pulled me over to give me a speeding ticket.

I mean, the nerve of him!????

I was going 40 in a 25, but he wrote me up for going 30 in a 25 with no points taken off. Maybe if I would have offered to bake the guy a cake, I wouldn't be sitting here with a $150 citation.

Honestly, I deserved it for not paying attention to my speed and I should have been better about watching my time to begin with, but it's still a sucky way to start the day.

Annnyway, you didn't come here to hear me whine about this first world problem—you came here for these super soft chocolate chip cookies!

super soft chocolate chip cookie ingredients

Here are the ingredients you'll need to make these incredible chocolate chip cookies! The star ingredient in these cookies is the instant vanilla pudding!

• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Instant Flavored Vanilla Pudding
• Vegetable Shortening
• Granulated Sugar
• Light Brown Sugar
• Large Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bars - or - Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips (milk chocolate is good too)
• Sea Salt Flakes

how to make super soft chocolate chip cookies

The inside of these Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies are just as the description says—they're super soft and chewy with the outside having just a little bit of crispiness. The recommended baking time for this chocolate chip cookie recipe is 375ºF with a bake time of 8-10 minutes.

No chilling required with these either!

the best chocolate chip cookie baking tips

Just a few quick tips before making these perfect chocolate chip cookies!

• Instead of using 2, 8 ounce baking bars of semi-sweet chocolate, you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can also use milk chocolate—it's up to you!
• I used Guittard Milk Chocolate Maxi Chips for the refreshed photos you see in this updated Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies blog post.
• The key ingredient in this chocolate chip cookie recipe is the instant pudding mix. It's used to boost the moisture and the flavor the cookies, and boy does it ever!
• If you don't have Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix where you live, scroll down the page for a substitute!
• These chocolate chip cookies require no chilling! Yay!
• Be careful transferring the chocolate chip cookies to the cooling racks as they'll be really soft! I rushed transferring a few of mine and they split in half. Still good to eat though!
• After you've baked your chocolate chip cookies, store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The cookies will take in all the moisture from the bread, leaving them all nice and soft for A LOT longer. Props to my hubs for teaching me that little tip almost 15 years ago!

recommended baking tools to make chocolate chip cookies

if you love chocolate chips, give any of these dessert recipes a try!

• Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Chip Buttercream Frosting - featured in Taste of Home's 2019 Holiday Baking issue!
• One Bowl Chocolate Zucchini Bread
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Cookies
• Chocolate Chip and Pecan Pie
• Homemade Ice Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches

vanilla instant pudding substitute

If vanilla instant pudding is hard to come by in your area, you can use this as an easy substitution. It's a homemade version of vanilla instant pudding and can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

This vanilla instant pudding substitute recipe makes approximately 2 1/2 - 3 cups. And this Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe calls for 1 packet of instant vanilla pudding mix which is 96 grams or 1/2 cup.

instant pudding substitute ingredients

• 3/4 cup Non-fat Dry Milk
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 cup Cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Powder

instant pudding substitute instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-size mixing bowl and store in an airtight container.
2. Use 1/2 cup or 96 grams of this homemade instant pudding mix for the super soft chocolate chip cookie recipe.

If you still run into trouble with finding any of the above ingredients to make the instant vanilla pudding mix, you can omit it entirely from the recipe. The purpose of the instant pudding mix in this recipe is to boost the moisture and the flavor.

Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Jennifer
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes (plus 5 minutes cooling time)
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Approx. 32 cookies
• Category: Cookies
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Dessert

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Description

For an easy, year-round treat give these Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies a try! They're super soft and chewy on the inside, with just a hint of crispiness on the outside. Absolute perfection! 

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 3.4 ounce Package Instant Flavored Vanilla Pudding
• 1 cup Vegetable Shortening
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed
• 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2, 8 ounce Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bars, broken into small chunks - or - 11. 5 ounces Milk Chocolate Baking Chips
• Sea Salt Flakes, optional (for sprinkling over cookies)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Break up the bars of chocolate into small chunks using a hammer or your hands. Set aside. If you're using chocolate chips, you can skip this step.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and instant vanilla pudding. Set aside.
4. Using your hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together on medium-high speed until fully incorporated.
5. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract until completely blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then gradually add in your whisked dry mixture until well blended. Fold in the chunks of chocolate or chocolate chips.
7. Using a spoon or cookie scoop (I used the 1 1/2 tablespoon size), drop the cookie dough onto the parchment lined cookie sheets and space them 1 1/2 inches apart.
8. Sprinkle a little sea salt flakes onto each cookie (optional step).
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375ºF (mine baked for 10 minutes), until lightly brown.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooking rack.
11. Keep stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

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Notes

Recipe adapted from the 2001, A Taste of Bedminster Elementary School cookbook.

Keywords: chocolate chip cookies, cookies, chocolate chips, super soft chocolate chip cookies, easy chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookie recipe, super soft chocolate chip cookies recipe, super soft cookies, milk chocolate chips

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