These Mint Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with minty chocolate goodness. They have a tender texture thanks to the pudding mix, and are loaded with chocolate chips and chunks for extra richness — perfect for a sweet treat any time of year.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Imagine a cookie that’s soft and tender in the center, chewy around the edges, and bursting with mint chocolate flavor. That’s exactly what these cookies deliver. The addition of instant vanilla pudding mix keeps them moist and soft, while the mint extract and green coloring give them a fun, festive look. Loaded with both chips and chunks of chocolate, they’re a crowd‑pleaser for holidays like St. Patrick’s Day or any day you want a special dessert.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
All‑purpose flour — 2 ½ cups
Instant vanilla pudding mix — 3.4 ounces (one small package)
Baking soda — 1 teaspoon
Salt — ½ teaspoon
Unsalted butter, softened — 1 cup (2 sticks)
Granulated sugar — ¾ cup
Brown sugar, packed — ¾ cup
Large eggs — 2
Mint extract — 1 ½ teaspoons
Green food coloring — 4 to 6 drops (adjust for desired color)
Semi‑sweet chocolate chips — 1 cup
White chocolate chunks — ½ cup
Mint chocolate candies (such as mint baking chips or chopped mint chocolates) — ½ cup
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Stir in the mint extract and green food coloring until evenly combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in the semi‑sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, and mint chocolate candies.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are lightly golden.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Servings and timing
Makes About 24 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10–12 minutes per batch
Total Time: About 30 minutes
Variations
• Double Chocolate Mint: Replace ½ cup of the all‑purpose flour with unsweetened cocoa powder for a richer chocolate base.
• Chunk Lover’s: Add extra white chocolate chunks or mint chocolate pieces for even more texture.
• Dairy‑Free: Use dairy‑free butter and dairy‑free chocolate chips to make these suitable for dairy‑free diets.
• Less Sweet: Reduce the amount of white chocolate chunks by ¼ cup for a slightly less sweet cookie.
Storage/Reheating
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave a cookie for about 10 seconds or warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes to soften.
FAQs
How do I make these cookies softer?
To keep cookies soft, do not overbake — they should still look slightly underdone in the center when you take them out of the oven. Letting them cool on the baking sheet helps finish the cooking gently.
Can I use a different extract instead of mint?
Yes, vanilla extract or almond extract can be used, but the cookies will not have the mint flavor if you omit the mint extract.
Do I need to chill the dough?
Chilling is optional for this recipe. If you prefer thicker cookies, chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can help.
Can I make these cookies gluten‑free?
Yes — substitute a gluten‑free all‑purpose flour blend measured cup‑for‑cup for the regular flour and ensure the pudding mix is gluten‑free.
Why is pudding mix used in cookie dough?
The instant pudding mix keeps cookies soft and adds moisture, giving them a tender texture.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes — scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
What type of mint chocolates work best?
Mint baking chips, chopped mint chocolate bars, or mint chocolate candies all work well for the mint chocolate pieces in these cookies.
How should I store leftover cookies?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. If they start to dry out, a slice of bread in the container overnight can help restore softness.
Can I make these cookies dairy‑free?
Yes — use dairy‑free butter and dairy‑free chocolate chips to make them suitable for dairy‑free diets.
Are these cookies suitable for kids?
Absolutely — these cookies are soft, fun in color, and full of chocolate — a great treat for kids with supervision during baking.
Conclusion
These Mint Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies are a delicious twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie. With a soft, chewy texture and a bright mint flavor, they’re sure to become a favorite in your cookie rotation. Whether you’re baking for a holiday or just because, this recipe delivers tasty results every time.
Soft and chewy mint chocolate chip pudding cookies made with instant vanilla pudding mix for extra tenderness, loaded with chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, and mint candies for a rich and festive treat.
Total Time:30 minutes
Yield:24 cookies
Ingredients
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3.4 ounces (1 small package) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons mint extract
4–6 drops green food coloring
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chunks
½ cup mint chocolate candies (mint baking chips or chopped mint chocolates)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Mix in the mint extract and green food coloring until evenly combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, and mint chocolate candies.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers are lightly golden.
Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Do not overbake to keep cookies soft and chewy.
Chilling the dough for 30 minutes creates thicker cookies.
For gluten-free cookies, use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free pudding mix.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months or freeze dough balls and bake from frozen with 1–2 extra minutes.
