The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (2024)

The best chocolate chip cookie recipe! These cookies are perfectly chewy and loaded with chocolate goodness. Plus, a secret ingredient for added flavor!

Yes, college friends and roommates. This is THE recipe.

When I was in college, I made a TON of cookies. I loved baking for my roommates, friends, co-workers, and pretty much anyone who would take them. ha! There was nothing better than seeing the reactions of people after they tried these cookies for the first time. My roommates still talk to me about these cookies! They’re seriously THAT good.

The Reason Why They’re So Good

Every amazing recipe has a secret ingredient or technique that makes them amazing. In this case, it’s an ingredient: vanilla pudding. The secret to these yummy cookies is a large, yes, LARGE box of vanilla pudding. It takes homemade chocolate chip cookies to an entirely new level. I struggle not tasting the dough when it’s all made!

Why Was I Such a Freak About It?

For a long time I was hesitant to give out this recipe. I would be at the grocery store with one of my roommates and had to go get some vanilla pudding to replenish my stash. Instead of just telling them what was in these cookies, I was a weirdo about it and made them go somewhere else in the store while I went and got the pudding. I apologize to all of my roommates for being such a dang weirdo! It’s embarrassing, really. I’m glad we’re still friends. I think our love for wonderfully weird movies, like Labyrinth and Return to Oz, have kept us friends forever.

I’m really not sure why I acted like that! This recipe should have been shared with the world long ago. These cookies are so yummy.

Now I’m making these cookies for neighbors and friends, and not at all shy about giving out the recipe. That’s the way it should be! This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies and really easy to double if you want to get crazy.

More Cookie Favorites

I just love a good cookie. I realized after looking through my cookie recipes that I need to share more! Some of my favorites include No Bake Peanut Butter Corn Flake Cookies, S’more Whoopie Pies, Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies, Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies, and Valentine Peanut Butter Cookies.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

The perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe is sitting right in front of you! These cookies are perfectly chewy and loaded with chocolate goodness. Plus, a secret ingredient for added flavor!

Prep Time15 mins

Ingredients

1 c butter or margarine, softened
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 (5.1 oz) box vanilla instant pudding
2 3/4 c flour
1-2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375° F. In your stand mixer fixed with the paddle attachment, combine butter or margarine and both sugars; add eggs and vanilla.
Whisk salt, baking soda, and pudding together in a separate bowl. Add to the wet mixture then slowly add flour.
With a wooden spoon, add chocolate chips and mix in well. Cover and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to chill.
Bake on a greased baking sheet 7-9 minutes, or until light golden brown on top. Move to a cooling rack to cool.

Notes

I prefer to bake cookies on a baking sheet with a silicone mat. These mats allow for a much more even bake and you don't have to grease them.

Kitchen Tools and Gadgets Used for This Recipe

There’s nothing quite like the original! Here’s what this recipe looked like when I photographed it back in 2011: