Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

The secret ingredient here isn’t chocolate, it’s a box of instant pudding mix. Beaten into the dough, it keeps these chocolate chip cookies soft, thick, and tender, and they stay that way for days instead of going stale and crumbly by the next morning.

Whole wheat flour does the other interesting work. It trades the usual blank sweetness for a nuttier, heartier flavor that stands up to the chocolate and chopped nuts, so these eat a little more substantial than a standard cookie.

One thing to expect: the batter comes out stiff. That’s exactly right, so resist the urge to loosen it with liquid. A stiff dough holds its shape and bakes into a thicker, chewier cookie. The bake is quick, just 8 to 10 minutes, and you want to pull them while the centers still look soft. They keep cooking on the hot sheet and firm up as they cool.

Chef Tips

• Don’t skip the instant pudding; it’s what keeps the cookies soft and moist for days.
• Expect a stiff batter and resist adding liquid; that thickness is what gives you a chewier cookie.
• Pull them at 8 to 10 minutes while the centers still look underdone, then let them set on the sheet.

Variations

• Swap the butter for smooth peanut butter to make rich peanut butter cookies loaded with chocolate chips.
• Use chocolate pudding for double-chocolate cookies, or vanilla for a classic chocolate-chip flavor.