Quadruple Chocolate Pudding Cookies

 

These quadruple chocolate pudding cookies were fantastic! They are thick and chewy, and more rich than sweet. There’s cocoa, chocolate pudding mix, chocolate chips and chocolate chunks (the latter two melt differently, so that’s why they’re both in the recipe). Make sure your pudding mix is lactose-free (Jell-O is usually fine). We loved these! 

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) lactose-free butter, softened  

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed 

¼ cup granulated sugar 

2 large eggs 

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1 3.7- to 3.9-oz. packet instant chocolate pudding mix (not sugar-free and not "cook & serve") 

¼ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tsp. baking soda 

1 pinch salt, optional and to taste 

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

5 oz. dark chocolate, chopped 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer), combine the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes. 

Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the pudding mix, cocoa, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. 

Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. 

Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. 

Using a large cookie scoop, ¼-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 17 equal-sized mounds of dough. (I used my 3-oz. cookie scoop and got 21 cookies.) Roll into balls, and flatten slightly. 

Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. (Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.) 

Preheat oven to 350 °F, line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet). 

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked and glossy in the center. Don’t overbake which is easy to do with dark cookies. Cookies firm up as they cool. 

Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don’t use a rack.