butterscotch pudding cookies: how do I love thee, let me count the ways

Oooh baby are these cookies ever good! I don't know about you, but I like my cookies to be nice and soft. Sure most cookies are all soft straight out of the oven, but as soon as they cool down, they always seem to harden. And that makes me really angry. Why would I want hard cookies?! Cookies are best when they're moist and gooey. So do you think I was just going to settle for those other cookies? Nay! I have tried so many chocolate chip cookie recipes, I've played around with the butter content, the brown sugar, but nothing ever seemed to come out exactly the way I wanted them to.


That is. Until....


My super bestie found this recipe online for the most awesome cookies like. ever. I wish I could credit the site, but unfortunately neither of us remembers so it will have to remain anonymous. But man oh man, whoever figured this out must have been thinking of me.


I mean, talk about a secret ingredient. What is this doing in cookies? How did someone even figure it out? I wish I could explain the scientific explanation behind its success but I can't. It just works and that's all I care about.


Ok so what makes these cookies so special? So soft? Sooo delicious?


Pudding mix. 


You know, instant pudding mix powder. It comes in a bunch of different flavours like vanilla, chocolate or butterscotch. I chose to make mine with butterscotch but vanilla is also really great. I've never tried chocolate but it might be really good with white chocolate chips. Also, I used half semi-sweet chocolate chips and half peanut butter chips, but again, you can put whatever flavour you like. That's what I love about cookies. You can alter them completely just by adding a different flavour. So have fun and give them your own little touch! Want walnuts or macadamia nuts? Go ahead, add them into the mix! Just remember to share some with other people (because trust me, as amazing as they are, you don't want to eat the entire batch in one sitting).

Best ever butterscotch peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!

Makes approximately 4 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 pkg (3.4 oz) butterscotch pudding mix powder
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch or Reese’s peanut butter chips

(You can also add 1/2 tsp of salt if you wish but I prefer not to)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Sift flour and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl or in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter for 2 minutes and add the brown and granulated sugars. Beat for 2-3 minutes. Add the pudding mix powder and once incorporated, add the eggs one at a time. Add in the vanilla. Mix well to allow the eggs to be well beaten.

Add the flour mixture slowly and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl when needed. Finally, add the chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Make little balls and place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes and keep in an airtight container. Little tip: wet your fingers a bit before touching the dough; it will prevent some of the dough from sticking to your fingers. 

*Note: these cookies will not change dramatically in colour so they are done when the edges start to turn golden. They make not look done but they should be, so look for signs around the edges. They don’t expand too much either but be careful not to place them too close together if you make them a bit big, otherwise they’ll stick together.

Mmmmm....