The Best Pumpkin Pudding Cookies with White Chocolate Chips: Soft, Chewy & Easy Fall Treat
Welcome to the ultimate fall baking experience! Our Pumpkin Pudding Cookies are an absolute sensation, bursting with the comforting flavors of spiced pumpkin. These aren’t just any ordinary cookies; they’re incredibly soft, wonderfully chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, all thanks to the secret ingredient: dry pudding mix. Prepare to fall in love with these delightful pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies – they’re perfect for cozy autumn evenings, holiday gatherings, or simply whenever a craving for something sweet and festive strikes.
These pumpkin spice pudding cookies offer a delightful twist on classic pudding cookie recipes, infusing them with the beloved warm, aromatic notes of pumpkin spice – a flavor synonymous with the fall season. Creating these indulgent chocolate chip pumpkin cookies is surprisingly straightforward. The recipe comes together quickly, allowing you to whip up a batch in no time, and they are guaranteed to be a huge hit with everyone who tastes them. Whether you’re baking for family, friends, or a special event, these cookies will undoubtedly steal the show.
Pumpkin Cookies with a Secret Ingredient: Pudding Mix
There’s a reason why adding dry pudding mix to cookie recipes has become such a popular technique among bakers, and once you try it, you’ll understand why. This simple addition elevates cookies to a whole new level, imparting an incredible depth of flavor and creating an irresistibly soft, pillowy, and wonderfully chewy texture. For this particular recipe, the pumpkin spice pudding mix is a game-changer. Its rich, warm notes perfectly complement the pumpkin, making these cookies an ideal autumnal treat.
These cookies are truly a fantastic fall dessert, perfect for serving at any Halloween party, Thanksgiving feast, or simply as a comforting treat on a crisp autumn day. While we’ve opted for creamy white chocolate chips in this recipe, which offer a lovely contrast to the spiced pumpkin, feel free to experiment! Semi-sweet chocolate chips would also be incredibly tasty and, given the natural orange hue that the pudding mix lends to the cookies, they would make a wonderfully festive treat, especially for Halloween. For those who can’t decide, a combination of both white and semi-sweet chocolate chips could create an even more exciting flavor and texture profile.
Why These Soft Pumpkin Cookies Will Become Your New Fall Favorite!
If you haven’t already started gathering the simple ingredients for these heavenly cookies, here are even more compelling reasons why you absolutely need to make them a staple in your fall baking repertoire:
- Quick and Easy Baking: In today’s busy world, who doesn’t appreciate a recipe that delivers incredible results without demanding hours in the kitchen? To create these sensational pumpkin pudding cookies, you’ll need less than 10 minutes of active prep time, followed by a mere 10 minutes in the oven. That means you can conjure up an amazing, homemade treat in under half an hour from start to finish. It’s the perfect solution for unexpected guests or sudden cookie cravings!
- Embrace the Classic Fall Flavor: If you’re anything like us and utterly adore the cozy, warm flavors of autumn, then this easy cookie recipe is an absolute must-try. Pumpkin spice is the quintessential taste of fall, and these pumpkin spice pudding cookies masterfully deliver that perfect, inviting flavor. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, wrapped in a comforting pumpkin embrace. They capture the essence of the season in a delightful cookie form.
- Simple, Accessible Ingredients: One of the many things we love about this particular recipe is how accessible the ingredients are. Most of what you need is likely already stocked in your pantry and refrigerator. You won’t have to embark on a special grocery store trip to find obscure items. This allows you to whip up a batch of these delectable cookies spontaneously, transforming everyday staples into an extraordinary homemade dessert.
- Irresistible Texture: Beyond the fantastic flavor, the pudding mix works magic on the texture. These cookies are not only soft but also boast a delightful chewiness that makes them incredibly satisfying. They won’t be dry or crumbly; instead, they maintain a moist, tender crumb that stays fresh for days.
- Versatile for Any Occasion: While perfect for fall holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving, these cookies are truly versatile. They make an excellent addition to bake sales, potlucks, lunchboxes, or simply as an after-dinner treat. Their crowd-pleasing flavor ensures they’re welcome at any gathering.
Essential Pumpkin Pudding Cookie Ingredients
Gathering your ingredients before you begin is key to a smooth baking process. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to create these wonderfully spiced pumpkin cookies:
- Sugar: You will need 1 cup of granulated sugar. This provides the primary sweetness for the cookies and contributes to their tender texture. For an even deeper flavor, you could consider a small portion of brown sugar, but granulated sugar works perfectly here.
- Butter: Adding in ½ cup of softened unsalted butter is crucial. Butter not only creates a rich, wonderful flavor but also contributes significantly to the cookies’ texture, making them soft and slightly chewy. Make sure it’s properly softened (room temperature) for easy creaming.
- Egg: Just 1 large egg is used to help bind the cookie dough ingredients together, providing structure and moisture. Ensure your egg is at room temperature for better incorporation into the dough.
- Yogurt: For an amazingly moist cookie texture and a subtle tang that complements the pumpkin, add in ½ cup of vanilla yogurt. This also helps keep the cookies tender and prevents them from drying out. If you don’t have vanilla yogurt, plain full-fat yogurt with a dash of vanilla extract would also work.
- Milk: Use 2 tablespoons of milk to achieve the perfect dough consistency. It adds just enough liquid to bring everything together without making the dough too sticky or wet. Any milk (dairy or non-dairy) will work.
- Pudding mix: The star ingredient! You need 1 small 3.4-ounce box of instant pumpkin spice pudding mix (dry, not prepared). This is what imparts that incredible flavor boost and contributes to the cookies’ signature soft and chewy texture. Do not use cooked pudding mix.
- Salt: A mere ½ teaspoon of salt is vital for balancing all the incredible sweet and spicy flavors in this recipe. It enhances the taste of the other ingredients and prevents the cookies from tasting bland.
- Baking soda: To help the cookies rise beautifully and achieve that soft, slightly puffed texture as they bake, add ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Make sure your baking soda is fresh for optimal results.
- Flour: Use 2 cups of all-purpose flour for the base of this cookie dough. Measure your flour correctly by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it off with a straight edge to avoid dense cookies.
- Chocolate chips: Adding in 1 (12-ounce) bag of white chocolate chips gives each bite of these tasty treats an extra layer of creamy, sweet flavor that pairs wonderfully with the pumpkin spice. As mentioned, semi-sweet or even milk chocolate chips can also be used for a different twist.
How to Make Perfect Pumpkin Pudding Cookies
Follow these simple steps for baking a batch of these soft, chewy, and deliciously spiced pumpkin cookies:
Prep Your Baking Station
Before you even think about mixing, begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F (190°C). This ensures your oven is at the correct temperature when your dough is ready, promoting even baking. Next, prepare your cookie sheets. Line them with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking. Alternatively, you can lightly spray them with a non-stick cooking spray. Set the prepared sheets aside, ready for the cookie dough.
Mixing the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, begin by creaming together the granulated sugar and the softened butter. Beat them together with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, typically 2-3 minutes. This step incorporates air into the dough, which contributes to the cookies’ tender texture. Next, add in the room temperature egg, vanilla yogurt, milk, and the dry pumpkin spice pudding mix. Continue to stir with your mixer on low speed until all these wet ingredients are just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
Now, it’s time to add your dry ingredients. Gradually incorporate the flour, salt, and baking soda into the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are just combined and the dough appears nice and smooth. It’s crucial not to overmix the flour, as this can lead to tough, dry cookies. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of dry flour.
Lastly, gently fold in the white chocolate chips using a spatula. Distribute them evenly throughout the dough without crushing them. If you prefer, you can also add other mix-ins like chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or a combination of different chocolate chips.
Bake to Perfection
Using a cookie scoop or two rounded tablespoons, drop the cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie to allow for spreading. For beautifully uniform cookies, chilling the dough for 20-30 minutes beforehand can help prevent excessive spreading, though it’s not strictly necessary for this recipe.
Place the cookie sheets in your preheated oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes. The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven, so keep an eye on them. The cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers appear set but still slightly soft. Do not overbake, as they will continue to set as they cool and overbaking can lead to dry cookies. Once baked, remove the sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This crucial step allows them to firm up before you move them. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Allowing them to cool on the rack ensures air circulation, preventing the bottoms from becoming soggy.
Serve these delectable Pumpkin Pudding Cookies fresh and warm for the best experience, or enjoy them once cooled. They pair wonderfully with a glass of milk, a cup of coffee, or a warm mug of cider. Enjoy every spiced, sweet bite!
Pumpkin Pudding Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup softened butter
- 1 egg
- ½ cup vanilla yogurt or milk
- 2 TBSP milk
- 3.4 oz pumpkin spice pudding mix
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 2 cups flour
- 12 oz white chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside.
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Cream together sugar and butter. Add egg, yogurt, milk and pudding mix.
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Add flour, salt & baking soda, mixing until smooth.
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Stir in white chocolate chips.
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Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
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Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy!
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Can You Freeze Pumpkin Pudding Cookies? Absolutely!
Yes, you absolutely can freeze these delightful pumpkin pudding cookies! This makes them perfect for meal prepping desserts or having a stash of delicious homemade treats ready for any occasion. Once the cookies have baked and cooled completely to room temperature, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 30 minutes until solid. Then, transfer the frozen cookies into an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply remove the desired number of cookies from the freezer and place them on the counter at room temperature. They should thaw in about an hour or so, becoming soft and delicious once again. You can even warm them slightly in the microwave for a few seconds to bring out their fresh-baked goodness.
How Long Do Pumpkin Cookies Stay Fresh?
These incredibly delicious pumpkin cookies are best enjoyed within 5-7 days after baking. To maintain their exceptional softness and chewiness, it’s crucial to store them properly. Place the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. This will prevent them from drying out and help preserve their wonderful texture and flavor for almost a week. But honestly, with how tasty they are, we doubt they’ll last that long!
Tips for Softening Butter Quickly and Perfectly
Achieving perfectly softened, room-temperature butter (ideally around 65 degrees F or 18°C) is a fundamental step in many baking recipes, especially cookies. Softened butter creams beautifully with sugar, creating a light and airy base for your dough, which in turn contributes to a wonderfully tender and smooth cookie consistency. If your butter is too cold, it won’t cream properly, leading to a denser cookie. If it’s melted, it will make your dough greasy and your cookies flat. Here are some reliable tips to quickly bring your cold stick of butter to the ideal softened state without overheating or melting it:
- The Patient Method: The easiest way, if you have the time, is to simply let your butter sit out on the kitchen counter for at least 1 hour prior to beginning your cookie recipe. In warmer environments, this might take less time, while in cooler kitchens, it could take a bit longer.
- The Warmed Glass Technique: A clever trick is to slice your cold butter into tablespoon-sized pieces. Place these pieces onto a plate. Then, warm an empty glass by filling it with hot water, letting it sit for a minute, then pouring out the water. Invert the warmed glass over the butter pieces on the plate, creating a warm, steamy environment. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. A glass fresh out of the dishwasher or a measuring cup warmed in the microwave (before disposing of the water) works great.
- Warm Towel Wrap: Dampen a small, clean kitchen towel with warm water, then wring it out so it’s just warm and slightly damp, not soaking wet. Wrap your sticks of butter (still in their wrappers) in this warm towel for a few minutes. Check periodically until it reaches the desired softness.
- The Inverted Bowl/Cup Method: Similar to the warmed glass technique, I often use a tall drinking glass, or a small mixing bowl, and fill it with hot water. Let it sit for a minute or two, then empty the water. Immediately place the empty, warmed cup or bowl over the wrapped sticks of butter on the counter for several minutes. The residual heat from the cup/bowl will gently soften the butter without melting it.
Remember, the goal is “softened,” meaning you should be able to press your finger into it and leave an indentation, but it shouldn’t be oily or shiny, which indicates it’s too warm.
Explore More of Our Favorite Fall Cookie Recipes:
If you love these Pumpkin Pudding Cookies and are searching for more delightful treats to bake this autumn, check out some of our other cherished fall cookie recipes:
- Caramel Apple Snickerdoodles
- Halloween Funfetti Cookies
- The Best Snickerdoodle Recipe
- Snickerdoodle Apple Pie Cookie Cups
- Peach Snickerdoodles
- Cinnamon Roll Snickerdoodles
- Classic Pumpkin Pudding Cookies
- Maple Donut Cookies
- Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Pumpkin Pudding Cookies are more than just a sweet treat; they’re a celebration of fall, loaded with incredible spiced pumpkin flavor that warms you from the inside out. Easy to make and impossible to resist, the unique addition of dry pudding mix gives these pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies an unparalleled taste and a wonderfully soft, chewy texture. Bake a batch today and savor the flavors of the season!
Does this picture really need an explanation? Probably not. We were having fun, and that’s what baking is all about!
