Papa's Favorite Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies – Are there cookies more comforting than thick Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies? These cookies are huge, soft, chewy and chock full of chips. They’re Papa’s favorite and he will pass up every other cookie, no matter how decadent, for one of these.

For some helpful tips before you begin, click here.

This recipe makes 36 large cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

540 g (4 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
12 g (2 teaspoons) baking soda
452 g (2 cups or 4 sticks) butter, softened
300 g (1 1/2 cups packed) brown sugar
100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
2 packages (98 g or 3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 large eggs
10 ml (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract

255 g (1 1/2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
255 g (1 1/2 cups) milk chocolate chips
85 g (1/2 cup) Heath Bits (optional)
128 g (1/2 cup) white chocolate chips (optional)
113 g (1 cup) chopped walnuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cream the butter and the sugars. Beat in the instant pudding.

– Cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl with the paddle attachment at medium speed (setting #3) for at least 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
– Beat in the instant pudding on low speed (setting #1) until blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

2. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Add in the vanilla.

– Mix in the in the eggs one at a time on medium speed (setting #3), making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
– Mix in the vanilla.

3. Sift the baking soda and flour together. Mix into the batter in stages.

– In a small bowl, sift the baking soda and flour together.
– On low speed (setting #1), mix in about 2 cups of the flour mixture until incorporated. Then mix in about 3/4 cup of flour at a time, scraping down the bottom and sides as needed, until all the remaining flour has been added.

4. Fold the chocolate chips, Heath Bits and nuts into the dough by hand.

– Scrape the dough out onto a smooth, clean surface and gradually fold in the chips and nuts by hand until everything is evenly distributed.

5. Divide the dough, shape into logs and refrigerate.

– Divide the dough into 3 even logs.
– Roll and wrap each log securely in a long piece of plastic wrap.
– Refrigerate until firm, at least an hour or two and up to 3 or 4 days.

*Or freeze the well-wrapped logs for up to two months.

6. Preheat the oven to 325°F(163°C).

– Preheat the oven to 325°F(163°C).
– Place the oven rack on the upper third level (one level above the middle).

7. Slice the logs into disks.

– Slice a log into 12 disks.
– Press them, if needed, into disks about 3/4-inch thick.
– Place the cookies on a baking sheet (preferably light-colored) 2 or 3 inches apart.

*You can slice the logs straight from the freezer, too.

6. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on pan 5 minutes.

– Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. The cookies are done when the centers are just-dry and the edges are golden.
– Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

TO STORE:
– Store completely cooled cookies in an air-tight container.

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies on pan top

Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies on pan angle far

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ABOUT THIS RECIPE

These chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy and soft. They are so satisfying to bite into and the perfect cookie for cold, tall glasses of milk.

Pudding mix is a “secret” ingredient, keeping the cookies soft and moist as well as making them taste so very good. Chilling time also contributes to developed flavor and nicely browned cookies.

TIPS:

Here are 3 helpful tips:

1) About the pudding:

– Instant pudding contributes to the softness and moisture in this cookie recipe. It adds to the flavor, too.

– The recipe calls for instant pudding. I have only used instant, but I have read that regular pudding mix can be used as well.

2) Don’t skip chilling the dough.

– Baking the cookies after chilling the dough thoroughly will ensure your cookies bake up nice and thick and soft. Cookie dough that wasn’t chilled may spread out too much.