Soft Christmas Pudding Cookies

The holiday season is officially here, and nothing says “Christmas” quite like the aroma of fresh cookies wafting through the house. If you have been searching for that elusive “perfect” cookie—one that stays soft for days, has a rich, buttery flavor, and looks festive enough for a professional bakery display you have found it. These Christmas Pudding Cookies are a game-changer. By using a secret pantry staple, we achieve a “soft-batch” texture that is incomparable to standard recipes. Whether you prefer a classic bite-sized treat or a decadent, jumbo cookie stuffed with molten Nutella, this recipe delivers. We are diving deep into the science of why these work, the best ingredients to use, and a step-by-step guide to mastering two different baking styles. Get your glass of milk ready; these are the only holiday cookies you will need this year.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You are going to fall in love with these cookies because they solve the number one problem in holiday baking: the dreaded “hard-as-a-rock” cookie. Thanks to the addition of instant pudding mix, these cookies remain incredibly tender and moist for up to two weeks. Furthermore, this is a “no-chill” recipe. In the midst of the holiday rush, who has time to wait two hours for dough to firm up? You can go from mixing bowl to oven in under fifteen minutes. Finally, the versatility is unmatched. By offering both a standard version and a Nutella-stuffed version, you can cater to everyone from the kids who love sprinkles to the adults looking for a gourmet dessert experience.

What Is a Pudding Cookie?

A pudding cookie is a modern baking classic that incorporates a box of dry, instant pudding mix directly into the flour base. The cornstarch and extra sweeteners found in the pudding mix act as a stabilizer and a moisture-retainer. This results in a cookie that is “tall”—meaning it doesn’t spread into a thin puddle on the tray—and has a uniquely soft, almost fudge-like interior. While we used vanilla pudding for this recipe to let the chocolate and M&Ms shine, the technique is a favorite among professional food bloggers because it ensures consistent results even for novice bakers. It creates that signature “soft-batch” texture that mimics high-end commercial cookies but with the wholesome taste of home.

Ingredients You will need

To achieve the best results, quality matters. Here is what you need:

• Unsalted Butter: Use two sticks of high-quality butter, softened to room temperature. This provides the foundational richness.
• The Sugars: A blend of brown sugar (for moisture and molasses notes) and granulated sugar (for crisp edges).
• Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: One 3.4-ounce package. Make sure it is instant, not the “cook and serve” variety.
• Flour: 2.5 cups of all-purpose flour provides the necessary structure.
• The Mix-ins: We use a trio of holiday mini M&Ms, milk chocolate chips, and semisweet chocolate chips. Using a brand like Guittard makes a massive difference in the “mouthfeel” of the melted chocolate.
• Leavening Agents: A combination of baking soda and baking powder ensures the cookies rise perfectly.
• Festive Sprinkles: Red and green small sprinkles add that essential Christmas pop.
• Nutella: This optional addition transforms the recipe into a molten-centered masterpiece.

Ingredient Substitutions & Tips

If you find yourself missing an ingredient, don’t panic! You can substitute the vanilla pudding mix for white chocolate or butterscotch pudding for a deeper flavor profile. If you are gluten-free, a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works surprisingly well in pudding cookies because the mix helps maintain the moisture that GF flours often lack. For the chocolate, if you don’t have Guittard, try chopping up a high-quality chocolate bar for those beautiful “chocolate pools.” If you want to reduce the sweetness, you can omit the milk chocolate chips and use only dark or semisweet chips. Always ensure your eggs are at room temperature to prevent the butter from curdling during the creaming process.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. The Base Dough

Start by creaming your softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars. Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy. This aeration is key to a light cookie. Add your eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Pour in the vanilla extract and mix for another 30 seconds.

2. Adding Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, dry pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Turn your mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix until just combined—overmixing at this stage will develop too much gluten and make the cookies tough.

3. The Fold-In

Fold in the M&Ms, chocolate chips, and sprinkles using a large spatula. Ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the thick dough.

4. Method A: Unstuffed Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 3/4 ounce scoop, place 12 rounds of dough on the sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes. They may look slightly underdone in the center, but they will firm up as they cool.

5. Method B: Nutella Stuffed Cookies

Preheat your oven to 375°F (the higher heat helps set the exterior quickly so the Nutella doesn’t leak). Use a 2-ounce scoop. While the dough is in the scoop, press your thumb to make a well. Drop 1/2 teaspoon of Nutella inside, pinch the dough over the top to seal it, and release onto the tray. Bake 6-8 per sheet for 10-12 minutes.

Expert Baking Tips

To take these cookies to the “pro” level, follow these three tips. First, use a cookie scoop. Consistent sizing ensures that all cookies bake at the exact same rate. Second, the “scoot” method: if your cookies come out of the oven slightly misshapen, place a large circular glass or cookie cutter over the hot cookie and gently “scoot” it in a circular motion to pull the edges into a perfect circle. Third, don’t overbake. Pudding cookies are meant to be soft. If the edges are just barely golden, they are done. They carry over a lot of heat and will continue to cook on the hot baking sheet for several minutes after being removed from the oven.

The Secret of the Stuffed Center

Stuffing cookies can feel intimidating, but the Nutella center is surprisingly forgiving. The trick is to ensure the Nutella is not too runny; if your kitchen is very warm, pop the Nutella in the fridge for 10 minutes before scooping. When sealing the dough, make sure there are no visible cracks. Even a small opening can lead to a “Nutella explosion” on your baking sheet. If you want to get really fancy, you can freeze small 1/2 teaspoon dollops of Nutella on a tray for 20 minutes before stuffing them into the dough. This makes the assembly process much cleaner and keeps the center perfectly gooey.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies are best served slightly warm, especially the Nutella-stuffed version, to ensure the center is molten. Arrange them on a festive wooden board with sprigs of rosemary and dried cranberries for a stunning holiday display. They pair perfectly with a cold glass of whole milk, a creamy eggnog, or even a hot peppermint mocha. If you are gifting them, place them in a decorative tin with layers of parchment paper. Because they stay soft for so long, they are the ideal candidate for shipping to friends and family across the country.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Store your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 14 days. To keep them extra soft, you can place a single slice of white bread in the container; the cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread. For make-ahead options, you can scoop the dough into balls and freeze them on a tray. Once frozen, transfer the balls to a Ziploc bag. You can bake them straight from the freezer—just add 1-2 minutes to the total baking time.

FAQs

1. Can I use “Cook and Serve” pudding mix instead of Instant?
No, you must use Instant Pudding. Cook and Serve pudding requires heat and liquid to thicken, and it will not provide the same structural benefits or soft texture to the cookie dough.

2. Why did my Nutella-stuffed cookies leak?
Leaking usually happens for two reasons: the dough wasn’t pinched tightly enough to seal the center, or the oven temperature was too low. The 375°F temperature for the stuffed version is crucial to “set” the walls of the cookie quickly.

3. Do I really need two types of chocolate chips?
While you can use just one, the combination of milk chocolate (for sweetness) and semisweet (for depth) creates a more complex flavor profile that mimics high-end bakery cookies.

4. Can I make these dairy-free?
Yes, you can use vegan butter sticks and dairy-free chocolate chips. Note that most instant pudding mixes are actually “accidentally vegan,” but always check the label for dairy derivatives.

5. How do I get the M&Ms to look so perfect on top?
The “pro” secret is to press a few extra mini M&Ms and chocolate chips into the top of the dough balls immediately before sliding them into the oven.

Baking during the holidays should be a joy, not a stress. This Christmas Pudding Cookie recipe offers the reliability of a no-chill dough with the “wow factor” of a stuffed center. Whether you are baking for a neighborhood cookie swap or just a cozy night by the fire, these treats are guaranteed to be the star of the show. The combination of the soft-batch texture, the rich Guittard chocolate, and the festive crunch of sprinkles creates a multi-sensory experience that defines the spirit of the season. Happy baking!

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