By Rae Jefferson
A&E Editor
This past weekend, I was in search of the perfect end-of-the-week celebratory food. I wanted something sweet, but not sugary enough to leave me with a stomachache after a few bites.
Fortunately, I happened upon a pinned recipe for Quadruple Chocolate Soft Fudgy Pudding Cookies, which are packed with dark chocolate and can satisfy any chocolate-lover’s sweet tooth without being overpowering.
The recipe calls for instant pudding mix, which I thought was odd, but turned out to be extremely helpful. Unlike many cookie mixes that do not include dry pudding, the ingredient helps keep the cookies soft even after being stored for a few days. It also helps give the cookies a thicker, less dense consistency than traditional cookies.
Although these cookies are a great treat and make a generous number of treats, be aware that the total time required for this recipe is at least two and a half hours, but two hours of that time is allotted to chilling the cookie dough in a refrigerator.
Chilling the dough helps the cookies retain their thickness while baking, so it is important to follow this step, even though it is the most time consuming part of the entire process.
Name
Quadruple Chocolate Soft Fudgy Pudding Cookies
Originally pinned from
https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/quadruple-chocolate-soft-fudgy-pudding-cookies.html
What you need
3/4 cup softened unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 box instant chocolate pudding mix, not sugar-free and not Cook and Serve
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 oz. chopped dark chocolate
What to do
Mix together the butter, sugars, egg and vanilla in a large bowl on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, or until a creamy mixture is formed.
Scrape excess mix off of the bowl’s edge. Pour pudding mix and cocoa into the mixture, and mix on low speed for 1 minute, or until everything is combined.
Scrape excess mix off of the bowl’s edge. Pour the flour, baking soda and salt (optional) into the mixture, and mix on low speed for 1 minute, or until everything is combined.
Scrape excess mix off the bowl’s edge. Pour the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate into the mixture, and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, or until everything is combined.
Form approximately 17 balls of dough using a 1/4 cup scoop or your hands. Flatten the balls slightly before placing them on plates. Cover the plates with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but not longer than 5 days.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray, and place chilled balls of dough 2 inches apart. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the tops and edges are hardened. The cookies may appear slightly undercooked and gooey in the middle, but beware of over baking.
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Serve immediately, or store when completely cooled. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for about 1 week or in the freezer for about 6 months.
Raw dough can also be stored in the refrigerator for about 5 days to allow for more baking at a later time.
What went wrong
I did not run into any major snags with this recipe, but I did modify a few things along the way.
I highly suggest following the recommended mixing speeds. The dough starts to get pretty thick once you add the pudding mix and cocoa, so your mixer may start to overheat if you try to mix it too quickly like I initially did.
The original recipe does not call for a sheet of foil to line the cookie sheet prior to baking, but I recommend it. After spraying the foil with non-stick spray, removing cookies was a breeze, and I was also able to restrict my dish washing to a single pan.
Lastly, beware of over baking the cookies. You may be tempted to lengthen the cook time if the cookie centers appear gooey, but be sure to keep an eye on the tops and edges. I experimented with bake times and found that taking the cookies out when the recipe said to (firm top and sides, gooey center) resulted in softer cookies in the long run.
Final Consensus
The recipe turned out much better than I expected. The chocolate flavor was not overpowering and allowed me to enjoy a cookie without feeling like I was doomed for diabetes. The Lariat staff seemed to enjoy them as well, especially considering I added peanut butter chips to a few cookies for a little extra sweetness.
The cookies stayed softer than batches I have made from other recipes in the past, so I firmly believe the pudding mix truly helps keep them enjoyable, even days after being baked. All in all, this is a great choice for chocolate lovers looking for a sweet bite, but the total recipe time may not be ideal for everyone.
