Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

*1 cup Butter, room temperature OR use 1/2 cup Butter Flavored Shortening and 1/2 cup Butter, room temperature OR Olive Oil Plant Based Butter, Note: Cookies will be cruncher with the plant based butter

*1/2 cup White Sugar

*1/2 cup Brown Sugar

*3 Eggs, room temperature

*1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

*2  and 3/4 cups All-purpose Flour

*1/4 cup Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix, boxed kind

*1 teaspoon Baking Soda

*1 teaspoon Baking Powder

*1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

*1 cup Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Chips (my favorite) or Dark Chocolate Chips or Milk Chocolate Chips, more for the top after baking

*1/2 cup Guittard White Vanilla Chips, more for the top after baking

*1 cup Valentine M&M’s or any seasonal M&M’s, more for the adding to the top after baking

Instructions:

Note:  I like to hand mix this recipe with wooden spoon in a medium glass bowl.

1. Cream together in a bowl;  Shortening, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla.

2.  Add eggs one at a time, stirring until ingredients are combined.

3. Whisk together in a separate bowl the dry ingredients.

4.  Add a cup at a time of the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.  Add more flour if needed, cookie dough should be slightly sticky.  Refrigerate 1-2 hours or overnight for best results.

5.  Using a cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons per cookie dough ball), scoop 6 scoops onto Silpat covered 1/2 baking sheet, or cooking sprayed or  parchment paper would work as well.  Do not press done cookie dough balls.  (You could also top with a few chocolate chips and M&M’s if desired.)  Keep dough chilled between batches.

6.  In a pre-heated oven on 350*F.  bake the cookies about 10-12 minutes or when the edges barely begin to turn a light golden color, being careful not to over bake.

Makes about  30 cookies

Tip: For best results on baking any cooked or baked goods in the oven, make sure your oven is heating temperature at the correct temperature. Use an oven thermometer to test your ovens temperature and adjust your oven temperature as needed according to oven thermometers reading.

Enjoy!

Lindy