Double Chocolate Chunk M&M Cookies baked to share

Soft and chewy Double Chocolate Chunk M&M Cookies are a fun, chocolatey treat that's loaded with M&M's and chunks of dark chocolate! It's a simple, no-fuss, no-dough-chilling recipe a strong match for any time of the year!

Why this bake works

These double chocolate chunk M&M cookies were created, in part, thanks to a Sovuh reader who recently asked if they could use chocolate pudding mix instead of vanilla in my Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies recipe.

It's a simple, no-fuss cookie recipe that requires no chilling of the dough! They're chocolatey, with a hint of brown sugar, super soft on the inside with a crispy outside, loaded with chunks of chocolate and M&M chocolate candies, and a great treat to share with friends, family, and neighbors!

Another bonus is that the scooped cookie dough is easy to freeze for later enjoyment! When you want a chocolatey snack, just grab a couple of frozen cookie dough balls and bake!

Enjoy!

What goes in

The ingredients shown in the image below are used to make these soft double chocolate pudding cookies. Items noted in the bulleted list are key ingredients that need more explanation.

• All-Purpose Flour. A reliable flour to use is always King Arthur, no question.
• Chocolate Fudge Flavored Instant Pudding Mix. You will use the powder mix for this method—don't make the pudding. Make sure the box says “Instant Pudding and Pie Filling,” not “Cook and Serve Pudding and Pie Filling.”
• Unsalted Butter. When I first shared this method, I used vegetable shortening, which works fine, but A reliable choice is butter.
• Vanilla Extract. I also recommend trying vanilla paste! It's a more concentrated flavor, and you can see the vanilla beans in the cookie dough.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. You can also use milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate bars chopped into small pieces. The Ghirardelli brand is one of my favorites, which is what I used here, but use what you have on hand!
• Sea Salt Flakes. An optional ingredient you can top the chocolate chip cookies with right before you bake them! Not to be confused with table salt. If you're looking for a good brand to try, Malden makes truly good sea salt flakes.

For quantities and instructions, please see the method card below.

Substitutions

• Pudding Mix. In place of the chocolate fudge-flavored instant pudding mix, you can try the original chocolate version or use the substitute mix provided below. You can also omit it entirely from the method, but it will change how the cookies come out.
• Chopped Chocolate. In place of chopped chocolate, you can use chocolate chips or head to a Trader Joe's near you and grab a bag of their semi-sweet chocolate chunks. It will save you the step of chopping chocolate. I used their chocolate chunks in this method.
• M&Ms. You can use their original colors or any holiday-themed colors. Try sticking to just the plain M&Ms for this method.

Chocolate Instant Pudding Substitute

If chocolate-flavored instant pudding mix is hard to find in your area, you can use the following recipe as a substitute.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Non-fat Dry Milk
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Powder
• 3/4 cup Corn Starch
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and store in an airtight container.
2. Use 1 1/8 cups (110 grams) of this house-made instant pudding mix for this Double Chocolate Chunk M&M Cookies recipe.

For a house-made vanilla instant pudding mix, check out my Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

How it comes together

Below is a brief overview of how to make these easy double chocolate chunk M&M cookies. For the full printable recipe, which can be made using US customary or metric measurements using the toggle switch, visit the method card below.

Step 1. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and chocolate fudge-flavored instant pudding mix.

Step 2. Beat the butter and sugars together on medium-high speed until well combined.

Step 3. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 4. Add the whisked dry mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until the dough has formed.

Step 5. Stir in the chopped chocolate and M&Ms with a spatula.

Step 6. Scoop the dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Make sure to space the cookie dough balls out about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Step 7. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375ºF. The cookies should be lightly browned on the bottom with a slightly crispy outside.

Step 8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Keeping and freezing

For storing, keep the chocolate chip pudding cookies stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To keep them extra soft, add a slice of bread to the container.

For freezing, scoop the chocolate chip cookie dough onto a parchment- or wax-paper-lined baking sheet, spacing the dough close together. Freeze until the cookie dough balls are solid, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, no thawing is needed. Place the cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake as instructed, and if needed, add an additional minute of baking time.

Shaping Cookies

The best tip for uniform, round cookies—which comes from Stella Parks of Brave Tart—can be achieved by following these 3 easy steps below:

1. Immediately after your cookies are done, remove them from the oven, but keep them on the hot baking sheet.
2. Take a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie, and place the cookie in it. You can also use a mug or a small bowl, just as long as it's bigger than the cookie itself. The only downside to the mug or bowl is that you can't see the cookie.
3. In a circular motion, move the cookie cutter around the cookie until it forms a perfect circle. This usually takes me about 5-8 seconds. This will make your cookies slightly smaller but thicker.

Baker notes

• Make sure you buy the pudding mix that says, “Instant Pudding and Pie Filling,” not “Cook and Serve Pudding and Pie Filling.
• Use a spatula to transfer the cookies from the baking sheet to the cooling rack because they will be very soft!
• If you don't have chocolate-flavored instant pudding mix where you live, you can use the substitute I provide in this method post or leave it out entirely. The purpose of the instant pudding mix in this method is to boost moisture and flavor.
• If your cookies spread a lot during baking, you can use a round cookie cutter to shape them into a thicker cookie. Try doing this immediately after bringing them out of the oven.
• If shaping the cookies with a cookie cutter, use an oven mitt to hold the baking sheet with the hand you won't be using for the cookie cutter. Because, you know, that baking sheet just came out of the oven. It's going to be H-O-T, HOT!
• To keep the chocolate chip cookies super soft, keep them stored in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The cookies will absorb all the moisture from the bread, leaving them nice and soft.
• Cookies bake to about 3 inches in diameter (if not using a cookie cutter) or roughly 2 1/2 inches (if using a round cookie cutter).

Questions on this bake

What's the purpose of adding instant pudding mix to cookies?

The purpose of adding instant pudding mix to cookies is to boost the moisture and the flavor.

What can Use in place of the instant chocolate pudding mix?

I include a house-made version above that can be used as a substitute. You can also omit it entirely from the method, but keep in mind that its purpose is to boost moisture and flavor. Removing it will alter the texture of the cookies.

How long should I leave the cookies on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack?

Cookies should cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before you transfer them to a wire cooling rack. The cookies will be truly soft too, so use a spatula to transfer them.

Can you freeze chocolate pudding cookies?

Yes! To freeze, scoop the cookie dough onto a parchment- or wax-paper-lined baking sheet, spacing the dough close together. Freeze the cookie dough balls until solid, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, no thawing is needed. Place the cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake as instructed, and if needed, add an additional minute of baking time.