Pudding Chocolate Chunk Cookies

There was cookie trauma the day I made these. When it was time to rotate the cookie sheets in the oven, I turned one of them so fast that the parchment paper and all the cookies on it slid right off. Some cookies were smacked onto the oven door and slid down into a mountain of goop at the bottom of the oven and left a trail of chocolate sadness on the oven window. And the rest --



-- came out like that.

But that's okay. Appearance doesn't matter! A good cookie is still a good cookie.

I've made these once and have been hooked since. It is SO versatile. If you take a good look at the reviews on the original Kraft site, you will see people are experimental with pudding mix flavors -- yes this uses pudding mix, and that's the magic here -- I always pick French Vanilla pudding mix and up the vanilla extract and throw in a pinch of coarse sea salt. Result? A chocolate chip cookie with a crunch of sea salt that fills the mouth with the aroma of pure vanilla.

Pudding Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Adapted from {kraftfoods}

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 pkg. (4-serving size) instant pudding mix, any flavor (do NOT prepare)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz chocolate chips, chunks or coarsely chopped chocolate
1/2 teaspoon sea salt optional

Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat butter, sugars, the pudding mix and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed until well incorporated. Beat in eggs until just combined. Gradually beat in flour and baking soda until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks. Dough should be stiff.

Drop tablepoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets and cool completely on wire racks.

Makes about 36 cookies (tablespoonfuls of dough)