The secret ingredient to make these cookies so soft and fluffy is vanilla pudding mix! Give these a try and guaranteed it will be your new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
In a stand up mixer, or bowl with handheld mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir well to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips and ½ cup of the M&M's.
Using a cookie scoop, measure out equal balls of dough and place on baking sheet. Flatten slightly and press in remaining M&M's on top of the cookies. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on wire baking rack.
Notes
Use room temperature butter for this recipe.
Be sure to cream the butter and sugar well; you want it light and fluffy.
Don't skip the vanilla pudding mix! It gives the cookies that soft batch flavor and texture.
Save some M&M's for pressing onto the tops of the cookies before baking.
Roll the dough into balls before baking to get perfectly round and uniform cookies.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.