Ultimate Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 small package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375F.  Combine shortening, brown sugar, pudding mix, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until creamy; about 3 to 5 minutes.  Beat egg into creamed mixture.  Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in small bowl; mix into creamed mixture just until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake one baking sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown for chewy cookies or a few minutes longer for crisp cookies.  Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet.  Remove cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Cookies 'n Brownies

My mother-in-law recently gave me a great idea. Make a batch of brownies and a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Pour the brownie batter in the pan and drop cookie dough on top. Bake as directed for the brownies.

Try it with a scoop of ice cream on top. Yum!

If you have refrigerated or frozen cookie dough, it makes it go a lot faster. See my tips for freezing cookie dough in Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies. Just put frozen cookie dough balls on top without defrosting.

I did this for FHE last night and it was a hit. I just wish I'd put more scoops of cookie dough on it! (I'll post a picture when I make it again, since I didn't take a picture of it.)

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 8 to 13 minutes per sheet

1 recipe makes: 3 dozen 3-inch cookies

My mom got a Butter Flavor Crisco(R) Cookie Recipe Book when I was a young teenager and I tried the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe and loved it. I have been making them often ever since...

Original recipe:

3/4 cup Butter Flavor Crisco (regular is fine, too)

1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp milk

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups if nuts are omitted)

1 cup large pecan pieces, optional

Doubled:

1 1/2 cups Butter Flavor Crisco (regular is fine, too)

2 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 Tbsp vanilla

2 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (3 cups if nuts are omitted)

2 cups large pecan pieces, optional

Tripled:

2 1/4 cups Butter Flavor Crisco (regular is fine, too)

3 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

6 Tbsp milk

3 Tbsp vanilla

3 eggs

5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp salt

2 1/4 tsp baking soda

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (4 1/2 cups if nuts are omitted)

3 cups large pecan pieces, optional

1. Heat oven to 375F.

2. Cream shortening, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Blend until creamy. Blend in egg.

3. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in separate bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

4. Drop rounded Tablespoonfuls (about 2 measuring tablespoons) of dough 3-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.

5. Bake at 375F for 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies (they will look light and moist - DO NOT OVERBAKE), 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes (they will continue to bake during cooling). Remove to cooling rack.

My hints:

Using cookie scoops makes it go much faster and I end up with even, round cookies.

I like to bake cookies on stone. The cookies turn out more moist and cook more evenly. Occasionally, I forget that I'm baking cookies and remember about 20 minutes later when they start to smell overcooked, but they still aren't burned! When baking on stone, for moist cookies, the first batch takes about 12 minutes, but once the stones are a little warmed, it only takes about 10 minutes. They are ready when they are slightly golden and no longer shiny.

I usually triple the recipe and bake a couple of sheets of cookies, then scoop the rest of the dough onto cookie sheets lined with wax paper and freeze until hard. Then I put the frozen cookie dough balls into freezer bags, remove the air, label them, and put them in the freezer. Then when I want fresh cookies, I put the frozen cookie dough onto a cookie sheet and bake until slightly golden. I usually just use my toaster oven with my toaster oven-size stone pan!

Crisco's Variations:

1. Drizzle

Melt 1 cup semi-sweet or white melting chocolate with 1 tsp Butter Flavor Crisco over VERY low heat or 50% power in microwave. Stir well. If too thick to drizzle, add a little more Butter Flavor Crisco to thin. Drizzle from end of spoon back and forth over cookie. Sprinkle with nuts before chocolate hardens, if desired.

To harden chocolate quickly, place cookies in refrigerator for a few minutes.

2. Chocolate Dipped

Melt 1 cup semi-sweet or white melting chocolate with 1 tsp Butter Flavor Crisco over VERY low heat or 50% power in microwave. Stir well. Spoon into a cup. Dip one end of cooled cookie halfway up in chocolate. Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts before chocolate hardens. Place on wax paper.

To harden chocolate quickly, place cookies in refrigerator for a few minutes.

3. Holiday Dress-Ups

Frost cookies with Creamy Vanilla Frosting. Decorate with red and green candy coated pieces.

Creamy Vanilla Frosting

Combine 1/2 cup Butter Flavor Crisco, 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners sugar, 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla in medium bowl at low speed of electric mixer until well blended. Scrape bowl. Beat at high speed for 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Frost cooled cookies.

No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Makes: About 4 dozen 2-inch cookies


One of my favorite cookies, but horribly addictive.

Lay out 2 to 3 feet aluminum foil on the counter.

Mix together in a large pot:
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Mix in:
1 cup milk

Start heating on high, then add:
2 sticks margarine (do not substitute)

Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 2 full minutes. Remove from heat and add:
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
5 cups quick oats (do not substitute)

Quickly drop by teaspoonfuls onto foil. Wait for cookies to completely set up, then remove and store in an airtight container.

One of my favorite ways to eat these are to crumble 2 or 3 cookies in a cup of milk and eat it with a spoon.

This is a cookie that Christian constantly requests.