One Cookie Dough 4 Ways
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This pudding cookie dough recipe is easy to make and can be used to make 4 delicious Christmas cookies: frosted cookies, sprinkle cookies, thumbprint cookies, and hidden kiss cookies.
That’s right, four cookies from one basic cookie dough!
Make incredible homemade Christmas cookies for your Christmas party, cookie exchange, or to leave out for Santa with this yummy pudding sugar cookie recipe.
The pudding cookie dough makes cookies that are so soft and full of vanilla flavor, they really are the most amazing melt-in-your-mouth cookies.
And while you could just go ahead and enjoy your vanilla pudding cookies as-is, we like to have some fun with these pudding cookie variations. They are perfect for holiday baking!
4 Christmas cookies, 1 dough
This vanilla pudding cookie dough may be used to make the following cookies:
- Christmas sprinkle cookies
- thumbprint jam cookies
- secret kiss cookies
- soft frosted Christmas cookies
Ingredients
For the basic pudding cookie dough you will need:
- Butter & shortening – I like to use a combo of butter and shortening for this recipe. The shortening helps prevent the cookies from over spreading in the oven while the butter gives the cookies that real butter flavor.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract – Use real vanilla extract if at all possible (not imitation).
- All-purpose flour
- Instant vanilla pudding mix – The smaller, 3.4 oz size box. Make sure you get instant pudding mix, not cook & serve pudding.
- Baking powder
- Salt
The different cookie variations will each call for one or more extra ingredients as well.
See what extra ingredients you will need here: thumbprint cookies, hidden kiss cookies, sprinkle cookies, soft frosted cookies.
Freezes Well
This Christmas cookie dough recipe makes enough for 5 dozen cookies, so feel free to separate the dough and bake some now and freeze some for later.
To freeze, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer baggie. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
Need more Christmas cookie recipes?
For more Christmas baking inspo, check out: The Best Christmas Cookie Recipes!
Basic Pudding Cookie Dough
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup shortening
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set them aside.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer and a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
- Beat in eggs, vanilla, and instant pudding mix.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, a little at a time, mixing between additions.
- Finish preparing and bake according to individual directions for Soft Frosted Christmas Cookies, Hidden Kiss Cookies, Sprinkle Pudding Cookies, or Thumbprint Cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Could I use gluten free flour?
I have always used regular all-purpose flour and have not tried the recipe with GF flour. If you do decide to give it a try please let us know how it comes out!
I’m curious if using chocolate pudding mix could be a possible “twist” on this recipe?
Yes, for sure!
What does it mean prepare for individual cookie. I found nothing for those directions.
Once you prepare the dough you can use it to make any/all of these four cookie varieties:
sprinkle cookies
thumbprint Cookies
secret kiss cookies
soft frosted Christmas cookies
Click the links above to get the directions for making each variety of cookie.
Anxious to make this cookie recipe. Make up one dough and cook four cookie variety.
Salted or unsalted butter?
Can margarine be substituted?
Great versatility with the one base recipe! I can’t wait to add these to our cookie tray this year.
This is a genius idea to get a lot of variety from just one recipe! The cookies are so cute and even better, delicious!
Do use salted or unsalted butter?
You can use either for this recipe. Enjoy!
Can you roll these in balls to bake and for how long?
Yes! Roll into balls and bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown around the edges.
Can you use butter flavor shortening?
yes