Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok, so I know I have said that I will never eat any other chocolate chip cookie , except for the chewy chocolate cookie recipe I have here. But, I saw this recipe on a couple of food blogs, and there were several different versions. I decided to change the recipe up a bit, and use salted butter for more flavor, as well as buttered flavored shortening for even more flavor (that is all I had on hand). The outcome turned out great! I love the addition of the vanilla pudding. The texture and flavor tastes like a high quality bakery cookie. There is not as much brown sugar flavor in these cookies in comparison to the chewy chocolate cookies that I love, but I'm not going to compare the two cookies anymore. This cookie has it's own unique spot in the category of "I can't stop eating these cookies, they are so good". I used chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, but these would be good with any kind of chips. 9 minutes in the oven, and they were perfectly done, and the recipe makes about 8 dozen, so you will have plenty to share. ENJOY!

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. salted butter, softened
1 c. buttered flavored shortening (you can also use regular)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
5 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt (I added just a pinch more)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 small boxes of vanilla pudding, or one large one
1/2-3/4 of a bag of chips (butterscotch, chocolate, peanut butter, etc.)

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Combine butter, shortening, sugars, and pudding until creamed, Add vanilla and eggs, mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to wet, combine until well mixed. Add chips, and spoon batter about the size of a small apricot onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.