Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with a rich blend of butter, sugar, and sour cream, with instant vanilla pudding mix for extra softness and flavor. Fluffy cookies that taste like mint chip ice cream!
In our family, these Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are always a favorite, especially because they’re made with simple ingredients like butter, sugar, sour cream, and instant vanilla pudding mix that give them such a soft, fluffy texture. The mix of mint extract and chocolate chips (sometimes with a few Andes mint pieces tossed in) makes them taste just like mint chip ice cream, which we all love.
We look forward to making these around St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas, but they honestly don’t last long any time of year. They’re one of those recipes everyone gets excited about, and they disappear almost as fast as we can bake them!
Recipe Highlights
- Soft, Bakery-Style Texture – Thanks to the instant vanilla pudding mix and sour cream, these cookies turn out incredibly soft, fluffy, and stay moist longer than your average cookie.
- Mint Chip Ice Cream Flavor – The combination of mint extract, chocolate chips, and optional Andes mint pieces gives these cookies that nostalgic, creamy mint chocolate chip taste in every bite.
- Fun & Festive Look – The light green color makes these cookies perfect for holidays like St. Patrick’s Day or Christmas, adding a playful and eye-catching touch to any dessert spread.
Ingredients for Chocolate Chip and Mint Cookies
Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a soft, tender texture.
Butter: Provides rich flavor and contributes to the cookies’ soft, melt-in-your-mouth consistency.
Egg: Binds the ingredients together and helps give the cookies structure.
Sour cream: Adds moisture and a slight tang, keeping the cookies soft and fluffy.
Vanilla pudding mix: Enhances flavor while creating an extra soft, thick, and tender texture.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the flavors.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise and achieve a light, airy texture.
Flour: Forms the base of the dough and gives the cookies structure.
Mint extract: Infuses the cookies with that classic, refreshing mint flavor.
Food coloring: Gives the cookies their fun, signature green color.
Chocolate chips: Add bursts of rich chocolate flavor that perfectly complement the mint.
Tips for making Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Don’t overdo the mint extract – Mint can quickly become overpowering, so stick to the measured amount; a little goes a long way and keeps the flavor balanced with the chocolate.
- Mix the pudding in dry, not prepared – Be sure to add the instant pudding mix as a dry ingredient, which is what gives these cookies their signature thick, soft texture.
- Watch the bake time closely – These cookies are best when slightly underbaked; pull them out when the edges are set but the centers still look soft so they stay fluffy and don’t dry out.
- Customize your chocolate mix-ins strategically – Andes mint pieces add amazing flavor but tend to melt into the dough, so pair them with regular chocolate chips or chunks to keep that classic chip texture.
How long are these Mint Chip Cookies good for?
These cookies stay soft and fresh for about 3–4 days at room temperature when stored in an airtight container, or up to a week in the fridge (just let them come to room temp before serving for the best texture).
Yes, you can absolutely freeze them! Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 month, or freeze the dough by scooping it into balls and placing them on a baking sheet until solid—then transfer to a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 1 month. This way, you can bake a few at a time whenever you’re craving warm, fresh cookies!
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup butter softened (1 stick)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp mint extract
- drop blue coloring + 7-10 drops green coloring
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
- Begin by creaming together the sugar and butter, in a large bowl, until nice and fluffy. Add in the egg, sour cream and dry pudding mix, stir well to combine.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Incorporate the flour mixture into the butter and pudding mixture and stir until well combined.
- Now add the mint extract and food coloring until desired color is achieved.
- Lastly, add in the chocolate chips. I used ¾ cup chocolate chunks, ¾ cup regular chocolate chips and ½ cup Andes baking bits. Any combination is wonderful, but note that while the Andes mint baking pieces add an incredible flavor, they kind of disappear in the cookies. So add them in addition to the 1 ½ cups chocolate chips, if you opt to put them in!
- Start dropping the cookie dough by the rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. When done baking, transfer to a cooling rack. Serve fresh and warm, enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition
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Can I use yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes! Plain yogurt works just as well and will still give you that soft, moist texture.
Why add pudding mix to the dough?
The dry pudding mix is the secret to these cookies staying extra soft, thick, and flavorful.
Do I have to use food coloring?
No, it’s completely optional—it just gives the cookies that fun minty green look.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! You can refrigerate the dough for a day or freeze dough balls for up to a month and bake when ready.
Check out some of our other favorite cookie recipes to try:
- Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies are tiny, bite-sized treats packed with big flavor! Perfect for snacking, sharing, or sneaking straight from the cookie sheet!
- These Chocolate Mint Cookies are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth treats dipped in rich chocolate with a cool minty twist—basically holiday magic in every bite.
- Double Chocolate Mint Cookies are rich, chewy, and loaded with deep chocolate flavor, then topped with melty Junior Mints for that perfect cool-mint finish. If you’re a mint chocolate lover, these fudgy cookies are about to be your new obsession.
- Our Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are made completely from scratch with simple ingredients. Adding chocolate chips to peanut butter cookies elevates them to a new level!
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies mix buttery dough with sweet maraschino cherries and rich chocolate chips—a colorful, fun twist on a classic favorite!
- Bursting with sweet, juicy raspberries and melty chocolate chips, these Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies are a fresh twist on a classic favorite! Perfectly irresistible—one bite and you’ll be hooked!
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, fluffy, and packed with flavor, thanks to butter, sugar, sour cream, and a bit of instant vanilla pudding. Every bite tastes just like your favorite mint chip ice cream!
Nancy L'Hote says
Do you use regular pudding or instant pudding???
Jessica says
Instant pudding- I updated the recipe post to reflect this. 🙂
Cecilia Cervantes says
Can this be made using a gluten free cookie mix?
Jessica says
This is a from scratch cookie recipe, so I haven’t attempted to morph a cookie mix (of any kind!) into it. You can always just try adding some mint extract and extra chocolate to your cookie mix and see if that jazzes it up a bit!
Katlyn says
Do you make the pudding fist then put in
Jessica says
Nope, you just add the pudding mix. (Dry, straight from the package.)
Matt Henry says
Have you tried using some brown sugar in these? Not replacing all the regular sugar but maybe about a 50/50 mix
Jessica says
I haven’t- usually I replace regular granulated sugar with brown sugar if I’m trying to make my recipe sweeter with less sugar. (I hope that makes sense!) In this case, I feel like the chocolate adds enough sweetness, so I just try to keep the rest simple. You’re welcome to try it though!
Laura says
Mint or peppermint extract?
Jessica says
Use what you like! Some people think mint extract tastes like toothpaste, so they only use peppermint. I use both. 🙂 I think peppermint extract gives a stronger mint flavor though, which I like.
Rach says
Why sour crm?…can it be replaced
Jessica says
Sour cream adds a nice, light texture to cookies. You can use yogurt instead if you’d like!
Stedoo Phanley says
I make a Bundt (Coffee) Cake that uses a cup or so of sour cream and it makes it so moist and dense, its amazing. I’ll have to share the recipe sometime soon
Jessica says
Sounds amazing!
Stedoo Phanley says
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cinnamon-coffee-ring
Sorry in advance, I don’t know if sharing website links are allowed or not.
Here’s the recipe, it’s really good. You’ll have to try it!
anna says
I’m thinking instead of vanilla and mint, why not try pistachio pudding? It already has some nuts, and you can add to it.
Jessica says
That sounds delicious!
Stephanie says
Anna, did you try making this with a different pudding mix? I’d love to know how they came out. I thought about making them with chocolate pudding (because my family doesn’t like mint) and leaving out the mint extract but I wasn’t sure if I needed to substitute vanilla exact or not.
Leah says
I’ve made them with chocolate pudding, and did use vanilla extract. Yum.
Ken says
I think you’re awesome just for posting this recipe. I’m so making these this weekend. Thank you!
Jessica says
Hope you enjoyed them Ken!
Nina says
Hi Jessica, I thought when I first saw this recipe posted on FB that I read you added chocolate chunks AND some Andes chopped mint candies, but now I can’t find where I saw that! Am I dreaming I did?? BTW, can’t wait to make them this week!!
Jessica says
I saw your other comment Nina- glad you got it worked out! 😉 Hope you enjoyed the recipe!
Nina says
Oh good grief, I just saw it in the recipe!! Never mind!! 🙂
Joan Buell says
Had 4 college guys staying with us over St, Patrick’s Day, so made these. Used 5 drops peppermint oil as I was out of extract . Guys said they were ” da bomb!”.
Jessica says
Your comment made me smile Joan! So glad they enjoyed them!
Stedoo Phanley says
This is wonderful. I never tried the cookies made using pudding mix so that will be a something new for me to test out. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
P.S: Doesn’t the cookie dough look like chocolate chip mint ice cream in that picture? 🙂
Jessica says
You’re so welcome. And yes! The dough looks exactly like mint chip ice cream. It’s fun! Tastes like it too!
Joyce Halvorsen says
I ust purchased a brand new kitchaid mixer and I am dying to find out how this recipe works with the mixer. Hubby loves mint chocolate chip flavored anything ..Fun recipe….I will try the pestcahio as I do not care for mint as much as hubby. Thank you for posting recipes … looking forward to me shares.
Louise says
Do you think these will freeze well?
Jessica says
MY favorite way to freeze cookies is to make balls of dough and freeze those! You can bake them and freeze the baked cookies too, but I love the fresh-baked taste! But yes, they freeze well wither way!
Joe says
Do u need the sour cream and pudding
Jessica says
Yes, you need the sour cream and the dry pudding mix in the cookies. 🙂
Mary Lynn says
Oh my God! These are sooooo good. Easy to make. Great presentation. My new favorite cookie. Thanks!
Jessica says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
Brittany says
These are absolutely my favorite cookies! Thank you so much for the recipe! I took them to work and they were gone within minutes (I even doubled the batch). 🙂
Jessica says
I’m so glad you liked them Brittany! 🙂
Kathy says
Can this dough be chilled overnight?
Jessica says
Of course!
Corey G says
I doubled the recipe and the mix came out gluey. Any guess where I went wrong? I followed the steps exact but doubled everything. Hmm.
Jessica says
Did you roll the dough into logs and chill? The dough is sticky before you take this step.
Judy Bodnar says
Jessica, you did not mention this step in the above recipe….if it’s important, please amend the recipe BEFORE I make them (within 2 weeks Please)
Sandi Bartley says
Does the dough need to be rolled into logs and chilled? The recipe does not say that. I am baking these next weekend and need to know please. Thanks! ☺
Jessica says
Hi Sandi- nope! No need to roll into logs or chill- just scoop them out and bake! 🙂
Beginner says
Any advise….cooking at 10 min wasn’t long enough. 14 min burned the bottom. Is there a trick to tell when they’re cooked perfectly.
Jessica says
What type of pan are you baking them on? If they burned at 14 minutes, I wonder if you’re using a dark pan. I like to take my cookies out of the oven before they look fully cooked, then let them sit on the hot pan (out of the oven) for another 2-3 minutes to finish baking. THey’re perfect this way!