• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Nerd Cooks
  • Recipe Index
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Me
  • A Nerd Travels
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Summer
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
×
A Nerd Cooks » Dessert » Cookies

Firecracker Pudding Cookies

Jul 4, 2018 · Modified: Feb 26, 2023 by Lauren Pacek · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I love it when you share my recipes!

146 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • Mix
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These pudding cookies are soft, sweet, and all dressed up in red, white, and blue for the 4th of July. Happy birthday, America.

Firecracker Pudding Cookies | A Nerd Cooks

Is there such a thing as too many pudding cookies?

I know I post about pudding cookies pretty often (go ahead and take a look). But there's a good reason for it. They are consistently delicious! Plus I think that they come out being good looking cookies just about every time, too. There's nothing wrong with an ugly cookie (provided that it tastes good), but ugly cookies aren't exactly photogenic for a food blog.

Pudding cookies are also endlessly customizable. Switch up the mix-ins and pudding flavors to suit your needs. I obviously went red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July, but you can switch things up for any holiday or occasion.

Firecracker Pudding Cookies | A Nerd Cooks

What ingredients go into these cookies?

  • Butter: I (almost) always use unsalted butter, to better control the saltiness of the final product.
  • Brown sugar: Brown sugar imparts a chewiness to these cookies, in addition to helping sweeten them.
  • Egg: It's an egg. Just 1 large chicken egg.
  • Vanilla extract: Use the stuff you buy at the store or make your own!
  • Vanilla instant pudding: They are pudding cookies, after all! Using instant pudding mix makes these cookies nice and soft, and also gives them a stronger vanilla flavor.
  • Baking soda, Kosher salt, all-purpose flour: Pretty standard stuff.
  • Red, white, and blue sprinkles: Sprinkles will go in the dough as well as on top of the cookies.
  • Red, white, and blue M&Ms candies: Same thing with the M&Ms; they go in the dough and then some get pressed into the tops of the cookies.

One of the fun things about these cookies, in my opinion, is that you can switch up the colors of the sprinkles and M&Ms depending on the season, your mood, or whatever. Want to make these for Valentine's Day? Go red, pink, and white. Cheering on your favorite team? Go with your team's colors!

How do these cookies come together?

It's a pretty standard cookie recipe, really. Butter and sugar get creamed together until light and fluffy. Egg and vanilla extract go in next.

Next, the dry ingredients meet the wet. Add a bunch of sprinkles and M&Ms for festive-ness.

Scoop the dough balls out onto a cookie sheet and stash them in the fridge or freezer for a while. DO NOT skip this step. Not chilling the dough will likely result in them spreading wayyyyyy out when baked.

After the dough has chilled, bake those cookies! Press additional M&Ms into the top of the dough once they come out, and let 'em cool completely.

Firecracker Pudding Cookies | A Nerd Cooks

Want to see more pudding cookies? Check these out:

  • Confetti Pudding Cookies
  • Chocolate Cookies and Cream Pudding Cookies
  • Lemon White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Where did this recipe come from?

This recipe is adapted from one found on Crazy for Crust.

✨ Recipe

Firecracker Pudding Cookies | A Nerd Cooks

Firecracker Pudding Cookies

Lauren Pacek
These Firecracker Pudding Cookies are soft, sweet, and all dressed up for the Fourth of July. Happy birthday, America.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 11 minutes mins
Chilling time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 26 minutes mins
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 223 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 8 tbs unsalted butter softened
  • ¾ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3.4 oz 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup red white, and blue sprinkles
  • ¾ cup red white, and blue M&Ms, plus more for pressing into the top of the cookies

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Add the pudding mix, baking soda, and kosher salt. Mix until combined. Add the flour. Mix again until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed. Add the sprinkles and M&Ms and mix on medium-high speed until they are well distributed throughout the cookie dough.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop ~1.5 tbs balls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
  • When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the chilled balls of cookie dough on the prepared baking sheets, approximately 2 inches apart. Bake 9-11 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn brown.
  • Remove the cookies from the oven and press additional M&Ms into the warm cookies, if desired. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 223kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 291mgSugar: 28g

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Pin this recipe for later! 
Firecracker Pudding Cookies | A Nerd Cooks

More Cookies

  • an overhead view of two hands holding a bowl of pumpkin spice chocolate chip cookies
    Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • 45 degree angle view of orange cookies on wire cooling rack, cookies on a small plate in lower left with bite taken out
    Orange Cookies
  • S'mores Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Maple Bourbon Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies | A Nerd Cooks
    Maple Bourbon Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies

I love it when you share my recipes!

146 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • Mix

Reader Interactions

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Lauren! I'm the recipe developer, photographer, and writer here at A Nerd Cooks. I'm a 30-something wife, mom, and scientist with a passion for mixing cocktails, brewing buzzy coffee drinks, and making other delicious beverages at home.

More about me →

Spring and Summer Drink Recipes

  • two glasses of lavender lemonade garnished with lemon wheels and lavender sprigs
    Lavender Lemonade
  • a glass of strawberry lemonade vodka cocktail garnished with mint
    Strawberry Lemonade Vodka Cocktail
  • 45 degree angle view of 2 limoncello spritz cocktails and a bottle of prosecco
    Limoncello Spritz
  • almost head on shot of 2 glasses of peach iced tea
    Peach Iced Tea
  • two glasses of raspberry iced tea
    Raspberry Iced Tea
  • three coupe glasses on a white marble slab, glasses are filled with pink liquid and are garnished with a cucumber slice
    Strawberry Cucumber Gimlet

See More Spring and Summer Drink Recipes →

Popular Recipes

  • a small goblet full of luxardo cherries on a wooden tray
    Homemade Luxardo Cherries
  • Two tall glasses full of Limoncello Gin Collinses and a bottle of gin.
    Limoncello Gin Collins
  • a glass of cold brew coffee topped with vanilla sweet cream cold brew.
    How to Make Sweet Cream Cold Foam
  • a large bottle full of homemade sour mix.
    The Very Best Sweet and Sour Mix Recipe
  • two key lime pie crush cocktails with straws
    Key Lime Pie Crush
  • three shot glasses with green tea shots
    How to Make the Best Jameson Green Tea Shot Recipe

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About A Nerd Cooks
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2024 Foodie Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme

146 shares

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.