Last Updated on November 7, 2023
These Pudding Mix Gingerbread Cookies have just the delicious flavor of traditional gingerbread without the sticky mess of molasses.
Several years ago I found a great recipe on Allrecipes that used butterscotch pudding mix in place of molasses for gingerbread cookies. To see that recipe, click here.
The cookies really did taste just like gingerbread cookies and they rolled out easily so that we could cut out our gingerbread men without too much trouble. However, we already do sugar cookies this way and I’m only willing to do so much rolling and cutting out. As a result, this recipe fell by the wayside.
Modifying The Recipe To Use Pudding Mix
Two years ago I went to a cookie exchange where someone brought the softest, most delicious ginger cookies I had ever tasted. The recipe was surprisingly straightforward.
The only problem was that it called for molasses which on principle I don’t like using since this is the ONLY thing I would ever use it in, meaning that I waste the majority of a jar when I buy it to make these cookies.
So, I decided to toy with the recipe to see if I could work out a way to use the butterscotch pudding mix instead of molasses and end up with a drop cookie instead of a cutout cookie.
Pudding Mix Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
After a couple of trial batches, I figured out the right measurements to produce the result I was looking for. The end result is a wonderfully simple recipe that doesn’t require you to buy a jar of molasses (that you would only use a small portion of) and produces a delicious, soft ginger cookie.
📋 Recipe
Pudding Mix Gingerbread Cookies
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Ingredients
- 3/4 c butter softened
- 1/2 c brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 T orange juice
- 1 3.5 oz pkg butterscotch cook and serve pudding mix
- 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and orange juice and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix well.
- Drop by rounded spoonfuls 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove to wire racks and allow to cool completely.
Nutrition
Brown Sugar Glaze Recipe
The ginger cookie I sampled at the cookie exchange was topped with a brown sugar glaze. My kids prefer these cookies that way, but for me it is too sweet. If you’d like to try it with the glaze, the recipe is below. Usually, I compromise and I sprinkle the cookies with crystallized sugar before baking them.
📋 Recipe
Brown Sugar Glaze
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Ingredients
- 1/4 c butter
- 1/2 c brown sugar
- 2 T milk
- 1/2 c sifted powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a saucepan melt butter.
- Stir in brown sugar and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue to stir for two minutes.
- Add the milk and return to boil (continually stirring).
- Reduce heat to a simmer.
- Gradually stir in powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if needed or warm water if the consistency is too thick.
- Drizzle or spoon onto cookies while mixture is still warm.
Nutrition
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
If you’re looking for even more cookie recipes for an upcoming cookie exchange, holiday party, or just to fill your own cookie jar, check out Funfetti Cookies or these other delicious recipes from a few of my favorite blogs.
If you are looking for a tried-and-true, old-fashioned sugar cookie recipe, you will love this one from The Coconut Head.
If you crave a cookie with character and complexity, these Cinnamon Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies from Feeding Big will satisfy your palette.
The Pecan Tassies from Organized 31 are like bite-sized pecan pies.
What a great collection of cookie recipes. I’m definitely going to try the Ginger Cookie with butterscotch pudding!
I hope you like them! They’re one of my kids favorites.
Starting to think about cookies for Christmas baking this year … thanks so much for these ideas!
Great recipe. I was looking to make gingerbread cookies with my 2-year-old daughter.
These look absolutely amazing! Pudding is wonderful in so many recipes. Can’t wait to try them! Oh, and I’m visiting from the Ladies Only Blog Share Link Party.
Thanks!
Angela
I’d love to try that gingerbread cookies – i never had one so I also have no idea how it taste like.. but seems so delish!
That brown sugar glaze sounds amazing on cookies. I am not a fan of ginger cookies. I wish I liked them but have found they are often to strong.
Never tried adding pudding in cookies. Sounds cool to try!
I love to use pudding too, but I haven’t tried that flavor. Sounds amazing!
I have a cookie party coming up in a few weeks.. I may have to try one of these for the ladies!
Those all look amazing, we started testing out cookie recipes yesterday. I will try some of these next week.
I love the pecan recipe! I am obsessed with them!
Looks superb! You made my stomach grumble with just one look. I could just imagine the smell..divine!
okay I want some of those bite size pecan pies! I am on my way! I am so gonna try to make these. Yum! Thanks for sharing this awesomeness!
It’s past 10PM & I’m sitting here drooling over your recipes!
I want to make all of those cookies! The gingerbread cookies would be perfect for a cookie exchange I am going to!
I love these cookie recipes. My boys are both cookie monsters so I am always looking for unique and delicious recipes to reproduce here at home. I can’t to see them taste these when I make them.
Your recipe looks delicious and the cookies look soft and golden. I do love gingerbread cookies and will have to try these.
Genius idea! I was actually planning on making gingerbread cookies tonight because we’re putting out tree up. I just got a bag of mix though because like you I wont use the molasses.
I haven’t done gingerbread cookies in a long time. I may just have to try this out for the kids. They would love this.
Yumm, all of those look really good. I may have to make some this weekend
All these look so tasty! I will have to try the gingerbread recipe.
I really love sugar cookies they are my favorite for the holidays. They look so good too!
I love Gingerbread cookies but they can get dried out pretty fast, I love this recipe having pudding in it that you’ve posted it. We may give that a try!
Gingerbread cookies are one of the things I really miss since giving up sugar 6 years ago. This looks like a recipe that all my family would love for me to make them. I remember using pudding in the different mixes and it made everything so moist and good.
this is definitively creative!
I was planning on baking cookies this year so I will try these out
I am with you on the rolling and cutting, it seems like a lot of work! I think I may be a lazy baker! These cookies look great and I bet the addition of the pudding makes them super moist!
These are perfect since there is no rolling or cutting. I already make 2 roll & cut cookies each Christmas and am always looking for simpler and still yummy cookies.
The Cinnamon Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are calling my name-LOUD AND CLEAR!! I am not too much into gingerbread cookies but these seem simple enough that I might just try them-for some reason ginger and I do not get along.
Butterscotch pudding is an awesome twist on these cookies. And molasses is such a pain to bake with. I love this idea.