chocolate chip cookies (pudding in mix)

Don't know why, but yesterday I was a cooking fool.  OK, maybe not that bad, but considering I had already cleaned out a whole cupboard that got weevil infested, and went to the grocery store in the morning, then washed the car in the afternoon, I ended up doing a lot more cooking that I expected.  It all started when Benjamin wanted to make cookies after we washed the car (that was his request as well.)  I really wanted to make the cookie dough truffles I've been dying to try, but unfortunately I had no mini chocolate chips, and I really think they would work better with the minis, so I tried a new recipe that I had seen online and had on my Things I want to try page.  It is from a new website I found - moments to live by.
Tip/Trick
So, I purposely didn't buy any brown sugar at the store when I went yesterday because I wanted to try thing thing I saw online.  (Unfortunately I can't remember where I saw it.)   You mix 1 Tablespoon molasses and 1 cup of white sugar to make brown sugar.  Easy right. It works too.  I think that plain it tastes a bit strong of a molasses flavor, but in things you can't tell at all.  I used it in these cookies last night and in some cinnamon muffins I made this morning.  No issues.  So yea, a new trick/tip.  I'm not going to worry if I run out of brown sugar.
Ok, on to the new cookie recipe.  I made a couple of alterations - I didn't have a 5 oz. pudding mix because all I have at my house are the sugar free.  The one not sugar free I had was coconut cream or something and the weight on the small box was 3 oz. or something, so I figured I needed a bit more than the small box.  I had a partial box that I had used for some Hungry Girl recipes so I added a whole box and a partial box of the 4 serving size sugar free pudding.
Now on to the flavor - my usual favorite chocolate chip cookie are Nestle toll house, the ones in their book, and on the back of the package of chips.  Nice and chewy.  These however can rival those as a favorite.  I really liked the texture of these cookies.  Nice and crisp on the outside but still chewy on the inside - even after sitting on the counter for a couple of hours.  Bad for me, cookies are a weakness of mine.  But they sure are delicious.  Yum.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup softened butter 
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1-5 oz package vanilla instant pudding mix (I used 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 of the 4 serving size sugar free pudding mixes)
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilaa nd mix well.  In a seperate bowl mix pudding mix, soda, and salt.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Add flour bit by bit until texture is right (You should be able to roll dough into a ball in your hands.  If it is too sticky, add more flour.  The amount called for was perfect for me.)  Mix well.  Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet (I lined mine with parchment) until edges are just browning (12-14 minutes depending on you oven and your elevation - 12 was perfect for me.)