I need to ‘fess up about the reason behind baking these cookies the other night. It was more than just a craving for something sweet after dinner.

You see, a few months ago when I was too sick to eat much more than mac & cheese, saltines or instant pudding, I also couldn’t go to the store for our weekly groceries. Have you ever noticed just how awful grocery stores can smell? I don’t understand why the sweet demo lady has to cook fish so early in the morning.

On one of these weekly grocery trips which my husband so lovingly made for me, he inadvertently brought home 10 boxes of instant pudding mix, when in fact I had meant for him to bring a 6-pack of the pre-made instant pudding they sell in the dairy aisle that is already portioned out in little cups. Yeah, oops!

Anyway, he gets an A+ for effort and since months later I still have a few of those instant pudding boxes in the pantry, he also gets a gold star. It just means I will just have to bake pudding cookies until those boxes are all gone. Darn.

Chocolate Fudge Pudding Cookies with Peanuts
slightly adapted from Allrecipes
Makes: 2-3 dozen, depending on cookie size
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
1 C unsalted butter (I used Smart Balance butter)
3/4 C light brown sugar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 t imitation butter flavor
2 large eggs
2 1/4 C all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1 (3.9 oz) package instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 C unsalted peanuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the butter flavor. Combine the flour, baking powder and instant pudding mix; stir into the creamed mixture. Fold in the peanuts. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in a Ziploc bag or airtight container.