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If you love watergate salad, then you are going to love these Watergate Cookies! They are pudding cake mix cookies made with pistachio instant pudding and a box of cake mix. The cookies are so easy to make, require just one bowl and a cookie sheet, and are packed with traditional watergate salad flavors!
Watergate Cookies are cake mix cookies that are made with pudding. I love adding instant pudding to cookies, it creates a moist and soft cookie with the best texture over! In fact, I have so many pudding cookie recipes (and I know you’re going to love them!). These pistachio cookies are packed with white chocolate chips, and real pistachio pieces. You will also love these triple chocolate pudding cookies, butterscotch oatmeal cookies, banana pudding cookies, pumpkin spice pudding cookies, and Harry Potter’s butterbeer cookies.
I even add instant pudding to no-bake cookies for an amazing texture and flavor, check out these no-bake sugar cookies, they’re incredibly delicious!
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Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Soft and Chewy Pistachio Cookies: Adding a package of instant chocolate pudding mix to this recipe creates amazing soft-baked cookie texture. They might not be as crispy, but with the combination of instant pudding and cake mix, the cookies have the best texture ever!
- Easy and Fun Cookie:This recipe is super easy and will come together quickly with standard baking ingredients. The only unusual ingredient here is the Jello Pudding Mix, which is easy to find at any store.
- Customizable: I’m adding all the fun stuff to these cookies such as chopped pecans, shredded coconut, and marshmallow chips. But the last 2 ingredients are optional, so you can totally make these even if you don’t have everything the recipe calls for!
Key Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions islocated in the recipe cardbelow
- Cake Mix:You need a box of cake mix, I used yellow cake mix to make these but white cake mix would also work. The brand that I used is Betty Crocker, but I’m also a big fan of Duncan Hines cake mixes.
- Instant Pudding: You need one package of pistachio pudding here. It’s an essential ingredient in this recipe, and we’re usingjust the powder, no need to actually prepare the pudding.JELL-O brand instant pudding mix is my go-to, but other brands will also work. Just be sure that you’re using instant pudding mix, and not the type that needs to be cooked.
- Oil and Eggs:These 2 ingredients are needed to turn a box of cake mix into cookies! Use 2 large eggs that are brought to room temperature, as they incorporate much better in the dough when they’re not fridge-cold.
- Lime Soda: Added for flavor, but if you don’t have it or don’t want to open a can for just a couple of tablespoons to go in the recipe, you can substitute it with water, sparkling water, or milk.
- Pecans: You need raw pecans that are roughly chopped before measuring and adding to the cookie dough.
- Marshmallows: Mini marshmallows “can” work here but they will melt and create a totally different texture and effect. I’m using dehydrated mini marshmallow chips/bits that I picked up from Target, they’re perfect for these cookies!
- Shredded Coconut: I’m using sweetened shredded coconut, it’s delicious and I eat it straight from the bag!
How To Make Watergate Cookies
- Get Ready to Bake:Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Mix the Ingredients:In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix with pistachio instant pudding, eggs, oil, lime soda, ½ cup of chopped pecans, shredded coconut, and ½ cup of marshmallow chips.
- Form Cookies: With a spatula stir well to combine (cookie dough will be stiff). Then using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size), scoop out cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake: Top each cookie ball with chopped pecans, and bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottom is lightly browned (you don’t want the cookies to brown though).
- Cool: Remove from the oven, and top with additional mini marshmallow chips. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Top Tips
- Use a Cookie Scoop. I love using cookie scoops for all of my drop cookies. A scoop allows you to easily portion out the dough, giving you cookies that are uniformly sized. I used asmall cookiescoop that makes 1 tablespoon cookies and I got 52 cookies in total.
- Get the Right Pudding.Be sure to buy a pistachio pudding mix that is labeled “Instant” on the box. Otherwise, the cookies won’t turn out.
- Don’t Overcook.Because these cookies are made with pudding mix and cake mix, they are baked fairly quickly. Mine were done in just 8 minutes when the bottoms of the cookies started browning, I took them out of the oven.
Recommended Cookie Making Tools
These tools are all in my kitchen, and help me bake cookies with ease. Pick up any that you don’t already have, and you’ll be ready for baking any time.
- Pyrex Mixing Bowls: There’s something about these clear glass mixing bowls that brings me back to baking with my mother. They are a must for me, even though I’ve tried other bowls, I still come back to these every time.
- Hand Mixer: No need to use a fancy stand mixer for a batch of cookies when a hand mixer does the job just fine. I use this one from Kitchenaid.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: This set from OXO is just so well designed! There are magnets in the handles so they stack and stick to each other perfectly.
- Kitchen Scales: for measuring ingredients or portions by weight, this glass kitchen scale is my favorite.
- Cookie Scoop: This scoop is a small size, and makes one tablespoon sized scoops, perfect for most drop cookie recipes. I suggest keeping a medium cookie scoop on hand as well.
- Cookie Sheet: I love my Nordic Ware half sheet pans. They are very high quality and last forever.
- Silpat: To line the cookie sheets, a Silpat silicone mat in half size is perfect for making everything non-stick, and you’ll never need to buy parchment paper again.
Storing Tips
- To Store:Store watergate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep the cookies from going stale quickly, store them with a piece of white bread that will absorb any moisture and keep the cookies fresh for longer.
- To freeze baked cookies:Allow the cookies to cool down completely, then place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to three months.
- To freeze unbaked cookies:Follow the recipe and stop at the point where you make the cookie balls. Fill a sheet tray with them, and then place the tray of dough balls in the freezer for an hour. After an hour, transfer the frozen cookie dough to a freezer bag or container. You can freeze cookie dough balls for up to three months.
- To bake frozen cookies:You can bake the dough balls directly from frozen. Add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.
FAQs
Can I make cookies with sugar-free pudding mix?
Yes, you can! The texture will not be quite the same, but they will still work. Be sure that the pudding mix is the Instant type, and just note that the package will not be 3.4 ounces because the sugar substitutes weigh less than regular sugar. You should still only use one standard size box of instant pudding mix in the recipe.
Do I add the milk to the pudding mix before adding it to this cookie recipe?
No, there is no milk in this recipe. Don’t follow the instructions on the back of the pistachio pudding mix. All you need to do is add the dry pudding mix powder into the dough with the cake mix.
I know that you are going to love these easy watergate pudding cookies with marshmallow chips and pecans! They’re so easy to make, and are incredibly soft and delicious! If you try these cookies, don’t forget to share your experience in the comments section below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Recipe
5 from 5 votes
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Watergate Cookies
Created by: Fun Cookie Recipes
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 8 minutes mins
Total Time 23 minutes mins
52 small cookies
Watergate cookies are pudding cake mix cookies made with pistachio instant pudding and a box of cake mix. The cookies are so easy to make, require just one bowl and a cookie sheet, and are packed with traditional watergate salad flavors!
Equipment
Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 15.oz box yellow cake mix or white cake mix
- 1 3.4oz box pistachio instant pudding mix not the cook and serve pudding
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons lime soda can be subbed with water
- ¾ cup chopped pecans raw, divided
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ¾ cup mini marshmallow chips/bits divided
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix with pistachio instant pudding, eggs, oil, lime soda, ½ cup of chopped pecans, shredded coconut, and ½ cup of marshmallow chips.
With a spatula stir well to combine (cookie dough will be stiff). Then using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size), scoop out cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Top each cookie ball with chopped pecans, and bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottom is lightly browned (you don't want the cookies to brown though).
Remove from the oven, and top with additional mini marshmallow chips. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes 52 x 2-inch cookies when using a small 1 tbsp cookie scoop.
- To Store:Store watergate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep the cookies from going stale quickly, store them with a piece of white bread that will absorb any moisture and keep the cookies fresh for longer.
- To freeze baked cookies:Allow the cookies to cool down completely, then place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to three months.
- To freeze unbaked cookies:Follow the recipe and stop at the point where you make the cookie balls. Fill a sheet tray with them, and then place the tray of dough balls in the freezer for an hour. After an hour, transfer the frozen cookie dough to a freezer bag or container. You can freeze cookie dough balls for up to three months.
- To bake frozen cookies:You can bake the dough balls directly from frozen. Add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.3mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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Reader Interactions
pat says
awesome site
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Susan says
I have just found your site and am excited to try your recipes, especially now during the Christmas cookie baking season. I haven’t heard of the dehydrated mini marshmallows. Please tell me who makes them and if they are available at places other than Target. I’m anxious to try them–always ready for something new. Thank you so much for your wonderful site.
sschmidt@hometel.comReply
Diana says
Thank you so much, Susan! You can find Mini Dehydrated Marshmallow Bits at Walmart or Hyvee if you have one near you. Or you can order them on Amazon.
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