1-First Step: Gather your bowl and hand mixer. Dump in 1 (15.25 oz) box cake mix and 1 (3.4-3.9 oz) box instant pudding mix. No sifting needed. These dry teams make your cake mix pudding cookies super fluffy.

2-Second Step: Melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick). Add to dry mix with 2 room-temp large eggs. Mix on medium until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Dough thickens fast! Scrape sides for even blend. Question: Butter or oil? Butter wins for flavor pop.

3-Third Step: Toss in 1/2-1 cup mix-ins like chocolate chips or sprinkles. Stir until just incorporated. Overmix toughens. Love peanut butter? Chip in those too. Personal fave: funfetti cake with M&Ms!

4-Fourth Step: Cover dough tight. Chill 30 minutes in fridge. This step key for fluff! For extra soft, chill scooped balls another 30 minutes. Dough firms, cookies hold shape. Cakey style means less spread.

5-Fifth Step: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets. Scoop 9 dough balls per sheet with large cookie scoop (about 2 tbsp each). Space 2 inches apart. Flatten slight if you like uniform tops.

6-Sixth Step: Bake 10-15 minutes. Edges set golden, centers soft and shiny. Dark chocolate mix? Check at 10 minutes. Rotate sheets midway for even bake. Different flavors bake a tad different.

7-Seventh Step: Cool 2 minutes on sheet. They firm up! Transfer to wire rack. Repeat batches. Total time flies. Fresh out? Heaven!

8-Final Step: Taste test! Dust powdered sugar or frost optional. Serve warm with milk. Vegan? Flax eggs work (untested by me, but promising). Store smart, see below. Bake party now? You’ve got this!