A spin on the nostalgic orange slice cookies, these Sour Patch Kids Cookies are the perfect mix of soft and sweet! The sourness tones down a lot after baking and the cookies have a nice fruity taste. I know they sound strange, but everyone that tries them has been pleasantly surprised!
This post was originally published April 30, 2013 but has been updated in August of 2018 with new photos.
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Having been inspired by a childhood favorite, I decided it was time to take a little spin on an old time recipe that used orange slice candies in a basic cookie dough. The cookies are made from one of my favorite chocolate chip cookie bases and are an ode to the orange slice pudding cookies we used to make.
The dough uses instant vanilla pudding mix to give it a soft texture, as well as a tablespoon of cornstarch to prevent the cookies from flattening out. I have yet to be failed by this dough and it really is my go-to for most cookie bases. I've been failed by one too many dough recipes to look back now.
What You Need to Make Sour Patch Kids Cookies
- Butter
- Brown Sugar & White Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Instant Vanilla Pudding
- Eggs
- Cornstarch
- Baking Soda
- Flour
- Sour Patch Kids Candy
How to Make Sour Patch Kids Cookies
Step 1: Slice Sour Patch Candy In Half
To prevent large pieces of gummy (as well as the effort to spread them out) cut the kids in half (yes, that sounds horrible). Disclaimer: no children were harmed in the making of this recipe.
Step 2: Mix Dough & Add in Sour Patch Kids
Beat butter and sugars together. Add vanilla, pudding, baking soda, and eggs. Mix together, then slowly add cornstarch and flour. Mix until combined and all flour disappears. Add ¾ cup of the cut sour patch kids candy to the cookie dough and mix until combined.
Step 3: Scoop, Roll, and Bake
Use a 2-tablespoon sized cookie scoop to scoop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your hands to roll each scoop into a ball. This will help it bake more evenly.
Step 4: Add Sour Patch Kids to Top
If desired: immediately after baking, press in the remaining ¼ cup of sour patch kids for a pretty presentation.
Sour Patch Kids Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened i.e. 2 sticks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding 4 serving size
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup Sour Patch Kids (cut ¾ cup of the gummies in half to add into the dough and reserve 1/4 cup to press into the top after baking)
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Use a knife to cut the Sour Patch Kids (1 cup) in half. Set aside.
- Beat softened butter (1 cup, i.e. 2 sticks), granulated sugar (¼ cup), and light brown sugar (¾ cup) together for about 30 seconds until combined.
- Add vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), instant vanilla pudding (1 - 4 serving size package), baking soda (1 teaspoon), and eggs (3 large). Mix together, then slowly add cornstarch (1 tablespoon) and all-purpose flour (2 ½ cups). Once flour disappears, add in ¾ cup of the cut-up Sour Patch Kids and mix until combined.
- Use a 2-tablespoon sized cookie scoop to scoop dough onto parchment lined baking sheet. Use your hands to roll each scoop into a ball.
- Bake at 350℉ for 9-11 minutes.
- For presentation purposes, press the remaining ¼ cup of Sour Patch Kids into the top of the baked cookies immediately after removing from the oven.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Nutrition
Most people are a bit skeptical when seeing sour candy in cookies. And I totally understand that, I was too. But the sourness tones down a lot after baking and they actually have a nice fruity taste. Everyone that has tried them said they were pleasantly surprised. So if you're in doubt, give them a try! I dare you.
And there you have it. Just another way to get in that dose of one of my favorite sweet treats.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Sour Patch kids and was not paid to create this post. I'm just mildly obsessed, that's all.
Samantha says
I have made these a couple of times. My husband, the kids and my sister always gobble them up. Sometimes I barely get one. Super delicious recipe every time I have made it.
Melissa says
So happy to hear you and the fam love this recipe, Samantha! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Rachel says
Ahhhhh I work at a place that sells every flavor of spk. I was thinking hmm wonder what I could do with all these flavors. I host a kids New Year’s Eve party every year. This is PERFECT!!! Kids range from 5-25
Melissa says
Every flavor?! That sounds dangerous to be around! :) Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Rachel!
Sky Pohlmann says
Very delicious
Indya | The Small Adventurer says
HOW have I never thought of this before?! I love both cookies AND gummy candy, combining them together is such a brilliant idea! Definitely going to have to give this a try ????
Melissa says
Haha, they're so oddly good! We also like making this recipe with gummy orange slice chunks, as they have the same texture but a little less fruity than SPK!
Kandie says
The first time that I made them, all the recipes were almost identical. That's while I was living in Upstate NY, now that I'm in Texas, every time, I make them the same and it looks like I put a four year old in charge of rolling them out. Time to switch it up!
Kiya says
Perfect! I just bought a 2 pound bag of SPK and I wanted to try to incorporate them into cookies but I wanted to know if it would turn out alright. I'm going to try it now that I know that other people have done it successfully!
Melissa says
Yay!! Be sure to stop back and let me know how they turn out!