1. Prep the Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This crucial step helps make sure your bite-sized chocolate chip cookies don’t stick and cook evenly.

2. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Keep mixing until the mixture looks light and fluffy. This step is super important for getting that wonderfully tender texture in your small chocolate chip cookies.

3. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Next, beat in the large egg, and then the egg yolk, one at a time. Make sure to mix well after each addition to fully combine them. Finally, stir in the vanilla extract just until everything is combined. This adds wonderful flavor to your little chocolate chip cookies.

4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, instant vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisking ensures all the dry ingredients are evenly mixed, which is key for consistent chocolate chip cookie dough.

5. Mix Wet and Dry: Now, gradually add the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until everything is just combined into a beautiful cookie dough. Be very careful not to overmix the dough for your tiny chocolate chip cookies; overmixing can make them tough.

6. Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips until they are nicely spread throughout the dough. These mini chips are truly ideal for little chocolate chip cookies. They ensure you get chocolate in every single bite without making the cookies too large or heavy.

7. Scoop and Bake: Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Leave about 1 to 2 inches of space between each spoonful. Remember, we’re aiming for little chocolate chip cookies, so smaller scoops are definitely key here for that perfect bite-sized treat!

8. Cool and Enjoy: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown and the centers still look nice and soft. Let the mini chocolate chip cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Then, gently transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these perfectly soft and chewy cookies!