There’s something incredibly satisfying about a cookie that’s packed with a little bit of everything you love — sweet, salty, crunchy, and chewy all in one bite. That’s exactly what makes this Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe a standout in my baking repertoire. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll never want a plain cookie again.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I can’t say enough good things about this Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe. It’s not just a cookie—it’s like the ultimate comfort food party in your mouth, and it’s so easy to whip up on a cozy afternoon or a last-minute gathering.
- Loaded with mix-ins: This cookie effortlessly combines chocolate chips, toffee, pretzels, and even potato chips for that perfect sweet-and-salty balance.
- Thick and chewy texture: Rolling the dough into ovals rather than balls creates a satisfying heft you won’t find in your average cookie.
- Customizable and fun: You can easily swap in your favorite candy or nuts to make it your own kitchen sink masterpiece.
- Perfect for any occasion: Whether for holiday gifting or a casual treat, these cookies bring delight every time.
Ingredients & Why They Work
The beauty of this Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe lies in its thoughtful ingredient mix. Each one dives deep into delivering texture, flavor, and that irresistible homemade cookie charm. Here’s why I love the combo I use—and some tips when shopping for them.
- All-purpose flour: The foundation that gives structure but keeps the cookie tender.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookie rise just enough for a chewy texture.
- Cornstarch: A secret weapon for softness; don’t skip this one.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter is key—too warm and your cookies spread too thin.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and that deep caramel undertone.
- Granulated sugar: Gives a nice crisp edge without being too sweet.
- Egg and egg yolk: The yolk adds extra richness and chewiness.
- Vanilla extract: The aromatic touch that brings everything together.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Classic, but you can use white or chunks too.
- Toffee bits: I love the buttery crunch these add.
- Potato chips: Yes, really! They give an unexpected salty crunch.
- Chopped pretzels: More crunch with a slightly different salty tang.
- Holiday jimmies (sprinkles): These don’t melt and add a festive pop of color.
Make It Your Way
One of the best parts about this Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe is how easily you can make it your own. Over the years, I’ve swapped ingredients depending on the season or what I have on hand. Don’t hesitate to experiment!
- Variation: Once, I swapped in crushed peppermint candies and white chocolate chips for a wintery twist that my family adored — perfect for holiday parties.
- Diet-friendly tweaks: For nut allergies, just skip nuts and add extra toffee or candy pieces for texture.
- Seasonal swaps: Fresh cranberries or chopped dried cherries can add a tart contrast if you want to play with fruit flavors.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
Start by mixing the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisking ensures even distribution and lightens the flour for tender cookies. This step also keeps lumps out and prevents surprises later!
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugars Until Fluffy
Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the room temperature butter with the brown and granulated sugars for about 2–3 minutes. The mixture should look light and creamy—this aeration is what gives the cookies their softness and rise.
Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Next, beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. These wet ingredients add moisture and richness. Be sure to scrape down the sides of your bowl to avoid any pockets of dry flour later.
Step 4: Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients
Turn your mixer to low and slowly add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined—overmixing can make cookies tough, so stop when you no longer see flour streaks.
Step 5: Fold in the Mix-Ins
Now comes the fun part—stir in the chocolate chips, jimmies, toffee bits, potato chips, and chopped pretzels. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold to keep the cookie dough airy and all those tasty bits evenly spread.
Step 6: Scoop, Shape, and Bake
Scoop dough using a large cookie scoop or about ¼ cup measure. Roll each portion into a tall oval rather than a ball—this helps the cookie stay thick and chewy while baking. Bake at 350°F for about 10–12 minutes until edges lightly golden and tops just set.
Step 7: Perfect the Shape and Cool
Right after taking the cookies out of the oven, gently swirl the rim of a large glass around the edges of each cookie to give them a perfect round shape. Press extra toppings on top if you want more eye appeal. Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before enjoying.
Top Tip
From countless batches, I’ve learned a few secrets that take this Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe from great to unforgettable. These tips save you time and baking frustration.
- Butter Temperature Matters: Leaving butter out too long makes it too soft and your cookies will spread flat. Aim for cool-to-the-touch soft butter around 68-70°F.
- Use Holiday Jimmies, Not Nonpareils: I discovered only jimmies keep their shape and don’t bleed color, keeping your cookies looking festive.
- Customize Mix-Ins Moderately: It’s tempting to stuff every candy you love, but balance is key to avoid crumbly dough.
- Don’t Overbake: Cookies continue to set as they cool, so pull them from the oven while the centers are just set but still soft.
How to Serve Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I usually press in extra chocolate chips or sprinkles on top while the cookies are still warm—it makes them look inviting and adds another burst of flavor and color. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt right out of the oven is also a game-changer if you want a salty-sweet punch.
Side Dishes
These cookies are fantastic with a cold glass of milk, but they also shine alongside a cup of hot coffee or spiced chai. For gatherings, I love pairing them with vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert bar.
Creative Ways to Present
For gift-giving or parties, I arrange these cookies on a festive platter layered with parchment paper and tied up with a ribbon. You can also sandwich two cookies with frosting or cream for a sandwich cookie twist everyone raves about.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, placing a slice of bread inside to keep them soft and chewy. This little trick keeps moisture balanced and prevents them from drying out.
Freezing
Whenever I have extra dough, I shape it into balls and freeze them on a tray before transferring to a freezer bag. This way, I can bake fresh cookies anytime by adding just a couple of extra minutes to the bake time. The results are like freshly baked from scratch!
Reheating
Reheating cookies is easy—just pop them in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes or briefly microwave with a damp paper towel nearby to restore softness. It’s almost like they just came out of the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions:
I recommend using unsalted butter so you can control the salt level better. Salted butter can throw off the balance, especially since the recipe already includes salt.
Absolutely! This recipe is flexible. You can try crushed nuts, cereal, or even different flavored chips. Just keep in mind the texture and saltiness so it balances with the other mix-ins.
The key is to use cool room temperature butter, not too soft. Also, chilling the dough for 30 minutes helps. Rolling dough into tall ovals instead of flat balls keeps cookies thick when baking.
Yes! You can make the dough and store it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just note that some mix-ins like potato chips might lose crunch over time, so bake soon after mixing for the best texture.
Final Thoughts
This Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe is more than just a cookie; it’s a joyful blend of textures and flavors that make every bite a little celebration. I still remember the first time I made them — the kitchen filled with the smell of vanilla and buttery goodness, and everyone racing to grab the first cookie. I hope you enjoy making and sharing these as much as I do. Go ahead, toss in your favorite mix-ins, and perfect these on your terms. You won’t regret it!
Print
Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Kitchen Sink Cookies are a delightful, thick, and chewy treat packed with a variety of mix-ins including chocolate chips, toffee bits, potato chips, and festive holiday jimmies. These cookies bring together sweet, salty, and crunchy textures for an irresistible snack or dessert perfect for the holidays or anytime you want an overload of flavor.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups 270g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon 8g cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup 170g unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup 150g light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup 50g granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix-ins
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup toffee bits or red & green M&Ms
- ¾ cup crushed potato chips
- ½ cup chopped pretzels
- ¼ cup holiday jimmies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt until well combined.
- Cream the butter and sugars: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy.
- Add the wet ingredients: Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Beat for another 1-2 minutes until the batter is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing to ensure tender cookies.
- Stir in the mix-ins: Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, toffee bits or M&Ms, crushed potato chips, chopped pretzels, and holiday jimmies using a rubber spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape and bake the cookies: Using a large cookie scoop or about ¼ cup of dough for each cookie, scoop and drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Roll the dough balls into tall oval shapes rather than round balls for thicker cookies. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the tops are set.
- Finish the cookies: Right after baking, gently swirl the rim of a large glass around the outside edge of the warm cookies to create perfect round shapes. Press extra topping pieces on top if desired, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack after 5 minutes to cool completely.
Notes
- Room temperature butter should be cool to the touch (about 69°F) to prevent cookie spreading; leave butter out for 30-60 minutes before mixing.
- Use holiday jimmies (long sprinkles) instead of nonpareils so they don’t melt or bleed into the dough while baking.
- Mix up the add-ins with white chocolate chips, red and green M&Ms, chocolate chunks, salted peanuts, or crushed peppermint for variety.
- You can prepare the dough and store it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days; note that some chips may lose crunchiness.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 2 months (thaw uncovered).
- Freeze cookie dough balls in a freezer bag for up to 3 months; bake frozen dough balls by adding 1-2 extra minutes to the cooking time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
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