Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookies are the ultimate treats that will impress anyone you serve them to. They contain several different mix-ins making each bite a delightful surprise. If you are looking for a delicious cookie for your next special event or just to enjoy to curb a craving, these are fantastic.
I love the varying textures that add chewy and crispy bites as well as the sweet and salty flavors. You won’t be disappointed with these cookies!
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Between the rich chocolate chips, chewy and tart cranberries, and crunchy pretzels, you get a flavor bomb in each bite with all sorts of flavors and textures. It all comes together so well!
If you like easy cookie recipes, you will love these Dark Chocolate Cookies with Sea Salt, Costco Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe and Cosmic Brownie Cookies too!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Balanced flavors: A kitchen sink cookie is the perfect blend of sweet and salty flavors while also providing a variety of textures to make each bite magical.
- Easy to customize: You may change this recipe however you like to suit your flavor preferences. The point of kitchen sink loaded cookies is a variety of mix-ins!
- Great for parties: Every party I’ve ever brought these cookies to has been a success. There’s never any left to take home.
Ingredients
This is a basic cookie dough recipe. The difference is it includes a variety of mix-ins to make them everything but the kitchen sink!
- Butter: Ensure your butter is softened before you start the cookie dough. This will ensure a smooth result free of lumps. I prefer unsalted butter in this recipe to ensure the cookies don’t taste too salty.
- Sugar: I use a combination of white and brown sugar to add depth of flavor as well as a chewy cookie.
- Egg: You only need one egg in this recipe! It adds just the right amount of flavor and structure for the cookie to hold together as it bakes.
- Vanilla extract: A little hint of vanilla extract adds subtle vanilla flavor while enhancing the flavors of the other ingredients. You may use imitation vanilla in a pinch but real vanilla makes a huge difference in the result.
- Flour: I use simple all-purpose flour for these cookies but you may also try the recipe with your favorite gluten-free blend.
- Oats: I use rolled oats for this recipe. I don’t recommend using steel cut or instant oats as they have different textures that aren’t ideal for baking cookies.
- Baking soda: This leavening agent is super important for these cookies! Baking soda is your friend if you want them to rise and not be dense. You can’t use baking powder as a substitute as they work differently.
- Mix-ins: For everything but the sink cookies, I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, pretzels, dried cranberries, M&Ms, and potato chips. Each of these adds sweet or salty flavor as well as a delightful texture that creates magic in every cookie.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Christmas kitchen sink cookies: Use red and green M&Ms, festive sprinkles, and colored chocolate chips to make these cookies extra festive.
- Ultimate chocolate: This is perfect for chocolate lovers! Add some cocoa powder to the cookie base and incorporate more chopped candy bars, like Reese’s cups and Kit Kat bars for a chocolatey treat.
- Toffee nut: Swap white chocolate chips for toffee bits and add some chopped walnuts or peanuts for a salty crunch.
How to Make Kitchen Sink Cookies
Here are the instructions on how to make this recipe for kitchen sink cookies. It’s super quick and easy to follow! Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper before you make the cookie dough.
Step 1: Combine the wet ingredients. Use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and both sugars in a large mixing bowl until it’s smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until it’s well combined.
Step 2: Stir the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Step 3: Mix all the ingredients. Gradually pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture. I like to use a rubber spatula for this step. Stir until all of the ingredients are well mixed.
Step 4: Add the mix-ins. Fold in all of the mix-ins you’re adding until they are well distributed throughout all of the cookie dough.
Step 5: Scoop and chill. Using a cookie scoop to drop rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Ensure they are about 2 inches apart so they have plenty of room to spread! Put the the baking tray into the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill them.
Step 6: Bake and serve. After chilling bake for 10-12 minutes. The centers will be soft but not wet and the edges will be golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before you enjoy them.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overload the cookies: You should only add 1 ½ to 2 cups of mix-ins per batch of cookies so they bake properly. If you add too much, they will not hold together or bake all the way through.
- Don’t overmix the dough: Only mix the cookie dough until all of the ingredients are well combined. If overmixed, it will cause them to become dense.
- Use fresh baking soda: Ensure your baking soda isn’t old or expired. To test for freshness, place a small amount in white vinegar. It will fizz if it’s still active.
If you love recipes like these sweet and salty cookies, you may also enjoy these Magic Cookie Bars.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store these cookies in an airtight container or ziploc bag at room temperature for 3-4 days. You may store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, but I recommend letting them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before you eat them. You can also freeze the cookies in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature overnight.
- Make Ahead: Prepare these kitchen cookies ahead by making the dough, scooping it, and then placing it in the refrigerator for the cooling step. They may stay in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before you bake them if you are planning to serve them the next day.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy a scoop of ice cream with your cookies, or make a homemade ice cream sandwich. Some great flavor ideas are peanut butter and jelly ice cream and birthday cake ice cream.
- Top your cookies with some air fried candied walnuts before you bake them for extra texture.
- Another way to serve these cookies is with a smear of rhubarb jam or chocolate hazelnut spread.
Recipe FAQs
Of course! Scoop it into dough balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Place them into the freezer for 30 minutes to set. Then you can transfer them to a Ziploc bag with parchment paper between the layers. Bake them straight from frozen!
To prevent the cookies from spreading too much, I like to pop them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. I don’t recommend skipping it because it could make the cookies on the flatter side.
Use all white granulated sugar instead of partial brown sugar. This will give your baked cookies a crispier texture as they become chewy from brown sugar.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
Do you like cookie recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try!
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section, I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Kitchen Sink Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup chopped pretzel broken into pieces
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup M&M’s
- ¼ cup potato chips roughly crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream together the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl until creamy.
- Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
- Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the rolled oats, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, pretzels, dried cranberries, M&M's and potato chips until evenly distributed.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded balls of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Chill the dough balls in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to help prevent spreading during baking.
- After chilling, bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to fully cool.
Notes
- Place these kitchen sink cookies in an airtight container or a ziploc bag. Store them at room temperature for 3-4 days for best results.
- Test your baking soda with some white vinegar if you’re unsure of its freshness. It must be fresh and active for your cookies to bake properly.
- Don’t add more than 1 ½ to 2 cups of mix-ins to your cookie dough to ensure that they fully bake.
Nutrition
This post was originally published February 2020. It's been updated with new images and content.
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