How to make Everything But The Kitchen Sink Cookies

This Kitchen Sink Cookie recipe first appeared on Best Dessert Recipes, where I am a contributor.

Looking for a cookie recipe that’s got it all? These Kitchen Sink Cookies include, well, everything but the kitchen sink—chocolate chips, nuts, pretzels, potato chips and more! Mix and match the add-ins to capture what you’ve got in your pantry make the most decadent cookie around! Makes 25 cookies.

A plate of baked Kitchen Sink Cookies next to a cooling rack on a blue counter

If you’ve ever had a craving for the perfect salty-sweet cookie, this recipe is for you.

If you’ve ever searched your pantry for various ingredients to throw into a dessert, this recipe is for you.

And if you’re really into mixing and matching ingredients and choosing your own path in a baking recipe, this one is for you.

Why I love this recipe:

A twist on my classic Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies, these gooey-on-the-inside yet crunchy-on-the-outside cookies are the perfect balance of sweet and salty.

We’re adding chocolate chips, pretzels, potato chips and more—but you can swap out some (or all) of these for your own favorites.

I think butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips would be an excellent addition. So would toffee bits, caramel and M&M’s, too.

After all, Kitchen Sink Cookies call for everything but the kitchen sink and are wonderfully adaptable to everyone’s tastebuds.

They’re so versatile and delicious—and I highly recommend raiding your pantry to make these ASAP.

Other cookie recipes we love: Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Bourbon and Walnuts | M&M Sugar Cookies | Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies | Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies | Lemon Drop Cookies

Want to bake, but don’t know where to begin? Check out my Dessert Recipe Index.

Ingredients to make Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookies in bowls on a blue countertop

What you need to make this recipe:

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Sheet pan
Silpat nonstick baking mat or parchment paper
Glass bowls
Hand mixer or stand mixer
2 tablespoon cookie scoop

Let’s talk ingredients!

In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

Here’s what you need:

Unsalted butter — this is the fat that’s going to serve as the base for our cookies. If you are dairy free, you can swap it with vegan butter or vegetable shortening. The shortening will make the cookies a little crispier, but that’s OK. 🙂
Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this provides sweetness to our cookie dough.
Light brown sugar — this gives us more sweetness in the cookie dough, as well as provides some molasses flavors, too. The molasses content of this sugar helps make for a softer cookie, too!
All-purpose flour — this is sometimes referred to as AP flour. I have not tested this recipe using other flours.
Salt — I like to use a medium grain sea or kosher salt for this recipe.
Baking soda — this is our leavener. Make sure yours is fresh.
Eggs — these provide structure, as well as a bit of lift for our cookies.
Vanilla extract — a little goes a long way! Be sure to use the real deal, not the imitation kind.
Mix-ins — I’m using a combination of semisweet chocolate chips, chopped pecans, chopped pretzels, crushed potato chips and a chopped chocolate pretzel toffee bar. You can add in more ingredients, but please keep the total volume to 2 cups.

What can I add to Kitchen Sink Cookies?

Don’t like the mix-ins I added to this recipe? The world is your oyster because you can add whatever sounds good—within reason. I do not suggest adding more than 2 cups total of mix-ins.

Here are some ideas of other ingredients you can add:

Peanut butter chips
Butterscotch chips
White chocolate chips
Your favorite chocolate chunks (in milk, semisweet, bittersweet or dark chocolate)
Dried cranberries
M&M’s
Marshmallows
Toffee bits
Caramel
Chopped nuts
Sprinkles

Collage showing how to make plain cookie dough

How to make Kitchen Sink Cookies

Combine the dry ingredients. Measure the flour, salt and baking soda into a small bowl, and whisk together. Set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, mix the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar. This will take 2-3 minutes, depending on how fast you’re running your mixer. The butter will turn a light yellow.

Pro tip: You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer to make your life easier in this cookie recipe! I do not recommend mixing it by hand.

Add the egg and vanilla extract. Use the hand or stand mixer to beat them into the butter mixture. The batter should be airy and smell luscious when combined.

Add the dry ingredients. Mix until the cookie dough has come together and all the flour mixture has been absorbed.

Add your mix-ins. Measure in the chocolate chips, pecans, pretzels, potato chips and chopped chocolate pretzel toffee bar. Stir them into the batter with a spoon or a rubber spatula.

Collage showing how to add ingredients to make a Kitchen Sink Cookie recipe

You can mix in whatever you’ve got on hand at your house and whatever sounds good to you! I mixed in almost 2 cups of add-ins—just stick with this ratio as you add in yours. Don’t go above this, otherwise you’ll overwhelm your cookie dough!

Chill the dough. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap, and transfer it to the fridge. Let it chill for at least 2 hours. It can keep overnight, too.

Preheat the oven. Also, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

Form the cookies. Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scooper to scoop rounds of the chilled cookie dough. Space the dough on the baking sheet, about 2-3″ apart, so the dough can spread as it bakes.

Add extra toppings on top of the cookie dough balls before baking. This is not necessary, but it makes for the final cookies to have more visible toppings on the top!

Bake the cookies for 11-15 minutes, or until gooey on the inside and golden brown on the exterior.

You can sprinkle some extra sea salt on top of the cookies when they come out of the oven if you desire, too!

Let cool slightly before enjoying warm with a glass of your favorite milk!

Collage showing Kitchen Sink Cookies before and after baking

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are they called kitchen sink cookies?

Because they’ve got everything but the kitchen sink in them and are very versatile!

What are kitchen sink desserts?

Kitchen sink desserts are those that have a bunch of mix-ins, like chocolate, toffee, pretzels and more.

Are there nuts in the kitchen sink cookie from Panera?

No. The cookies from Panera do not have nuts in them.

Kitchen Sink Cookies cool on a wire rack next to a bowl of chocolate chips

Quick tips and tricks to the best cookies:

Add in different mix-ins. Whatever you’ve got in your kitchen works! Just be sure to not add more than 2 cups of them. Swap out what I’ve listed above with peanut butter chips, different chocolate chunks, marshmallows, dried cranberries, toffee, different nuts and more!
Double the recipe and be sure to freeze cookie dough for later!
Let them chill. This makes a difference in the texture and shape of the final cookies.
How to store: Once completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
How to reheat: If the cookies are cooled and you’d like them warm to eat, heat up in the toaster oven OR microwave on a microwave-safe plate for 10-15 seconds, or until the chocolate is just slightly gooey.

A half-eaten cookie sits on top of another cookie on a metal cooling rack

25 cookies

Kitchen Sink Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Chilling Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 19 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
½ cup granulated sugar (124g)
¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar (60g)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (8g)
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
½ teaspoon kosher salt (3g)
½ teaspoon baking soda (4g)
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (160g)
¼ cup chopped pecans (32g)
¼ cup chopped pretzels (20g)
¼ cup crushed potato chips (16g)
1/3 cup chopped chocolate pretzel toffee bar (55g)

Instructions

In a smaller bowl, combine and whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
Cream the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with a hand (or stand) mixer in a large bowl. Mix until the butter is light yellow and the sugars are well incorporated, about 2-3 minutes.
Crack in the egg and vanilla extract, beating until well incorporated. The batter should be airy and smell luscious.
Pour in the dry ingredients, beating until the cookie dough has come together.
Measure in the chocolate chips, pecans, pretzels, potato chips and chopped chocolate pretzel toffee bar. Stir them into the batter with a spoon or a rubber spatula.
Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap, and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scooper to scoop out rounds of the chilled cookie dough. Add extra toppings on top of the cookie dough balls before baking. (This is not necessary, but it makes for the final cookies to have more toppings on the top!)
Evenly space the dough on the baking sheet, about 2" apart so the dough can spread as it bakes.
Bake for 9-13 minutes, or until gooey on the inside and golden brown on the exterior.
Let cool slightly before enjoying warm!

Notes

This cookie recipe is easily doubled. Do the basic math to have a double batch of these goodies. Be sure to freeze some cookie dough balls for later, too.

You can make smaller cookies using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, too. The bake time will be closer to 8-10 minutes, so keep an eye on them. They cook quickly.

A Few More Tips For The Best Cookies Around:

Add in different mix-ins. Whatever you’ve got in your kitchen works! Just be sure to not add more than 2 cups of them. Swap out what I’ve listed above with peanut butter chips, different chocolate chunks, marshmallows, dried cranberries, toffee, different nuts and more!
Let them chill. I mean it. It makes a difference in the texture and shape of the final cookies.
How to store: Once completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
How to reheat: If the cookies are cooled and you'd like them warm to eat, heat up in the toaster oven OR microwave on a microwave-safe plate for 10-15 seconds, or until the chocolate is just slightly gooey.