These Kitchen Sink Cookies are sweet, salty, and chewy. They’re packed with semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, chopped pretzels, and toffee!
What are kitchen sink cookies?
Kitchen sink cookies are made up of a blank slate of delicious cookie dough packed with sweet and salty mix-ins. The term kitchen sink cookies comes from the fact that they are said to be loaded with everything “but the kitchen sink.”
Basically, you just scavenge your pantry for everything sweet and salty and use those ingredients in your cookies. In this recipe, we’re using semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, pretzels, and toffee!
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter – incorporated into the dough cold to keep the cookies from spreading too much.
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar – both add sweetness while the molasses content in brown sugar makes the cookies extra moist.
- Eggs – bind the cookies together so they can hold their shape.
- Vanilla Extract – adds flavor depth.
- All-Purpose Flour – gives the cookies structure.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix – adds flavor and makes the cookies super moist and chewy.
- Salt – brings out flavor and cuts the sweetness.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – give a little lift and makes the cookies nice and fluffy.
- Mix-Ins – I used semi-sweet chocolate chunks, milk chocolate chips, chopped pretzels, and toffee bits.
- Maldon Sea Salt – for garnish!
How to make
- Place butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer then beat until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides then beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Scrape down the sides again then add in flour, instant pudding, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until fully incorporated.
- Gently beat in mix-ins.
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion out 32 dough balls onto 4 baking sheets lined with silicone mats.
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes, sprinkle with Maldon sea salt, then cool slightly before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Why did my kitchen sink cookies spread?
There may be a couple of reasons as to why your kitchen sink cookies flattened out while they baked:
- The leavening agents were expired. Make sure the baking powder and baking soda that you use are both fresh. If they’re old or expired they won’t serve their purpose correctly.
- You didn’t use cold butter. The cold butter helps give the cookies more structure so they don’t flatten out as they bake.
- You didn’t chill the dough. Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape while they bake. I recommend letting the dough chill in the fridge for 30 minutes after you portion it out.
Other mix-in ideas
The whole “kitchen sink” concept means you can really make these cookies to fit your tastes! I love the combo of semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, pretzels, and toffee but you can use any combination of sweet and salty mix-ins you like! Here are some other ideas:
- Potato Chips
- M&Ms
- Coconut
- Butterscotch Chips
- Walnuts, Pecans, or Macadamia Nuts
- Chopped Candy Bars
- Dried Cranberries
- Mini Marshmallows
How to store
Leftover cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To enjoy again, microwave to warm if desired.
– Jennifer
Kitchen Sink Cookies
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs cold
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour spoon and leveled
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 cups mix-ins I used equal parts semi-sweet chocolate chunks, milk chocolate chips, chopped pretzels, and toffee bits
- Maldon sea salt for garnish
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Place butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Beat until light and fluffy, this takes a while, because the butter is cold.
- Scrape down the sides, then beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Again, scrape down the sides, then add in flour, instant pudding, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and beat until incorporated.
- Gently beat in mix-ins.
- Line 4 baking sheets with silicone baking mats.
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop out 32 dough balls — place 8 onto each prepared baking sheet.
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake the chilled dough balls for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt, then cool slightly before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.