Name: Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups 270g all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 Tablespoon 8g cornstarch; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup 170g unsalted butter, room temperature; 3/4 cup 150g light brown sugar, packed; 1/4 cup 50g granulated sugar; 1 egg, room temperature; 1 egg yolk, room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (chopped chocolate or white chocolate chips work too); 1/2 cup toffee bits or red & green M&Ms; 3/4 cup crushed potato chips; 1/2 cup chopped pretzels; 1/4 cup holiday jimmies (not nonpareils)

There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about a cookie packed with unexpected goodies, and this Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe is exactly that—a delightful mix of textures and flavors that you’ll want to bake again and again. It’s like the perfect little surprise in every bite, with sweet, salty, crunchy, and chewy all working together flawlessly.

A tray holds twelve round cookies with a golden-brown base, each topped with colorful red, green, and white sprinkles, small broken pieces of light ridged potato chips, dark brown chocolate chips, and small broken pretzel sticks that add a crunchy texture. The tray is lined with white parchment paper, and there are a few loose potato chips and pretzel pieces scattered around the cookies. Below the tray, a white wooden bowl contains more ridged potato chips. The whole scene is set against a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I’ve made a lot of cookies, but the magic of this Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe is how it transforms the ordinary cookie into a dynamic treat that excites your taste buds with every morsel. Plus, it’s super fun because you can throw in just about anything you want—like it actually lives up to its name!

Loaded with Variety: This recipe embraces a creative mix of chocolate chips, toffee, pretzels, potato chips, and festive sprinkles for a flavor-packed bite.
Texture Heaven: You get crunch from the pretzels and potato chips, chewiness from toffee, and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, all in one cookie.
Customizable: It’s easy to swap or add mix-ins based on your cravings or what you have in the pantry.
Perfect for Gifting: Everyone loves these cookies—they’re festive, comforting, and make a stellar homemade gift.

Ingredients & Why They Work

Each ingredient in this Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe plays a crucial role in building that perfect balance of flavor and texture. I love to use quality staples but don’t stress about exact brands—grab what you enjoy or have on hand.

Flat lay of a small mound of all-purpose flour, a teaspoon of baking soda, a tablespoon of cornstarch, a pinch of salt, a half cup of unsalted butter softened and creamy, a half cup of light brown sugar packed, a small pile of granulated sugar, one whole uncracked brown egg, one whole uncracked egg yolk, a small white ceramic bowl with vanilla extract, a small white ceramic bowl filled with semi-sweet chocolate chips, a small white ceramic bowl with toffee bits, a small white ceramic bowl of crushed potato chips, a small white ceramic bowl of chopped pretzels, and a small white ceramic bowl containing long holiday jimmies, all arranged in perfect symmetry on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

All-purpose flour: The base that gives structure to the cookie; it holds all the mix-ins together beautifully.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise just enough, keeping them soft and slightly chewy.
Cornstarch: Secret weapon for tender, cakey cookies that have a perfect snap.
Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the flavors of chocolate and toffee.
Unsalted butter: Provides richness and tenderness; room temperature butter is key so the dough creams up well.
Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and a subtle molasses flavor that deepens the cookie’s taste.
Granulated sugar: Helps with a slight crispness around the edges.
Egg and egg yolk: Perfect duo for added moisture and chewiness — the yolk keeps it extra tender.
Vanilla extract: Essential for warmth and bringing all the flavors together.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Classic indulgence, but white chocolate or chopped chocolate chips can work just as well.
Toffee bits: Introduce a sweet, buttery crunch that pairs beautifully with chocolate.
Potato chips (crushed): This is the “sink” part—salty, crunchy surprise in every bite.
Pretzels (chopped): Adds a lovely saltiness and crunch that contrasts with the soft cookie.
Holiday jimmies: Those festive sprinkles won’t melt or bleed, keeping your cookies colorful and cheerful.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

This cookie is really a playground in a bowl—I love swapping out the mix-ins to keep it fresh or to suit different occasions. Don’t hesitate to get creative and make it your own!

Variation: I once added chopped salted peanuts and crushed peppermint in place of the pretzels and potato chips during the holidays, and it was a massive hit with friends who love a minty twist!
Gluten-Free Option: Try using a gluten-free flour blend and omit pretzels or substitute with gluten-free crunchy snacks.
Vegan Modification: Use vegan butter and flax eggs, plus skip the toffee bits or find vegan alternatives for them.
Seasonal Mix-Ins: Swap the holiday jimmies for mini candy canes, dried cranberries, or chopped nuts to suit the season.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe

The image shows several soft, round cookies with a light golden brown color. Each cookie is topped with layers of different textures: small crunchy pretzel sticks, square caramel pieces, chocolate chips, and red and green sprinkles scattered on top. Some potato chip pieces are also layered on the cookies, adding a rough texture contrast. The cookies are close together on a white marbled surface, showing a mix of smooth and crunchy toppings. The colors mainly include light brown, dark brown, red, green, and beige. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Step 1: Whisk together your dry ingredients

Start by combining the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisking these together really helps them distribute evenly through the dough, which means every cookie will bake perfectly consistent. I like to set this aside while I work on the wet ingredients—it keeps things moving smoothly.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy

This step is crucial. Use room temperature butter—not too soft, just cool to the touch—and beat it with the light brown and granulated sugars for a full 2-3 minutes. You’re looking for a light, creamy texture because this incorporates air and helps your cookies rise nicely. Don’t rush it.

Step 3: Add eggs and vanilla

Beat in the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides so you don’t miss any bits—this helps the dough come together seamlessly. The extra yolk adds richness and that chewy texture we all love.

Step 4: Slowly mix in dry ingredients

With your mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture a bit at a time, mixing just until combined. Overmixing can make the cookies tough, so stop as soon as you don’t see flour streaks.

Step 5: Stir in all those delightful mix-ins

Now for the fun part—fold in the chocolate chips, jimmies, toffee bits, crushed potato chips, and chopped pretzels using a spatula. Make sure everything is evenly distributed but avoid overmixing. This is where each cookie becomes a little treasure chest of goodies.

Step 6: Scoop, shape, and bake

Using a large cookie scoop (or about a scant ¼ cup), drop the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll each ball gently into a tall oval shape—that’s my trick for thicker cookies that bake evenly without spreading too thin. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until the edges turn golden and the tops are just set.

Step 7: Finishing touches

Right out of the oven, gently swirl the rim of a large glass around each cookie to give it a perfect circle edge. Press extra topping pieces on top for appearance and crunch. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Top Tip

After making these cookies a dozen times, I’ve picked up some practical tips that make the process easier and the results more irresistible.

Perfect Butter Temperature: Keep your butter cool to the touch (around 69°F)—too soft and the cookies spread too thin, too cold and it won’t cream properly.
Use Holiday Jimmies: Regular nonpareils tend to bleed and melt; jimmies maintain their shape and add vibrant color without running.
Rolling for Thickness: I always roll dough into tall ovals instead of balls. It makes a surprisingly big difference in cookie thickness and chewiness.
Avoid Overmixing: Once the dry ingredients hit the bowl, mix just enough. Overmixed dough leads to dense, tough cookies.

How to Serve Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe

Kitchen Sink Cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I often top a few cookies with extra chocolate chips or a sprinkle of pretzels right before baking to make them even more appealing. For parties, I sometimes scatter crushed peppermint candies on top for a festive touch.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair wonderfully with a cold glass of milk or a cup of hot coffee. For a fun dessert platter, serve them alongside fresh fruit and whipped cream to balance the richness.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday gatherings, I love packaging the cookies in clear cellophane bags tied with colorful ribbons. You can also arrange them on a tiered stand with some fresh pine sprigs or cinnamon sticks to amp up the festive vibe.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. I find they keep their freshness best for up to 5 days. If they soften a bit, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave brings back that fresh-baked warmth nicely.

Freezing

If you've got extra dough, ball it out and freeze on a lined sheet tray before transferring to a freezer bag. They keep great up to 3 months this way. When you’re ready, bake frozen dough balls with an extra minute or two, and you’ll have fresh cookies any time.

Reheating

For leftovers or frozen baked cookies, pop them in the oven at 300°F for about 5 minutes to re-crisp the edges and warm the center. Avoid the microwave if you want to keep that delightful contrast between chewy middle and crisp edges.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I substitute the mix-ins in the Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe?

Absolutely! The beauty of this recipe is flexibility. You can swap out the toffee, pretzels, or chips for other mix-ins like nuts, dried fruits, or your favorite candies — just keep the total volume about the same.

Why do the cookies have cornstarch in them?

Cornstarch creates a softer, more tender cookie by limiting gluten development. It helps produce those slightly cakey, melt-in-your-mouth cookies that we’re all after in this recipe.

What’s the best way to keep cookies from spreading too thin?

Make sure your butter is room temperature, not too soft. Also, rolling the dough into tall oval shapes rather than flat balls helps the cookies bake thicker and prevents them from spreading too much.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! The dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Just cover it well. Baking the cookies right from chilled dough actually develops deeper flavors, but keep in mind your crunchy mix-ins may soften slightly.

Final Thoughts

This Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe holds a sweet spot in my recipe box because it’s so forgiving, so much fun, and always a crowd-pleaser. If you want a cookie that’s more than just cookie — one that surprises with every bite and invites your personality into the mix, this is it. I hope you enjoy baking (and eating) these as much as I do!