Welcome to the wonderful world of Kitchen Sink Cookies – a delightful treat that truly has “everything but the kitchen sink”! These aren’t just any cookies; they are an extraordinary symphony of textures and flavors, expertly blending sweet indulgence with savory surprises. Imagine a soft, chewy cookie base generously studded with a vibrant mix of crispy potato chips, crunchy pretzels, rich chocolate chips, colorful M&M’s, and luscious butterscotch chips. Each bite offers a unique adventure, ensuring a perfect balance of sweet and salty notes that will captivate your taste buds. This recipe isn’t just about baking; it’s about crafting an experience, a playful celebration of contrasting ingredients that come together in perfect harmony.
The inherent beauty of Kitchen Sink Cookies lies in their incredible versatility. The name itself is an invitation to culinary creativity, encouraging you to explore and incorporate almost any delightful mix-in you desire into the buttery cookie dough. While our featured recipe shines with a fantastic combination of crispy potato chips, salty pretzels, classic M&M’s, indulgent chocolate chips, and creamy butterscotch chips, the possibilities are truly endless. This particular blend delivers a wonderfully chewy cookie with satisfying crunchy pockets, punctuated by bursts of sweet chocolate and delightful salty crunch from the chips and pretzels. The result is an undeniably addictive cookie that appeals to everyone, from curious kids to sophisticated adults. We’ve gathered essential tips, clever tricks, and detailed process photos to guide you seamlessly through every step of this exciting baking journey. If you’re a true cookie aficionado, you’ll also adore our M&M Cookies for another classic favorite!
Unlocking the Perfect Kitchen Sink Cookies: Essential Baking Tips & Tricks
Achieving bakery-quality Kitchen Sink Cookies at home is simpler than you might think! Follow these expert tips and insights to ensure your cookies turn out perfectly soft, chewy, and loaded with flavor, just like the ones pictured in this recipe.
- Precision with Flour (The Spoon & Level Method): One of the most common baking mistakes is incorrectly measuring flour. Always use the “spoon and level” technique: gently spoon flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, then use a straight edge (like the back of a knife) to level off the excess. Never scoop flour directly from the bag, as this compacts it, leading to too much flour. Excess flour can result in dry, crumbly cookies that don’t spread properly during baking, or worse, have an undesirable cake-like texture. Accurate flour measurement is key to that signature chewy cookie.
- Creaming Butter and Sugars for Aeration: Don’t rush this crucial step! Beat your room-temperature butter with both granulated and brown sugars on a high speed for at least 2-3 minutes. This process, known as creaming, incorporates air into the mixture, making it light and fluffy. This aeration is vital; it creates tiny air pockets that expand during baking, contributing significantly to the cookies’ incredible chewy texture and helping them rise beautifully without being dense. The mixture should become noticeably paler and significantly lighter in consistency.
- Optimal Inclusion Size for Potato Chips & Pretzels: To ensure your potato chips and pretzels are evenly distributed throughout the dough and don’t overwhelm the cookies, break them into smaller, manageable pieces by hand. Aim for a mix of small and medium-sized fragments. Large chunks can make the cookies difficult to form, cause them to fall apart, or create too much empty space within the cookie, affecting its structure and overall chewiness. This thoughtful preparation ensures every bite is perfectly balanced with crunch and flavor.
- Picture-Perfect Presentation: For cookies that look as amazing as they taste, employ a simple decorating trick. Before baking, gently press a few extra pieces of your chosen mix-ins (chocolate chips, M&M’s, small pretzel bits, or potato chip crumbs) onto the top of each cookie dough ball. As the cookies bake and spread, these additions will remain visible on the surface, giving your Kitchen Sink Cookies that irresistible, professionally decorated appearance. For an even more vibrant finish, you can add a few extra M&M’s or chocolate chips immediately after they come out of the oven, while they are still warm and soft.
- Room Temperature Ingredients Matter: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify better with other ingredients, creating a smoother, more uniform dough. Cold ingredients can lead to a lumpy batter and impact the overall texture of the baked cookie. Plan ahead and take them out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes to an hour before you begin baking.
- Don’t Overmix the Dry Ingredients: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mix on low speed only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookies instead of the desired soft and chewy texture. A few streaks of flour are perfectly fine; they will disappear during the final mixing step when you add your inclusions.
- Chill Your Dough (Optional but Recommended): While this recipe allows for immediate baking, chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes (or even a few hours) can significantly improve the cookie’s texture and prevent excessive spreading. Chilling allows the fats to firm up and the flavors to meld, resulting in thicker, chewier cookies with a richer taste.
Craving more delicious cookie adventures? Be sure to explore our other fan-favorite recipes like the indulgent Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies and our delightful M&M Cookies.
Why Kitchen Sink Cookies are an Unforgettable Treat
These “everything but the kitchen sink” cookies aren’t just a jumble of ingredients; they’re a masterful blend designed to deliver an unparalleled flavor and texture experience. The magic lies in the deliberate contrast: the salty crunch of potato chips and pretzels against the sweet, melty goodness of chocolate and butterscotch chips, all enveloped in a soft, chewy cookie base. This dynamic interplay ensures that every single bite is exciting and satisfying, preventing flavor fatigue. They’re a fantastic conversation starter, a crowd-pleaser for parties, and the ultimate comfort food for a cozy night in.
The beauty of this recipe extends beyond its taste. It’s an incredibly forgiving and adaptable bake, perfect for using up leftover bits of candy, nuts, or even different types of chocolate in your pantry. This flexibility means you can customize each batch to your specific cravings or dietary preferences (within reason, of course!). Whether you’re making them for a bake sale, a holiday gathering, or simply to treat yourself, Kitchen Sink Cookies always deliver a wow factor.
If you’ve enjoyed baking and tasting this incredible recipe, we would love for you to leave a star rating and review below and share your experience! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats to show off your delicious creations. For even more baking inspiration and sweet ideas, be sure to follow us on Pinterest.
Kitchen Sink Cookies: The Ultimate Recipe
Kitchen Sink Cookies
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review
15 minutes
13 minutes
18
large cookies
Ingredients
-
2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour -
1 tsp Baking soda -
1 tsp Salt -
1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature -
3/4 cup Brown sugar, packed light brown sugar -
3/4 cup White granulated sugar -
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract -
2 Large eggs, room temperature -
1 cup Potato chips, Broken into small and medium pieces -
1 cup Pretzel twist, Broken into small and medium pieces -
1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips -
1 cup M&M’s -
1 cup Butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside. This ensures the leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the room-temperature unsalted butter with both the brown sugar and white granulated sugar on high speed for a full 2 minutes. The mixture should become light, fluffy, and visibly paler in color, indicating proper aeration.
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add the pure vanilla extract and the room-temperature large eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix on medium speed until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually add the reserved dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until the flour is just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
- Fold in the “Sink” Ingredients: Gently fold in the broken potato chips, pretzel pieces, semi-sweet chocolate chips, M&M’s, and butterscotch chips. Mix on low speed or by hand until all the inclusions are evenly distributed throughout the thick cookie dough.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking. Allow the prepared cookie dough to rest for at least 10 minutes (or longer, if chilling) before scooping; this can help prevent excessive spreading.
- Scoop and Space: Use a large cookie scoop (approximately 2 ounces or 3-4 tablespoons) to portion out the dough. Place about 6 cookie dough balls onto each prepared cookie sheet, ensuring they are adequately spaced apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are still soft. Baking times may vary slightly depending on your oven. Once baked, remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the hot pans for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows them to set properly and maintain their chewy texture.
Notes
High Altitude Baking: If you are baking at a high altitude, consider adding an extra 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to the recipe. This slight adjustment can help with the structure and prevent excessive spreading.
Room Temperature Dairy: For the best results, remember to pull out your butter and eggs from the refrigerator at least 2 hours before you plan to start baking. Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, creating a more cohesive and delicious dough.
Carbohydrates: 49g,
Protein: 3g,
Fat: 16g,
Saturated Fat: 9g,
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 5g,
Trans Fat: 0.4g,
Cholesterol: 29mg,
Sodium: 286mg,
Potassium: 153mg,
Fiber: 1g,
Sugar: 29g,
Vitamin A: 330IU,
Vitamin C: 1mg,
Calcium: 22mg,
Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a star rating and review below!