These kitchen sink cookies are chewy, buttery, and packed with a mix of chocolate chips, toffee bits, crunchy pretzels, and salty potato chips. The blend of sweet and savory flavors combined with a mix of crisp and gooey textures creates cookies that are truly irresistible.
I enjoy baking for friends and family, and after making these cookies many times I’ve fine-tuned the method so even pretzel skeptics come away convinced. With simple pantry ingredients and flexible mix-ins, these cookies are easy to personalize and consistently popular with guests.
Ingredients & Swaps
You don’t need specialty ingredients to make these—just common pantry staples and whatever mix-ins you enjoy. Below are the key components and a few swap suggestions for dietary needs like gluten-free or dairy-free baking.
Unsalted butter — Using unsalted butter lets you control the salt level. It should be soft enough to indent with a finger but not greasy. Vegan butter sticks work well. If using a lower-fat vegan butter, try substituting 2/3 cup vegan butter and 1/3 cup refined coconut oil or shortening.
Corn syrup — A small amount helps keep the cookie centers soft and chewy. Honey can substitute if preferred.
Flour — Use all-purpose flour or a measure-for-measure gluten-free blend that includes xanthan gum for stability.
Chocolate chips — Dark or semi-sweet chips balance the sweetness; milk chocolate can be very sweet. For dairy-free versions, choose dairy-free chocolate chips.
Potato chips — Plain salted chips add crunch and a savory note. Thicker chips hold up better in the dough and won’t completely disintegrate when mixed.
Pretzels — Pretzels deliver the most crunch. Pretzel sticks, twists, or thins all work; use gluten-free pretzels for a gluten-free batch.
Toffee bits — These add caramelized sweetness and texture. For dairy-free options, use dairy-free toffee or omit.
Flaky sea salt — Optional but recommended if you enjoy the contrast of salty and sweet; sprinkle lightly on top after baking.
Cookie Mix-In Options
These cookies are highly customizable. Add one or several of the following to make them your own:
- White chocolate chips
- Butterscotch chips
- Peanut butter chips
- M&M’s
- Chopped seasonal candies
- Chopped chocolates
- Crushed cereal
- Crushed graham crackers
- Chopped nuts
- Shredded coconut
- Sprinkles
- Dried cranberries
Tips for Making This Recipe
Follow these tips so your kitchen sink cookies bake up consistently well:
Cool completely before eating. The pretzels and chips regain their crispness as the cookies cool. Eating them while still warm can make crunchy mix-ins feel soggy.
Give each dough ball room to spread. These cookies are heavily loaded and tend to spread, so space them at least a couple of inches apart on the baking sheet.
Make them perfectly round. If you prefer tidy, round cookies, gently rotate a cookie cutter or glass around each warm cookie to nudge its edges into a circle.
Rest the dough. Chilling the dough for at least two hours improves texture by letting the flour hydrate and helps control spreading. This is especially important if using gluten-free flour.
Kitchen Sink Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon corn syrup or honey
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ cups chocolate chips
- 1 cup crushed potato chips
- ½ cup chopped pretzels
- ½ cup toffee bits
- flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-
Add the egg, corn syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract. Beat again, scraping down the bowl as needed to incorporate everything evenly.
-
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix on low until just combined.
-
With the mixer on low, fold in the chocolate chips, crushed potato chips, chopped pretzels, and toffee bits. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours to firm up and let the flavors meld.
-
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Scoop about 2½ tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Arrange the dough balls on the prepared sheet with at least 2 inches between each.
-
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft. Allow cookies to cool on the pan about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, sprinkle with flaky sea salt while warm.
Nutrition
|
Calories: 309kcal
|
Carbohydrates: 41g
|
Protein: 2g
|
Fat: 16g
|
Sodium: 147mg
|
Sugar: 25g
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Place baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you make a gluten-free or dairy-free version, they keep best for about 3 days.
Freezing: Scoop the dough into balls and freeze them on a single layer until firm. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container and store up to 2 months.
Baking from frozen: Bake frozen dough balls directly from the freezer, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time as needed. This is a convenient way to enjoy fresh-baked cookies without thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The name comes from the phrase “everything but the kitchen sink.” It suggests tossing in a variety of ingredients you have on hand. For these cookies, that means a mix of chocolate, pretzels, potato chips, toffee, and other add-ins—essentially a fun, anything-goes cookie.
Recipes vary, but this version includes chocolate chips, pretzels, crushed potato chips, and toffee bits. You can omit or swap mix-ins to suit your taste.
A simple trick is to use a cookie cutter or glass to gently swirl the warm cookie, shaping it into a circle. This yields a tidy, round appearance without affecting texture.
While some bakery cookies feature similar elements—chocolate, caramel pieces, pretzels, and sea salt—this recipe is an original version inspired by that same loaded, sweet-and-salty idea rather than a direct copy.
This recipe does not include nuts by default, but you can certainly add chopped nuts if you like. They make a tasty addition and increase crunch and flavor complexity.
More Cookie Recipes
- Chewy peanut butter cookies — a strong peanut butter flavor with crisp edges and tender centers.
- Thumbprint cookies — buttery cookies filled with jam or leftover cranberry sauce for a festive twist.
- Browned butter chocolate chip cookies — rich, nutty browned butter with classic chocolate chips.
- Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies — soft, chewy, and fudgy centers that challenge expectations for gluten-free baking.
- Gluten-free oatmeal cookies — hearty and adaptable, perfect with chocolate chips or raisins.