‘These Kitchen Sink Cookies are so named because they include everything but the kitchen sink! Loaded with crunchy toffee, smashed pretzels, M&Ms, chewy caramel, chocolate chips, and pudding mix (for soft, chewy, and flavorful cookies) this recipe has something for everyone. No chilling, ready to bake in 15 minutes! Recipe includes how-to video!
Zach likes to joke (or… maybe not really joke) about how indecisive I am.
When we were looking at houses, he said there was no way we could get a split-level because each time I entered I’d have to decide if I wanted to go upstairs or downstairs, and I’d never be able to handle that level of decision-making on a daily basis.
So, while that’s a bit of an over-exaggeration… he’s not completely off base. I blame it on the fact that there are just so many choices out there and I feel like I have to make the best possible one. How am I supposed to choose just one option when there are so many possibilities!
These kitchen sink cookies are a testament to that struggle 😉. They’re my way around actually making a decision because instead of choosing one thing to add into them, I’ve just included everything. Everything but the kitchen sink.
What You Need:
Today’s kitchen sink cookies are soft, chewy, and inspired by my pudding cookies. It’s loaded with some of my favorite candies, but there is some room for substitutions.
- Sugars. I like to use dark brown sugar and granulated. The dark brown sugar adds flavor (and chewiness) to the cookies, but if you don’t have it you may substitute light brown.
- Butter. I like to use unsalted and add salt.
- Pudding mix. You will want to use instant pudding. It makes the cookies soft and chewy. Use just the dry mix (not the milk or any other ingredient called for on the side of the box). You can use your favorite flavor, I like vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch.
- Egg, plus an egg yolk. I like to add the extra yolk because it helps to make the cookies more tender, richer, and more chewy. I do this with a lot of my cookie recipes (like my M&M cookies!).
- Vanilla extract. The pudding mix will lend a lot of flavor to the cookies, but I like to add a splash of vanilla for good measure.
- Flour. Use all purpose flour for today’s recipe (do not use self-rising).
- Baking soda and baking powder. To give the cookies some lift and spread.
- Pretzels. I use the small pretzel twists. Measure before breaking and smash them up, but don’t pulverize them to dust or you’ll lose that nice crunch that they add. You can leave these out if you prefer. When I originally shared this recipe (in 2014)I did not use pretzels, but I had enough people ask about adding them that I’ve included them.
- Candy! I like to use caramel bits (or chopped up caramels), M&Ms, chocolate chips (milk or semisweet), and toffee bits (the kind with or without the chocolate coating will work, you can buy the toffee in bags near the chocolate chips, you don’t have to make your own toffee for this recipe). Most of the candy in this recipe can be substituted with your favorite candy (don’t use fruity/lollipop candy).
Note: This list is just meant to be an overview of the ingredients chosen, possible substitutions and why these ingredients were chosen for those of you interested. Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe with amounts and instructions.
Tips
- Make sure to measure your flour properly, otherwise your cookie dough could be dry and crumbly (and therefore your cookies could be dry).
- Never place cookie dough on a hot baking sheet. Allow cookie sheets to cool completely before adding more cookie dough, or the cookies will begin to melt.
- These cookies hold their shape pretty well thanks to the added pudding mix, so you’ll need to flatten them slightly with your fingertips before baking to encourage them to spread a bit (and not stay in a round ball).
- Want to make these cookies but don’t have pudding mix? You can use the add-ins here in my red white and blue cookies instead, they’re the closest to these kitchen sink cookies.
Storing
Store kitchen sink cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also make the cookie dough, scoop it, slightly flatten, wrap each individual cookie dough ball in plastic wrap, place cookie dough in a freezer Ziploc bag or other airtight container and freeze for several months. Cookies may require an additional few minutes in the oven when being baked from frozen.
More Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cookies & Cream Cookies
- Oatmeal Scotchies
- Caramel Popcorn
- Monster Cookies
Enjoy!
Kitchen Sink Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (226g)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed (200g) You may substitute light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 3.4 oz packet Instant vanilla pudding mix or preferred flavor (96g)
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature preferred
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (315g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 heaping cups small pretzel twists measure before crushing pretzels (75g)
- ⅔ cup toffee bits (110g)
- ¾ cup caramel bits (125g) (or 15 caramels cut into quarters)
- ½ cup mini M&Ms (105g)
- ½ cup chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semisweet) (85g)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Place butter, sugars (dark brown sugar and granulated), and dry pudding mix in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) and use an electric mixer to cream together until well-combined.
- Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until completely combined.
- Place pretzels in a ziploc bag ad use a rolling pin to smash a bit until broken (but not completely crushed). Add pretzels, toffee bits, caramel bits, mini M&Ms, and semisweet chips and stir until combined.
- Scoop cookies by 2 Tablespoon-sized scoops and place on prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2” apart.
- Gently flatten cookies by pressing down with your fingers, then bake for 10 minutes
- Allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This recipe was originally published June of 2014. Photos, text, and recipe have been updated and a new video has been added as of May 2020.
Cher
Hi,
This is my go to cookie recipe now with the following changes for high altitude. I use two whole eggs and only 2 1/3 cups of flour. I also substituted 1/2 of butter with butter flavored Crisco. GREAT!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! Thank you for your feedback on high altitude baking. 🙂
Jennifer
Hi Sam! Love your recipes! Can these be made into Bar cookies?
Sam
Hi Jennifer! I think they will probably work. I’m not sure of a bake time though. 🙂
Jan Lysak Ruiz
HOLY SMOKES, THESE COOKIES ARE AMAZINGLY ADDICTING!
These are now my new FAVORITE cookies. Thank you so much for sharing.
These are TERRIFIC!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Jan! 🙂
Jan
I have been making a version of chocolate cookies for over 50 years but this one is such a fun and tasty variation. Didn’t add the caramels but everything else and created firm but great texture cookies for all to enjoy. Well done to you Sam! And thanks.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cookie so much, Jan! 🙂
Shelia Arnold Evans
Can I substitute with sugar free pudding?
Sugar Spun Run
I haven’t tried it, Sheila, but you should be ok. Let me know how they turn out. 🙂
Samantha
I’ve been looking for a decent dough recipe for years and this looks absolutely amazing! However, my boyfriend isn’t the biggest sweets guy. Is there any supplement for the Butterscotch pudding mix? Or is that what ties it together?
Sam
Hi Samantha! The pudding mix is what helps make this dough what it is–extra soft and chewy. If you omit the pudding you would lose some of that unfortunately, however if it’s the butterscotch flavor that’s the problem you could certainly substitute with another flavor of pudding (vanilla would be a good choice). I hope this is helpful!
Cate @ Chez CateyLou
I am SO indecisive too! I mean how can you pick between rolos and heath bars?? I love your solution!!
Sam
Thanks Cate! 🙂
Chris @ Shared Appetite
Hahaha I very much have trouble with the words “stop” and “eating” when there are cookies in front of me! Especially these beauties!!! Love all the toppings you threw in there. I also like to sometimes throw in pretzels or potato chips for that salty factor 🙂
Sam
Ah I love the idea of adding something salty! Next time there will be pretzels in there!
Lyla
Wow they look really good 😋
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel
I am so, so, so, SO indecisive about EVERYTHING! It’s bad. But I love these cookies. Why choose just one mix in when you can have ALL THE MIX INS!!! Love!
Sam
Haha glad I’m not alone in the indecisiveness club! Thank you Jess! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely
Haha, Zach’s joke that you’d never be able to decide whether to upstairs or downstairs actually made me laugh out loud! Haha! That is so true! I would probably be the same way.
I love how many goodies are in this cookie! The more candies you can fit in there the better!
Sam
🙂 Thank you Natalie! It definitely solves my indecisiveness issue by just including EVERYTHING!
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods
Sam, I totally agree there are so many choices. I know people love choices, but do we need 200+ on one menu? Haha
These cookies look delicious. I know my guys would love the candy pieces in here 😀
Sam
Way too many choices! Thanks Cindy! 🙂
Annie @Maebells
These look fantastic! You filled them with so much good stuff! I love soft and chewy cookies, I can’t wait to try them!
Sam
Thank you Annie!