Kitchen Sink Cookies

Kitchen sink cookies are a variation of my vegan chocolate chip cookies loaded with “everything but the kitchen sink,” hence the name. In this recipe, that’s melty chocolate, vegan caramel bits, and chopped pretzels. They’re sweet and salty, chewy and crispy, and all-around delicious! Whenever I feel like a change from my favourite vegan snickerdoodle cookies and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, I make these.

You’ll find countless versions of kitchen sink cookies with different mix-ins, from crushed potato chips to nuts and toffee bits. It’s the perfect mash-up of different cookie flavours!

Everything to Love About This Kitchen Sink Cookie Recipe

• Unlike most kitchen sink cookies, this recipe is vegan, made without eggs or dairy. But you’ll never miss them!
• Mix and match the mix-ins to your heart’s content. As long as you keep the dough-to-mix-in proportions the same, the possibilities are endless.
• Kitchen sink cookies are super easy to make and don’t require any fancy equipment or techniques.
• Perfect for using up leftovers. Have some leftover nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit sitting in your kitchen? Use them in these cookies and clean out your pantry at the same time!

Notes on Ingredients

Here’s a look at the ingredients in these vegan kitchen sink cookies, why you’ll need them, and possible substitutes (see the recipe card for exact measurements):

• Butter – Use your favourite store-bought vegan butter or my homemade vegan butter.
• Sugar – Just like classic chocolate chip cookies, this recipe uses granulated sugar, plus brown sugar for added moisture. You can use either dark or light brown sugar in this recipe.
• Applesauce – Applesauce makes a great vegan egg substitute in this cookie recipe. It adds moisture, helps bind the ingredients, and also adds natural sweetness, reducing the amount of sugar needed. Use smooth, unsweetened, and unflavoured applesauce.
• Vanilla extract – I recommend pure vanilla extract for the best flavour.
• Baking soda – Make sure it’s fresh and not past its expiration date, or your cookies may turn out flat.
• All-purpose flour – Spoon and level the flour or measure it using a kitchen scale to avoid adding too much.
• Dark chocolate and chocolate chips – I like the combination of chopped chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can use any types of vegan chocolate you prefer.
• Vegan pretzel twists – I love the crunch and salty flavour the pretzels add to these kitchen sink cookies.
• Cocomels candies – These vegan caramels are made with coconut milk.
• Salt flakes – Fleur de sel or Maldon salt are both great options.

How to Make Everything But the Kitchen Sink Cookies

Kitchen sink cookies are a great way to clear out the odd ingredients in the pantry, and the dough is very quick to make. Here’s what to do.

• Cream the butter and sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter with the white and brown sugar, then beat on high speed with the paddle attachment until the mixture is fluffy. 
• Add the wet ingredients. Mix in the applesauce and vanilla extract on low speed just until combined.
• Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the sifted flour, baking soda, and sea salt.

• Finish the dough. Fold in the mix-ins, reserving about ½ cup for sticking on top of the cookies. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

• Form the cookies. With an ice cream or cookie dough scoop, place balls of dough onto a lined baking sheet, leaving enough space for the cookies to spread while baking. Press the reserved mix-ins into the balls of dough.
• Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake at 350ºF for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies slightly golden on top and around the edges. 
• Finish and cool. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with salt flakes. Leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to the cooling rack with a spatula and let cool completely. 

Recipe Tips

• Soften the butter. This will help it incorporate evenly into the cookie dough.
• Weigh the flour. Or, if you can’t weigh it, lightly spoon it into the measuring cup. This will prevent you from adding too much flour, which can lead to dry and crumbly cookies.
• Chill the caramels. To make chopping the caramels easier, refrigerate them for 1 hour.
• Don’t overmix the dough. Once you add in the flour, mix until just combined. Overmixing will result in tough kitchen sink cookies.
• Chill the dough. Chilling the dough helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.

Variations

• Swap the pretzels with nuts. Chopped walnuts or pecans add a delicious crunch to these cookies.
• Drizzle the cookies with homemade vegan caramel sauce.
• Add dried fruit. Dried cranberries, raisins, or cherries would make a great addition to these cookies, adding another layer of texture.
• Switch up the chocolate. Use white chocolate or peanut butter chips instead of dark chocolate for a different flavour profile.
• Make them gluten-free.  Simply use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of regular flour to make gluten-free kitchen sink cookies.

How to Store

• On the counter. Store kitchen sink cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze both the cookie dough and the baked kitchen sink cookies, see below.
• To freeze the dough, scoop it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer for about an hour. Then, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake them according to the recipe instructions, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
• To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely and then store them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Enjoy friends! If you make this kitchen sink cookies recipe please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!

More Vegan Cookie Recipes

• Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
• Banana Oatmeal Cookies
• White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
• S’mores Cookies
• Vegan Sugar Cookies