Ultimate Kitchen Sink Cookies: Your Go-To Recipe for Pantry Clean-Out Perfection

Do you ever open your baking cabinet only to be greeted by a delightful (yet slightly overwhelming) assortment of partial bags of chocolate chips, half-used containers of oats, and various nuts and sprinkles from past baking adventures? If so, you’re not alone. Many passionate bakers find themselves in a similar sweet predicament, and there’s a delicious solution that not only helps organize your pantry but also creates one of the most satisfying cookies you’ll ever bake: Kitchen Sink Cookies.

Kitchen Sink Cookies are exactly what they sound like – a fantastic, versatile cookie recipe designed to incorporate “everything but the kitchen sink.” This means a crisp, flavorful base loaded with a medley of your favorite (or leftover) mix-ins, such as oatmeal, shredded coconut, crunchy pecans, crushed cereal, and a generous variety of chocolate. It’s the ultimate cookie for when you want to get creative, clear out your baking stash, and enjoy a truly unique treat.

The Baker’s Delight: Taming the Overflowing Pantry

If you’re anything like me, your baking cabinets are often stuffed to overflowing. That irresistible sale on chocolate chips leads to buying five bags, ensuring you have every flavor imaginable: dark chocolate, semi-sweet, milk chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, and let’s not forget the seasonal holiday bags that seem to multiply overnight! Then there are the two giant containers of oatmeal (instant and old-fashioned) because buying the large size was more economical for that one cup a recipe called for. I might just qualify as a baking hoarder, and we won’t even begin to discuss my dedicated sprinkle cabinet!

About once a month, this delightful chaos prompts a full inventory. I pull everything out, and I’m always amazed at how much I’ve managed to fit in there. Laid out, the ingredients can easily take up my biggest kitchen counter. This exercise isn’t just about organizing; it’s also a source of culinary inspiration. Gazing at all those goodies, especially those partial packages and almost-empty bags, sparks the idea for these incredible Kitchen Sink Cookies. They’re the perfect way to use up those bits and bobs before they get forgotten, transforming potential waste into pure deliciousness.

What Makes Kitchen Sink Cookies Irresistibly Unique?

The name “Kitchen Sink Cookies” harks back to my childhood, recalling an ice cream parlor’s legendary sundae, “The Kitchen Sink.” It boasted twenty scoops of ice cream and every single topping available. A table full of hungry teenagers could never quite conquer it, but the fun was always in the attempt! These cookies capture that same spirit of abundant indulgence – everything you can imagine, thrown into a wonderfully crisp cookie.

The Signature Crispness

When I say these cookies are crisp, I mean a delightful, almost deep-fried-like crispness that sets them apart from typical chewy or soft-baked cookies. This unique texture comes from a few key ingredients: the vegetable oil in the dough, which contributes to a lighter, crisper crumb, and especially the crushed cereal. For this particular batch, I used a medley of dark, semi-sweet, and milk chocolate chips, finally putting all those partial bags to good use! The crushed cereal, typically corn flakes, is not just a filler; it’s a texture enhancer, adding a subtle crunch that prevents the cookie from being hard, instead providing a delicate, light crispness that is utterly addictive.

Endless Customization Possibilities

The beauty of Kitchen Sink Cookies lies in their incredible adaptability. This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a concept. You are the chef, and your pantry is your playground. Here are just a few ideas for mix-ins to inspire your next batch:

Chocolates: Don’t limit yourself! Combine dark, milk, semi-sweet, white, butterscotch, peanut butter, or even mint chocolate chips. Chopped candy bars, M&Ms, or chocolate-covered pretzels are also fantastic additions.
Cereals: While corn flakes are a classic for their crisp texture, feel free to experiment with other flake cereals, rice krispies, or even crushed O-shaped cereals for a different kind of crunch.
Nuts: Pecans and walnuts are staples, but almonds, cashews, or even peanuts can add a wonderful nutty depth. Lightly toast them beforehand for intensified flavor.
Dried Fruits: Raisins, cranberries, chopped apricots, dried cherries, or even candied orange peel can provide a chewy, sweet contrast.
Salty Surprises: Crushed pretzels or a sprinkle of sea salt on top before baking can elevate the flavor profile, creating that irresistible sweet and salty combination.
Other Fun Additions: Toffee bits, sprinkles, mini marshmallows, or even a dash of espresso powder for a mocha twist.

The possibilities are truly endless, making every batch a unique creation. It’s an excellent way to use up small quantities of various ingredients, ensuring nothing goes to waste and every cookie is an exciting surprise.

Tips for Baking the Best Kitchen Sink Cookies

Achieving that perfect crispness and delightful flavor in your Kitchen Sink Cookies is straightforward with a few key techniques. This recipe is designed to be forgiving, but these pointers will help you get the most out of your baking session.

Ingredient Preparation and Mixing

Butter and Sugars: Ensure your butter is truly softened to room temperature. This is crucial for creaming it properly with the sugars, creating a light and fluffy base that traps air, contributing to the cookie’s texture. Don’t rush this step; cream for at least 2-3 minutes.
Egg and Oil: Adding the egg and vegetable oil after the butter and sugars helps create a moist dough that spreads slightly, contributing to the crisp edges. Mix until just combined.
Dry Ingredients: Combine your flour, baking soda, and salt separately before adding them to the wet ingredients. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agents. Add the dry mixture slowly and mix only until just incorporated. Overmixing flour develops gluten, leading to tougher cookies.
Mix-Ins: Gently fold in your chosen mix-ins – the crushed cereal, oatmeal, nuts, coconut, and chocolate chips. You want them evenly distributed but avoid overmixing, which can crush delicate ingredients or overwork the dough.

Baking for Perfect Crispness

Cookie Scoop: Using a medium cookie scoop (or a rounded teaspoon) ensures that all your cookies are uniform in size. This leads to even baking, preventing some cookies from burning while others are underdone.
Spacing: Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. These cookies will spread, so giving them ample space prevents them from merging into one giant cookie.
Oven Temperature: Baking at 325°F (160°C) is slightly lower than many cookie recipes, which helps achieve that desirable crisp texture without burning the edges too quickly.
Baking Time: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The centers might still look a little soft, but they will firm up as they cool. Don’t overbake if you want them crisp but not hard.
Cooling: This step is vital for crispness. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven. This allows them to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling on a rack ensures air circulates around them, preventing a soggy bottom.

Storing Your Crispy Treasures

To maintain the delightful crispness of your Kitchen Sink Cookies, storage is key. The best method is to store them in an airtight container, lined with a paper towel. The paper towel helps absorb any excess moisture, keeping the cookies perfectly crisp for days.

If you’ve baked a large batch, these cookies also freeze beautifully. You can freeze the baked cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy them again. Alternatively, you can freeze individual dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time.

Why Kitchen Sink Cookies Will Become Your New Favorite

Beyond being incredibly delicious, these cookies offer numerous benefits. They are a fantastic way to minimize food waste by utilizing those leftover baking odds and ends. Each batch is a unique adventure, allowing for endless creativity and customization based on whatever treasures you uncover in your pantry. Most importantly, they are a phenomenal crowd-pleaser, perfect for sharing with family and friends, bringing to potlucks, or simply enjoying as a well-deserved treat after a long day. The combination of varied textures and flavors in a perfectly crisp package makes them truly irresistible.

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Yield: 6-7 dozen cookies

Kitchen Sink Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup crushed corn flakes (or other flake cereal)
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in egg and oil, mixing well.
Combine Flour, baking soda and salt, then add flour mixture to dough, mixing slowly until all incorporated.
Mix in corn flakes, oatmeal, pecans and coconut until evenly distributed. Fold in chocolate chips.
Place dough by rounded teaspoon (I use a medium Cookie scoop) onto an ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, until edges turn golden. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to racks to cool completely.
To maintain crispness, store in an airtight container, lined with a paper towel.

Notes

This cookie is great for cleaning out the baking cabinet, use any chocolate chips, add in raisins, dried fruit, more than one kind of nut. Add in chopped candy bars or m&ms. The possibilities are endless.

recipe source ChocolateChocolateandmore.com

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Want More Delicious Cookie Recipes?

If you’ve enjoyed the versatility and delightful crispness of these Kitchen Sink Cookies, you’re in for a treat! Our blog, Chocolate Chocolate and More, is packed with a wide array of cookie recipes to satisfy every craving. Whether you’re a chocolate lover, a fan of nutty delights, or looking for something classic, we’ve got you covered. Expand your baking repertoire with some of our other cherished cookie creations:

Triple Chocolate Cookies

Crisp Almond Cookies

Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Cookies and Cream Cookies

Brownie Cookies

And explore some fantastic cookie ideas from our friends:

Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies from Picky Palate
Soft Chewy Oatmeal Cookies from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Chewy Sugar Cookies from Taking on Magazines