Just like the old expression suggests, Kitchen Sink Cookies have a little bit of everything in them. A great way to use up leftover baking supplies!
The expression “everything but the kitchen sink” refers to taking or using just about everything you can. For example, if one were going on a short vacation, but over packed, one might say, “they took everything but the kitchen sink.” It basically means not much was left behind. (I’m looking at you, Margaret!)
Margaret is one of my best friends and we both work together. I remember one time we both were taking a flight to Vancouver for a conference. She showed up at the airport with an updo, wearing a ball gown, and toting three very large suitcases. We were only going to be in Vancouver for 5 days. She took everything but the kitchen sink!
What do these Cookies have to do with a Kitchen Sink?
Sometimes, when I bake or cook for my little family, and not with the intention of posting the recipe to the blog, I tend to take some liberties. A kitchen sink cookie recipe is a perfect example of when that happens.
People who know me might remember hearing me saying something like, “Tonight we are having a clean out the fridge dinner.” This is when I place dinner on the table which consists of leftovers, opened cheeses, dips, or spreads, and whatever else I can find in the fridge that is nearing the end of it’s shelf life.
The same thing applies to these cookies. I bake quite often, so I find that many times I might have leftover ingredients. Not enough to make a full recipe, but certainly enough to contribute to another recipe.
I’m talking about a few raisins left in the bag. Leftover candy or chocolate. Pretzels that didn’t get eaten when we watched that movie last night. Or a box of cereal with not enough left to have a bowl. Get the idea?
These cookies are the result of those leftover bits and pieces. It starts with a good cookie base and has room for all sorts of add ins. You can create your own version and customize it based on what extra ingredients you have leftover.
How to Make these Cookies Your Own!
So, in my pantry stash, I had chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, cereal, and some mixed nuts. Those formed the basis of my Kitchen Sink Cookies.
What do you have in your pantry? I used Rice Krispies Cereal, but you can use just about anything. Frosted Flakes, Corn Pops, Special K, Cheerios, All Bran, etc., they will all do! Any type of baking chocolate or even specialty chips like Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips or even Cinnamon Chips will work!
You can add chopped dried fruit, like apples, apricots, dates, etc. Dried berries will be great too! I’ve even added popped quinoa once! Oh, and banana chips! And, of course, you can make them very kid friendly with the addition of sprinkles!
Perfect for Freezing!
Kitchen Sink Cookies are the perfect cookie for freezing. I made these a week before the world got turned upside down. I knew we would be heading out of our city apartment to our house in the country as soon as the work from home thing took hold. And, I wanted to have a lot of freezer-friendly foods ready for the haul.
Here we are on our fifth week and these cookies taste as fresh as they were the day I made them. Once they were completely cool, I packed them in a freezer-friendly container and placed them in the freezer. Now, at the house, every two to three days, I’ll remove a few cookies and transfer them to a smaller container. They sit at room temperature until they’re gone and I fill up the container again.
That leads me to believe that these cookies would work well for shipping too. If you wanted to bake and send them off to a loved one, they would stay fresh. And since they are not a crumbly cookie, they wouldn’t break apart in shipping.
There you have it, Dear Reader! A recipe to help use up some of your leftover pantry and baking ingredients. Also, a cookie that will keep well in the freezer and taste fresh at the same time. I can’t wait to hear what add-ins you put in your cookies. Stay safe!
Kitchen Sink Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup mixed nuts, chopped
- 1 cup Rice Krispies Cereal
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a hand-held mixer to beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and light yellow in colour. (About 4-5 minutes.)
- Add the eggs one at a time and beat into the butter and sugar mixture.
- Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Sift in the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat into the wet mixture until well combined.
- Once combined, use a wooden spoon to mix in the remaining ingredients.
- Portion the cookie dough into 1 1/2 tablespoons. Roll into a ball and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Nutrition
Natalie says
What a delicious bunch of cookies. Oh, I must make them for my family asap. I bet my boys will love it. Love that you added butterscotch and white chocolate chips. Yum!