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Inspired by Panera’s version but tested and tweaked until it’s better, this cookie is thick, chewy, and loaded with chocolate, pretzels, toffee, and a hit of flaky salt. I tested the butter, the sugar ratio, and the bake time until the centers stayed soft without the cookies going flat. Everything but the kitchen sink, minus the guesswork 😉
These cookies are AMAZING. They’re not at all hard to make and one batch made a ton for me. Do yourself a flavor and add the flakey salt, makes all the difference! They were a huge crowd pleaser! Definitely will be making them again.
Casey
The Kitchen Sink Cookie has it all!
If you love Panera’s Kitchen Sink Cookie, wait until you try this one. I tested batch after batch to figure out exactly what makes Panera’s version so good, then pushed it further. Panera’s cookie is soft in the middle but a little one-note. Mine has more texture in every single bite, a thicker cookie with deeper caramelized flavor from a mix of brown and white sugar, crunchy potato chip pieces that actually stay crunchy, and a hit of flaky sea salt on top that Panera’s version skips entirely.
Flat kitchen sink cookies are the number one complaint with copycat versions like this, and I tested my way around it. True room temperature butter, not soft or melted, keeps the dough from spreading too thin before it sets. Pulling the cookies the moment the edges turn golden instead of fully browned locks in that soft, chewy center Panera is known for, without losing the shape.
The small details make the biggest difference here. I don’t crush the potato chips down when mixing, so you actually taste that salty crunch in every bite instead of losing it into the dough. And chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking gives you a noticeably thicker cookie than what you’d get straight out of the fridge case at Panera. This isn’t just a copycat. It’s the version I’d want to eat over the original.
Why You’ll Love these Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Quick and easy to make
- Inspired by Panera’s kitchen sink cookie recipe
- Easily customized with a variety of add-ins or substitutes
- Freezes well for later
Kitchen Sink Cookies Ingredients
This kitchen sink cookie recipe uses all the traditional cookie ingredients plus some unique ingredients, like potato chips! Get the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Unsalted butter – Don’t forget to bring it to room temperature.
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Large eggs – Set them out in time to get them to room temperature.
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Broken pretzels
- Potato chips
- Heath toffee bits
- Chopped chocolate bar – You can also use semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
How to Make Kitchen Sink Cookies
You just need a quick 45 minutes to make these easy and yummy kitchen sink cookies! Find the full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
- Prep oven and cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Beat butter and sugar. Using an electric mixer and paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar till creamed.
- Add wet ingredients. Beat in the vanilla extract and eggs.
- Combine remaining dry ingredients. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low until combined.
- Mix in crunchy ingredients. Reserve a few pretzel pieces, potato chips, and chocolate to add to the top of the cookies. Stir in the pretzels, potato chips, toffee bits, chocolate pieces, and nuts.
- Make cookie dough balls. Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to scoop dough and make 24 dough balls. Add the remaining add-ins to the outside of the dough balls. Place 6 to 8 on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
- Allow to cool. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 3 to 4 minutes, then place the baked cookies on a wire rack. Continue baking the remaining cookies.
Kitchen Sink Cookie Recipe Substitutions & Variations
- Other optional mix-ins: raisins, caramel bits or caramel pieces, butterscotch chips, chopped peanut butter cups, marshmallows, dried cranberries, or any flavored chocolate chips.
- Dark chocolate: Semisweet or regular chocolate chips can be substituted with dark chocolate chips.
- Spice it up: Add cinnamon to the cookie dough.
- White chocolate: Use white chocolate chips instead of regular chocolate.
- Different nuts: Substitute chopped macadamia nuts.
- Peanut butter flavor: Add or substitute peanut butter chips.
- Make it saltier: Top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
- M&M Cookies: Add M&Ms to the batter in place of the chocolate chips.
Copycat Panera Kitchen Sink Cookie Recipe tips
Roll the dough in mix-ins. You can save half the mix-ins and roll the cookies in them for a nice touch. Or press a pretzel piece, potato chip, and a piece of chocolate onto the top of each cookie before baking. It’s totally optional, but it creates a nice-looking kitchen sink cookie and gives you a preview of what’s inside before you bite in!
Make thicker cookies. For thicker cookies, refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes before baking.
Don’t crush the potato chips. As you mix them into the batter, they will crush. You will want them to be in larger pieces so you get to enjoy the crunch in the cookies.
How to store Panera Kitchen Sink Cookies
Store these cookies in an airtight container on the counter or in the fridge for 3-4 days. To freeze, place the cookies in a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to three months.
Copycat Panera Kitchen Sink Cookie FAQs
Semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, caramel pieces, pretzels and flaky salt are the stars of Panera’s Kitchen Sink Cookie!
It’s called a kitchen sink dessert because this cookie is loaded with so many add-ins, meaning it’s over-the-top.
If your cookies consistently end up flat regardless of the recipe, it is likely due to your oven being too hot. The excessive heat causes the butter to melt too quickly, preventing the other ingredients from setting properly and resulting in spread-out, liquidy cookies.
Yes. Enjoy freshly baked cookies anytime by freezing the dough! Here’s the best method:
1. Roll the dough into balls and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
2. Freeze until solid, about 2 to 3 hours.
3. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing.
4. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
5. Baking from frozen: Bake straight from the freezer at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes. They may need a little extra time to bake fully.
More Cookie Recipes
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Kitchen Sink Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (213g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (99g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup broken pretzels
- ½ cup potato chips
- ½ cup heath toffee bits
- ½ cup chopped chocolate bar, or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar till creamed.1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (213g) brown sugar, 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
- Beat in the vanilla extract and eggs.1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low until combined.2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Reserve a few pretzel pieces, potato chips and chocolate to add to the top of the cookies. Stir in the pretzels, potato chips, toffee bits, chocolate pieces and nuts.1/2 cup broken pretzels, 1/2 cup potato chips, 1/2 cup heath toffee bits, 1/2 cup chopped chocolate bar, 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon and make 24 dough balls. Add the remaining add-ins to the outside of the dough balls. Place 6 to 8 on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 3 to 4 minutes, then place the cookies on a cooling rack. Continue baking the remaining cookies.
These cookies are AMAZING. They’re not at all hard to make and one batch made a ton for me. Do yourself a flavor and add the flakey salt, makes all the difference! They were a huge crowd pleaser! Definitely will be making them again.
thank you. those look great
Followed directions directly as written and the cookies turned out as flat as a sheet of paper. :/ disappointed.
The tast of these is soooo good but mine came out extremely flat. After the first batch, I put the dough in the fridge for the 30 minutes and then continued to bake the rest after they chilled, but they still were flat. To save spreading cookies, use the cup method to shape them circular, which also brings the cookie together and makes them thicker! In the end, they still presented very well but I would adjust next time to make the dough thicker. Oh also dont forget to add the mix-ins to the top of the cookie after they come out of the oven, makes all the difference! I looved the flavor of these, sweet and salty is my favorite! I skipped the nuts because im not a fan, and used a chocolate bar (not chips) which takes it to the next level as well. After a couple days the chips and pretzels got a little soft, and the cookies weren’t as good as the first day so I would suggest eating these right away for the best flavor!
The best cookies! Everyone raves about these when I make them!
These came out beautifully. After reading about how flat they turned out, I subbed 1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco for 1/2 cup butter.
I wish I could post a photo. I made your recipe, but I used the small ice cream scoop and it turned out 70 cookies. I think they’re a perfect size because they’re not mini, they’re tiny cookies.The difference is that not all the cookies have pretzels added to some, some have marshmallows added to another, I added pistachio and others coconut and I got 70 cookies.