If you've met my parents via my social media before, you know that they are 100% cookie obsessed. If you know me I am cookie obsessed and perfected the best chocolate chip cookies recipe of all time, but we will save that post for another day. Back to my parents. I don't think I've ever been home to visit without finding at least a few dozen of my dads Kitchen Sink Cookies stashed in the freezer in case of an emergency. And by emergency, I really mean when the mood strikes to eat 5-6 cookies in one sitting. We are total cookie fanatics. It's part of our DNA. They just got into town for the week so we're making cookies with Poppy to celebrate!
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One of my favorite parts of going home is that my dad always makes me his famous Kitchen Sink Cookies. They've evolved over the years. What started as basic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have turned into something way more delicious and I seriously start craving them the second I hop on a plane to Seattle.
I make them plenty of times in my own kitchen, but for some reason they are always better when dad makes them. Kind of like his grilled cheese sandwiches. There's just no arguing it. So nowadays they are stuffed with chocolate chips, M&M's, dried cranberries and dried apricots. Genius. His Kitchen Sink Cookies are just slightly under baked and perfectly chewy, stuffed full of chocolate and that's just the way I like them.
Watch How to Make it
Ingredients
- Butter
- White Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- All Purpose Flour
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- M&M's
- Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Dried Cranberries
- Dried Apricots
How to Make Kitchen Sink Cookies
Start by preheating your oven to 375º F.
In a large stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides in between additions. Add the vanilla and incorporate.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, pulverized oats (just measure 2 ½ cups of oats and blend them in a high powered blender for a few seconds to break them down), baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix everything together. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 2 batches and mix on a low speed.
Add the M&M's, chocolate chips, dried cranberries and dried apricot and mix for a few seconds until just incorporated.
Using a medium sized cookie scoop, place 12 balls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Transfer the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes depending on how chewy you want your cookies. I'm a 10.5 minute kind of cookie baker.
Remove the cookies from the oven once they are baked and let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Tips & Tricks
Use room temperature butter - This will ensure that your Kitchen Sink Cookies spread evenly and don’t end up too flat.
Add a little salt - This will help to balance out the sweetness of the chocolate chips and give the Kitchen Sink Cookies a little flavor boost. I love Maldon.
Don’t overbake - The key to soft and chewy cookies is taking them out of the oven while they’re still slightly underbaked. Just be sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t get too brown.
How to cream together the butter and sugar - You have to let it cream together for 3 minutes to ensure the butter and sugar properly combine. The color should be a pale light yellow – here is a great color example.
How to measure flour - I am a scoop and level kinda girl. If you spoon and level, that will not result in enough flour. I scoop my measuring cup into the flour and then use a knife to level it out. When you mix everything together, just mix the dry ingredients until JUST combined. No need to over-mix.
FAQ's
What kind of butter is best for cookies?
Unsalted! I always use unsalted in my baked goods so I can add salt later to my preference! IF you use salted butter, please feel free, just skip the excess salt because it could be TOO salty and that’s hard to fix.
How to make chewy cookies?
The key to chewy cookies is brown sugar! I do a half and half combo of white sugar and brown sugar in this Kitchen Sink Cookie recipe. If you use only white sugar you'll get a more crispy cookie.
Can you freeze the dough?
Yes absolutely. Follow steps to make the dough and then portion into 2 tablespoon scoops and freeze on a flat surface. Once the balls are frozen, you can transfer the frozen balls into a zip-top bag and save for later. When ready to bake off the Kitchen Sink Cookies, let them sit on the counter for 15 minutes before baking at the same time and temp listed below.
How do you store these Kitchen Sink Cookies?
I prefer to bake them all, let them cool and then transfer to an air tight container and store in the freezer. Then when it’s time to eat, take a few out, let them come to room temp and devour.
Similar Recipes
- Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Perfect Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 26 Best Cookie Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Dad’s Kitchen Sink Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats pulverized
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup M&M's
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup chopped dried apricots
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides in between additions. Add the vanilla and incorporate.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, pulverized oats (just measure 2 ½ cups of oats and blend them in a high powered blender for a few seconds to break them down), baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix everything together. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 2 batches and mix on a low speed.
- Add the M&M's, chocolate chips, dried cranberries and dried apricot and mix for a few seconds until just incorporated.
- Using a medium sized cookie scoop, place 12 balls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Transfer the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes depending on how chewy you want your cookies. I'm a 10.5 minute kind of cookie baker.
- Remove the cookies from the oven once they are baked and let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Freeze them as needed so you always have some on hand 🙂
Notes
- Keep these cookies in the freezer for when the craving hits!
- Feel free to swap out the additions, just keep it to about 4 cups total.
Nutrition Information
I noticed in the Instagram video that you have some sort of block in the oven that you set the cookie sheet on - what is it, why do you use it and where can I get one? Also any particular brand of cookie sheet/silpat you recommend?
it's a pizza stone and I leave it in my oven at all times. I used the Williams Sonoma baking sheets - http://bit.ly/2z0B7uZ and silpats can be from anywhere!!
Ok - I froze these then took 2 bags of these cookies to work & they ate them like mad. Then I gave a big ziplock to my dad and he ate them all in like 12 hours and asked for more & said they were the best. So, ignore what I wrote above, I guess I will be making them again just as written :).
yay!!!! this makes me so happy
I made these for a football party yesterday. They weren't what I was expecting because I was thinking more monster cookie (my fault for not reading the recipe upfront). Mine baked up differently than the picture but still pretty. People at the game were unsure about them and either didn't finish theirs or only had one a piece, I think because of the fruit. And because their competition was some serious s'mores brownies. They taste better today & im alone at home with them so I've eaten 5 . Definitely freezing to take to work later. Long comment - but basically these are different & tasty but maybe not for everybody. I think I will make them again without the m&ms but with toasted pecans for a tasty fall oatmeal & fruit cookie.
Ok - I froze these then took 2 bags of these cookies to work & they ate them like mad. Then I gave a big ziplock to my dad and he ate them all in like 12 hours and asked for more & said they were the best. So, ignore what I wrote above, I guess I will be making them again just as written :).
Do you freeze the extra ones once they've been baked or before?
either or!! but usually after baking them
I would love some kitchen sink cookies!!
Gaby, I noticed your recipe was exactly the same as the one on all recipes for Urban Legend cookies. Did you adapt it from there?
Never heard of Urban Legend cookies - but if they are the same, they must be delicious 🙂
I added white chips (just because I needed to use them up) and they turned out fabulous!
I added white chips (just because I needed to use them up) and they turned out fabulous!
I love those kinds of family traditions - always better tasting at home! Thanks for sharing - and these look great!
I wouldn't share these cookies either, Gaby!
I've never had dried apricots in cookies...we're always eating them as snacks, I can't wait to try them in cookies! 🙂
dude, i would love to live in your family! freezer-stashed cookies!? i am all for it, especially these kitchen sink ones 😀
I must give these famous kitchen sink cookies a try! Yum.
These will more than likely lead to me eating my fingers off! I can't wait to try them! 🙂
Oh my goodness -- my Dad would love these!