If you’ve tried the kitchen sink cookies from Panera and want to recreate that magic at home, you’ve come to the right place!
These Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookies are stuffed with chocolate chips, caramels, and pretzels for the perfect balance of sweet, salty, chewy, and crunchy. Maximum add-ins to help them live up to their name!
Now, they do differ slightly from Panera kitchen sink cookies just because I added in white chocolate chips as well as dark chocolate chips, a flavor contrast I feel strongly elevates the cookie as a whole.
Just like my Caramel Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies, this next-level cookie boasts a chewy cookie base, packed with add-ins that bring both texture and bold flavor to every single bite. Between the gooey caramel, crunchy pretzels, and melty chocolate chips, you’re in for a total flavor explosion.
Plus, as a mom with a hectic schedule who simply won’t settle for boring food, a cookie recipe that can be made in just one bowl, requires no chilling time, and comes together in 20 minutes total is always gonna come out on top!
Kitchen Sink Cookies Ingredient Highlights
Like the Panera Kitchen Sink Cookies, these cookies are stuffed with pretzels, caramel, and chocolate chips. Unlike the Kitchen Sink Cookies from Panera, I used both dark and white chocolate chips.
I just like the contrast in flavor between the milky-sweet and more bitter chips and find that adding both is more dynamic. It also adds a pretty color variation that gives the look of these cookies that wow factor.
That being said, if you want a true Panera Kitchen Sink Cookie Copycat, use one cup of milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips in place of the dark and white chocolate chips in this recipe.
I prefer unsalted butter and adding my own salt to have more control over the salt content, but you can use salted butter in a pinch. Just make sure to omit the added salt.
Either way, it’s imperative your butter is softened. For some hacks on quickly softening butter, check out my article on how to easily soften butter.
I used the individually wrapped Werther’s Original Chewy Caramels and chopped them in thirds. I used mini pretzels and chopped them right down the middle, which typically caused some breakage and left me with anywhere from 2-5 bits per pretzel.
Kitchen Sink Cookie Tips and Tricks
How I Make Kitchen Sink Cookie Dough
Like almost all of my cookie recipes, the dough for these cookies can be made in just one bowl (because I’m always thinking about cleanup, too!). This just means the order in which you add things to the bowl matters.
Start by adding the softened butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl and using a hand mixer on high to cream together until well-combined.
Then, use the hand mixer on low to beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Next comes the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until smooth.
I like to grab a handful of each add-in and set it aside so I can push them into the top of each cookie. Add the rest of the white and dark chocolate chips, pretzel bits, and caramel pieces to the dough and gently fold to evenly distribute.
How I Perfectly Bake My Cookies
These Panera-inspired Kitchen Sink cookies bake perfectly at 350°F in about 10-12 minutes.
I like to grab a handful of each add-in and set them aside before adding the rest into the dough. Then, I’ll use those add-ins I’ve set aside to push into the top of each cookie.
It’s important to note that if the caramel bits are too close to the bottom or sides of the cookie, they may melt and leak out, spilling over the sides of the cookie.
If this happens, don’t worry! Just push the puddle of caramel into the cookie with the spoon when they’re fresh out of the oven and still hot.
However, its best to just avoid this altogether by ensuring the caramels are all enveloped by the dough and/or towards the top center of the cookie.
You should definitely expect the cookies to flatten and expand outward while they bake, so make sure to leave plenty of room in between each cookie. I usually just bake 6 at a time on an 18 x 26-inch baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a reusable baking mat.
How I Store My Homemade Cookies
I usually only bake a few cookies at a time and freeze the rest of the dough so that I can bake a fresh cookie whenever I want! To do so, I just shape the cookie dough and store it in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
I bake them straight out of the freezer and just add a few minutes to my baking time.
As for leftover baked cookies, it’s best to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay fresh this way for about a week.
Pro tip: To keep homemade cookies nice and chewy, you can store a piece of bread with them (perfect use for the end piece!). The bread creates a humid environment and keeps your cookies moist.
20-Minute Chewy Kitchen Sink Cookies
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
- Large Cookie Scoop optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter (½ cup butter = 1 stick)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped chewy caramels (½ cup = ~15 chewy caramel candies)
- ½ cup chopped pretzels (½ cup = ~20 mini pretzels)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable baking mat.
- To a large mixing bowl, add softened butter and brown sugar. Use a hand mixer on high to cream together until light and smooth (about 2-3 minutes).½ cup softened unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and use your hand mixer on low to combine.1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- Add the flour, salt, and baking soda and mix to combine, careful not to overbeat. Use a spatula to scrape any flour off the sides of the bowl and integrate it into your dough.1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Chop your pretzels down the middle, leaving some halves and some smaller chunks. Slice the caramel candies in thirds. Add the pretzel bits, caramels, and both chocolate chips to your dough and use a rubber spatula to fold to combine. I like to keep a small handful of each out to place on top of the cookie dough once it's formed into cookies.½ cup white chocolate chips, ½ cup dark chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped chewy caramels, ½ cup chopped pretzels
- Use a large cookie scoop or 4 tablespoons of dough to form your cookies, adding them to the prepped baking sheets. Leave at least an inch of space in between each cookie for minor spreading. Push any add-ins you kept aside into the top. Avoid having any caramel bits on the sides or bottom of the cookie dough if possible (on top and enveloped by the dough is best!).
- Bake for 8-10 minutes on the top rack. It's okay if they are slightly underdone. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet so they continue to bake as they cool. If any caramel spills out the sides, use the curved part of a spoon to push the melted caramel back into the edge of the cookies while they are still hot. Enjoy!
Pro Tips
- Make sure to use plain chewy caramels instead of caramel sauce, caramel hard candies, or cream-filled caramels. If you’re having trouble finding them for baking, you can use individually wrapped chewy caramels (usually the Werther’s brand is widely available in the candy aisle).
- You can freeze excess cookie dough before baking it to give you fresh baked cookies every time when the craving hits! Just bake them as normal straight out of the freezer.
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