Kitchen Sink Cookies for Valentine’s Day
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These Valentine’s Day Kitchen Sink Cookies are loaded with chocolate chips, pretzels, potato chips, toffee bits, and festive candy. They’re easy to make, completely customizable, and bake up with crisp edges and chewy centers. Perfect for Valentine’s Day baking, cookie exchanges, or gifting to friends and neighbors.
Who doesn’t love a classic chocolate chip cookie? I know I do. Now imagine taking this familiar favorite and turning it up a few notches. That’s exactly what you get with Kitchen Sink Cookies. They start with a chocolate chip cookie base, then get packed with everything but the kitchen sink, like potato chips, pretzels, M&Ms, toffee bits, nuts, and whatever else you feel like tossing in. If there was ever a time to call a cookie epic, this is it.
One of my favorite things about these Kitchen Sink Cookies is that every single bite is a little different. That’s part of what makes them so fun to bake and even better to eat. They’re also incredibly easy to make. This is a simple drop cookie recipe where everything gets mixed together, scooped, and baked. There are no special steps or extra fuss required. (Remember I made these Kitchen Sink Cookies back at Christmas time. I loved them so much I had to make a version for Valentine’s Day.)
The finished cookies have crisp edges and soft, chewy centers, with plenty of texture from all the mix-ins. Since this version is for Valentine’s Day, I added red and pink M&Ms along with sprinkles for a festive pop of color. It’s such an easy way to customize for the season. Bake these cookies for your sweetheart, share them with friends or family, or keep a few just for yourself. They’re a sweet and simple way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Why You’ll Enjoy This Recipe
- They are incredibly easy to make with no complicated steps or special techniques. Everything mixes together in one bowl and gets scooped right onto the baking sheet.
- The texture is spot on with crisp edges and a soft, chewy center. The salty crunch from the pretzels and potato chips mixed with chocolate and toffee keeps things interesting. It’s that sweet and salty combo that makes you reach for just one more.
- This recipe is completely customizable, which makes it perfect for Valentine’s Day or any other occasion. Swap in your favorite candies, use what you already have in the pantry, or change the colors to match the season.
Looking for more delicious cookie recipes? You’ve got it. Check out this collection of dozens of my best cookie recipes. I know you’ll find a few new favorites to add to your menu this year.
Ingredients
Before I can walk you through the recipe for these loaded cookies, let’s gather all the ingredients you’ll need to get started.
- Unsalted butter – This gives the cookies richness and helps create those crisp edges with a soft, chewy center. Starting with softened butter makes mixing everything nice and easy.
- Granulated sugar – Sugar adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread just enough while baking. It also contributes to those lightly crisp edges.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar brings moisture and a deeper flavor that keeps the cookies chewy in the middle. It pairs especially well with all the salty mix-ins.
- Egg – The egg binds everything together and helps give the cookies structure. It also adds richness to the dough.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla rounds out all the flavors and adds that familiar, cozy cookie flavor. It ties the sweet and salty ingredients together.
- All-purpose flour – Flour forms the base of the cookie dough and gives the cookies their shape. It keeps everything sturdy enough to hold all the mix-ins.
- Baking soda – This helps the cookies rise slightly and bake evenly. It also contributes to the soft texture inside.
- Kosher salt – Salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors in the dough. It’s especially important in a cookie that has lots of sweet add-ins.
- Potato chips – Crushed potato chips add an unexpected salty crunch that makes these cookies stand out. The chips soften slightly as they bake while still adding texture.
- Pretzels – Pretzels bring extra crunch and a little more saltiness to the mix. They help balance out the chocolate and candy.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – These add classic chocolate flavor without being overly sweet. They’re a great anchor ingredient in a kitchen sink cookie.
- Milk chocolate chips – Milk chocolate adds a creamier, sweeter chocolate note that pairs nicely with the semi-sweet chips. Using both keeps the chocolate flavor interesting.
- Red and pink M&Ms – These add color, crunch, and a festive Valentine’s Day feel. They’re an easy way to customize the cookies for the holiday.
- Toffee bits – Toffee bits melt slightly as the cookies bake, and add a rich, buttery sweetness. They also bring a bit of crunch throughout the cookie.
- Red and white sprinkles – Sprinkles add a fun pop of color and make the cookies feel extra celebratory. They’re a simple way to lean into the Valentine’s Day theme.
- Flaky sea salt – A light sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top finishes the cookies beautifully. It adds contrast and brings out all the flavors in each bite.
How To Make
And with all of our ingredients assembled, I think we’re ready to bake these Kitchen Sink Cookies. I’ll walk you through the steps below. I’ve also provided a full ingredient list and instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. (Dough will be stiff.)
- Gently stir in semisweet and milk chocolate chips, potato chips, pretzels, toffee bits, and sprinkles. (Reserve a bit of each to press onto the top of the cookies.)
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough (about two to three tablespoons) onto the baking sheets.
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- Bake for about 14 minutes or until the edges are starting to get golden. Remove from the oven and immediately press reserved chocolate chips, potato chips, pretzels, toffee bits, and sprinkles on top. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Let cool for two to three minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Pack and store in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cookies without a stand mixer?
Yes! While a stand mixer makes the process quicker, you can make these cookies with a handheld mixer or even by hand. Just make sure to cream the butter and sugars thoroughly until light and fluffy, which helps create the soft, chewy texture in the finished cookies.
Can I freeze these cookies, and what’s the best way to do it?
You can freeze the baked cookies or the unbaked dough. For dough, scoop it into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then store in a freezer bag and bake from frozen with an extra minute or two added. For baked cookies, let them cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container with parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
What’s the easiest way to get consistent, bakery-style cookies?
Use a cookie scoop so every cookie is the same size, and try not to overbake. Pull them from the oven when the edges are turning golden, but the centers still look slightly soft, since they continue to set as they cool. If you want them thicker, chill the dough before baking and avoid flattening the scoops.
More Gourmet Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- Strawberry Pretzel Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies
- Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
- Butterscotch Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Lemon Curd Cookies
I love recipes like these Kitchen Sink Cookies for Valentine’s Day because they leave plenty of room for you to make them your own. Maybe your mix-ins look a little different than mine, or lean heavier on the chocolate and lighter on the crunch.
I hope this recipe finds its way into your kitchen when you’re craving something easy, fun, and just a little bit festive. Whether you bake them for Valentine’s Day or tuck the idea away for another time, I hope they bring a little joy to your day! If you end up making them, I’d love to know how they turned out for you. Please stop back and leave a comment and a 5-star rating below.
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Valentine’s Day Kitchen Sink Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup crushed potato chips
- ¾ cup crushed pretzels
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*
- ½ cup red and pink M&Ms
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup toffee bits
- ½ cup red and white sprinkles
- Flaky sea salt to garnish
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. (Dough will be stiff.)
- Gently stir in semisweet and milk chocolate chips, potato chips, pretzels, toffee bits, and sprinkles. (Reserve a bit of each to press onto the top of the cookies.)
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough (about two to three tablespoons) onto the baking sheets.
- Bake for about 14 minutes or until the edges are starting to get golden. Remove from the oven and immediately press reserved chocolate chips, potato chips, pretzels, toffee bits, and sprinkles on top. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Let cool for two to three minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Pack and store in an airtight container.