Irresistible Vegan Kitchen Sink Cookies: Your Ultimate Sweet & Salty Treat Recipe
Say goodbye to cookie indecision with these incredible Vegan Kitchen Sink Cookies! This recipe is a dream come true for anyone who loves a medley of textures and flavors in every bite. Aptly named for containing “everything but the kitchen sink,” these delightful cookies are packed with an irresistible combination of rich chocolate, gooey caramel, and satisfyingly crunchy pretzels. They strike the perfect balance between sweet and salty, chewy and crispy, making them an all-around delicious indulgence that’s surprisingly easy to bake and even easier to devour.
Kitchen sink cookies are celebrated for their generous assortment of ingredients, living up to their whimsical name. Each cookie offers a delightful journey for your taste buds, featuring contrasting elements that complement each other beautifully. The sweetness from the chocolates and caramel harmonizes with the salty crunch of pretzels, creating a truly unique and satisfying experience. These aren’t just cookies; they’re a culinary adventure that promises to delight with every chew.
While classic treats like Vegan Snickerdoodle Cookies and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies hold a special place in our hearts, sometimes you crave a cookie that delivers a complex symphony of flavors and textures in every single bite. That’s precisely where these kitchen sink cookies shine. They are the ultimate mash-up, bringing together all your favorite cookie components into one incredibly easy-to-make, plant-based treat. Whether you’re a long-time vegan or simply looking for a delicious and versatile cookie recipe, these will quickly become a go-to.
Why You’ll Adore This Vegan Kitchen Sink Cookie Recipe
- Fully Vegan & Delicious. Unlike many traditional kitchen sink cookie recipes that rely on eggs and dairy, this version is 100% plant-based. We’ve meticulously crafted it to ensure that you won’t miss any of the richness or chewiness. These cookies are so incredibly satisfying, even non-vegans will be asking for the recipe!
- Endlessly Customizable. The beauty of kitchen sink cookies lies in their versatility. This recipe provides a fantastic base, but you are absolutely encouraged to get creative and mix and match ingredients to your heart’s content. As long as you maintain the core dough-to-mix-in proportions, the possibilities are truly limitless. Think outside the box and make them uniquely yours!
- Incredibly Easy to Prepare. Don’t let the impressive ingredient list intimidate you – this recipe is surprisingly straightforward. It doesn’t call for any specialized equipment or complex baking techniques. If you’ve ever successfully made Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, you’ll find whipping up these kitchen sink cookies to be a breeze. Perfect for both novice and experienced bakers!
- Fantastic for Using Up Leftovers & Pantry Staples. This recipe is your secret weapon for clearing out those half-empty bags in your pantry. Have a handful of leftover nuts, a scattering of various chocolate chips, or some dried fruit that needs using? Toss them into these cookies! It’s a delicious way to reduce food waste and create something amazing from forgotten ingredients.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Vegan Kitchen Sink Cookies
Crafting these delectable cookies starts with selecting the right ingredients. Below is a detailed look at what you’ll need, along with some helpful tips for each. Remember, the full ingredient quantities and detailed recipe instructions are conveniently located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Vegan Butter – The foundation of a good cookie! For best results, use your favorite high-quality store-bought vegan butter that softens well, or try making my highly recommended homemade vegan butter recipe for an extra special touch. Ensure it’s softened to room temperature for proper creaming.
- Granulated Sugar – Provides essential sweetness and contributes to the crisp texture of the cookie edges.
- Brown Sugar – Whether you opt for dark or light brown sugar, this ingredient adds moisture, chewiness, and a lovely depth of flavor with its subtle caramel notes.
- Unsweetened Applesauce – Our secret weapon for an egg-free cookie! Use smooth, unsweetened, and unflavored applesauce to ensure it doesn’t overpower the other flavors. It binds the dough and adds moisture without any eggy taste.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Don’t skimp on the vanilla! A good quality pure vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors in the cookie, adding warmth and depth.
- Baking Soda – The leavening agent that helps our cookies rise and achieve that perfect soft and chewy texture.
- Salt – A crucial ingredient that balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor profile. It also plays a key role in bringing out the complexity of the chocolate and caramel.
- All-Purpose Flour – The structural base of our cookies. For best accuracy and consistency, I highly recommend weighing your flour. If measuring by volume, spoon it lightly into the measuring cup to avoid over-packing.
- Chopped Dark Chocolate – Use any vegan dark chocolate you love! Whether it’s a chopped bar or large chunks, good quality dark chocolate provides intense cocoa flavor and melty pockets. Ensure it’s certified vegan.
- Semisweet Vegan Chocolate Chips – These complement the dark chocolate, offering a classic cookie taste and a slightly sweeter profile. Again, make sure your chosen brand is vegan-friendly.
- Chopped Vegan Pretzel Twists – The star of the “kitchen sink” element! Pretzels deliver an amazing salty crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft cookie and sweet mix-ins, elevating the flavor and texture significantly.
- Cocomels Candies (Chopped) – These delicious vegan caramels, made with coconut milk, add a wonderfully chewy and sweet caramel burst. Chop them into smaller pieces for even distribution throughout the cookies.
- Flaky Sea Salt (e.g., Fleur de Sel or Malden) – A final sprinkle of salt flakes on top after baking isn’t just for show; it enhances the sweet and salty dynamic, making every bite even more memorable.
The Magic of Applesauce as an Egg Replacer
In this vegan kitchen sink cookie recipe, unsweetened applesauce steps in beautifully to replace traditional eggs. Its primary role is to provide essential moisture, helping to keep the cookies tender and chewy. Beyond moisture, applesauce acts as a natural binder, holding all the diverse ingredients together to form a cohesive dough. It also contributes a subtle, natural sweetness, which allows us to potentially reduce the amount of added sugar without sacrificing flavor. This makes it an excellent, accessible, and effective plant-based alternative.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Irresistible Kitchen Sink Cookies
Creating these delightful cookies is a straightforward process, and with a few key steps, you’ll have a batch of perfect sweet and salty treats ready to enjoy. Follow along with these instructions:
- Prepare Your Baking Station. First, preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) to ensure it’s at the correct temperature when your dough is ready. Next, line a sturdy baking sheet with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup.
- Cream the Vegan Butter and Sugars. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine your softened vegan butter with both the granulated white sugar and brown sugar. Beat these ingredients on high speed until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and well-combined. This aeration is key for a tender cookie.
- Incorporate the Wet Ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the unsweetened applesauce and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Mix only until they are just combined. Don’t worry if the mixture appears slightly curdled at this stage; it will smooth out as you add the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the Dry Ingredients. Gently stir in the sifted all-purpose flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix with a spoon or on low speed just until the flour streaks disappear and a cohesive dough forms. It’s crucial not to overmix at this stage, as overworking the gluten in the flour can lead to tough cookies.
- Add the Mix-ins and Chill the Dough. Now for the fun part! Fold in your chopped dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, chopped vegan pretzel twists, and chopped Cocomels candies. Make sure to reserve about ½ cup of these mix-ins for decorating the tops of the cookies later. Once everything is well distributed, cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Form the Cookies. Using an ice cream scoop or a dedicated cookie dough scoop, portion out uniform balls of dough and place them onto your prepared baking sheet. Ensure you leave ample space between each cookie, as they will spread while baking. For that picture-perfect bakery look, gently press the reserved mix-ins onto the tops of the scooped dough balls before baking.
- Bake to Golden Perfection. Carefully transfer the baking sheet to your preheated oven. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until their tops are slightly golden and the edges are set. They should still look a little soft in the center; this is key for a chewy cookie.
- Finish and Cool. Once out of the oven, immediately sprinkle the tops of the hot cookies with flaky sea salt. This not only adds a beautiful visual appeal but also enhances that fantastic sweet and salty contrast. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes – they will be very soft and fragile right out of the oven. Then, carefully transfer them with a spatula to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This prevents them from becoming soggy and helps them firm up to the perfect texture.
Expert Tips for Baking the Best Vegan Kitchen Sink Cookies
Achieving bakery-quality vegan kitchen sink cookies is simple with these helpful tips:
- Always Soften Your Vegan Butter. Before you begin, ensure your vegan butter is at true room temperature and perfectly softened. This allows it to cream properly with the sugars, creating an airy base for your cookie dough. Cold butter won’t incorporate evenly, and melted butter can lead to greasy, flat cookies.
- Precision with Flour is Key. For consistent results, I highly recommend weighing your all-purpose flour using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon-and-level method: lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing, then level it off with a straight edge. This prevents you from inadvertently adding too much flour, which is a common culprit for dry, crumbly, or dense cookies.
- Chill Your Caramels for Easier Chopping. Chopping sticky vegan caramels can be a bit of a challenge. To make this step significantly easier and less messy, pop your Cocomels candies into the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before you plan to chop them. The cold will firm them up, allowing for clean cuts.
- Avoid Overmixing the Dough. Once you’ve added the flour, mix the cookie dough only until the ingredients are just combined and no dry streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can result in tough, less tender kitchen sink cookies. Gentle mixing is the way to go!
- Don’t Skip the Dough Chilling Step. Refrigerating the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes is a crucial step that helps prevent your cookies from spreading too much while baking. The cold butter in the dough takes longer to melt in the oven, allowing the cookies to set and rise slightly before spreading, resulting in thicker, chewier cookies with a better texture.
Exciting Variations to Customize Your Kitchen Sink Cookies
The beauty of kitchen sink cookies is their inherent flexibility! Feel free to experiment with these delicious variations to make them your own:
- Swap Pretzels for Nuts. If you’re not a fan of pretzels or just want a different kind of crunch, chopped walnuts or pecans are fantastic alternatives. They add a rich, nutty flavor and a satisfying texture that complements the sweet elements beautifully.
- Introduce Dried Fruit. For an extra layer of chewiness and a burst of fruity flavor, consider adding dried fruit. Dried cranberries offer a tart counterpoint, raisins provide classic sweetness, and chopped dried cherries bring a vibrant touch. They add another dimension to the cookie’s texture.
- Mix Up the Chocolate. While dark and semisweet chocolate are delicious, don’t hesitate to switch things up! Vegan white chocolate chips can add a creamy, sweet element, while peanut butter chips will infuse a delightful nutty flavor, creating a whole new experience.
- Go Gluten-Free. Making these cookies gluten-free is simple! Just substitute the regular all-purpose flour with your favorite 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Ensure your chosen blend contains xanthan gum for optimal texture, or add a quarter teaspoon if it doesn’t.
Proper Storage for Freshness
To keep your vegan kitchen sink cookies tasting their best, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully fresh and chewy for up to 3 days. For longer storage, consider freezing them!
Freezing Options: Dough and Baked Cookies
Yes, this recipe is perfect for freezing, allowing you to enjoy fresh-baked cookies whenever a craving strikes! You can freeze both the uncooked cookie dough and the fully baked kitchen sink cookies.
To freeze the cookie dough: First, scoop the raw cookie dough into individual balls, just as you would for baking. Place these dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them for about an hour, or until they are firm. This prevents them from sticking together. Once firm, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake according to the recipe instructions, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time since they are frozen.
To freeze baked cookies: Allow your delicious kitchen sink cookies to cool completely to room temperature after baking. Once cooled, arrange them in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper in between, or place them in a freezer-safe bag. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. To enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature for an hour or two before serving. You can also warm them slightly in the microwave or oven for that fresh-from-the-oven experience.
Enjoy, friends! If you whip up these incredible vegan kitchen sink cookies, we’d absolutely love to see your creations. Please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! Your feedback means the world to us, so please also take a moment to leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating. Thank you so much for your support!
More Delightful Vegan Cookie Recipes to Explore
If you loved these customizable kitchen sink cookies, be sure to check out some of our other fantastic plant-based cookie recipes:
- Hearty Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
- Wholesome Banana Oatmeal Cookies (Great for Breakfast!)
- Classic Vegan White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Fun and Gooey Vegan S’mores Cookies
- Perfectly Sweet Vegan Sugar Cookies
Kitchen Sink Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened (240g)
- ½ cup sugar, 100g
- ¾ cup brown sugar, 160g
- ½ cup applesauce, 122g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, 360g
- ½ cup chopped dark chocolate, 2.8 oz, 80g
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, 80g
- ½ cup chopped vegan pretzel twists, 40g
- 3.5 ounces Cocomels candies, chopped (99g)*
- Salt flakes for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place softened butter in a mixer bowl, add white and brown sugar. Beat on high speed with the paddle attachment until fluffy.
- Add applesauce and vanilla extract, mix on low speed just until combined. Don’t worry if it curdles a little.
- Add sifted flour, baking soda and sea salt and mix with a spoon until combined. Don’t overmix the dough at this point.
- Add mix-ins: chopped chocolate, chocolate chips, pretzel twists, chopped candies, reserving about ½ cup for sticking on top of cookies. Mix again. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- With an ice cream or cookie dough scoop, place balls of dough on the lined baking sheet, leaving enough space for the cookies to spread while baking.
- Press the reserved mix-ins onto the tops of the cookie dough balls, making sure the mix-ins are evenly distributed among them.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden on top and around the edges. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt flakes. You can slightly push the uneven edges with a spatula if you want a perfectly shaped cookie.
- Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to the cooling rack with a spatula and let cool completely. Hot cookies will be very soft and crumbly so be careful not to break them.
Notes
- To make the chopping of candies easier refrigerate them for 1 hour.
- To store: Store kitchen sink cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To freeze the dough: Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer for about an hour. Then, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake them according to the recipe instructions, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
- To freeze baked cookies: Allow the cookies to cool completely and then store them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.