๐ Introduction
These Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies are the ultimate holiday cookie โ soft, chewy, buttery, golden-edged, and absolutely loaded with all your favorite festive mix-ins. Think of them as Christmas in cookie form: chocolate chips, pretzels, M&Ms, toffee bits, sprinkles, and a hint of sea salt to bring it all together.
Theyโre called โkitchen sinkโ cookies because they include a little bit of everything โ sweet, salty, crunchy, melty, colorful, and ridiculously delicious. Perfect for cookie swaps, holiday parties, gifting tins, kidsโ baking days, or filling your Christmas dessert table with pure joy.
Fun to make, easy to customize, and guaranteed to disappear fast โ these cookies are a holiday essential.
๐งฐ Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Spatula
- Cookie scoop
๐ Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ยผ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ยฝ tsp baking powder
- ยฝ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Mix-Ins (the Fun Part!)
Use 1 ยฝโ2 cups total, such as:
- ยฝ cup chocolate chips (milk, dark, or both)
- ยฝ cup holiday M&Ms
- ยผ cup crushed pretzels
- ยผ cup toffee bits
- ยผ cup white chocolate chunks
- 2 tbsp festive sprinkles
- Optional: mini marshmallows (fold in at the end)
Topping
- Flaky sea salt
- Extra mix-ins for decorating
๐ฉโ๐ณ Directions
Step 1: Prep the Dough Base
Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (175ยฐC).
Line baking pans with parchment.
In a bowl, whisk together:
- flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
Set aside.
Step 2: Cream Butter & Sugars
In a large bowl, beat together:
- softened butter
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
Mix until light, fluffy, and creamy (2โ3 minutes).
Add eggs one at a time, beating well.
Mix in vanilla.
Step 3: Combine Wet & Dry
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix on low until just combined โ do not overmix.
Step 4: Add the Mix-Ins
Fold in your loaded mix-ins:
chocolate chips, M&Ms, pretzels, toffee, sprinkles, etc.
Save a few for pressing onto the tops before baking.
Step 5: Scoop & Bake
Scoop dough using a cookie scoop (2โ3 tbsp per cookie).
Place on baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart.
Press extra chocolate chips or M&Ms on top.
Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.
Bake 10โ12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly underbaked โ they firm as they cool.
Cool 10 minutes on baking sheet for perfect chewiness.
๐ฝ๏ธ Servings & Timing
- Makes: 24โ30 cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10โ12 minutes per batch
- Total Time: ~25 minutes
๐ง Storage & Freezing
Storage:
- Room temperature: 4โ5 days in airtight container
- Fridge: 1 week
Freeze:
- Unbaked dough balls: up to 3 months
- Baked cookies: up to 2 months
Bake frozen dough at +2 minutes.
๐ฅ Variations
- Peppermint Bark Kitchen Sink
Add crushed candy canes + white chocolate. - Gingerbread Sink Cookies
Add molasses + gingerbread spices. - Caramel Pretzel Explosion
Add caramel bits + extra pretzels. - Hot Cocoa Version
Add cocoa powder + mini marshmallows. - Red & Green Christmas Mix
Use only red/green M&Ms + sprinkles. - Dark Chocolate Cherry
Add dried cherries + dark chocolate chunks. - Peanut Butter Twist
Use peanut butter chips + chopped peanuts. - Salted Toffee Edition
Double the toffee bits + sea salt. - White Chocolate Cranberry
A festive classic twist. - Sโmores Kitchen Sink
Add mini marshmallows + graham cracker chunks.
โ 10 FAQs
- Why are my cookies spreading too much?
Dough was too warm โ chill 20 minutes. - Can I skip the pretzels?
Yes โ just replace with another crunchy mix-in. - Can I make these thicker?
Chill dough + bake at 375ยฐF. - Can I freeze the dough?
Yes โ freeze in scoops for easy baking. - Can kids help?
Perfect recipe for kids โ easy mix-ins. - Can I use gluten-free flour?
Use a 1:1 gluten-free blend. - Which chocolate works best?
A mix of milk + semi-sweet adds depth. - Salt on top?
Absolutely โ enhances sweetness. - Can I add nuts?
Yes โ pecans, walnuts, or pistachios. - Why are they called kitchen sink cookies?
Because they include everything but the kitchen sink!
๐ Conclusion
These Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies are soft, chewy, festive, and overloaded with holiday cheer. With a perfect mix of sweet, salty, crunchy, and colorful add-ins, every bite is exciting โ the kind of cookie that disappears fast and sparks pure Christmas joy.
A must-bake holiday treat thatโs fun to make and even more fun to eat!

Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies โ Loaded, Festive & Packed With Every Holiday Treat
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (175ยฐC).
- Line baking pans with parchment.
- In a bowl, whisk together:
- flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together:
- softened butter
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- Mix until light, fluffy, and creamy (2โ3 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well.
- Mix in vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix on low until just combined โ do not overmix.
- Fold in your loaded mix-ins:
- chocolate chips, M&Ms, pretzels, toffee, sprinkles, etc.
- Save a few for pressing onto the tops before baking.
- Scoop dough using a cookie scoop (2โ3 tbsp per cookie).
- Place on baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart.
- Press extra chocolate chips or M&Ms on top.
- Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.
- Bake 10โ12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly underbaked โ they firm as they cool.
- Cool 10 minutes on baking sheet for perfect chewiness.
Notes
Add crushed candy canes + white chocolate. Gingerbread Sink Cookies
Add molasses + gingerbread spices. Caramel Pretzel Explosion
Add caramel bits + extra pretzels. Hot Cocoa Version
Add cocoa powder + mini marshmallows. Red & Green Christmas Mix
Use only red/green M&Ms + sprinkles. Dark Chocolate Cherry
Add dried cherries + dark chocolate chunks. Peanut Butter Twist
Use peanut butter chips + chopped peanuts. Salted Toffee Edition
Double the toffee bits + sea salt. White Chocolate Cranberry
A festive classic twist. Sโmores Kitchen Sink
Add mini marshmallows + graham cracker chunks. โ 10 FAQs Why are my cookies spreading too much?
Dough was too warm โ chill 20 minutes. Can I skip the pretzels?
Yes โ just replace with another crunchy mix-in. Can I make these thicker?
Chill dough + bake at 375ยฐF. Can I freeze the dough?
Yes โ freeze in scoops for easy baking. Can kids help?
Perfect recipe for kids โ easy mix-ins. Can I use gluten-free flour?
Use a 1:1 gluten-free blend. Which chocolate works best?
A mix of milk + semi-sweet adds depth. Salt on top?
Absolutely โ enhances sweetness. Can I add nuts?
Yes โ pecans, walnuts, or pistachios. Why are they called kitchen sink cookies?
Because they include everything but the kitchen sink! ๐ Conclusion These Best Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies are soft, chewy, festive, and overloaded with holiday cheer. With a perfect mix of sweet, salty, crunchy, and colorful add-ins, every bite is exciting โ the kind of cookie that disappears fast and sparks pure Christmas joy. A must-bake holiday treat thatโs fun to make and even more fun to eat!