Some cookies are all about the chocolate. These vegan kitchen sink cookies are about everything that goes with it: rich chocolate chunks, crunchy potato chips, salty pretzels, and that irresistible sweet-and-salty combination that makes it hard to stop at one.
The dough bakes into deliciously indulgent cookies with plenty of texture in every bite. The chocolate brings richness, the potato chips add a delicate crunch, and the pretzels contribute an extra hit of saltiness. Together, they turn a classic chocolate chunk cookie into something a little more unexpected.
These cookies are perfect when you want something beyond the usual chocolate chip cookie. They’re a great way to use up the odds and ends in your snack cupboard, and the combination of salty and sweet makes them especially satisfying.
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Sweet and salty in every bite. Chocolate chunks, potato chips, and pretzels create a delicious balance of rich, sweet, and salty flavors.
- Plenty of texture. The combination of soft cookie dough and crunchy mix-ins makes every cookie interesting.
- Loaded with chocolate. Chocolate chunks create pockets of melted chocolate throughout the cookies.
- Easy to customize. Kitchen sink cookies are made for experimenting. You can adjust the mix-ins to suit your taste or use up what you already have.
- Completely vegan. You can enjoy all the indulgence of a loaded bakery-style cookie without dairy or eggs.
Ingredient Highlights
Chocolate chunks
Chocolate chunks give these cookies their rich chocolate flavor and create larger pockets of melted chocolate than regular chocolate chips. Choose a vegan chocolate you enjoy eating on its own, since its flavor will come through in every bite.
Potato chips
Potato chips might seem like an unusual cookie ingredient, but their salty flavor and crisp texture work beautifully with chocolate. Thicker, sturdier chips can hold up better when mixed into cookie dough. Brake them into large 2″ sized pieces rather crushing into a fine powder.
Pretzels
Pretzels add a deeper toasted flavor and a satisfying, salty crunch. Their saltiness complements the chocolate while keeping the cookies from tasting overly sweet. Break them in half, about 1″ pieces so you get a little in every bite.
Vegan butter
Vegan butter provides richness and helps create a tender cookie crumb. Different vegan butter products contain different amounts of water and fat, so use the block-style vegan butter for the best results.
Brown sugar
Brown sugar contributes moisture, chewiness, and a subtle caramel flavor that pairs particularly well with chocolate, potato chips, and pretzels.
Flour
Flour provides the structure that holds all those delicious mix-ins together. Measure it carefully; adding too much can make cookies dry, thick, and more cakey than intended.
How to Make Vegan Kitchen Sink Cookies
1. Prepare your ingredients
Measure your ingredients before you begin. Break the pretzels and potato chips into small, irregular pieces, keeping some larger pieces for texture and decoration. Chop the chocolate into chunks if needed.
2. Make the cookie dough
Prepare the dough, mixing the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing once the flour has been added, as excessive mixing can contribute to a tougher texture.
3. Fold in the mix-ins
Gently fold the chocolate chunks, potato chips, and pretzel pieces into the dough. Try to distribute them evenly so each cookie gets a good combination of chocolate and salty crunch.
Reserve a few chocolate chunks, potato chips and pretzel pieces to press onto the tops of the dough portions after baking, if desired.
4. Portion the cookies
Scoop the dough into evenly sized portions and arrange them on a lined baking sheet.
Move the portioned dough balls to the fridge to chill for 1 hour. Chilling can help control spreading and improve the texture.
5. Bake until ready
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350F. Bake one tray at a time for 16-20 minutes, watching for the edges to set and develop a light golden color while the centers remain slightly soft.
Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. They will continue to set as they cool.
Vegan Kitchen Sink Cookies (Chocolate Chunk, Potato Chips & Pretzels)
Ingredients
- 226g (1 cup) Vegan Butter block style, cold
- 150g (¾ cup) Vegan Granulated Sugar
- 150g (¾ cup) Brown Sugar
- 14g (2 Tbs) Golden Flaxseed ground
- 4g (1 tsp) Vanilla Extract
- 280g (2 ⅓ cup) All Purpose Flour
- 6g (1 tsp) Baking Soda
- 5g (1 tsp) Salt
- 10 oz Vegan Semi-sweet Chocolate Chunks
- 40g (1 cup) Vegan Potato Chips broken slightly into med-large size pieces
- 50g (½ cup) Vegan Pretzels broken in half
Instructions
- Prepare the flax: In a small cup whisk together 2 Tbs ground golden flax + 6 Tbs filtered water. Set aside to thicken.
- Pull out the vegan butter while you prep the ingredients. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt together.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fixed with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl, cream the vegan butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Now add in the prepared flax mixture and vanilla extract. Mix until completely emulsified.
- Add the dry mix to the wet, mixing on low to form the cookie dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until just combined.
- Next add the chocolate chunks and mix on low until incorporated. Then add in the potato chips and pretzels. Gently mixing on low for just a moment until barely combined. You want to start with med-large pieces and as it mixes in, they will break up slightly. Try to keep some medium size pieces within the cookie dough. This will keep the flavors and textures distinct once baked. Reserve or set aside additional pieces to press into the tops of the cookies for a pretty bakery-style finish.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop dough into large 3 oz cookies or about 90-92g each, dividing the dough into 14 portions. Chill scooped cookie dough for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Bake one tray at a time, 6 cookies to a tray, for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Mine were just right at 18 minutes. Once out of the oven immediately press in the reserved chocolate, potato chips and pretzels. If you want perfectly round cookies: while the cookies are still warm use a larger round cookie cutter and scoot them around, pushing the edges in to shape the cookie.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before moving them to a rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in a loosely covered (to keep the toppings crisp) container for 3-5 days.
Troubleshooting: Common Cookie Problems
Why did my cookies spread too much?
Don’t skip the chilling step! Cookies can spread excessively if the dough is too warm, the baking sheet is hot, or the butter has softened too much. If your dough feels greasy or very soft, chill it atleast 1 hour before baking. Also check that you’ve measured the flour accurately and used block-style vegan butter.
Why are my cookies dry or cakey?
Too much flour is a common cause of dry cookies. Weighing your flour, when possible, helps prevent accidental overmeasuring. Overbaking can also dry out the centers, so remove the cookies when the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft, provided they’re baked through according to your recipe.
Why did my potato chips and pretzels lose their crunch?
Moisture from the dough and the baking process can soften crunchy mix-ins. This is normal to some extent, especially for potato chips. Use sturdy pieces, fold them in gently, and save a few pieces to add to the tops. For the best texture, enjoy the cookies once they’ve cooled. When storing the cookies don’t use an airtight container, as the mix-ins may soften.
Why are my cookies unevenly baked?
Uneven dough portions can bake at different rates. Try to portion the dough consistently and leave enough space between cookies for air to circulate. If your oven has hot spots, rotating the baking sheet during baking may help.
Storage and Serving Suggestions for Vegan Kitchen Sink Cookies
Storing at room temperature: Once completely cool, store the cookies in an loosely covered container at room temperature. This time an airtight container may ruin the crunchy texture of the mix-ins, softening them in a sealed storage container. For the best texture, enjoy them within a few days.
Freezing baked cookies: Allow the cookies to cool completely, then freeze them in a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Freezing cookie dough: Portion the dough and freeze the portions on a tray before transferring them to a freezer-safe container. Place dough balls on lined trays and thaw out on at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking. You may need to add an additional 2-3 minutes baking time.
Serving suggestions: These cookies are delicious on their own, but they’re especially good with a cup of coffee, tea or a mug of hot chocolate. For an extra-indulgent dessert, serve one slightly warm over a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
More Recipes You’ll Like
If you’re in the mood for more delicious vegan treats, try these next:
- Midnight Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies — chewy, chocolate cookies filled with festive sprinkles
- Vegan Biscoff Rice Krispie Treats — when you want an easy, no bake treat that’s chewy, gooey and sweet.
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake — crisp golden edges, a tender center, sliceable chocolate chip cookie inspired by those nostalgic mall bakery treats from the ’80s
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