Craving a salty-sweet treat but only have a handful of odds and ends in the pantry? These kitchen sink cookie bars are the perfect solution. They combine crunchy salty snacks and sweet mix-ins into soft, chewy bars that are simple to throw together and endlessly adaptable.
What makes these kitchen sink cookie bars THE BEST?
- Easy & adaptable. No scooping individual cookies or chilling dough—just mix, press into a pan, and bake. Use whatever mix-ins you have on hand; aim for about 2 cups total.
- Sweet & salty. The combination of sweet chocolate and candies with crunchy salty snacks gives these bars a winning contrast. If you prefer all-sweet, skip the salty add-ins.
- Soft & chewy. A bit of melted coconut oil keeps the center gooey while the edges set up slightly crisp. The coconut flavor is not pronounced.
How to make Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to lift the bars out easily after baking. Gather your ingredients and about 2 cups of mix-ins—examples include chocolate chips, M&Ms, mini pretzels, crinkled potato chips, pistachios, and toffee bits.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, melted coconut oil, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar until combined. Add the egg and vanilla, whisking until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Add the flour and baking soda and stir until just combined—it’s okay if a few streaks of flour remain. No extra salt is necessary because the mix-ins provide salty contrast. Reserve some mix-ins to sprinkle on top, then fold in the chocolate chips, toffee, pistachios, and M&Ms. Fold in the pretzels and potato chips carefully to keep them from breaking too much.
Press the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer and scatter the reserved mix-ins on top. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is mostly baked. Allow the bars to cool until firm enough to lift from the pan, then slice into bars.
Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars FAQs
- Can I use a hand or stand mixer? Yes. Either works—just avoid overmixing after the flour is added.
- Can I make these gluten free? Swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend and ensure your mix-ins are also gluten free.
- What other mix-ins work? Nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews), mini peanut butter cups, white chocolate chips, freeze-dried fruit, or chocolate-covered caramels. Any combination is fine as long as you total about 2 cups.
- How long do the bars keep? Stored covered at room temperature, they stay good for up to a week.
- Can I make ahead or freeze? You can likely freeze the unbaked dough for up to three months, though results can vary. To prevent soggy pretzels or chips, save those and press them on top right before baking.
Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars
- Author: Elizabeth Buuck
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 Cookie Bars
Description
Soft, chewy cookie bars packed with the best sweet and salty mix-ins—perfect for using up odds and ends from the pantry.
Ingredients
- 1/2 C (113 g) salted butter, melted
- 1/4 C (50 g) melted coconut oil
- 1/2 C (110 g) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 C (110 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 C (225 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 C mix-ins of your choice (chocolate chips, pretzels, M&Ms, chips, toffee, nuts, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the melted butter, coconut oil, and both sugars until smooth.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix until the batter is glossy.
- Fold in the flour and baking soda until mostly combined, with a few flour streaks remaining.
- Reserve some mix-ins for the top, then fold the rest into the batter.
- Press the dough into an even layer in the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining mix-ins on top.
- Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. Let cool until firm enough to lift, then slice into bars.
If you enjoyed these Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars, please leave a rating and review. Save the recipe by pinning one of the images in this post and follow @buuckfarmsbakery on social media for more recipes.
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