Pumpkin Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe

If you’re craving a cookie that’s packed with everything delicious you can imagine, you’ve come to the right place. I’m excited to share this **Pumpkin Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe** with you—it’s literally like tossing your favorite ingredients into one dough and ending up with pure magic. Trust me, once you bake these, your family and friends will be begging you for the recipe (and maybe second or third helpings too!).

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Ingredients You’ll Need

These ingredients come together like old friends, each adding their unique texture and flavor. A quick tip: using packed brown sugar keeps the cookies soft and chewy, while the mix of sweet caramel, chocolate, salty pretzels, and crunchy walnuts is pure harmony.

• Unsalted butter: Softened for easy mixing and a creamy base flavor.
• Brown sugar: Packed for that perfect chewy sweetness.
• Egg: Helps bind everything together and adds tenderness.
• Pumpkin puree: Adds moisture and that lovely fall flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall richness and depth.
• Flour: The structural backbone—be sure it’s all-purpose.
• Baking powder: To give a slight lift and keep the cookies soft.
• Sea salt: Balances the sweetness perfectly.
• Caramel bits: Sweet pockets that melt into gooey perfection.
• Dark chocolate chips or pieces: For depth and that irresistible chocolate hit.
• Pretzel pieces: Adds a fun salty crunch.
• Chopped walnuts: Nutty texture that complements all the sweetness.
• Extra pretzels: Optional, but great for decoration and crunch on top.

Variations

I love how flexible this Pumpkin Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe is—what you toss in is up to your mood or pantry. Over the years, I’ve experimented with different mix-ins, and it’s always a hit!

• Butterscotch or toffee bits: I swapped these in once and got a caramelized twist that my family didn’t stop talking about.
• Oatmeal or coconut flakes: For extra chewiness and texture, great for a heartier cookie.
• Mini peanut butter cups: Adds a nutty, gooey surprise that balances pumpkin sweetness perfectly.
• Potato chips: This might sound wild, but the salty crunch took the cookies to a whole new level!

How to Make Pumpkin Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Mix the Wet Ingredients

Start by beating the softened butter and packed brown sugar together. I like to give this a good 2-3 minutes using a stand mixer or hand mixer so the mixture gets fluffy and lighter—it really affects the final texture! Then add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Beat them until everything is just combined. You don’t want to overmix, just enough so it looks smooth and luscious.

Step 2: Prepare the Dry Mix-Ins

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and sea salt. This ensures your leavening is evenly spread. Then gently fold in the caramel bits, dark chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, and chopped walnuts. Make sure these mix-ins are well distributed—bits of surprise in every bite are what you’re aiming for.

Step 3: Combine and Scoop Your Dough

Now, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture by hand, stirring just until the dough forms and there are no dry pockets left. The dough is sticky—that’s normal because of the pumpkin and all the goodies. Instead of a cookie scoop—which can struggle with chunky dough—I use a large dinner spoon to scoop out rounded dollops about 2 to 2 ½ inches in diameter. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet with 2-inch gaps since while these cookies don’t spread much, melted caramel and chocolate likes to drip a little. If you want to get fancy, press a pretzel on top of each cookie for a pretty finishing touch.

Step 4: Bake to Perfection

Bake the cookies at 350°F (175°C) for about 18 minutes. Since every oven’s different, I always start peeking at 15 minutes. You want the cookie tops to be firm but have a slight bounce when pressed gently, and the bottoms should turn a nice golden brown. Don’t worry if some caramel or chocolate has melted out around the edges—that’s part of their charm.

How to Serve Pumpkin Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe

Garnishes

I personally like pressing a pretzel on top of each cookie before baking because it adds a cute rustic look and an extra salty crunch. Sometimes, I sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt right as the cookies come out of the oven—that saltiness perfectly cuts through the richness.

Side Dishes

When I serve these cookies, I love pairing them with a tall glass of cold milk or a cozy cup of chai tea—the warm spices in chai complement the pumpkin perfectly. For a party, these cookies keep well alongside spiced cider or a pumpkin latte.

Creative Ways to Present

For special occasions, I arrange these cookies on rustic wooden boards layered with autumn leaves or parchment, and add little bowls of extra mix-ins for a “build your own” vibe. They also make adorable gifts if wrapped in wax paper tied with twine—people love the homemade touch!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

These cookies keep wonderfully in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I always store them separated by parchment paper to prevent the caramel and chocolate from sticking together, and they still stay soft and flavorful.

Freezing

I’ve frozen the dough balls on a tray before baking—just flash freeze them for an hour then transfer into a freezer-safe bag. When I want a fresh batch, I bake them straight from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes to the bake time. This is a total game changer for last-minute treats!

Reheating

To reheat, I pop the cookies in a warm oven at 300°F for about 5 minutes or until just warmed through—this brings back that fresh-baked softness without drying them out. Microwave reheating can make them chewy, so I prefer the oven method.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

This Pumpkin Kitchen Sink Cookies Recipe holds a special place in my seasonal baking lineup because it brings together so many textures and flavors that feel like a warm hug in cookie form. Whenever I pull a batch from the oven, the smell itself fills my kitchen with nostalgia and happiness. I hope you’ll try it—whether you stick to the recipe or throw in your own favorite bits—to create your own little kitchen sink miracle. It’s a cookie you can feel great sharing with loved ones or sneaking bites of by yourself.

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