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Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars

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Kitchen sink cookie bars are soft, thick and loaded with goodies. There is chocolate, caramel and pretzels mixed into this bar making it like the Panera cookie only better!

Hand holding square of kitchen sink cookie bar topped with pretzel, chocolate chips and caramel bits.

Thick cookie bars loaded with everything but the kitchen sink. This recipe takes everything you love about Panera’s kitchen sink cookies and makes it faster and easier.

I am continuing the theme of easy cookie bars with another great recipe. Like all of the others this recipe takes a favorite cookie and turns it into a bar.

Stack of kitchen sink cookie bars with brown sugar, chocolate and pretzels.

That allows you to skip the chill time. It also means you cook the whole thing at once, there’s no scooping dough onto multiple cookie trays and rotating them through the oven.

Just make the dough, press it into a pan and bake. Then cut the cooled bars into squares and enjoy. It really is that easy!

What makes these kitchen sink cookies bars so good?

They are loaded with so many fun mix-ins. There is plenty of brown sugar and butter goodness to give it a tasty base.

Then add bits of pretzels, caramel and chocolate to add both flavor and crunch. I was tempted to add some pieces of potato chips too, but skipped them this time.

Next time I think I am going for it. They would be such a fun addition to the cookies.

The mix of sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy is what takes these cookies bars even better. Plus the thick bar means the centers are extra soft and delicious.

Squares of kitchen sink cookie bars would be a great addition to your Christmas cookie spread. They would also be perfect for parties and potlucks all year long.

Storing extra cookie bars

Your cookie bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. Keep the bars together as much as possible to avoid the cut edges from drying out.

Feel free to toss a slice of sandwich bread in the container to keep them soft longer. But don’t worry if they are starting to dry out a bit, a few seconds in the microwave will make them as good as new.

Squares of kitchen sink cookie bars being cut out of the big thick bar of cookies.

For longer storage wrap individual pieces or the whole bar tightly in plastic wrap then put in a freezer safe bag. They will keep in the freezer for at least three months, but likely much longer.

More great cookie bar recipes

Make your cinnamon sugar dreams come true even faster with these snickerdoodle cookie bars. They have everything you love about the classic cookie in a quick and easy bar form.

Toffee cookie bars come straight from my grandma’s recipe box. They are a simple brown sugar cookie bar topped with chocolate and optionally pecans for a easy and tasty dessert.

Super soft sugar cookie bars topped with a fluffy layer buttercream are a fun and easy treat. They are so much quicker to make than individual cookies and taste great!

Oatmeal cream pie bars will remind you of the treats you used to get in your lunchbox.  They are super easy to make and will give you a taste of childhood!

Or try making the sweet and salty crunch into an easy candy with chocolate caramel pretzel bark. It’s a no bake recipe that only takes a few minutes to put together and is super fun to eat.

Love this recipe? Give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review in the recipe card below!

Hand holding square of kitchen sink cookie bar topped with pretzel, chocolate chips and caramel bits.

Kitchen Sink Cookie Bars

Carlee
Kitchen sink cookie bars are soft, thick and loaded with goodies. There is chocolate, caramel and pretzels mixed into this bar making it like the Panera cookie only better!
4.85 from 13 ratings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 Servings
Calories 425 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • cups light brown sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • ¾ cups caramel bits
  • 1 cup pretzel pieces

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl stir together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
    3 cups all purpose flour, 2 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
  • In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
    1½ cups light brown sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter
  • Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Then stir in vanilla.
    4 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until it is just combined.
  • Fold in most of the chocolate chips, caramel bits and pretzels. Reserve a few of each for the top.
    2 cups chocolate chips, ¾ cups caramel bits, 1 cup pretzel pieces
  • Press cookie dough into lined pan. Put remaining toppings on top of dough and press lightly to adhere to them to the dough.
  • Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden and set.
  • Cool to room temperature before cutting.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 497mgFiber: 2gSugar: 38g
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Recipe Rating




Andrea Nine

Wednesday 1st of December 2021

What a great idea! And caramel bits…I’m in!

Carlee

Wednesday 1st of December 2021

It so much faster than scooping and baking all of those cookies, plus they are soooo thick and tasty. Thanks, Andrea!