What happens when your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe is loaded with all your favorite snacks, like salty pretzels, caramel candy bites, pecans and coconut? You end up with the Perfect Kitchen Sink Cookies!
Trash Can Cookies sounds a little off-putting…but honestly, what else would you call a cookie that has everything, but the kitchen sink in them?
This is my traditional soft and chewy Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe loaded with some of my favorite snacks and treats.
Salty crushed pretzels, toasted coconut, semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini caramel chocolate candies, and pecans make this cookie a little salty and slightly sweet! They are truly the perfect cookies!
What you’ll need to Make the Best Cookies
- 4½ cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt – if you’re worried they will be too salty, you can omit the salt.
- 2 cups butter, softened – you can use salted or unsalted butter.
- 1½ cups packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 (3.4 ounce) packages of instant vanilla pudding mix – this is where the “soft” comes into play!
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – I always try to use real vanilla extract if possible.
- 1 cup mini milk chocolate caramels, or caramel bits
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1½ Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 Cup Toasted sweetened shredded coconut -toasting is optional, but highly recommended for a deeper depth of flavor.
- One Cup Crushed Pretzels
How To Make Loaded Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Preheat oven to 350° (F) degrees.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer, cream softened butter.
Add brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mixture should be light brown and slightly fluffy.
Add two packages of instant pudding, mix until well blended.
Next, add the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla.
In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a wire whisk to blend.
TIP: Mixing dry ingredients with a wire whisk eliminates the need to sift dry ingredients.
Add the flour mixture to the “wet ingredients” of creamed butter, sugar, pudding, vanilla and eggs.
The “add-ins” for Loaded Chocolate Chip Cookies
You can really add anything you want to these chewy cookies. What’s your favorite snack or treat? Add it! Looking for suggestions?
I highly recommend dark chocolate chips and pretzels! The dark chocolate adds richness without being overly sweet, and the pretzels add the salty element. You can even add crumbled potato chips!
On low speed, add semi-sweet chocolate chips, pecans, crushed pretzels, mini-chocolate covered caramels, or Kraft caramel bits, and toasted coconut. If you have the strength of the Hulk, you can stir them in by hand and cross of “Cardio” for the day!
I know this sounds like a lot of things going on…but trust me…they all play nicely together! (Unlike our children during a long summer break! Laws they go from best friends to mortal enemies in 3.5 seconds flat!)
Tip: You can buy my mini-chocolate-covered caramels from Nuts.com. They have great baking products and ship quickly! However, you can use the mini caramel bits from Kraft at your grocery store.
Baking Instructions
Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Each sheet should have about 12 balls of dough.
TIP: I like to use a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop. Big cookies don’t hide well in my hands. Medium-sized cookies work best! Press the flat edge of the scoop up against the bowl. This helps pack the dough and creates a nice flat bottom and rounded top cookie dough ball.
To get perfect bakery-style cookies, add a chocolate chip, a couple of pretzels, and a sprinkle of coconut on top of the dough balls.
Bake cookies for 10 -12 minutes, switching racks half-way through baking time.
TIP: Switching racks allows for more even baking. I’ve done this for years and get a perfectly cooked cookie every time.
The edges should be golden brown, and crispy. The centers are just set!
Place on a cooling wire rack until cool enough to eat! (Note I didn’t specify a time! You’re using all the restraint you have! Just remember you like the roof of your mouth! Use good judgment!)
Finishing and Storing Tips
Once cool, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Please note this recipe makes a LOT of cookies! 72 to be exact! You can bake half the dough and wrap the remainder in plastic wrap and freeze.
Even better, you can make cookie dough balls, place them on a cookie sheet, freeze, and then store them in a Ziploc freezer bag. Pull out one, or a dozen, when the urge for a fresh hot cookie hits!
One thing I know for sure…you won’t be able to eat just one, or two, of these scrumptious delicious cookies! Nope! You’ll need 3 or 4 of these beauties!
This is an “add to” your favorite cookie recipes type of cookie! They are the perfect chewy chocolate chip cookies with crispy edges! You will love them.
Keep in mind these are not “Cowboy Cookies”! Cowboy cookies have oatmeal in them. There are no oats in this recipe. The pudding takes care of the “soft and chewy” portion of this cookie recipe. It’s why it is my favorite basic cookie recipe!
Other Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Not Cakey Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Cardamom Print Sandwich Cream Cookies
- Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Classic Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
- Lemon Sugar Cookies from The Diary of Real Housewife
Thanks for stopping by my Nest today! Hope you have a wonderful week and weekend and come back to visit real soon!
Happy Nesting!
Printable Recipe Card
Ultimate Loaded Trash Can Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 4½ cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups butter softened
- 1½ cups packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 3.4 ounce packages instant vanilla pudding mix
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup mini-caramels chocolate bites or caramel bits
- 1 cup crushed pretzels
- 1 cup toasted coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, or silicone baking mats.
- In your mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Beat in the pudding mix until blended.
- In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined.
- With the mixer on low add in chocolate chips, mini caramel chocolates, pecans, pretzels, and coconut.
- Drop the cookies, by 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, on the prepared cookie sheets. Press a few toppings onto the top of each ball of cookie dough.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, switching racks halfway through baking time. Edges should be golden brown. Place on cooling rack until set. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
About the Author
Meet The Author
Hi! I'm Norine, the cook, baker, and recipe creator behind Norine's Nest. I love sharing and creating recipes that invite family, friends, and neighbors to gather around the dinner table. Sharing good food and creating memories with those we love brings me happiness. Thanks for stopping by my Nest!