Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Chocolate Chip Cookies are the kind of cookie that makes people stop after the first bite and ask, “What’s in these?” The answer is just about everything good: buttery oats, semisweet chocolate chips, toasted-tasting coconut, crunchy cornflakes, walnuts, brown sugar, and a warm blend of cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and cloves.

What makes this collected recipe such a keeper is the contrast in texture. The centers stay soft and chewy, while the edges turn lightly crisp, and the cornflakes and walnuts add little pockets of crunch. I especially like pulling them from the oven while the centers still look slightly underdone; after a few minutes on the hot baking sheet, they settle into that wonderful bakery-style chewiness.

This is also a terrific recipe when you need cookies for a party, bake sale, holiday tray, or a hungry household because one batch makes about 60 cookies. They disappear surprisingly fast, so don’t be surprised if the cooling rack is mysteriously emptier every time you walk past it.

Love these loaded chocolate chip cookies? Pin them to your Cookie Recipes or Baking board on Pinterest so you don’t lose this keeper!

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground mace

⅛ tsp ground nutmeg

⅛ tsp ground cloves

Butter and Sugar Mixture

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tbsp milk

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Mix-Ins

1 cup cornflake cereal, lightly crushed

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup sweetened flaked coconut

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven. Preheat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Lightly grease baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl until evenly blended.
3. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and smooth.
4. Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the milk and vanilla until fully incorporated.
5. Make the dough. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until no dry streaks remain; avoid overmixing.
6. Add the mix-ins. Using a sturdy spoon or spatula, fold in the crushed cornflakes, oats, coconut, chocolate chips, and walnuts until evenly distributed.
7. Shape the cookies. Roll the dough into walnut-size balls and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently flatten the tops.
8. Bake. Bake at 175°C / 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly soft.
9. Cool. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Transfer them carefully to a wire rack and cool completely.

Cooking Notes

For chewier cookies, remove them when the centers still look a little underbaked. Residual heat from the baking sheet will continue cooking them as they rest.

Do not crush the cornflakes into fine crumbs. Small flakes give the cookies their distinctive crunchy texture.

Use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than instant oats for the best chew and structure.

If your kitchen is warm and the dough feels unusually soft, refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes before shaping. This helps prevent excessive spreading.

Pecans can replace the walnuts in equal amounts. For nut-free cookies, omit the walnuts and add another ½ to 1 cup of oats, cornflakes, or chocolate chips as desired.

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about four days. The dough can also be portioned and frozen for later baking.

Nutrition

Yields: Approximately 60 cookies

Recommended Serving Size: 1 cookie

Because cookies lose primarily water during baking, their finished weight decreases while most calories and macronutrients remain in the batch. Based on the ingredient quantities and a yield of 60 cookies, each cookie is approximately a 1 oz dessert serving.

Estimated Nutrition per Serving

• Calories: 135 kcal
• Fat: 7.0 g
• Carb: 19.0 g
• Protein: 2.0 g

Nutrition is an estimate and will vary with the brands of chocolate chips, cereal, coconut, butter, and oats used.

Recipe Science

These cookies combine a traditional creamed butter-and-sugar cookie base with rolled oats and several high-texture additions. Brown and granulated sugars provide sweetness while contributing different textural properties; brown sugar retains more moisture, while granulated sugar supports spreading and crispness. Oats, cornflakes, coconut, walnuts, and chocolate substantially increase the density and texture of the finished cookie.

The brief 8 to 10-minute baking period at 175°C / 350°F allows the exterior to set while the center retains moisture. Removing the cookies while their centers remain slightly soft limits moisture loss and promotes a chewier texture after cooling. The oats absorb some moisture, while cornflakes and walnuts supply contrasting crunch. Cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and cloves contribute aromatic compounds that complement the caramel notes of brown sugar and chocolate.

For storage, the cookies should be cooled completely before being sealed to prevent trapped steam from softening the crisp components. They can be refreshed briefly in a warm oven, and portioned raw dough can be frozen for convenient future batches. Walnuts may be replaced with pecans or omitted when necessary.

Dietary Notes & Health Alerts: At approximately 7 g total fat and about 3 g saturated fat per cookie, saturated fat is roughly 15% of the FDA Daily Value of 20 g and is therefore not classified as high at a one-cookie serving. Sodium is also well below 20% of the 2,300 mg Daily Value. Added sugar is close to the 20% threshold depending on ingredient brands. Eating several cookies at once can quickly raise saturated fat and added-sugar intake; smaller portions, reduced chocolate chips, or unsweetened coconut can moderate these values.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredible Texture: Chewy oats, crisp edges, crunchy cornflakes and walnuts, and melty chocolate create something interesting in every bite.
• Loaded With Chocolate: Two full cups of semisweet chocolate chips ensure plenty of chocolate throughout the batch.
• Warmly Spiced: Cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and cloves give these cookies more depth than an ordinary chocolate chip cookie.
• Big-Batch Friendly: A batch makes about 60 cookies, making it especially useful for parties, cookie exchanges, and holiday baking.
• Easy to Customize: Swap the walnuts, change the chocolate, or adjust the crunchy mix-ins without changing the basic method.

FAQ

• Can I leave out the walnuts? Yes. Simply omit them, or replace them with pecans, additional oats, chocolate chips, or cornflakes.
• Why did my cookies spread too much? The butter may have been overly warm. It should be soft enough to cream but not melted. Chilling very soft dough for 20 to 30 minutes can also help.
• How do I keep the cookies chewy? Do not wait for the centers to look completely baked. Take the cookies out when the edges are set and the centers remain slightly soft, then leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
• Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes. Cover and refrigerate the dough, then allow it to soften slightly if necessary before shaping. Portioned dough balls can also be frozen for longer storage.
• Can I use quick oats? They will work in a pinch, but old-fashioned rolled oats produce a heartier, chewier texture and are preferable for this recipe.

Conclusion

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about a cookie packed with chocolate, oats, coconut, walnuts, and crunchy cereal, and this one absolutely earns a place in the recipe box. Cooking and baking are always a little personal, so don’t be afraid to make a few adjustments and turn this collected favorite into your family’s version.

Which mix-in would your family reach for first: the chocolate chips, coconut, walnuts, or those crunchy cornflakes? Happy baking, friends!