Panera Bread Kitchen Sink Cookies

Ever wonder why Panera Bread's most popular dessert is the kitchen sink cookie?  Make this simple recipe, and you'll be wondering no more.  The delectable combination of sweet and salty flavors with contrasting textures makes these cookies absolutely irresistible.  Whether you like crunchy, chewy, gooey, or soft cookies, there will be something in these for you to love!

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Ingredients

Kitchen sink cookies are actually a variation of chocolate chip cookies.  Start with the base ingredients for the cookie dough, but all the mix-ins can be swapped out for something you like better.  Here's what's in Panera's kitchen sink cookie.

• Flour: All-purpose is the best choice here.
• Rising Agents: I use a 50-50 blend of baking soda and baking powder.
• Salt: It will combat some of the sweetness and balance the flavors.
• Butter: Unsalted butter that's been browned will give a rich flavor and chewy texture.
• Sugar: Light brown sugar increases the chewiness.
• Eggs: They add richness and stability.
• Vanilla: This extract adds extra flavor to your baked goods.
• Mix-Ins: Panera adds milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips, crushed pretzels, and toffee bits to their cookies, and sprinkles each one with flaked salt.  Feel free to substitute the mix-ins, but don't skip the salt garnish; it really makes these treats better!

Questions

Why are they called kitchen sink cookies?

Have you heard the expression "everything but the kitchen sink?"  That's exactly what these cookies are like; they contain something of almost everything.  The flavors include sweet, salty, chewy, crunchy, and gooey, so there's something for everyone is these delicious cookies.

How much is the kitchen sink cookie at Panera?

One super-sized kitchen sink cookie which is 5 ½ inches will set you back $3.99 at Panera.  Fortunately, you can make an entire batch of them at home for way less!

Does Panera's kitchen sink cookie contain nuts?

No, these cookies don't contain nuts.  However, you can easily add some chopped nuts if you would like!

How many calories are in a kitchen sink cookie?

According to Panera's website, each super-sized kitchen sink cookie contains 800 calories, 44g of fat, 760mg of sodium, 99g of carbs, 56g of sugars, and 8g of protein.  By contrast, these smaller homemade ones contain only 251 calories, 11.2g of fat, 228.2mg of sodium, 36.2g of carbs, 21.7g of sugars, and 3.3g of protein in each cookie.  Keep in mind that Panera's cookies measure about 5 ½ inches in diameter, while this recipe makes cookies approximately 4 inches in diameter.

Can I freeze these?

Absolutely!  Like most cookies, these ones freeze really well.  Seal the baked cookies in a zip-top freezer bag or in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.  Defrost in the microwave or at room temperature before enjoying.

How to Make

Gather the ingredients for the kitchen sink cookies.

Start by melting the butter in a saucepan, then letting it boil until it's golden brown.  Cool the butter in the fridge for a few minutes before continuing with the recipe.

Whisk the flour and the other dry ingredients together until blended.

Beat the browned butter and brown sugar together, then add the eggs and vanilla with a couple spoonfuls of the flour mixture.

Add the remaining flour mixture and mix to form a smooth dough.

Add the pretzels, caramel bits, and the two kinds of chocolate chips and stir until they're evenly distributed.

Scoop ¼-cup balls of cookie dough and space them apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets.  Sprinkle generously with flaked salt.

Bake the cookies at 350 F for 10-13 minutes per tray.  Let them cool on the tray for 5 minutes before allowing them to finish cooling on wire racks.

Enjoy these freshly baked kitchen sink cookies while they're still warm!

Variations

• Dark Chocolate: swap the milk and semi-sweet chips for dark chocolate ones.
• White Chocolate: replace both kinds of chocolate chips with white chocolate ones.
• Sweet and Salty: add 1 ½ cups of crushed plain potato chips.  (Be sure not to use flavored chips here!)
• Fruity: swap the caramel for an equal volume of your favorite dried fruit, such as raisins, craisins, dried apricots, or chopped dates.
• Nutty: swap the pretzel bits for an equal volume of your favorite chopped nuts.  Salted peanuts or walnuts would be especially delicious.

Pro Tips

• Watch the butter carefully while it browns; you don't want to overcook it.
• Don't overmix the cookie dough, or it will be tough when it's baked.
• Chop the caramels into small pieces with a sharp knife before adding to the cookie dough.
• Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to crush the pretzels in a sandwich bag.
• When you're shaping the balls of cookie dough, try to keep the mix-ins (especially the caramels) away from the outside of the cookie, as it will reduce sticking later.

Other Cookies to Try

• Vegan Gingersnaps
• Vegan Snickerdoodles
• Cardamom Snaps
• Mexican Wedding Cookies
• Ratafia Biscuits
• Earl Grey Shortbread

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Recipe

Panera Bread Kitchen Sink Cookies

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5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Emma
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 52 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
• Yield: 20 cookies 1x

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Description

You’ll love every bite of these sweet and salty kitchen sink cookies.  This copycat Panera Bread recipe is easy to whip up, and soon you’ll be enjoying delicious cookies packed with chocolate chips, caramel, and pretzels, and sprinkled with salt.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup unsalted butter (230g)
• 1 ½ cups light brown sugar (300g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (100g)
• ½ cup milk chocolate chips (100g)
• ¾ cup crushed pretzels (47g)
• ½ cup soft caramels, finely diced (83g)
• 1 teaspoon flaked salt

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Instructions

1. Brown the butter: Place the butter in a small saucepan and set over medium-high heat.  Melt the butter and bring it to a boil, cooking it until it is golden brown, about 5-8 minutes.  Pour the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and let it cool in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
2. Whisk dry ingredients: Pour the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk until well combined.  Set aside.
3. Mix wet ingredients: Add the brown sugar to the bowl of cooled browned butter and mix with the paddle attachment on medium speed until well combined.  Then, add the vanilla and eggs along with a couple spoonfuls of the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed.
4. Finish the dough: Gradually stir in the remaining flour mixture on low speed until well combined.
5. Add mix-ins: Add the two kinds of chocolate chips, crushed pretzels, and the caramel bits and stir on medium-low speed until they are evenly mixed throughout the dough.
6. Shape cookies:  Line two 11x17-inch cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Drop ¼-cup balls of cookie dough (each one should weigh 75-85g) onto the sheets, placing six balls on each tray.  Lightly flatten the balls with your hand or the bottom of a glass and sprinkle generously with the flaked salt.
7. Bake: Bake at 350 F for 10-13 minutes per tray, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned.  Let the cookies sit on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to finish cooling.
8. Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the wire racks for 10 minutes before enjoying.

Notes

• Don't turn your back on the butter while it browns; you don't want to overcook it.
• Handle the dough gently, or it will be tough when it's baked.
• Use a sharp knife to chop the caramels into small pieces.  A meat mallet or rolling pin will help you crush the pretzels in a sandwich bag.
• When you're shaping the balls of cookie dough, try to keep the mix-ins (especially the caramels) away from the outside of the cookie, as it will reduce sticking later.

• Category: Cookies
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: recipe, nutrition