Kitchen Sink Cookies (Panera Bread Copycat Recipe)
Your favorite Panera Bread treat is easy to make right at home – these buttery chocolate chip cookies are stuffed with crushed pretzels, toffee pieces, caramel bits, and everything but the Kitchen Sink.
Panera Bread is always a treat – my go-to is the Turkey Bacon Bravo and Loaded Potato Soup with a Kitchen Sink cookie for dessert. And even if I’ll always like taking a trip to Panera, it’s nice to have the recipe right at home. Try my Potato and Leek Soup or my Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich for a full soup/sandwich experience with your Panera Kitchen Sink cookie!
This cookie takes exactly like it’s counterpart (as a self-proclaimed Cookie Expert, I know these things.) It has a soft and gooey middle with perfectly crisped edges, and with all the mix-ins, it creates a golden brown cookie with the perfect bite. Sweet and salty, crunchy and soft, everything all in one.
What do I need to get started?
- Butter. Since this is a main ingredient, you will want something high quality.
- Brown sugar and granulated sugar. Using a bit more brown sugar than granulated makes the cookies extra soft.
- Eggs.
- Vanilla Extract – the real stuff.
- Baking powder and baking soda.
- Salt.
- All purpose flour.
- Milk Chocolate Chips. You can also use dark chocolate.
- Crushed pretzels.
- Toffee bits. I use the crushed Heath bars, usually right next the chocolate chips in the grocery store.
- Caramel bits. These are the ones I used.
- Flaky sea salt, to sprinkle on afterward.
How to make Panera Bread Kitchen Sink Cookies at home
You start by mixing the melted butter with the sugars. This can easily be done by hand, but you can also using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and fold it all together. While some flour is still visible, add the mix-ins, then continue folding all the way through. Put in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
Normally, when making cookies, my suggestion is to make dough balls tall so it limits the spread. Because Panera’s cookies are on the thinner side, this time the balls should be shaped like little discs. Put the rolled cookie dough, on it’s baking sheet, into the freezer while the oven preheats.
These have a bake time of about 10-12 minutes. Always err on the shorter side with cookies. They should look a bit under-baked when you pull them out of the oven. Top with flaky sea salt.
Storage and Make Ahead
These will stay soft at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
To make them ahead of time, you can make the dough about 3 days in advance. Make the dough, then let it chill in the fridge until you are ready to roll into balls and bake.
Kitchen Sink Cookies (Panera Bread Copycat Recipe)
Buttery soft chocolate chip cookies with caramel, toffee, and pretzels!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup crushed pretzels
- 1/4 cup caramel bits
- 1/2 cup toffee bits
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix melted butter and sugars together. Add egg and vanilla and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Take dry ingredients and fold into wet ingredients. Fold until nearly fully mixed - when there is still a small amount of flour visible, add chocolate chips, pretzels, caramel bits, and toffee. Fold together until fully mixed.
- Place in the fridge for 15 minutes, or until the dough has firmed up and can be rolled.
- Roll dough into small round discs, using about 2-3 tbsp per dough ball. Spread out on cookie sheet, giving each cookie about an inch of space to spread. Place dough balls in the freezer.
- Preheat oven to 350. Once oven is preheated, move directly from the freezer to the oven.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will look a bit under-baked when you remove them from the oven.
- Place on a cooling rack, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes before enjoying!
