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Copycat Panera Kitchen Sink Cookies

Our copycat Panera kitchen sink cookies recipe makes a spot on version of the classic chain’s treat. They are chewy cookie loaded with chopped pretzel pieces, caramel bits, and chocolate chips that you can make any time!

copycat panera kitchen sink cookies piled on a pink plate 

This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details.

I know I’ve told you before when I gave you my recipe for copy cat Panera mac and cheese, but I absolutely adore Panera.

If it were more budget friendly, my family and I would eat there several times a week.

As it is, I go more than I should.

And every time I find myself at Panera, I always buy one of their kitchen sink cookies.

What is a kitchen sink cookie?

They are a fantastic combination of sweet and salty flavors and textures and loaded with everything but the kitchen sink (hence the name).

copycat panera kitchen sink cookies piled on a pink plate

The outside edges of the cookies are perfectly crisp, but the cookies still have that perfectly chewy center that I love so much.

As written, this kitchen sink cookie recipe uses broken pretzel pieces, caramel bits, and chocolate chips.

Plus these cookies have a lovely mildly nutty caramel background in the flavor from the browned butter base.

Ingredients

To make these you’ll need:

an overhead image showing the measured ingredients needed to make a batch of copycat panera bread kitchen sink cookies

  • Butter– Brown it so it smells nice and nutty
  • Vanilla extract– The real stuff is best
  • Sugar– Both packed brown sugar and granulated sugar
  • Eggs
  • Flour– All purpose
  • Baking powder– For leavening
  • Salt– Regular salt for the cookie dough and sea salt for garnish on top of the cookies
  • Mix ins– Broken pretzel pieces, caramel bites, semi sweet chocolate chips

Brown Butter: the Secret to Perfectly Flavored Kitchen Sink Cookies

Yep, that’s right, I’m not using room temperature butter here the way you would in most cookie recipes but browned butter.

Have you ever had brown butter?

Brown butter is just butter that has been cooked until the milk solids caramelize and turn the butter a beautiful golden brown color.

This turns the butter nutty and caramel-y.

browned butter in a glass measuring cup

Making brown butter isn’t hard but it does require a bit of time and attention.

It’s not something you can walk away from.

browned butter and beaten egg mixed together in a glass measuring jar

You have to be a little careful because butter can go from brown to burnt easily, and that’s the quickest way to ruin an otherwise delicious dessert recipe.

To make brown butter, slice two sticks of butter into even pieces and put them in a skillet over low heat.

Whisk frequently as the butter melts.

whisked flour in a glass mixing bowl

Watch for brown bits to form on the bottom of the pan.

The butter will be a light golden brown and smelly nutty when it’s done.

At this point, remove it from the heat and you’re ready to make your kitchen sink cookies.

How to Make Kitchen Sink Cookies

At this point making your copycat Panera Bread kitchen sink cookies is very similar to making other cookie recipes. 

panera bread cookie ingredients in a glass mixing bowl

You can start by creaming together the browned butter and sugars until they are smooth in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Once the butter and sugar is smooth, mix in the vanilla.

Now you can let the mixture rest until it is completely cool.

panera bread cookie batter in a glass mixing bowl

Then beat one egg into the mixture at a time until you’ve mixed both eggs in.

In a separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients.

panera bread cookie batter in a glass mixing bowl

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient a little at a time, mixing on low until the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated into the wet ingredients.

Once you’ve fully incorporated the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, you can fold in all your toppings.

Now, you can use a large rel=”nofollow” cookie scoop to scoop your dough into balls that you place roughly 2 inches apart on a prepared large cookie scoop.

panera bread kitchen sink cookie balls arranged in rows on a parchment paper lined baking dish

Before you bake the cookies, flatten them slightly and press a few extra pieces of pretzel, caramel and chocolate chips right into the top of each cookie.

Then top each with a little flaked sea salt.

baked kitchen sink cookies on a wire cooling rack

Bake the cookies at 350 for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to let them cool completely.

Serve and enjoy!

baked kitchen sink cookies on a wire cooling rack

Storing

You can store these cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week, but they won’t last that long!

copycat panera kitchen sink cookies piled on a pink plate

How many cookies does this recipe make?

This recipe makes about 2.5 dozen cookies, using roughly 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie.

copycat panera kitchen sink cookies piled on a pink plate

Tips and Tricks for Making the Yummiest Kitchen Sink Cookies Ever

  • While you can use regular melted butter in place of the brown butter, I highly recommend using brown butter for the extra nutty caramel flavor.
  • You can definitely change the mix ins if you like. White chocolate chips and dried cranberries would give these cookies a really Christmas-y feel.
  • While you can just prep your baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick spray, you can also use parchment paper or a nonstick silicone baking mat.
  • You don’t have to press any extra toppings into the tops of your cookies, but this trick does result in really pretty, polished looking bakery style cookies. 

three kitchen sink cookies stacked together on a white tabletop

Other Copycat Panera Recipes

This copycat Panera kitchen sink cookies recipe is a spot on substitute for the Panera favorite.

Make a batch today and see for yourself!

Looking for other copycat Panera recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried these COPYCAT PANERA KITCHEN SINK COOKIES RECIPES, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTERESTFACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

copycat panera kitchen sink cookies piled on a pink plate

Copycat Panera Kitchen Sink Cookies

Our copycat Panera kitchen sink cookies recipe makes a spot on version of the classic chain's treat. They are chewy cookie loaded with chopped pretzel pieces, caramel bits, and chocolate chips that you can make any time!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cooling Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 15
Calories: 407kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter browned
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup broken pretzel pieces
  • 1 cup caramel bites
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • sea salt for garnish

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter & sugars and cream them together until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract, and let the mixture rest until completely cooled.
  • Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing them in until each one's evenly incorporated.
  • In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, & salt until evenly mixed.
  • Slowly add the flour mixture into the mixer, beating on low speed until it's all been incorporated.
  • Using a spatula, fold in the pretzels, caramel, and chocolate chips until all three have been evenly incorporated.
  • Prepare a baking sheet by lightly greasing it with non stick spray. Using a larger cookie scoop, scoop the dough out onto the prepared pan, leaving roughly 2 inches between each cookie.
  • Flatten the cookies slightly, and press a couple extra pieces of pretzels, caramel, or chocolate chips into the top of each cookie.
  • If desired, sprinkle a bit of flaked sea salt evenly out over the prepared cookies.
  • Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven, and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 full minutes.
  • Using a spatula, transfer the hot cookies to a wire cookie wrack to finish cooling completely.
  • Serve with a cold glass of milk & enjoy!

Notes

  • While you can use regular melted butter in place of the brown butter, I highly recommend using brown butter for the extra nutty caramel flavor.
  • You can definitely change the mix ins if you like. White chocolate chips and dried cranberries would give these cookies a really Christmas-y feel.
  • While you can just prep your baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick spray, you can also use parchment paper or a nonstick silicone baking mat.
  • You don’t have to press any extra toppings into the tops of your cookies, but this trick does result in really pretty, polished looking bakery style cookies. 

Nutrition

Calories: 407kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 416IU | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg
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This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details. As always, all opinions are my own.

 
5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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3 Comments

  1. What are caramel “bites”? Are these caramel CHIPS (AKA “Bits”), or caramel candies, or something else? Thanks for clarifying.