Desserts
Panera Inspired Kitchen Sink Cookie
Oversized chewy cookies crowded with chocolate, caramel, and crunchy pretzel pieces, finished with flaky salt for a sweet-salty bakery treat.
Inspired by Panera Bread
Prep
25 min + 2 hr chill
Cook
16 min
Serves
8 servings
Difficulty
Easy
Pantry match
Uses the current servings and temporary recipe changes.
Missing 12 ingredients
- • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- • 1 teaspoon baking soda
- • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
- • 3/4 cup soft caramel bits
- • 1 cup mini pretzels, roughly broken
- • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
View ingredient-by-ingredient match
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softenedMissing
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugarMissing
- 1/2 cup granulated sugarMissing
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolkMissing
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extractMissing
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flourMissing
- 1 teaspoon baking sodaMissing
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher saltMissing
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunksMissing
- 3/4 cup soft caramel bitsMissing
- 1 cup mini pretzels, roughly brokenMissing
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea saltMissing
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Method
Recipe notes
This unofficial recreation emphasizes the publicly described caramel, pretzel, chocolate, and flake-salt combination. Oversized chilled portions create crisp bronze edges and the thick chewy center that makes the cookie distinctive.
Planning, storage, and serving
Storage and reheating
Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days. Warm one at 300°F for 4 minutes to soften the caramel.
Make-ahead tips
Refrigerate shaped dough for 2 days or freeze portions for 2 months. Bake frozen dough at 350°F, adding 3 to 5 minutes.
What to serve with it
- - Cold milk
- - Dark-roast coffee
- - Fresh apple slices
Equipment needed
- - Stand or hand mixer
- - Kitchen scale or large scoop
- - Parchment-lined sheet pans
Difficulty explained
The dough is simple; weighing large portions and chilling them are the keys to consistent bakery-sized cookies.
Recipe calculator
Nutrition facts
Updating nutrition…
Alternatives
Apply a reviewed substitution to this temporary working copy. The published recipe stays unchanged.
Browse reviewed options
Granulated sugar plus molasses
For each cup, mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses.
Dark chocolate
Use the same weight of 60-70% dark chocolate.
1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
Use a commercial cup-for-cup blend that includes xanthan gum.
Type the ingredient you're missing — we'll find what you can use instead.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Warm dough spreads too thin before its center sets, so do not skip chilling.
- Hard caramel candies do not melt like soft baking caramels and can become tooth-breakingly firm.
- Moving the cookies immediately can tear their soft centers; cool them on the pan first.
Nutrition Context
- These deliberately oversized cookies are rich in added sugar, butter, chocolate, and caramel.
- One cookie can be divided into two dessert portions without losing the mix-in variety.
FAQ
Why are the cookies so large?
A large chilled mound creates the defining contrast between caramelized edges and a thick chewy center.
Can I make regular-size cookies?
Yes. Divide into sixteen portions and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Why use an extra yolk?
It adds richness and chew without the extra water that a second whole egg would contribute.
Can I skip the flaky salt?
Yes, but the salt balances the caramel and chocolate and is part of the recognizable sweet-salty profile.
How do I stop caramel from sticking?
Keep exposed caramel pieces on top rather than underneath and bake on parchment.
What sides pair best with this dish?
Good pairings include Cold milk; Dark-roast coffee; Fresh apple slices. Choose one or two based on how substantial you want the meal to be.