This Panera Bread Kitchen Sink Cookie recipe is aptly named — they contain everything but the kitchen sink! We’re talking gooey chocolate chips, chewy caramel, crunchy pretzels, and even toffee bits. It’s an amazing medley of sweet and salty flavors that’s sure to satisfy all your cravings in one delicious bite.
The best part? You can easily customize them to include your favorite mix-ins, making each batch unique.
If you’re a fan of sweet treats combined with salty snacks, this may become your new go-to cookie recipe. Whip up a batch for solo snacking or share them with friends and family for a decadent treat that no one will be able to resist!
Table of Contents
- What is a Kitchen Sink Cookie?
- What’s In a Panera Bread Kitchen Sink Cookie?
- Elevate Your Cookie Game with Panera Copycat Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Optional Mix-Ins
- Tips for Perfectly Round Cookies
- Can I Make This Recipe Ahead of Time?
- How to Store and Freeze
- Common Questions About This Panera Bread Kitchen Sink Cookie Copycat Recipe
- More Cookie Recipes
- Kitchen Sink Cookies (Panera Copycat) Recipe
What is a Kitchen Sink Cookie?
Kitchen sink cookies, also known as everything but the kitchen sink cookies, are essentially elevated chocolate chip cookies. A riff on the common phrase, they’re said to include “everything but the kitchen sink.”
This kitchen sink cookie recipe is adapted from the original Panera version. As a result, it features a combination of sweet and salty flavors that will leave you drooling.
We even provide a list of additional mix-in options! That way, you can clear out your pantry and check off all your cravings with just one simple recipe.
What’s In a Panera Bread Kitchen Sink Cookie?
Endless variations of this recipe exist, and no option is right or wrong! We tried to stick as close as possible to the original recipe.
However, as long as you’ve got the simple cookie dough base down, feel free to get creative with different mix-ins and toppings. Here’s what we use:
- Butter – This helps create a rich flavor and soft texture and allows the cookies to spread. Unsalted butter is best!
- Sugar – We use a combination of both granulated sugar and dark or light brown sugar. This creates a sweet cookie dough and helps the cookies stay soft and moist.
- Vanilla Extract – Use high-quality pure vanilla extract to enhance the flavor of the rest of the ingredients.
- Large Eggs – We use a whole egg and an extra egg yolk. This provides structure to the cookies while making them extra rich and even more tender and soft.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour forms the base of the dough. If needed, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour instead.
- Baking Soda – This helps the cookies rise. For the best results, make sure it’s fresh!
- Salt – A little goes a long way to balance out the flavors and enhance the sweetness.
- Mix-Ins – We include chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped pretzels, caramel squares, toffee bits, and flaky sea salt!
Elevate Your Cookie Game with Panera Copycat Kitchen Sink Cookies
While these cookies might look complicated, they’re simple to make. The key is to plan in advance so they have plenty of time to chill in the fridge!
- Prepare. Before you begin, preheat your oven, and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Cream the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer. Cream the ingredients together until they’re light and fluffy. Then, add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and mix to combine.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients. Mix just until everything is well combined. Be careful not to overmix!
- Add the mix-ins. Gently fold the chocolate chips, pretzels, caramel, and toffee bits into the dough. Then, sprinkle the sea salt on top
- Portion and chill. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion the cookie dough into equal-sized balls. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space in between each piece. Then, transfer the dough to the fridge to chill.
- Bake. Place the cookies in the oven just until the edges are golden brown. The center should still be slightly soft!
- Cool. Remove the cookies from the oven, and let them cool slightly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Optional Mix-Ins
As mentioned, there’s no right or wrong way to make this Panera Bread kitchen sink cookie recipe! Feel free to mix and match whatever ingredients you like best.
Some popular additions include:
- Potato Chips
- Pretzel Potato Chips
- Cereal
- Pecans or Walnuts
- M&Ms
- Shredded Coconut
- Butterscotch Chips
- Sprinkles
- White Chocolate Chips
- Dark or Milk Chocolate Chips
- Dried Cranberries or Raisins
- Peanut Butter Chips
- Chopped Peanut Butter Cups
- Reese’s Pieces
- Chopped Chocolate
- Soft Caramel Chunks
Tips for Perfectly Round Cookies
The key to creating truly bakery-worthy cookies is to get them perfectly round! The easiest way to do this is to place a cup or mug over top of the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven.
Move it around in a circle a few times to shape the cookies, and voila! Your cookies will be perfectly circular and ready to eat!
Can I Make This Recipe Ahead of Time?
Yes! Once combined, you can cover and store the cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Then, when you’re ready to bake, allow the dough to come to room temperature, and bake! Or, shape the dough before refrigerating, and bake the cookies straight from the fridge.
How to Store and Freeze
Store leftover baked cookies in an airtight container or sealable bag at room temperature for up to seven days.
Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to one month.
Freeze unbaked cookie dough by shaping the cookie dough balls and flash-freezing them on a baking sheet until solid. Then, transfer them to the freezer for up to six months.
When you’re ready to eat, bake the frozen cookie dough directly from the freezer. Add a few minutes as needed until the edges are golden brown!
Common Questions About This Panera Bread Kitchen Sink Cookie Copycat Recipe
The Panera kitchen sink cookies do not contain nuts, but many variations do! Feel free to add them in, if you like.
Chilling your cookie dough before baking is the best way to prevent the cookies from sinking! This allows the butter to solidify, preventing it from melting and spreading too much in the oven.
As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to freeze cookie dough for 30 to 60 minutes or up to overnight. You won’t see much of a difference if you freeze any longer than that.
More Cookie Recipes
Searching for more cookies with plenty of sweet add-ins? Take a look at some of our favorite cookies loaded with goodness!
- Monster Cookie Recipe
- Easy Soft-Baked M&M Cookie Recipe
- S’mores Cookies
- Crumbl Cookies Mom’s Recipe Copycat
Kitchen Sink Cookies (Panera Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- 3/4 cup chopped pretzels
- 3/4 cup caramel squares cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup toffee bits
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 2-3 minutes.1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg and egg yolk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until well combined.1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until the dough comes together.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped pretzels, caramel, and toffee bits. If you’re using flaky sea salt, you can sprinkle it on top of the cookie dough at this stage.3/4 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks, 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks, 3/4 cup chopped pretzels, 3/4 cup caramel squares cut into small pieces, 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, 1/2 cup toffee bits
- Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, drop 1/4 cup of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie. Note: refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. The center should still be slightly soft.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Equipment
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
it says to spoon 1/4 cup onto cookie sheet…which doesn’t make sense. does it?
We just mean to portion the dough into 1/4 cup sized balls. Does that make sense? 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Is it true one serving (one cookie) is only 26 calories?
There was a glitch with the nutrition information. Sorry about that! We updated it. The calories are closer to 216/cookie.
Xo,
Alia & Radwa