{Copycat} Panera Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Almost my entire life I have searched for the perfect chewy chocolate chip cookie. I am almost convinced that I came out of the womb asking for chocolate chip cookies with my milk! I have tried so many chocolate chip cookie recipes and ordered them at so many bakeries and only a few ever achieve perfection for me. What is perfection you ask?

A chewy chocolate chip cookie.

A super thick chocolate chip cookie.

A flavor-filled chocolate chip cookie.

The ideal ratio of chocolate chips to cookie.

Perfect light brown edges with the center just done, and never over cooked!

Panera is one of the only places that I can purchase a chocolate chip cookie just like this. A chocolate chip cookie I LOVE! The main problem is they are almost $3 a pop! Every once in a while I will still indulge but I decided that if they can do it, I can too. So I set out on a renewed effort to make a copycat Panera chewy chocolate chip cookie. After years have passed, a great deal of experimentation, a lot of good (but not perfect) cookies, and probably 100 pounds of butter, I found something that is epitome of the qualities that the Perfect Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie has!

In my pursuit of the perfect chewy chocolate chip cookie, I often try them out on my friends (and so I don’t end up consuming all 100 lbs of butter myself!) When my friend ate this cookie the first words out of her mouth were “For the love of all that is good! You have got to blog these cookies!” I have made them 6 times since and been asked for the recipe every time so here it is!

 {See ALL of my Thick & Chewy Cookie Recipes here!}

{Copycat} Panera Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

To make these cookies you will need pretty basic cookie ingredients with a few little extras. First you will cream your softened butter, shortening and sugars until they are light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and combine well.

Next measure your dry ingredients in a separate bowl. TIP: Use a single cup measure to measure your flour instead of a 2-cup or 4 cup measure. This is a very dry recipe (but will make a moist, chewy cookie) so using a single cup measure will allow you to be as exact as possible giving you a better result. Once combined, add the dry ingredients little by little into the wet ingredients stirring in between each addition until everything is well combined.

The dough will be a very dry, stiff dough. This is part of what makes these cookies so thick! However, the dough should not be super crumbly. If the dough becomes crumbly after you add all of your flour mixture, you probably ended up with too much flour. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time stirring in between until the dough holds together. Do not add too much water. The dough should NOT be sticky!

Once you have your dough together the last step is to add the chocolate chips! Add the chocolate chips and stir them in until they are evenly distributed. Although you can use full sized chocolate chips in this recipe, mini chocolate chips make them so much better. Since the cookies are so thick it perfectly distributes them throughout the cookie and allows the balance between chocolate and cookie in each bite to be just right. Panera uses the mini chocolate chips in their chewy chocolate chip cookie and I couldn’t agree with that decision more!

Now you want to take a 1/4 cup measure and use it to scoop out the dough. Form it into a ball with your hands and then ever so slightly flatten it. I usually form all of these balls and then pack them away into a gallon sized ziplock bag. Then off into the freezer they will go!

You will want to chill them at least an hour but you can leave the dough sealed in the freezer for up to three months. So at this point you have the option to just take them out and cook them a few at a time so you can always have a fresh hot chewy chocolate chip cookie when the craving comes calling or just bake them all!

When you are ready to bake just pop your cookie dough balls out of the freezer and arrange on a cookie sheet, set your oven to 350 and bake. 15 minutes later… Heaven! Tip: Using parchment paper to line your baking sheets will insure your cookies never stick and make clean up super easy!

Tip: If you bake more cookies than you will eat that day, store them in a ziplock bag in the freezer and they will maintain their freshness for 2-4 weeks. Just pop one out of the freezer and let it thaw or nuke it for around 15-30 seconds depending on the microwave. You will LOVE this trick!

I have no doubt that these cookies won’t be hanging around your house very long! Get ready to make them over and over again. And now you know… if you are ever NEEDING a chocolate chip cookie now and have no time to cook, just stop by Panera!

Make sure to scroll down to get a full printable recipe

My other go to recipe for years is this Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.  Where the Panera cookies are huge, these are mini, but don’t worry, it is every bit as amazing!  Make sure to save this recipe… I promise you will thank me for this one!

If you like your cookies thick and chewy, you will love our new Super Thick & Chewy DOUBLE Chocolate Chip Cookies!  You’ve gotta give these a try!

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4.73 from 18 votes

{Copycat} Panera Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Serves:24 Large Cookies

Hover over "serves" value to reveal recipe scaler

Author:Kimber

Print Review Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 c butter softened
• 1/2 c shortening
• 1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bag mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Mix butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
• Combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt and mix together.
• Mix dry ingredients slowly into wet ingredients and blend well.
• If the dough is crumbly, stir in water 1 teaspoon at a time until it just holds together. The dough should not be sticky.
• Add in chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.
• Using ¼ cup measure, scoop out dough and form into a ball. Continue until all dough is balled. Approx 24 cookies.
• Place dough in the freezer for 2 hours or up to 3 months.
• Place frozen cookie onto parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 min.
• Let cool 2 minutes.

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

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