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A conventional shortbread cookie from Panera can truly take me back to my younger days.
Its warm, buttery crust and soft, flaky interior evoke nostalgic feelings of comfort and security.
This cookie always elevates my mood, and I feel more at ease, relaxed, and ready to face the world after biting into it.
Panera shortbread cookies were a classic childhood treat that my mom would bring me home after grocery shopping, and I would eat with a glass of milk.
These days, they are perfect treats for any occasion or whenever you crave something sweet.
History of Panera Shortbread Cookies
The shortbread cookie is a Scottish classic passed down from generation to generation.
The royal families of Scotland and England used it in their recipes, making it as valuable as the queen’s own.
In the late nineteen-eighties, Ron Shaich noticed an exciting trend in Boston.
Several small sandwich shops served freshly baked bread and high-quality ingredients, but he knew they couldn’t survive with just sandwiches.
Ron had a dream to make a company that served delicious, high-quality food.
He opened one in downtown Boston in July 1980.
Five years after opening its first location, Panera Bread had expanded to nearly 100 locations throughout New England.
When Panera first came on to the scene, one of their most popular items was the shortbread cookie.
Nowadays, Panera shortbread cookies are prevalent enough to have their name – “the Panera cookie.”
A popular cooking show on Food Network featured the company’s cookie recipe.
The Panera shortbread cookie recipe calls for only a few simple ingredients.
It is an easy, fast recipe that will leave you with dozens of delicious cookies.
How to Make Panera Shortbread Cookies
Panera shortbread cookies are a classic treat bound to impress your friends and loved ones.
This shortbread recipe is easy to follow and fun, allowing you to enjoy your shortbread fix whenever you have a spare moment.
Plus, it gives your kitchen that homemade look and feels everyone loves.
Ingredients
●One cup melted butter (at room temperature)
●Two cups of cake flour
●3/4 cup powdered sugar
●Half a teaspoon of baking powder
●1-tsp vanilla
Instructions
1.Make the dough by mixing all ingredients, and knead gently until well combined.
2.Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly and press the dough into the pan.
Put parchment paper over the entire surface of the dough in the baking pan.
3.Cut rectangle lines on the cookies with a knife to ensure they resemble authentic Panera shortbread cookies.
4.Pop them in the oven and bake at 325 F for 20 minutes.
5.After 15 minutes, observe a light color and no browning.
Don’t overbake them.
6.Remove the cookies from the oven, allow them to cool, cut them into squares, and serve.
You will end up with a simple, soft, and buttery Panera shortbread cookie that takes a few minutes to make but tastes like a million bucks.
The cookies will have a touch of vanilla and a hint of sugar on the outside and be buttery soft in the middle, comforting, enjoyable, and perfect.
Tips for Keeping Panera Shortbread Cookies Fresh
Nothing beats the taste of a fresh, out-of-the-oven Panera shortbread cookie.
They are soft and gooey, taste good, look great, smell super yummy, and are versatile.
However, when things get stale, you end up reaching for a new package of cookies instead of just popping one in your mouth.
Cookie freshness is paramount, but storing fresh cookies is more complicated than you might think.
Keep those Panera shortbread cookies fresh with these tips.
Dry Panera Shortbread Cookies
Dry cookies like shortbread cookies will stay fresher for longer, thanks to their low moisture content.
Cookies don’t go stale by going bad.
They go stale because they absorb moisture from the air through their layers, making them soft and losing their snap.
If you constantly raid the cookie jar, but can never find a fresh cookie, perhaps you should reevaluate how you store things.
1.Allow your Panera shortbread cookies to cool fully before storing.
2.Please put them in a container with a tight-fitting lid at room temperature.
3.Don’t store them all in one container if you have different flavors.
4.Keeping cookies with strong flavors in separate containers will prevent seeping into other cookies.
If you have limited airtight containers, use different freezer bags for each flavor and place them in one container.
It will preserve flavor separation while optimizing storage space.
5.Use parchment or wax paper to separate your cookies when storing them in layers.
A Guide to Freezing Panera Shortbread Cookies
Next time you’re baking chocolate chip cookies, make a double batch, throw the extras in the freezer, and save them for your next cookie craving.
Freezing homemade cookies can help you enjoy your favorite baked goods throughout the year.
Frozen cookies have a softer texture than fresh cookies, but they still taste delicious.
Follow this ingenious way to freeze freshly baked cookies, and you’ll never have to suffer through a Panera-less day again.
1.Put your Panera shortbread cookies in a freezer bag and once there, squeeze out as much air as you can and place them in an airtight container and tighten the lid on the airtight container!
2.Label and date your cookies to know what you have when digging through the freezer.
It’s common knowledge that frozen foods retain more nutrients than their non-frozen counterparts, which also applies to cookies.
Freezing cookies is a great way to keep your favorites on hand throughout the year.
The cookies will stay fresher longer with this method since they have a protective double-layer against freezer burn and ice.
If a fresh-baked cookie is your go-to dessert for movie nights in, or if you’d like to keep some on hand for guests, this method is a great way to ensure they stay soft, fresh, and delicious even after several weeks.
How to Defrost Panera Shortbread Cookies
Sometimes freezing fresh baked cookies can be difficult because they end up frozen rock-solid in a huge lump that turns into crumbs when you try to break them apart.
Thawing frozen pastry can be a pain―but not with this method.
Here is how to successfully freeze cookies without turning them into crumbs.
The method will allow for a super simple and easy way of thawing them for you to enjoy delicious hot cookies on demand.
●To defrost a frozen cookie, place it on the kitchen counter and wait a few hours until it reaches room temperature.
If it’s a warm day, this may only take one to two hours.
●Once thawed, the cookie will regain some of its freshness as if you baked it that day.
Health Benefits of Panera Shortbread Cookies
Panera shortbread cookies became popular among many people and a particular favorite of children.
Such popularity is simple: crispy, tasty, and light, but what do they contribute to your health?
Read on to find out.
1.By regularly eating Panera shortbread cookies, you can boost energy levels, increase activity, and reduce fatigue.
They’re part of a healthy diet and can help you control how much you eat.
2.They are great for a snack with tea or coffee because they are very light and digestible compared to other sweet pastries.
3.They help regulate body energy exchanges and give you vitamins and minerals.
4.Cookies also enhance the activity of your nervous system and increase your capacity for sweating.
5.On average, the caloric value of cookies is about 400 kcal per 100g.
Therefore, overweight people must be careful with how many they eat at once.
For instance, 2 to 3 pieces in a day should be enough to satisfy cookie cravings.
Final Word
Panera shortbread cookies have a sweet, crunchy texture and small cinnamon bits.
The best way to enjoy them is with a hot beverage or afternoon tea with friends.
There is just something about these soft puffy cookies that always makes you feel happy and comforted.
How to Make Perfect Panera-Style Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- 1 oven
- 1 Pan
- 1 Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup melted butter
- 2 cups cake flour
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Make the dough by mixing all ingredients, and knead gently until well combined.
- Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly and press the dough into the pan.
- Put parchment paper over the entire surface of the dough in the baking pan.
- Cut rectangle lines on the cookies with a knife to ensure they resemble authentic Panera shortbread cookies.
- Pop them in the oven and bake at 325 F for 20 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, observe a light color and no browning.
- Don’t overbake them.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, allow them to cool, cut them into squares, and serve.
