Monday, January 24, 2011

Buttery Shortbread Cookies~ Panera Bread Copy Cat Recipe~ OMG Good!

"These are Delicious buttery cookies that taste just like Panera's shortbread cookies!"

8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, room temperature 
2 cups cake flour (you can use all purpose but cake flour makes a much softer cookie)
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients; use hands to knead until ingredients are blended. Press dough into ungreased pans. Before baking, mark rectangle cookie lines with knife to get the authentic Panera shortbread cookie look!

Bake at 325 degrees F for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Don't over bake!


Watch out, these are melt in your mouth addictingly ( a word I  just made up) good!

Note: If you like a sweeter shortbread cookie try the frosting recipe below, very similiar to paneras shortbread cookie frosting recipe:

Ingredients;
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 stick unsalted or salted butter depending on your taste ( I prefer salted) softened
2 Tbsp Milk ( Whole, Skim, 2%) any will work just fine.
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions;

Combine Ingredients
Whip for 30 seconds on low, then crank it up to high speed for 1 1/2 to 2  minutes.
Add food coloring and spread over cookies!
Enjoy!

66 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. I tried it today and was very pleased. My shortbread cookies turned out amazing and they taste like panera bread's cookies. Thank you so much!

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  2. I have to say that those panera cookies are my weakness, so having this recipe is dangerous! I am so glad you like them :)

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  3. great recipe! i used a meat pounder to get that authentic pattern. just make sure to not press down too hard. thanks!

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    1. Great idea! I was just looking through my kitchen to find something that would make that pattern. I happen to have a meat pounder and will try that. Thank you!

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  4. do you have a recipe that is like the icing they use for their pumpkin cookies?

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  5. What size pan? And do you cut them into cookies after they bake? I am soooo looking forward to trying this recipe...they are my absolute favorite:)

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  6. yes, cut them after they cool. Let me know what you think about them and if you make a variation send me a picture! :) Thank you so much!

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  7. when I make these I usually make them in to cut outs but you could also press them in to a shallow rectangular cookie sheet! If you make them in to cut outs just sprinkle the surface, dough and rolling pin with flour.

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  8. In regards to the request for the pumpkin cookie frosting recipe, try this buttercream recipe, here is the link http://kariscooking.blogspot.com/2011/02/world-famous-paradise-bakery-sugar.html

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  9. You can go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy a piece of aluminum Gutter Guard Mesh, and press that on the cookies. Very Panera authentic looking. These cookies are delicious!

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  10. Love this, very creative idea Lisa! Thank you :)

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  11. This is an awesome recipe.. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thank you Kindly!!! Hope you have a wonderful day :)

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  12. Thanks so much for this recipe. I think I'll make them as heart cut-outs and sprinkle with pink sugar for Valentine's Day. I may even bake a few plain and then dip them into melted chocolate for that half-chocolate look. Thanks again for the recipe!

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  13. Anyone have or no where to find the icing receipe that's similar to what they use on the Shortbread?

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  14. i am a shortbread fanatic and could easily enjoy one shortbread with a cup of tea daily and never get tired of it. the problem would be stopping at just one LOL

    panara breads are by far my most favorite ever. i have a recipe that uses rice flour, and i like that one plenty well, but this one i am going to HAVE to try! thanks for sharing!

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    1. you are welcome, I am a fanatic as well! When I drive by Panera they call my name every time!

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  15. One riff on this recipe is to add chopped macadamia nuts and milk chocolate chips. Spread the batter across the cookie sheet, score, bake, and then cut after baking.

    I made milk chocolate macadamia nut cookies for a fundraiser bake sale, and they sold the packeges of six small cookies (2"x2") I assembled for $6 each, and the reviews were great!

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  16. Icing.... I need the icing recipe too.... I like it that it is hard and not a soft icing

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  17. How many cookies does this recipe make? Thanks

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  18. instead of making them into the squares, could you make them into shapes? i know their frosted cookies are shortbread too, didnt know if you could roll out the dough like sugar cookies then use cookie cutters??
    thanks for the recipe!
    -amanda

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  19. Did anyone find the icing recipe? :)

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  20. i was wondering if i should melt the butter or use a pastry cutter or what lol help!

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  21. Geez, Kari, are you ignoring the request for the frosting recipe?! I'd like it too!

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  22. I just tried to make these. I had such high hopes, but I am fearful that they are not going to be good at all. They are in the oven now. I checked and double checked the recipe and the ingredients, but what I ended up with looked like a gooey pile of mess. I don't know how you could make any cookie what so ever out of them, so I just plopped some of the ooey gooey dough on a pan. Do you have any ideas about what may have gone wrong or is the dough supposed to be like that?

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    1. Try chilling your dough before you bake them.

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  23. Sorry, I dont have the frosting recipe yet, if you find it send it my way and I will post it for all :)

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  24. Try Alton Brown's royal icing on the food network website with a little orange extract for the pumpkins and a little lemon extract for the flowers. It works pretty well.

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  25. Perfect recipe! I also added a 1/2 tsp almond extract and they were delicious. Thanks!

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  26. I usually frost sugar cookies using the Wilton color flow icing recipe. It sets firm and shiny, much like Panera's. I also use orange flavor for pumpkins and cinnamon for Valentine's. Yummy! I don't have the recipe with me now but I'd be happy to post it later if anyone wants it. Can't wait to try the frosting on the shortbread cookies! - Laura

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  27. Hello! If you are doing this recipe with cutouts, does the cooking time stay the same? I read that you can use it as cutouts but just to flour the surface and the rolling pin. Does it need to be chilled before rolling it out? About how thick should I roll out the dough? Thanks in advance for your help, sounds like a delicious recipe!

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    1. I just made these myself and opted for cookie cutters instead of form pressed. Room temp butter (don't rush this step), sifted together dry, vanilla, pastry cutter to mix. Be patient mixing and wait until you've worked all the way to dough. It holds together nicely, better than pie dough, not so sticky as bread dough. I floured everything (including my cutters) and rolled to about 1/3". They spread only slightly. I didn't watch the clock so much as use my nose...when you just start to smell them its time to check. Mine came out slightly golden on the bottom and firm to a light touch.

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  28. Just finished trying this recipe. I wouldn't say it's exactly the same flavor as the Panera recipe, but still a very tasty cookie. Texture is decent but the flavor is a bit flat...possibly a dash of salt could fix that.

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  29. I have these in the oven right now. Shortbread cookies are my all time fav. I pressed the dough into a square shortbread pan. I of course had to taste a bit of the dough before putting it in the pan. I think they taste quite yummy and can't wait til they finish cooking to taste one. Thanks for the recipe. Also, for people ?? about the pan size. My shortbread pan is probably and 8 x 8 pan and it is definitely looking like there it too much dough to have put it all in there. I'm going to continue on but keep that in mind for next time :)

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  30. I used this recipie only i added 1/4 cup powder sugar and lemon and orange zest and a squeeze of the lemon juice in the cookies and for frosting i used a butter powder sugar vanilla milk recipie which i squeezed lemon juice in and lemon zest and orange zest both i loved them

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  31. I still don't see anything that says what size pan to use. Quarter sheet pan?

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  32. I made these cookies and used a 9x13" pan, ungeased, but used parchment paper to press the dough - about 1/4" deep. Hope this helps.
    My question is this - I have seen several versions of this recipe and some use 1/2 cup powder sugar, this one uses 3/4 cup - as anyone used the 1/2 cup and what were results in taste? Also, anyone used regular all purpose flour instead of cake - results? taste? Thanks. KG

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  33. Wow! Great recipe! I halved the recipe and cut 1/4 cup of flour and used a 1/4 of cornstarch, and added 2 tablespoons of extra butter! Knocked my socks off! Dee-lish! the cornstarch has the texture dead on! Thanks Kari!

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  34. JUST FINISHES EATING THE FIRST BATCH......MAKEING THE SECOND....I JUST ADDED A LITTLE ALMOND FLAVOR AND THEY TASTE BETTER THAN PANERA'S...THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE RECIPIE....ON BY THE WAY MIXING WITH YOUR HANDS RATHER THAN THE MIXER IS THE KEY !!!!! TKS AGAIN.

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  35. This sounds Delish. I'm going to bring these to my friends tea party. I think I will use a little icecream scop - make balls - put on the cookie sheets - and use the cute idea of pressing each one with the meat hammer to press in the design. Thanks for a great recipe.

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  36. I followed the directions to the letter and the end result did not turn out golden brown. I also think the end product is going to fall apart when I cut it and take it out the pan. I hope the flavor makes up for its appearance.

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  37. Deb again. The batch from yesterday did not fall about but were a bit "floury". I attribute that to making my own cake flour (flour + corn starch). The flavor was outstanding so I am trying it again today with cake flour and a bit extra butter.

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  38. WOW! Mine looked nothing like the Panera cookies but tasted exactly like them. Be warned, it makes a very small batch. I got 9 cookies slightly smaller than a Panera cookie. Definitely worth it though and relatively easy to mix up with your hands.

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  39. I am looking forward to trying this recipe this Christmas! Thank you kindly Kari ! Merry Christmas!

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  40. Kari, does this recipe apply to making the flower cut out cookies?

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  41. Just made these. Awesome!!! I put vanilla and almond in mine.

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  42. Hello...believe it or not, I made these over a week ago and I have one left and they are just as yummy as the first day I made them...I cut them in hearts and sprinkled a few with red sprinkles(early v day thought) DELISH!! THANKS KARI!!

    Never had paneras though, so these are the bomb.com lol

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  43. I am really excited to try out this recipe this Easter Weekend! I just ate one of the Panera Shortbreads and it was incredible! I am from England and love shortbread! This shortbread is by far one of the best I have ever tasted!!

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  44. ^^^Ditto, what she said.

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  45. Just ate my first Panera shortbread ... yum. Getting ready to make these this evening!!

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  46. Thank you so much for the recipe. I love Panerai cookies, and this is a close second. I now have a shortbread cookies that I will make for events that I get invited to.

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  47. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  48. I am going to try these this Christmas!

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  49. A fantastic frosting to use, if you like cream cheese.
    1 stick real butter-room temp
    1 block cream cheese-room temp
    2 tsp vanilla
    2 Tbs milk
    about 4 cups powdered sugar
    Beat butter and cream cheese till nice & smooth. Add vanilla and milk. Beat in 2 cups pwd sugar and beat till smooth. Add enuf pwd sugar to make the perfect consistency for you. I like it not so stiff. So yummy!

    Just a buttercream frosting
    1 stick real butter-room temp
    1/2 cup crisco shortening
    2 tsp vanilla
    1/2 tsp almond extract
    2 Tbs milk
    about 4 cups powdered sugar
    Beat butter and shortening till smooth. Add flavors and milk. Beat in 2 cups pwd sugar till smooth. Add enough pwd sugar to make the consistency you like. Once it is the proper consistency, beat it for about 3 minutes. It's so worth the wait!

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  50. I just made these. I shredded my butter and used all purpose flour and I have to say these aren't exactly like Panera, they just might be better. Delish!

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  51. Having baked for Panera, their icing is a citrus white icing. It's not my favorite but people really liked it.

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  52. They just discontinued the cookies in Duluth, GA. This was the only reason I went to Panera. Thanks, for the recipe.

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  53. How do I keep the cookies from spreading?

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  54. Do I need salted or unsalted butter?

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  55. Thank You so much for sharing I love their shortbread and am making these in Christmas shapes to use for my grands and I fcor our annual Christmas cookie decorating time!

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  56. Looks amazing - what kind of butter should I use salted or unsalted?

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  57. Love panera also, tried recipe 20 minutes was not long enough, left extra 10 min. Still didn't seem cooked,I
    I cut them put them back for 10min
    min. They were good. I would like to make square and the thickness of paneras, so would 8" or 9" pan ,press them in and take out of pan that was lined with parchment paper cut them and then cook them and at what temp. Thx

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  58. I'm a little late to this game but hoping someone will clarify on the butter. Are you using salted or unsalted? I supposed it could be personal preference as well, but since there is no salt in the recipe I am assuming salted? Thank you in advance!

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    1. She said you could use either whatever your preference

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