How many calories in a Panera kitchen sink cookie?

The Panera Bread kitchen sink cookie is a very popular menu item. Many customers love the huge size and variety of mix-ins like chocolate chips, M&M’s, oats, toffee, and peanut butter chips. However, with its indulgent taste comes a high calorie count. So how many calories are actually in one Panera kitchen sink cookie?

Quick Answer

A whole Panera Bread kitchen sink cookie contains around 880 calories.

Detailed Nutrition Information

Here is the detailed nutrition information for a Panera Bread kitchen sink cookie according to the company’s website:

Serving Size 1 cookie (132g)
Calories 880
Total Fat 36g
Saturated Fat 18g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 55mg
Sodium 380mg
Total Carbohydrate 123g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Total Sugars 74g
Added Sugars 0g
Protein 9g

As you can see, the entire cookie packs a whopping 880 calories. It also contains 36g of fat, 74g of sugar, and 123g of carbs. So while it tastes delicious, the kitchen sink cookie is clearly a high calorie indulgence.

Calorie Breakdown

To better understand where all those calories come from, let’s break it down into the main calorie sources:

  • Fat: 324 calories – The kitchen sink cookie gets a huge portion of its calories from fat. With 36g total fat and 18g saturated fat, the fat content contributes over a third of the total calories.
  • Carbohydrates: 492 calories – At 123g of carbs, the majority of the calories come from carbohydrates. All the added sugar also packs on the calories.
  • Protein: 36 calories – With 9g of protein, this macronutrient makes up the smallest portion of calories.

Clearly the high amounts of fat and carbs, primarily from the sugar, chocolate, and other mix-ins are responsible for the indulgent 880 calorie count.

Reasons for High Calorie Count

Why exactly is the Panera kitchen sink cookie so high in calories? Here are some of the main reasons:

  • Large serving size – At 132g or nearly 5 ounces, it is much larger than a typical cookie.
  • High-calorie ingredients – It contains chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, toffee, oats, and M&M’s which are all high fat and high sugar.
  • Butter – The cookie dough contains a significant amount of butter, adding more fat and calories.
  • Sugar – Sugar is one of the main ingredients, packing on carbs and calories.
  • Preparation method – The cookie is baked to be softer and thicker rather than crunchy and thin.

With its indulgent ingredients and generous portions, it’s no wonder the kitchen sink cookie has such an impressive calorie count!

Calorie Comparison to Other Desserts

How does the Panera cookie compare to other high-calorie desserts? Here is a calorie comparison with some other popular treats:

Dessert Calories
Panera Kitchen Sink Cookie 880
Starbucks Triple Chocolate Brownie 550
McDonald’s McFlurry with M&M’s 530
Dunkin’ Donuts Glazed Donut 270
Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donut 190

The Panera cookie has nearly double the calories of a Starbucks brownie and McDonald’s McFlurry! It is in a league of its own when it comes to high calorie bakery treats.

Ways to Make It Less Caloric

If you want to indulge in a kitchen sink cookie but avoid consuming quite so many calories, here are some tips:

  • Split it with a friend – Share one cookie between two people to cut the calories in half.
  • Order a smaller size – Panera offers the cookie in a smaller “Baby” size with fewer calories.
  • Substitute ingredients – Order it without chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or toffee to reduce fat and calories.
  • Pair with a salad – Get a side salad with low-calorie dressing to add nutrients and fill up.
  • Only eat half – Save the other half for later or another day to spread out the calories.

While the kitchen sink cookie will always be an indulgent treat, these tips can help reduce the calorie impact.

Nutritional Benefits

Despite the high calorie count, the Panera kitchen sink cookie does also offer some nutritional value. Here are some of the benefits of its ingredients:

  • Oats – Provide fiber, manganese, and antioxidants.
  • Peanut butter chips – Good source of protein and magnesium.
  • Chocolate chips – Contains antioxidants and minerals like copper.
  • Walnuts – Provide omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and plant protein.

So ingredients like whole grains, nuts, and chocolate do contribute some valuable nutrients. Just keep portion size in mind!

Summary

To summarize key points:

  • A Panera Bread kitchen sink cookie contains around 880 calories.
  • The high calorie count comes mainly from its generous portion size and calorie-dense ingredients like chocolate, peanut butter, and butter.
  • It packs over double the calories of many other popular desserts like brownies and donuts.
  • Strategies like splitting or choosing a smaller size can help reduce calorie intake.
  • Despite the indulgent calories, some ingredients also provide beneficial nutrients.

The Panera kitchen sink cookie makes for an occasional tasty treat, but its 880 calorie count means it may be best consumed in moderation. Understanding its high calorie content can help customers make informed choices to maintain healthy diets.

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