Panera Bread Cobblestone Muffins
Try this Panera Bread Cobblestone Muffins recipe.
Try this Panera Bread Cobblestone Muffins recipe.
- 1 large egg
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- pinch salt
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons honey
- for the icing
- for the dough
- tiny pinch of salt
- for the streusel
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons room temperature water
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon table salt)
- 4 cups (1 pound) all purpose flour
- for the cinnamon raisin filling
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) softened butter (not melted)
- 1/2 large egg (beat 1 large egg and then measure out half. u
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup raisins (depending on how much you like raisins. y
- a fan)
- for the spiced apple filling
- 1 cup prepared apple pie filling (i used lucky leaf)
- 1/4 cup cinnamon baking chips or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinna
- 1/2 cup cool butter (should be cool but softened)
- 1/2 cup powdered or confectioner’s sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon lemon extract
- enough milk to make a glaze about 2 teaspoons
- Carbohydrate 13.246767893318 g
- Cholesterol 27.8774999981043 mg
- Fat 3.17900276274396 g
- Fiber 0.685147635561104 g
- Protein 2.10763245815778 g
- Saturated Fat 1.6632274149752 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (34g)
- Sodium 66.2835658407957 mg
- Sugar 12.5616202577569 g
- Trans Fat 0.425465387033514 g
- Calories 88 calories
Step-by-step
- For the Dough: Put the water, butter, sugar, egg, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir briefly with a whisk. Add the flour, and then add the yeast on top. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and knead for 10 minutes. The dough will be soft, very shiny, and supple. It will also be very soft. Don’t worry about that—we want a soft dough. Leave the dough in the mixer bowl, and scrape it into a ball, spray with pan spray, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
- For the Cinnamon Raisin Filling: Using a whisk or a hand mixer, mix all the ingredients except the raisins together until smooth. Reserve the raisins for assembly.
- For the Spiced Apple Filling: Using a chef knife, or a mini prep, chop or pulse the apples until the pieces are about the size of small peas. You don’t want it completely smooth like apple sauce. Think more like salsa. Stir in the salt and cinnamon chips, if using. If not using cinnamon chips, stir in the ground cinnamon and set aside.
- For the Streusel: Using 2 forks, a pastry blender, or your fingers, mix all the streusel ingredients together until sandy with little clumps of butter. Set aside.
- To Assemble and Bake: Sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the dough and then punch it down to press out the gases. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and flour the top of the dough lightly as well. Roll dough into a rough rectangle about 18” x 10”. Spread the Cinnamon mixture evenly over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle on the raisins, if using. Starting from a long end, roll up the dough into a cylinder as if you were making cinnamon rolls. Pinch the seam to seal. Cut the dough into 9 equal pieces. Cut each of these pieces into 3 pieces for a total of 18 “cinnamon rolls.” Line 2 jumbo muffin tins with jumbo muffin liners (you will only need to line 3 cavities in the second pan since this recipe makes 9 muffins). For each muffin, you’ll be using 3 of the “cinnamon rolls.” Cut the first in 4-5 pieces and put them in a lined muffin cavity. Top with a spoonful of apple filling. Repeat twice more with the second and third “cinnamon rolls.” When finished, you’ll have a muffin with 3 layers of cinnamon roll and 2 of spiced apple. You will be filling the muffin cups almost to the tops. Continue making muffins with the rest of your dough and apple filling. Evenly sprinkle on the streusel, dividing it evenly among the 9 muffins. Cover muffins and let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 45 minutes. While muffins are rising, place a rack in the center of your oven, and preheat to 350 F. Bake until golden brown and well risen. The internal temperature of the muffins should be about 195F, give or take 5 degrees. This will take about 30 minutes. If the muffins seem to be browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes and then remove muffins to a rack to cool completely. Once cool, use a fork to drizzle each muffin lightly with the glaze (instructions below).
- For the Glaze: Whisk the ingredients together until smooth. You can wait until the muffins are cooling after baking to do this part.
- Ways To Simplify the Cobblestone Recipe: Start with store-bought sweet dough, such as the type made by Rhodes Bake-N-Serv. Instead of rolling out the dough and making “cinnamon rolls,” you can also roll the dough into ping pong ball-sized balls and dip them into the cinnamon mixture and roll them in raisins. Use an equal number of balls for each muffin, making sure to add in the apple mixture. Leave out the apple mixture entirely. You can also leave off the streusel or the glaze if you prefer. Make a Cobblestone coffee cake by making the whole thing in a well-greased tube pan or springform pan.
My Unexpected Baking Adventure: Panera Bread Cobblestone Muffins at Home
Honestly, I never thought I’d be attempting something as ambitious as Panera Bread’s Cobblestone Muffins. I’m more of a “throw-together-a-quick-pasta-dinner” kind of cook, not a pastry chef. But a recent trip to Panera left me utterly captivated by these layered delights. Those perfectly textured cinnamon swirls, the spiced apple filling peeking through, the crunchy streusel topping… it was a revelation! The challenge was on.
Armed with my trusty stand mixer (my baking partner-in-crime, mostly because it does most of the work), a recipe I found online, and a healthy dose of optimism, I dove headfirst into the world of yeast doughs, cinnamon fillings, and apple pie surprises. I’ll admit, there were moments of doubt. The dough was softer than I anticipated, and the rolling and layering felt a bit like a delicate surgery. But somewhere between the kneading and the rising, something magical happened. I was no longer just following a recipe; I was creating.
The aroma that filled my kitchen during baking was heavenly – a symphony of cinnamon, apple, and warm bread. And the end result? A truly impressive batch of Cobblestone Muffins. They weren’t exactly identical to Panera’s (mine lacked that perfect, professional polish), but they possessed a rustic charm all their own. The textures were a delight – soft, chewy cinnamon swirls, bursts of spiced apple, and a satisfying crunch from the streusel.
This baking adventure has taught me more than just a recipe; it’s shown me the power of embracing a challenge, the joy of creating something delicious from scratch, and the unexpected satisfaction of a job well done. I may not be a pastry chef, but I certainly feel a newfound confidence in the kitchen. Perhaps tomorrow's menu includes croissants?
The unexpected twists and turns in making this recipe was more than just a challenge it was a fun journey
Baking is often more than just following instructions, it is a process of exploration. This recipe, while straightforward in its ingredients, offered a significant challenge: making sure that each layer came together well. The layers were important to get the cobble stone look. I found myself adjusting the dough consistency, ensuring the apple filling didn’t overwhelm the cinnamon, and meticulously shaping each little cinnamon roll before tucking it into the muffin cups.
Beyond the technical aspects, there’s a meditative quality to baking. The rhythmic kneading of the dough, the careful layering of ingredients, the anticipation of watching the muffins rise in the oven – it’s a grounding experience. It’s a reminder to slow down, focus on the task at hand, and appreciate the sensory details of the process. The aroma alone is enough to set you in a calm and happy mood
And of course, the ultimate reward is sharing the fruits of your labor. These Cobblestone Muffins were met with rave reviews, and that’s the most satisfying part of the entire experience. Knowing that I’d created something delicious, something that brought joy to others, made all the effort worthwhile.
So, if you’re looking for a baking project that challenges you, rewards you, and tastes absolutely divine, I highly recommend giving these Panera Bread Cobblestone Muffins a try. Just be prepared for a little bit of kitchen magic.
