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It's My Job To Review Food, And Of Panera Bread's 6 New Desserts, This Is The Absolute Best One
My days of sustaining after-school munchies with free Panera Bread baguette and raspberry iced tea that I sneakily dispensed into a water cup (don't judge—you've at least thought about it) are over. On the heels of a taste test of the chain's newest breakfast sandwiches, avocado toasts and bagels, I recently visited one of its Philadelphia, PA, restaurants to try six new, drool-worthy desserts. Read on to find out what they are—and which ones are worth the spend.
I Tasted 12 New Panera Bread Menu Items: Here's What to Order ASAP…and What to Skip
Taryn Pire
What's in It: buttery, flaky pastry with sweet almond filling, drizzled with icing and topped with sliced almonds
Price: $3.89
I really wanted to love this one, but it's a bit underwhelming. The pastry base is kind of giving supermarket croissant, and the almond filling is milder than I'd hoped. (I feel like a touch of salt would really make it sing.) That said, the slivered almonds do offer crunchy contrast to the rest of the treat.
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Taryn Pire
This one is giving Cocoa Pebbles in milk. It's not bad by any means, but the coconut kind of gets lost in all the chocolate. I feel like a dark or bittersweet chocolate dip, or some flaky salt, would make it more complex, rather than one-note and sweet.
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Taryn Pire
The pastry base is just OK, but I really liked the jammy, just-sour-enough cherry filling. However, I wish there was more of it to balance out the bread-to-fruit ratio. (I wouldn't be mad at more icing either, TBH.)
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Taryn Pire
Toasty, tropical and nutty, this macaroon is pretty flawless. I appreciate that they neatly pack in the coconut instead of making it pointy and craggy—I see you, chic-ish Panera. It sticks to your teeth in the best way, and it's one of the cheapest desserts on the menu. But I think if the chocolate dip were a little less sweet, it'd be even tastier.
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Taryn Pire
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this delightfully sweet cookie, and it's back for a limited time this fall. It reminds me of the glazed sugar cookies my mom used to bake for the holidays. The cookie itself is ridiculously buttery and a touch salty, while the glaze is hard enough to maintain its shape (except for the mushed detailing) yet creamy enough to melt in your mouth.
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Taryn Pire
Bright, citrusy and sweet-tart, I'm a true fan of this wintry Panera dessert (or breakfast, if you'd prefer). There's a slight orange-y bitterness that comes through that I really like, and the sugary edge gives an occasional crunch that's the ideal foil for the supremely moist, tender cake.
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I Tasted Panera's New Era Menu, and This Is Hands Down the Perfect Order
You'll Want To Make Our 30 Most-Saved Dessert Recipes Again And Again
They are our all time best!
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
If you're looking for the best desserts on the internet, start here. This list is filled with our 30 most-saved dessert recipes of all time—and what a list it is. These desserts come from all over the world: The South, Latin America, grandma's kitchen, and so much more. Find everything from Key lime pie and chocolate cake to peach cobbler and brownies in this collection of our community's favorite desserts.
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter CookiesPreethi Venkatram/Allrecipes
"These 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies are one of my favorite cookies to make," says recipe creator heather. "They are the only peanut butter cookies my family will eat! Sprinkle a pinch of sugar on cookies before baking, if desired."
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The Original Fantasy FudgeDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"This fantasy fudge recipe is straight from the label of a well-known brand of marshmallow creme. After some time, the company changed the recipe, but this is the original for smooth chocolate and marshmallow fudge with walnuts," says recipe submitter CAVAMom. "This recipe makes a large batch (3 pounds!), so consider gifting some of these sweet fudgy morsels to friends and family during the holidays."
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Bananas FosterDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"Incredible! I made this for friends and they raved about it! One friend said this was the best dessert she has had in her life!" says reviewer Alyson Jones. "I used rum extract in place of rum. I looked up the substitution on the web and found out 1 tablespoon rum equals 1 teaspoon rum extract, plus 2 teaspoons water. I used these measurements and it tasted perfect!"
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Mom's Peach CrispDOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
"Super delicious. I could eat this all day, every day, for the rest of my life," says reviewer Dog Spiritus. "I follow the recipe exactly because it is 'perfection' as is."
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Key Lime PieDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"This key lime pie recipe is made with condensed milk and sour cream. Fabulously easy and a summertime favorite!" says recipe creator ANNRICHARDSON. "If you have time, a homemade graham cracker crust is better. Garnish with whipped cream and thin slices of lime if you like."
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Strawberry Pretzel SaladDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"Strawberry pretzel salad is an easy dessert with lots of contrasting textures and flavors," says recipe creator Betty. "It isn't too sweet, nor too salty, and looks really pretty when you make it in a glass dish."
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Spanish Flan"This is the one. I've made several flan recipes from this site and others, and this recipe is the best," says reviewer Amy Gless. "Have made this one several times now, and it is by far the best."
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Apple CrispDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"This apple crisp recipe is a simple yet delicious fall dessert that showcases apples at their best! The combination of warm, tender apples and the crunchy oat topping is delicious with vanilla ice cream," says recipe creator Diane Kester.
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Old-Fashioned Coconut Cream PieDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"A coconut cream pie recipe that's tried and true. It took many years of searching and baking to find the right one, and this is it!" says recipe submitter Carol H.
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Greek BaklavaDOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
"Baklava is a delicious Greek dessert made up of layers of crispy phyllo dough, honey and nuts that's sooo easy to make," says recipe submitter Donna. "A Greek friend showed me how to make this fabulous recipe."
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Edible Cookie Dough"This edible cookie dough recipe is egg-free and will satisfy any cravings for chocolate chip cookies without the wait," says recipe creator Kala McKay. "I have made this with friends before, and they said that they loved the taste. So do I. The leftovers will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months."
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Gooey Butter CakeDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"Oh Yeah! I know I have died and gone to heaven with this Cake. Absolutely the best cake and I know that my co-workers will simply rave about this cake. You simply cannot appreciate how good this cake is if you skimp on the recipe," says reviewer Pammy Moscoso Vance.
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Sopapilla Cheesecake PieMelissa Goff
"This sopapilla cheesecake is easy to make, smells great while cooking, and tastes wonderful! I take this to potluck dinners, and it always gets rave reviews," says recipe creator CandelB.
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Bread PuddingDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"My family loves bread pudding, so when I make this recipe, I double it and bake it in a 9x13-inch dish," says recipe creator ELLENMARIE. "Made with basic pantry ingredients and some day-old bread (try a rich egg bread or a moist white loaf), this easy recipe can be served for breakfast or dessert with milk poured over top or a scoop of vanilla ice cream."
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Perfect Pumpkin Pie"Outstanding Flavor and very easy to make. Two combinations I love," says reviewer TaoWine. "A very sweet pie, nice appearance, and make sure to top it off with whipped cream. This recipe is by far a 5-star!"
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Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal CookiesDOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
I have made this recipe a lot over the last few months and everyone who eats them just RAVES over them. I make them to the T of the recipe and they always turn out delicious," says reviewer NattyBatty. "If your cookies turn out flat, try adding a little more flour and don't make the scoops on the cookie sheet as large. Regardless of whether mine puff out or flatten, my friends still devour them as though it were their last meal on earth."
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Tres Leches (Milk Cake)Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
"AMAZING!!! Made the recipe exactly as written and everyone loved this cake!" says reviewer ashleykristine. "I added some cocoa powder and banana slices to the top and voila, fabulous!"
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Creamy Rice PuddingDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"This rice pudding is the best I've ever tasted, and it gets rave reviews from everyone who tastes it!" says an Allrecipes member. "Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon, if desired. For creamier pudding, use short or medium-grain rice."
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Carrot CakeDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"AS IS!!!! Absolutely scrumptious and sooo moist!" says reviewer STACYPW. "I did make it in a springform pan and cut in half to make a layer cake with icing in between. I made it for my son's 21st with carrots picked from my garden. Definitely a keeper!"
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The Best Rolled Sugar CookiesDOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
"This is the best sugar cookie recipe and the only one I use," says recipe submitter J Saunders. "Whenever you make these cookies for someone, be sure to bring along several copies of the recipe—you will be asked for it, I promise!"
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Quick and Easy BrowniesDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"I love this recipe! So fun and easy! I'm only 12 and I love it!" says reviewer Lucyval. "So simple. I have made it twice, and I am about to make it for the 3rd time. If you like fun and simple, I highly recommend this recipe."
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Fresh Southern Peach Cobblerdotdash meredith food studios
"This old-fashioned peach cobbler recipe uses fresh peaches and a buttery cobbler topping that's made form scratch," says recipe creator aeposey. "It's a delicious summer dessert I've perfected over the years!"
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One Bowl Chocolate Cake"This homemade chocolate cake recipe is super easy to prepare in one bowl for a deliciously moist and fluffy chocolate cake," says recipe creator shirleyo. "This is the best chocolate cake I have ever had! Frost with your favorite frosting."
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Grandma's Lemon Meringue PieDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"I have made this pie so many times and it comes out perfectly every time. This recipe is SO EASY compared to others in this site. No double boiler, no stirring for 20 minutes," says reviewer Angela. "This sets up nice and fast, and tastes wonderful. Light, not too sweet. With the Meyer lemons in my back yard, I needed something to use them up. This is certainly the most delicious way!"
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Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip CookieDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"These chewy chocolate chip cookies are the pinnacle of perfection! If you want a big, fat, soft, and chewy cookie like the kind you see at bakeries and specialty shops, then this is the recipe for you!" says recipe creator ELIZABETHBH.
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The Best Banana PuddingDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"This no-cook banana pudding recipe is easy to make and delicious layered with vanilla wafers and slices of banana," says recipe creator Kenneth Strother. "It's the best banana pudding you will ever find (or so I've been told by many)!"
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Soft Oatmeal CookiesDotdash Meredith Food Studios
"These oatmeal cookies are perfectly flavored and lightly spiced with just a touch of cinnamon," says recipe creator BITTERSWEET1. "They're soft, chewy, and easily customizable—Just add 1 cup raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips when you mix in the oats. Keep them on hand for after-school snacking or make a batch for a holiday cookie exchange."
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Classic Peanut Butter CookiesMeredith Food Studio
These cookies are our third most-saved dessert recipe of all time, and it's not hard to understand why. "This is a great old fashioned recipe. They are crispy yet chewy and great with crunchy peanut butter," says reviewer Robin. If you're a peanut butter fan, theses are for you.
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Best BrowniesAt our second most-saved recipe, we have one of the best brownie recipes around. "This brownie recipe makes rich, fudgy brownies that always turn out well," says recipe submitter Angie. "They're topped with homemade chocolate frosting to make the best brownies ever!"
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Best Chocolate Chip CookiesDotdash Meredith Food Studios
Is the top spot any surprise? What's better than a classic chocolate chip cookie? With over 15,000 5-star ratings and 14,000 rave reviews, they're more than the best cookies you'll ever find. "THESE COOKIES ARE LIFE-CHANGING," says reviewer Harriet. "The best I've ever tasted in 25 years of baking. They have the right balance of flavor and texture." No wonder they've been saved more than any other dessert.
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More InspirationDotdash Meredith Food Studios
Read the original article on All Recipes.
Thank Heavens For No-Bake Prayer Bars
You may know Prayer Bars by another name, Nanaimo bars. A very similar no-bake treat originated in Canada, but similar recipes have popped up all across North America with different names but the same basic idea. Nanaimo bars call upon almonds in the crust layer, but Prayer Bars use pecans or walnuts typically. Another difference: The Canadian dessert is usually made in an 8x8 pan, but for crowds, a 9x13 is needed for Prayer Bars.
Make these no-bake Prayer Bars for anyone with a serious sweet tooth, because these cookie bars are sweet. They're teetering on the edge of being more candy than cookie. Nuts and shredded coconut give the dense, chocolaty base layer a pleasant chew and toastiness. The filling is just enough to provide a touch of vanilla flavor and smooth, creaminess to balance the firm, chocolate layers it's sandwiched between.
The final layer of chocolate coating provides a nice hit of pure bittersweet chocolate to help balance the sweetness of the whole dessert; and the (optional) sprinkle of sea salt over top is also a very welcome addition to break up the sugary sweetness. Taken as a whole, the bar provides a dense, intensely rich bite.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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