These copycat Panera lemon drop cookies are soft, chewy, and full of real lemon flavor. Made with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, creamy white chocolate chips, and a dusting of powdered sugar, they're even better than the bakery version.
🍋 Recipe At-A-Glance
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Servings: 10 large cookies
- Difficulty: Easy
- Key Ingredients: Lemon juice, lemon zest, white chocolate chips, powdered sugar
- Flavor Profile: Bright, citrusy, soft, and chewy
- Best For: Spring baking, citrus lovers, Panera fans, freezer-friendly cookies
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Craving more from the Panera menu? Try these reader favorites next: Panera Bread BBQ chicken salad and Panera tomato basil cucumber salad.
Why You'll Love Them
- Bright Lemon Flavor: Real lemon juice and zest make the flavors pop.
- Soft and Chewy: Perfectly tender with just the right amount of bite.
- Easy to Make: Simple pantry ingredients and no chilling required (unless you want to).
Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cornstarch
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon extract
- Lemon juice and zest
- White chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Lemon Cookies Like Panera
For more detailed instructions with measurements, jump to the recipe card.
Mix the Dough
- Step 1: Whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon extract; mix well.
- Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and white chocolate chips.
Scoop and Bake
- Step 5: Scoop ¼ cup portions of dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing no more than 4 per pan.
- Step 6: Bake at 350°F for 14 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn golden brown.
Cool and Finish
- Step 7: Let the cookies sit on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Step 8: Once cooled, dust the tops with powdered sugar.
💡 Baking Tip
Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the cookie dough. It's the perfect size!
Substitutions & Variations
Add Crunch: Stir in chopped almonds or walnuts.
Switch Up the Chips: Use white chocolate chunks or lemon baking chips.
Make Them Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Serving Suggestions
Drinks: Enjoy these cookies with a glass of homemade cane sugar lemonade or a warm cup of lemon ginger tea with honey.
Desserts: Pair with a scoop of Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream or make a homemade ice cream sandwich with the vanilla ice cream between two lemon cookies.
How to Store Lemon Drop Cookies
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
You can also freeze the dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen with 1-2 extra minutes.
FAQs About Lemon Drop Cookies
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?
Yes, bottled lemon juice works, but fresh lemon juice gives a brighter, more natural citrus flavor. If possible, pair bottled juice with fresh lemon zest to boost the flavor.
Why do my cookies spread too much?
Cookies may spread if:
- The dough is too warm
- The butter was overly soft or melted
- The baking sheet was hot from a previous batch
Chill the dough for 30 minutes and make sure your butter is softened, not melted.
Can I make these lemon cookies without lemon extract?
Yes! Increase the lemon zest to 2 teaspoons and lemon juice to 2 tablespoons for a bright, natural lemon flavor.
How do I keep lemon cookies soft and chewy?
Don't overbake-remove them when the edges just start to turn golden. Let them cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Cornstarch in the dough also helps with that chewy texture.
Can I freeze the dough?
Absolutely. Scoop the dough into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet until firm. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time. You can also freeze baked cookies and thaw as needed.
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Printable Recipe
Copycat Panera Lemon Drop Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This will take 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon extract to the butter mixture and mix with the electric mixer until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Gently mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and white chocolate chips.
- Scoop out ¼ cup portions of dough on a cookie sheet, placing only 4 cookies per tray to allow room for spreading.
- Bake in the oven for 14 minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown.
- Rest cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once completely cool, dust the tops with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
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Notes
- For a more intense lemon flavor, add an extra teaspoon of lemon zest.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking so the cookies don't spread as much.
- For a crispier cookie, bake for an extra minute or two.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Mrs smith says
Quick easy recipe
Jeri Walker says
Thanks so much Mrs. Smith! I'm glad you liked the recipe! 🙂