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.
If you love lemon desserts, check out my No-Bake Lemon Cream Pie next!
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🍋 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
Craving more from the Panera menu? Try these reader favorites next: Panera Bread BBQ chicken salad and Panera tomato basil cucumber salad.
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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 and 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 lemon 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 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
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.
Did you love this recipe?
Then please leave a 5-star rating and/or review below! You can also save it! Just tap the heart symbol ❤️ in the lower right corner of your screen, and the recipe will be stored in your own recipe box!📥
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.
Did you love this recipe?
Then please leave a 5-star rating and/or review below! You can also save it! Just tap the heart symbol ❤️ in the lower right corner of your screen, and the recipe will be stored in your own recipe box!📥
Mrs smith says
Quick easy recipe
Jeri Walker says
Thanks so much Mrs. Smith! I'm glad you liked the recipe! 🙂