These copycat Panera lemon drop cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with real lemon. Made with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, creamy white chocolate chips, and a light dusting of powdered sugar, they may even top the bakery original.
If you love lemon desserts, try my No-Bake Lemon Cream Pie next!
🍋 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 Panera-style recipes? Try these reader favorites: Panera Bread BBQ Chicken Salad and Panera Tomato Basil Cucumber Salad.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Bright Lemon Flavor: Fresh lemon juice and zest make the flavor pop.
- Soft and Chewy: Tender centers with a pleasant chew.
- Easy to Make: Simple pantry ingredients and no chill time required (unless you prefer it).
Ingredients
Full ingredient quantities are listed in the printable recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cornstarch
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon extract
- Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest
- White chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar for dusting
How to Make Lemon Cookies Like Panera
For exact measurements, see the printable recipe card below.
Mix the Dough
- Step 1: Whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Step 2: Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon extract; mix until combined.
- Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and white chocolate chips until just combined.
Scoop and Bake
- Step 5: Scoop 1/4-cup portions of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing no more than four per pan.
- Step 6: Bake at 350°F for about 14 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden.
Cool and Finish
- Step 7: Let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Step 8: Once cooled, dust the tops with powdered sugar and serve.
Baking Tip
Use an ice cream scoop to portion the dough for even, consistent cookies.
Substitutions and Variations
Add Crunch: Fold in chopped almonds or walnuts for texture.
Switch the Chips: Use white chocolate chunks or lemon baking chips.
Gluten-Free Option: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Serving Suggestions
Drinks: Serve with homemade cane sugar lemonade or lemon ginger tea with honey for a bright pairing.
Desserts: Try a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside, or make ice cream sandwiches with two cookies and a scoop of vanilla between them.
How to Store Lemon Cookies
Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then move to a freezer bag 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 and add 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
FAQs
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?
Yes. Bottled lemon juice works, but fresh lemon juice and fresh zest give a brighter, more natural citrus flavor. If using bottled juice, keep the fresh zest for the best taste.
Why do my cookies spread too much?
Cookies spread when the dough is warm, butter is too soft or melted, or the baking sheet is hot. Chill the dough for 30 minutes and use properly softened (not melted) butter to prevent excess spreading.
Can I make these without lemon extract?
Yes. Increase lemon zest to 2 teaspoons and fresh lemon juice to 2 tablespoons for a bright, natural lemon flavor in place of the extract.
How do I keep them soft and chewy?
Don’t overbake — remove cookies when the edges just begin to color. Let them rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack. Cornstarch in the dough helps maintain a tender, chewy texture.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. Scoop dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time. Baked cookies freeze well too.
More Easy Cookie Recipes to Try
- Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies With Cake Mix
- Air Fryer Sugar Cookies
- Old Fashioned Ginger Snap Cookies
- Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies
- Pumpkin S’mores Cookies
- White Chocolate Chip Mini Egg Cookies
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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 oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl.
-
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
-
Add egg, vanilla, and lemon extract; mix to combine.
-
Gradually mix in dry ingredients, then fold in lemon juice, zest, and white chocolate chips.
-
Scoop 1/4-cup dough portions onto the sheet, spacing four per tray.
-
Bake 14 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
-
Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
-
Dust with powdered sugar once fully cooled and enjoy.
Notes
- For stronger lemon flavor, add an extra teaspoon of lemon zest.
- Chilling dough for 30 minutes helps prevent excessive spreading.
- For a crisper cookie, bake 1–2 minutes longer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary.
Did you love this recipe?
If so, please leave a 5-star rating or review and save it to your recipe box.