• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Savor the Flavour

  • Recipe Index
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy/Disclaimer
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Fall Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About Us
  • Shop
  • Services
  • Contact
×
Home » Dessert Recipes » Cookie Recipes

Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookies

Published: Mar 12, 2021 · Modified: Jul 4, 2023 by Emma Fajcz · This post may contain affiliate links, which can earn us a commission.

6264 shares
  • 416
Jump to Recipe

Craving the delicious lemon drop cookies from Panera Bread, but don't want to pay that much for one cookie?  The simple solution is to make your own cookies at home, and you can enjoy an entire batch instead of just one.  This fun twist on the simple sugar cookie gives you a delightful lemon flavor with hints of white chocolate, making them a favorite with both kids and adults.

Looking for more Panera desserts? You'll love our recipes for Panera kitchen sink cookies and Panera chocolate chipper cookies. Don't miss our collection of 8 Panera copycat dessert recipes, too!

stack of lemon drop cookies on wax paper with a plate of cookies
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Variations
  • How to Make
  • Questions
  • Serve
  • Expert Tips
  • Other Panera Copycat Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookies
  • Comments

Ingredients

Fortunately, these lemon drop cookies are made with mostly pantry staples, which you'll probably already have, especially if you're an avid home baker.

  • Flour: regular all-purpose is the best choice for this recipe.
  • Leavener: baking soda reacts with the acid in the lemon juice to cause them to rise.
  • Fat: unsalted butter that's been softened to room temperature is the most flavorful choice.
  • Sweetener: regular white granulated sugar is what we'll be using here.
  • Binder: two large eggs add richness and stability to the dough.
  • Flavorings: lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and salt add lots of flavor.
  • Mix-Ins: all we're adding is white chocolate chips.
  • Decoration: there's no need for icings or glazes for this recipe!  A dusting of powdered sugar does the trick.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

  • Gluten Free: substitute with your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour.
  • Vegan: use vegan baking butter and vegan white chocolate chips, and use ½ cup of applesauce instead of the eggs.

How to Make

Measure out all the ingredients before you begin.

bowls of ingredients for lemon drop cookies

Whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda together until blended, then set aside.

mixture of flour, baking soda, and salt in a glass bowl with a whisk

Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl

Add the eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, and vanilla extract along with ½ cup of the flour mixture and beat to combine.

creamed butter and sugar with eggs and liquids mixed in

Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing until just combined, then stir in the white chocolate chips on low speed until they are evenly distributed.

lemon drop cookie dough in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment

Drop ¼ cup balls of cookie dough on a large cookie sheet, placing four balls on each 11x17-inch cookie sheet.  This will give you a very large cookie.

balls of unbaked lemon drop cookie dough on a cookie sheet

Bake at 350 F for 12 minutes per tray, or until the edges of the cookies are a light golden brown.

baked lemon drop cookies on a wire rack

Dust the cookies with powdered sugar to decorate, and allow them to cool on the wire racks.

lemon drop cookies on a wire rack dusted with powdered sugar

Enjoy this delicious springtime treat!

stack of lemon drop cookies on a piece of wax paper

Questions

What's in Panera's lemon drop cookies?

These cookies contain the standard ingredients of flour, sugar, butter, baking soda, salt, eggs, and vanilla extract.  What makes them taste so lemony is the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and a hint of lemon extract.  White chocolate chips bring extra richness, while a dusting of powdered sugar decorates these delightful treats.

How many calories are in a Panera lemon cookies?

According to Panera's website, the nutrition facts for one cookie is 430 calories, 20g of fat, 270mg of sodium, 60g of carbs, 35g of sugars, and 5g of protein.  By contrast, our copycat recipe contains only 288 calories, 13.6g of fat, 173.7mg of sodium, 39.2g of carbs, 24.7g of sugars, and 3.4g of protein.  To see full nutrition facts for our copycat cookies, please scroll to the bottom of the recipe card.

Keep in mind that Panera's cookies measure approximately 4 ½ inches in diameter, while this recipe makes cookies that are a little bit smaller, but comparable in size.  You can cut back on calories even further if you make them smaller.

How much is a lemon drop cookie at Panera?

At our local Panera, it costs $2.39 for a 4 ½-inch cookie.  Keep in mind that the price may vary depending from one Panera location to another.

Can I freeze lemon drop cookies?

You absolutely can!  Simply seal them tightly in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost them at room temperature for 15 minutes, or in the microwave if you'd like a warm cookie.

Serve

Looking for other delicious cookies? You'll definitely want to try these recipes for Panera kitchen sink cookies, Panera chocolate chipper cookies, honey cookies, and vegan snickerdoodles.

plate of Panera lemon drop cookies.

Expert Tips

  • Soften the butter to room temperature before you start baking.  (Microwaving each stick of butter on high in 5-second intervals works well.)
  • Add ½ cup of the flour mixture to the dough when you add the eggs and other liquids to prevent curdling.
  • Handle the dough gently, and don't overmix, or it will get tough.
  • Take the cookies out of the oven when they are light golden around the edges.

Other Panera Copycat Recipes

  • large bowl of Panera turkey chili with a wooden spoon and bowls of toppings
    Panera Turkey Chili Copycat
  • bowl of Panera chicken noodle soup
    Panera Chicken Noodle Soup Copycat
  • bread bowl of Panera broccoli cheddar soup
    Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
  • person holding a spoonful of black bean soup
    Panera Black Bean Soup (Copycat Recipe)

If you liked this recipe and found it helpful, give it some love by sharing!

Follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook for more crave-worthy recipes!

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated!

Recipe

stack of three lemon drop cookies with one broken in half

Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookies

This quick and easy recipe for Panera Bread’s lemon drop cookies will give you a whole batch of these delicious treats! Skip the price tag of the Panera cookie and enjoy these mouthwatering copycat cookies instead.
4.1 from 58 votes
Print Pin FavoriteSaved! Rate
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes minutes
Servings: 19 cookies
Calories: 295kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup icing sugar
Keep your screen on while you work!

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two 11x17-inch cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 1 minute on medium speed.
  • Add the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon extract along with ½ cup of the flour mixture to prevent curdling. Beat until well blended.
  • Mix in the remaining flour mixture in two additions, stirring on low speed until the dough is smooth.  Be careful not to overmix, or the cookies will be tough.
  • Stir in the white chocolate chips and mix until they are evenly distributed.
  • Drop the cookie dough in ¼ cup sized balls, putting four cookies per tray.  Each ball of dough should weigh between 57-67g, depending upon how many chocolate chips are in it.  Be sure to place the cookies far apart, as they will spread in the oven.
  • Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes per tray, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.  Let them cool for 2-3 minutes on the tray, then use a spatula to transfer them to wire racks.
  • Dust with the icing sugar and let them cool for 10 minutes before enjoying.

Notes

  • Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before you begin.  (If you need to soften the butter quickly, microwave the stick of butter on high in 5-second intervals, flipping the stick to a different side between each interval.)
  • Be sure to add ½ cup of the flour mixture to the dough when you add the eggs and other liquids.  This prevents the dough from splitting or curdling.
  • Don't overmix the batter once the flour is added, or the cookies will get tough.
  • Watch the cookies closely as the end of the baking time nears.  Take them out when they are light golden around the edges.
  • The cook time means that each tray bakes for 12 minutes.  If you bake four cookies per tray, it will take you 1 hour to cook 19 cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 295kcal (15%)Carbohydrates: 41g (14%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 13g (20%)Saturated Fat: 8g (50%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 47mg (16%)Sodium: 170mg (7%)Potassium: 61mg (2%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 26g (29%)Vitamin A: 330IU (7%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 28mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

Tried this Recipe? Tag us Today!Mention @savortheflavourblog or tag #savortheflavour!
« Panera Bread 10 Vegetable Soup
Panera Tomato Basil Bread »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Judy

    May 28, 2023 at 4:15 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic cookie recipe! I used 4 TBSP of lemon juice instead of 2 because I wanted a good lemony flavor. Came out perfectly. These are dangerously delicious and better than the Panera cookie version. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Emma

      May 29, 2023 at 6:23 am

      That's great to hear, Judy! Thanks so much for your kind comment!

      Reply
  2. Andrea

    May 07, 2023 at 2:50 pm

    5 stars
    My daughter is in love with the Panera lemon cookies and these are a perfect dupe! So delicious!

    Reply
    • Emma

      May 08, 2023 at 6:18 am

      We're happy that you and your daughter are enjoying the cookies, Andrea!

      Reply
  3. Linda

    April 08, 2023 at 4:19 pm

    5 stars
    Just as good, if not better, than the real thing. Everyone loved lthem!

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 09, 2023 at 7:20 am

      Thank you so much, Linda! We're happy that everyone enjoyed them!

      Reply
  4. Cat

    March 06, 2023 at 11:13 am

    4 stars
    These were delicious, my only complaint is I wish there were more of a lemon flavor since I absolutely love the flavor. I may add a bit more lemon next time I make these. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
    • Emma

      March 07, 2023 at 6:32 am

      I'm glad you enjoyed them, Cat!

      Reply
  5. Puckles

    December 06, 2022 at 7:01 pm

    1 star
    AWFUL recipe. they did not spread at all like depicted and there was barely any lemon flavor. These are NOT anything like panera.

    Reply
    • Emma

      December 07, 2022 at 6:27 am

      I'm sorry they didn't work for you, Puckles. Cookies can have trouble spreading if the flour was measured incorrectly, if the butter wasn't softened enough, if a dark colored baking sheet was used, or if the tray was greased instead of being lined with parchment.

      Reply
  6. Dianne

    August 27, 2022 at 4:09 pm

    Oh Em Gee, these are absolutely fabulous cookies with a couple minor tweets due to taste preference. First, I did not add white chocolate chips as they are not my favorite. Second, I chilled the dough for two hours before baking, this prevented the dough from spreading during baking. Third, instead of powered sugar as the "icing", I used sparkling sugar along with lemon juice powder to taste. I also used a smaller cookie scoop so my batch made nearly 2 1/2 dozen! I baked them for 13 minutes, rotating the pan after 6 minutes -- and I already ate two cookies! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe, this is going to be on my favorite cookie rotation!
    BTW, this is my first visit to your site, I found it by looking up lemon drop cookies. I cannot wait to try your other recipes. Keep up the great work!

    Reply
    • Emma

      August 28, 2022 at 3:30 pm

      We're so glad that you enjoyed the lemon drop cookies, Dianne! We hope you enjoy many other recipes here on Savor the Flavour.

      Reply
    • Nicole

      September 17, 2023 at 12:04 am

      Just an FYI, powdered sugar and icing sugar are the exact same thing

      Reply
  7. Sherry Ronning

    August 04, 2022 at 11:17 am

    5 stars
    This is such a great cookie recipe!! I made these for my daughters birthday and the whole family eat them in no time! And asked me to make them again!

    Reply
    • Emma

      August 05, 2022 at 6:22 am

      Aww we love to hear that, Sherry! I'm so glad that you and your family enjoyed the cookies so much!

      Reply
  8. Diana

    April 04, 2022 at 6:30 pm

    Can you freeze this cookie dough before baking?

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 05, 2022 at 6:28 am

      I've never tried it, but I've frozen and baked other cookie doughs with success. Feel free to give it a try and let me know how it went!

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

two ladies with brown hair smiling in a kitchen.

Welcome to our kitchen! We're Brooke & Emma Fajcz, the mother-daughter team behind Savor the Flavour. Increase your kitchen confidence with our recipes, instructional photos, and helpful tips and facts. Our recipes have been featured in Oprah Magazine, The Guardian, Parade, Insider, Delish, and BuzzFeed.

More about us →

logos of newspapers and companies that featured Savor the Flavour.

Starbucks Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato

person holding an apple crisp macchiato

Favorite Starbucks Recipes

  • two glasses of pumpkin spice latte
    Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte
  • two glasses of pumpkin cream cold brew with a straw
    Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
  • two apple crisp macchiatos with fall foliage
    Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato
  • two slices of Starbucks pumpkin pepita loaf on a white plate
    Starbucks Pumpkin & Pepita Loaf
  • people doing a toast with two smoked butterscotch lattes
    Starbucks Copycat Smoked Butterscotch Latte
  • two salted caramel mocha lattes with spoons
    Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha

Popular Posts

  • bowl of kale crunch salad
    Copycat Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad
  • two blue lagoon mocktails with lemon slices
    Blue Lagoon Mocktail
  • ploughman's lunch arranged on a wooden cutting board
    How to Make a Ploughman's Lunch
  • person drizzling avocado lime ranch off of a spoon
    Avocado Lime Ranch - Chick-fil-A Copycat
  • holding a piece of eggplant tofu with chopsticks.
    Panda Express Eggplant Tofu Copycat Recipe
  • sliced loaf of Cuban bread on a wire rack
    Homemade Cuban Bread (Pan Cubano)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Us
  • Work with Us
  • Press

Connect

  • Contact Us
  • Sign Up for Newsletter
  • Services

Other

  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility

As an Amazon associate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2017-2023 Savor the Flavour