Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie Copycat Recipe
This Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie Copycat Recipe offers a delightful citrus twist on classic cookies, combining zesty lemon flavor with sweet white chocolate chips. These soft, buttery cookies are lightly dusted with powdered sugar, making them an irresistible treat perfect for any lemon lover.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room-temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
- Zest of 4 lemons
- 2 large eggs, room-temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
Topping
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until fully combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Mix just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in White Chocolate Chips: Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the white chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Chill Dough: Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to firm up and hydrate the flour.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove dough from refrigerator and roll into 2-tablespoon balls, smoothing as you roll.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Place dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet spaced at least 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with your hand for even spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown.
- Cool Cookies: Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with Powdered Sugar: Once cooled, use a flour sifter or fine mesh strainer to dust cookies evenly with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Use a digital kitchen scale for the most accurate ingredient measurements; flour should be spooned and leveled, not compressed, to avoid dense cookies.
- If using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt instead of Morton, double the salt quantity as it is less dense.
- Use room temperature unsalted butter for easier creaming; if only salted butter is available, omit added salt (about ¼ teaspoon salt per stick of salted butter).
- For crispier cookies, increase baking time by 2-3 minutes.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freeze unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 3 months on a parchment-lined sheet, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Thaw at room temperature before baking, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time if needed.
