Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie Recipe

This Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie Recipe is a burst of sunshine on a cloudy day—the exact treat I crave when I need something bright, zesty, and unapologetically sweet. A perfect combo of a soft, cake-like crumb, creamy white chocolate chips, and a cloud of powdered sugar that melts on your tongue, it is a citrus lover’s dream come true. Ideally the dough should be chilled for at least one hour before baking to ensure the cookies stay thick and pillowy rather than spreading into thin wafers.

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Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie Recipe Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), plus extra for coating
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract (essential for the concentrated flavor)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

How To Make Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie Recipe

1. Cream the Butter: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar together until the mixture is light, creamy, and pale yellow. Using powdered sugar in the dough instead of granulated sugar is the secret to the tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and fresh lemon zest. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until the flour streaks disappear.
4. Fold in Chips: Gently fold in the white chocolate chips using a spatula. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
5. Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This solidifies the butter and hydrates the flour, which is crucial for achieving that thick, bakery-style lift.
6. Prep and Scoop: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the chilled dough into large balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and place them on the sheet.
7. Bake: Bake for 11 to 13 minutes. The cookies should look set and matte on top but should not be browned. They will still feel soft to the touch but will firm up as they cool.
8. The Sugar Coat: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. While they are still warm (but not hot enough to melt the sugar instantly), gently toss them in a bowl of extra powdered sugar to coat. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe Tips

• Lemon Extract vs. Juice: Do not substitute lemon juice for the lemon extract. Juice adds too much liquid, which will make the cookies spread and become cakey in a bad way. Extract provides the punchy flavor without altering the moisture balance.
• The “Double Dusting”: For that snowy Panera look, toss the cookies in powdered sugar while warm, let them cool completely, and then dust them a second time right before serving.
• Don’t Over-bake: These cookies are meant to be soft. If the edges start turning brown, they are overdone. Pull them out when they look puffed and dry on the surface.
• Zesting: Zest the lemon directly over the bowl. This catches the aromatic oils that spray out, ensuring all that flavor goes into your dough rather than onto your cutting board.

What To Serve With Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie

Lemon drop cookie accompaniments are bright, sweet additions frequently served as an afternoon pick-me-up or a light dessert. Ideally the tea should be served hot and black to cut through the intense sweetness of the white chocolate and powdered sugar coating.

• A hot cup of Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea
• A chilled glass of Panera Bread Green Tea
• Vanilla bean ice cream
• Fresh raspberries or strawberries

How To Store Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie

• Room Temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Layer them with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
• Refrigerate: You can store them in the fridge for up to a week, but they may lose some of their soft texture.
• Freeze: These cookies freeze beautifully. Freeze them baked (without the final sugar coating) for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and toss in fresh powdered sugar before serving.

Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 190 kcal (per cookie)
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Protein: 2g
• Fat: 8g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 18g

Nutrition information is estimated per cookie based on a yield of 12 large cookies.

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