This copycat Panera Bread buttery shortbread cookie recipe is fun for so many occasions. Soft, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies dipped in white chocolate and decorated with sprinkles. These can be cut into any shape and decorated with different colors and textures! This copycat recipe is so easy to make at home, with just a handful of simple ingredients and on 30 minutes of chill time – you can have fresh cookies in no time.
Highlights of the easy shortbread cookies:
- Soft center
- Can be made into any shape or size
- Perfectly sweet
- Buttery, melt in your mouth texture
- Short chill time needed
- Family favorite
- Perfect base for holiday cookie decorating
- Thick enough to hold up to frosting any other decorations
- Simple ingredients
- Easy weekend bake
These delicious buttery cookies make a perfect holiday cookie! A fun sweet treat for any occasion.
These Panera Shortbread Cookies can be made ahead!
Simply make the shortbread cookies according to the recipe and allow to cool completely. Place in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze until ready to enjoy. Remove from freezer and bring to room temperature, frost, and decorate as desired!
First Steps:
- Cream butter and sugar
- Add in eggs, vanilla, and almond extract
- Add in dry ingredients
- Mix until a sticky dough forms
Tools I used for the copycat Panera Cookies:
- Progressive International Biscuit Cutter Set of 7 – I love these as they are not sharp on your hands when pressing down, they are plastic so they will not rust, and they stack neatly inside each other. I like these for a round or decorative edge.
- USA Pan Half Sheet Pan – my go-to cookie sheets, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely.
- Rubber Spatula – a must for any home baker! Perfect for scrapping cookie dough out of the mixing bowl.
- Plastic Bench Scraper – I use my plastic dough scrapper all the time, it is perfect for scrapping cookie dough out of a round mixing bowl
Grocery List & Substitutions for the shortbread recipe:
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Whole Eggs
- Vanilla Extract or vanilla bean paste
- Almond Extract
- All-purpose Flour
- Dash of salt
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Cream of Tartar
- White chocolate, for dipping if desired
- Sprinkles/colored sugar
If you like these Copycat Panera Bread Buttery Shortbread Cookie Recipe, you’ll love these other easy cookie recipes…
The Best No-Chill Roll Out Sugar Cookies
Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Funfetti Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Shortbread Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Ganache Filling
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Easy One-Bowl Valentine’s Day Cookie Bars
Final Steps:
- Roll out dough on a floured surface
- Cut into desired shapes
- Chill dough and bake
Should I bake cut out cookies on parchment paper?
I like to bake my cut out cookies on parchment for a few reasons. The parchment helps ensure the cookies don’t stick, shortbread cookies can be soft and fragile so it helps when they slide right off the pan. The parchment also absorbs some of the fat so the cookies don’t get greasy on the bottom.
Variations & Serving ideas:
- Frost with buttercream
- Create a cookie decorating station with baked cookies, frosting, and different sprinkles
- Make into sandwich cookies
- Cut into different shapes or different holidays
- Dip in different colored chocolate
- Frost with powdered sugar icing
Instructions Copycat Panera Bread Buttery Shortbread Cookie Recipe:
- In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the egg, mix well to combine.,
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined. The dough should be tacky but not too sticky, if it is too sticky add an extra tablespoon or two of flour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes*. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and chill cookies for 30 minutes.
- Bake chilled cookies for 5-7 minutes* until slightly golden brown the cookies will still be soft. Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack.
- If desired, dip cookies in melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles
Notes:
*Cookies can be cut into any desired shapes
*Baking time is dependent on the size of the cookies, for larger cookies add additional baking time as needed.
Bake shortbread in any shape you’d like, cool completely and dip in melted white chocolate for an easy decoration. For Valentines Day I dyed some white chocolate pink and drizzled it over the white chocolate then decorated with Valentines sprinkles!
Copycat Panera Bread Buttery Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Almond Extract
- Melted white chocolate, for dipping
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the egg, mix well to combine.,
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined. The dough should be tacky but not too sticky, if it is too sticky add an extra tablespoon or two of flour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to about 1/2" thick. Cut into desired shapes*. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and chill cookies for 30 minutes.
- Bake chilled cookies for 5-7 minutes* until slightly golden brown the cookies will still be soft. Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack.
- If desired, dip cookies in melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @theheartylife on Instagram and hashtag it #theheartylife.
Looking for more? Try these classic treats…
Peanut & Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies (similar to kitchen sink cookies)
Copycat Panera Bread Lemon Drop Cookie Recipe
Easy Copycat Panera Bread Pumpkin Streusel Muffins (another great Panera recipe)
Copycat Panera Cranberry Orange Muffins
The Best No-Chill Roll Out Sugar Cookies
Did you make this recipe?
I would love to see it! Take a picture and post to Instagram with the tag @theheartylife and the hashtag #theheartylife – You can also leave me a question or comment below! If you’ve tried this recipe, feel free to give it a star rating on the recipe above.
Not at all like Panera or any other shortbread cookies-save your expensive butter and do not make these, they were gross.
Hi Dani, thank you for trying this recipe – sorry it did not work out for you. These are a favorite for us!