Gooey, soft, and chewy with moist crumbs and a bright lemon flavor, our Lemon Brownies are a lemon lover’s dream come true!
Made with simple ingredients and topped with a delicious lemon glaze, our lemon brownies are definitely one of my favorite lemon desserts!
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Lemon brownies (aka lemon blondies) have a fudgy texture that sets them apart from traditional lemon bars.
Our lemon brownies are a delightfully delicious twist on a regular brownie recipe. They have a brownie-like texture and a fresh lemon flavor that your whole family will love.
If you’re a lemon lover, you’ll love our Lemon Cream Pie and Lemon Zucchini Bread recipes.
Ingredients to Make Lemon Brownies
Gather the ingredients needed to make our Easy Lemon Brownie recipe. Culinary professionals call this the Mise en Place, which means “Everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I use any add-ins with the Lemon Brownies?
Yes, you can. Some of my favorites are white chocolate chips, poppy seeds, pistachios, and blueberries.
How to Make Lemon Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Liberally spray an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray, line the pan with parchment paper, extending it up to the top of the pan. This will help you remove the lemon brownies from the pan.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl.
- Whisk to combine the dry ingredients. Set aside until needed.
- Add the unsalted butter, granulated white sugar, and fresh lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl and electric mixer.
- Beat at high speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time.
- Mix well after each addition. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the fresh lemon juice and the flour mixture to the bowl.
- Mix just enough to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and, using a rubber spatula, smooth the top of the batter.
- Set the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes or until the top of the brownie sets. A toothpick inserted into the brownies should come off with no moist crumbs attached.
- Add the powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest to a small bowl.
- Whisk to combine the simple lemon glaze.
- Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled lemon brownies, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Once the glaze has set, cut the brownies into 16 2-inch by 2-inch pieces.
Tangy and sweet and bursting with bright lemon flavor, after one taste, I know you’ll agree that these are the best lemon brownies you’ve ever tasted!
Leftovers should be stored refrigerated in an airtight container or well-wrapped with plastic wrap for 4-5 days. They can be stored frozen for up to two months.
Recipe FAQ’s
I recommend fresh juice for the best flavor, but you can use bottled juice. Keep in mind that bottled juice will not impart the same level of fresh, bright flavors as fresh juice.
The tops of the brownies will be slightly golden and appear set. Insert a toothpick into the center to check; it should come out mostly clean with just a few crumbs. Be careful not to overbake them, or they will be dry.
Absolutely. Cake flour will give the blondies a softer texture. For this recipe, you will need to add an additional 1 ½ tablespoons of cake flour for the substitution to work.
To make the recipe gluten-free, use your favorite cup-for-cup blend of gluten-free flour. For the best results, I recommend King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill.
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Lemon Brownies Recipe
Equipment
- 8×8 inch baking pan
Ingredients
Brownies
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (4 ounces = 1 stick)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon zested
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Liberally spray a 8 x 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray, and set aside until needed.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside until needed.
- Add the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl and electric mixer) and beat on high speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the lemon juice, flour mixture to the bowl, mixing just enough to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and, using a rubber spatula, smooth the top of the batter.
- Place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes or until the top of the brownie sets. A toothpick inserted into the brownies should come off with no moist crumbs attached.
Glaze
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled lemon brownies, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Let the glaze set, then cut the brownies into 16 2 inch by 2 inch pieces.
Ilse Epple says
Absolutely delicious!!! The soft texture, the fresh lemon taste and the wonderful glaze make for a great citrus treat! A friend of mine called it “orgasmic”! A real keeper and easy to make.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the brownies!
Kathryn says
Lemon brownies = Lemon deliciousness! I love everything lemon and these lemon brownies are amazing! Easy to make, too. These will be a perfect ending to our summer meals.
Chef Dennis Littley says
They are little bites of lemony deliciousness! I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Tricia says
Hi Chef Dennis.
Thanks for this awesome recipe! These lemon brownies turned out so fabulous. There’s a perfect balance between sweet and citrus – they’re lemony enough to be clearly lemon but not so much that you pucker. The moist, velvety texture is fantastic. And it’s such a fast, easy recipe. With lots of lemon lovers in my crowd, I’ll be making these often!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed the brownies and your wonderfully descriptive comment. You made me want lemon brownies now!
Patty Diamant says
I have always been a fan of lemon bars but decided to try this recipe last week. It’s a perfect blend of sweet and tart. The baking time is just right, they came out very moist. Next time I may try baking 1 1/2 times the recipe so they will be a little bit thicker.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed our lemon brownies. Just thinking about them makes my mouth water….sigh
Jennifer says
I wonder if a standard mixer would be fine if you don’t have a mixer with paddle attachment?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Of course. A hand held mixer with its normal beaters will work the same as a paddle attachment.
Paulette says
I was not seeing how long to bake these?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Bake them for 20-25 minutes.