These lemon brownies are sweet and tangy with a soft, moist texture topped with a delicious glaze. This lemon blondie is the best with lemon zest and juice in every bite!
If you love lemon desserts try this lemon meringue pie recipe, these lemon bars and this lemon sugar cookies recipe, too!
Table of Contents
Favorite Lemon Dessert
These lemon brownies may be one of my favorite desserts ever! I love fudgy chocolate caramel brownies or rich brown butter blondies, but there’s something about a lemon brownie that’s light and fresh.
They are moist and buttery, like a soft sugar cookies recipe, with just a hint of light lemon taste like my lemon crinkle cookies. The powdered sugar glaze on top is tart and sweet and makes a perfect compliment to the brownies without being overpowering.
Lemon Brownie Recipe Ingredients
These easy lemon brownies are simple to make with flavors that are light and sweet with a gooey texture. Perfect for lemon lovers!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Salted butter: Butter adds richness and a savory taste to brownies.
- Sugar: Sweetness is needed to balance the lemon flavors.
- Lemon: Both lemon zest and fresh lemon juice will be used in these brownies for that fresh lemon flavor.
- Eggs: This will help combine the lemon brownie batter and give it the color and flavoring.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the batter and gives it a nice thickness when baking.
- Baking powder: Helps raise the brownies and thickens them while baking in the oven.
Substitutions and Variations
Mix it up with these lemon brownie variations!
- Other citrus. Try orange zest with orange juice or lemon zest with lime juice.
- White chocolate. If you missing the chocolate normally in brownies, add some white chocolate chips.
- Extract. Add up to a teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract or coconut extract for a little flavor.
- Topping. Try a cream cheese glaze or even just a dusting of powdered sugar. Add a drizzle of white chocolate or top with coconut like these lemon coconut bars.
- Gluten-free. A few followers have had success substituting gluten-free flour cup-for-cup for all-purpose flour to make gluten-free.
How to Make Lemon Brownies
Lemon brownies are easy to make! Simply, mix ingredients together, bake, then make a glaze to frost the brownies.
- Mix. Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and zest with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. One at a time, mix in the eggs. Then add in the lemon juice. Mix in the flour and baking powder until just combined.
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8″ baking pan with parchment or foil and spray with nonstick spray. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out evenly.
- Combine. Whisk together the ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour on top of the brownies and spread evenly to coat.
- Bake. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes.
Lemon Glaze
The glaze is sweet with a tart lemon flavor and takes these brownies over the top! Add a little more (or less) juice or zest depending on how much citrus flavor you’d like.
- Powdered sugar: This is a sweet and powdery texture sugar that helps build up frostings and glazes.
- Fresh lemon juice: Squeeze the sliced lemon right into the glaze.
- Zest from half a lemon: The zest will add a tart but sweet texture to the glaze. This is an added touch to the top of the homemade lemon brownies.
Tips for the Best Lemon Brownies
Follow these easy tips and modifications to make the best lemon brownies.
- Prepare. Line your pan with parchment or foil for easy cleanup.
- Fresh lemon. If you’re a big lemon lover like me, you can add more zest and juice to the batter and glaze. Learn how to zest a lemon the easy way.
- Double it! Feel free to double the recipe and bake in a 9×13″ pan.
- Cool brownies. Make sure the brownies have cooled completely before slicing them.
Do you love brownie recipes? Try copycat cosmic brownies, marshmallow brownies, or cheesecake brownies next time you are baking!
More Lemon Desserts
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Lemon Brownie Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- ½ cup salted butter , softened (1 stick)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon , zested
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
For the glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8×8" pan by spraying with cooking spray or lining with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Make batter. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together 1/2 cup salted butter, 3/4 cup sugar, and zest of one lemon until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. Add 3/4 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and mix until just combined.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Glaze. For the glaze, whisk together 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 lemon zest, then pour over the brownies, spreading evenly to coat.
- Cool and slice. Let cool completely before slicing. Then slice into 16 squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
Here are the difference between the three and how these came to be lemon brownies (lemonies). For these to be true blondies, they would need brown sugar!
Lemon bars are made with a shortbread crust and a filling that consists of mainly of eggs, sugar and lemon juice. While usually brownies are fudgy from chocolate and butter, they can be different flavors, just like these with lemon or my strawberry brownies!
Simply cover the room temperature lemon brownies pan in an airtight container or using plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for four to five days depending on how long they still stay moist and chewy.
Yes! You can easily freeze if desired. Just wrap it in plastic wrap and then again with foil. To thaw, set out at room temperature.
Categorized as: American, Bars, Brownies, Desserts, Fruit Desserts
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I made these for my Uncles Birthday party to breakup all the chocolate. They were a hit
I’m so glad to hear they were a hit!
I’m a little old fashioned I still measure out in ounces dont understand cup sizes love your recipes but dont no what to weigh out .
Hi! Here’s a website to help you convert the recipe to your liking: https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/cooking/cooking-calculator.php
May I know if cake flour can be used in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it before so I’m not positive, but I think that should be fine.
I have made these lemon brownies 3 times now and I absolutely love them! They are so moist and delicious. This recipe is definitely a keeper
I’m so happy to hear you have loved them! Thanks so much for leaving a comment and review Julie. :)
It’s so easy and quick to make and it tastes delicious! This will definitely be added to my “Make for Company” list, it’s great to have a tasty, pretty dessert that doesn’t take long to make. Thanks for the recipe and your lovely photos!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your kind comment! :)
Tasted good, but it’s basically just cake.
Yes I did but was a little confused the video shows 1\2tsp salt and no baking powder..But the recipe calls for 1/2 tsp baking soda?? Can you please explain this or do I just use both
Some of my videos are hired out, so I would follow the recipe. If using salted butter, you only need baking powder. Sorry for the confusion.
I doubled the recipe and added lime juice and zest to my frosting
I tried this twice and omg its to die for!! Its one for the books!! Supper yummy. Thanks so much for this lovely recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for leaving a review Shima. :)
This is my families favorite lemon recipe. Even young children love them.
I’m so glad to hear everyone loves them! Thanks for your comment and review Maggie. :)
These were sbdolutel OUTSTANDING!! Our granddaughters made them…and, they ARE our now favorite dessert!!! franki
I’m so glad to hear they loved them! :)
So delicious & fun to make
Yummy 😋
I’m not a good cook but I’ll try this recipe. The ‘lemon in me’ has urged me to give it a try. Thank you very much for sharing. It looks gorgeous. I’ll share the outcome with you soon. Thanks again Jamielyn!
I hope you enjoy them! :)
I’m gluten-free for medical reasons, so I make everything from scratch. It just tastes better!
I have made these brownies a couple of times now substituting the flour with King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. They turn out delicious!!
Aside from the flour tweak, the only other change I’ve done is add the glaze immediately after the brownies come out of the oven. It helps keep them moist and isn’t overly sweet.
I’ve even made these as the dessert for our staff meetings and everyone loved the light lemon taste.
Thank you for a great recipe!!
Thank you so much for your comment Shannon! I’m so glad they turn out well for you with the gluten free substitutions.
I made this recipe and love it!! I do have a question: do you store it in the fridge or is it ok to store covered on the counter?
Thank you!
I store them covered at room temperature!
I just made these tonight and they are amazing. I doubled the recipe for a 9×13 pan. Added extra juice and zest and the are perfectly tart and sweet.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)
Not sure what I did wrong, but turned out rubbery. tasty but not great texture
First time I made this it was perfect! This time is very fluffy just like a cake.m what do you think I did wrong? Still tastes amazingggg but defo prefer the brownie like texture.
I’m sorry the 2nd time didn’t go as well. Maybe a little too much flour?