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 tried it myself today, now our kitchen smells like lemon! I don’t know if I made a lemon cake or lemon brownies, but every person in our house just says it’s delicious! Thank you for the recipe!💛💛💛
So glad to hear your family enjoyed them :D
I have made these over a dozen times because they are so incredibly delicious! They are very easy, and also easy to double in a 9×13 pan. To top it off, they also freeze beautifully! This recipe is truly a keeper- thank you!!!
Thanks so much for your comment and review, Lynn! So happy to hear you love them :)
If you made it in a 9 x 13, how long was the baking time? I don’t want to overbake it…
I need to make these brownies ahead of time, can they be frozen?
Yes, they can be frozen. Allow to cool completely and then freeze on the pan for 30 minutes to make the frosting hard. Then you can stack them in between a layer of parchment paper.
I used gluten free flour,they are very good,and i will be making them again
I’m so happy the substitution worked for you, Anita! :)
I did this few times now and it’s a hit everytime.. love this recipe.. it’s moist and super good especially when it’s still but warm…. We couldn’t wait as it smelled soooo good.. thx again!
So glad to hear! A family fave over here too :)
Hello, thank you.
Stumble across your Lemon Brownies and they look delicious.
Sorry for being awkward and a pain, but may I use oranges instead of lemons?
Thank you.
I haven’t tried, but I bet that would be delicious :)
I need to know if I can do this without a hand mixer will it work?
Yes, you can use a whisk and spoon. Just make sure to whisk the butter until smooth before adding the other ingredients :)
Video shows salt. Recipe doesn’t. Shows baking powder. Use both? Something missing.
Hi Michelle, we used unsalted butter in the video, so we added in a pinch of salt to the batter. If using salted butter as stated in the recipe, then no need to use salt. And yes, the recipe does include baking powder. I think this was accidentally missed in the video. Hope this helps!
Sooooo Goooood!!!!
Yay! I’m so glad you loved them :)
Oh my goodness these are amazing! Thank you for sharing them. These will be a go to bar in my house now.
Yay! So happy they were a big hit :)
Can this be made ahead and would it then need to be refrigerated?
Sure, you can make this recipe a day or so in advance if needed. I store them covered at room temperature!
These are delicious! It’s nice to have a smaller recipe for an 8X8 pan. I like these lemon brownies better than traditional lemon bars, and they’re easier to make!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear this Arna. They are my favorite too :)
This was easy to make and everyone loved it :-)
Yay! So happy to hear this :)
I did make this recipe and my family loved it. I am wondering if I can double the recipe? 9×13 pan?
Yep, definitely!
Made the lemon brownies! Followed the recipe…the lemon brownies came out mouth-watering delicious!!!
Thank you sooo much!!!
Yay! I’m so glad you loved them. They are one of my favorites too :)
Excellent recipe. It comes together quickly and easily and has a wonderful pillowy texture. Great citrus flavor and not too sweet.
Thanks so much for the comment, Bethany! Glad you enjoyed them :)
This is a crowd favorite!
I love lemon in desserts!
Fantastic. Simply delicious. My husband calling them “LeBrownies”. Will make again and again and again.
I’m so glad they were a hit! Thanks for leaving a comment!