Lemon Brownies

Lemony deliciousness meets yummy brownies in this Lemon Brownies recipe. It’s best of both worlds with their powerful lemon flavor & moist brownie texture!

I’ve always loved the fresh, tangy taste of lemons, and brownies are at the very top of my favorite sweet treats -so, what could be more natural than putting the two together into Lemon Brownies! This is simple, from scratch recipe for Lemon Brownies Paula Deen would be proud of. They’re off the charts lemony and have that dense brownie texture. Absolutely perfect! It’s no wonder Lemon Brownies Youtube popularity is through the roof!

Like the Lemon Brownies Divas can Cook puts out, this recipe has a thick layer of sweet, lemony glaze. It’s a lot like the glaze for my quick and easy Lemon Zucchini Bread. Of course, I’ve got more lemony treats! My Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake feeds a crowd and is super simple! I think my Lemon Coconut Bars have a powerful lemon flavor and a hint of the tropics with the coconut. Now just in case you want an out of this world brownie experience, but more of the traditional chocolate variety, my Cosmic Brownies are chewy, indulgent deliciousness just like the Little Debbie’s that inspired them!

How To Make Lemon Brownies:

To make these Lemon Brownies cake mix isn’t needed. This recipe is incredibly simple and is decadently delicious. Plus, you can proudly claim you made them from scratch! Take note- these need to rest overnight, so plan ahead!

Begin by mixing the dry ingredients with the butter until well combined. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and zest and beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into your prepared pan and bake. Allow the brownies to cool completely. Make the glaze by combining the lemon juice, zest, and powdered sugar. Spread on the brownies.

And now comes the tough part! Cover tightly and put them in the fridge. My Gonna Want Seconds Lemon Brownies are best if they sit in the fridge overnight. It lets the texture and flavors develop, and I promise- it’s worth the wait!

Making ahead of time:

These brownies need to rest for at least 12 hours before they get to their optimal texture and flavor, so they are meant to be made ahead of time. If you need to make them even more in advance, they will keep well in the fridge for a couple of days or consider freezing them (see instructions below).

How To Freeze These Lemon Bars

Freezing Lemon Bars increases their shelf life to about 1-2 months- which sounds like a great reason to make a double batch! To freeze this recipe or my fabulous Lemon Bars, allow them to set up completely in the fridge. Then, cut into squares and wrap the individual squares in cling wrap. Put the wrapped squares in a large ziplock bag and pop them in the freezer. They’re ready for a quick snack on the go or a mid-week dessert!

Recipe Notes for Lemon Brownies

Zesting Lemons- Whether you are making Meyer Lemon Brownies or using regular lemons, you’ll want to leverage the powerful taste of the zest. That colorful outer peel is packed with yumminess. Use a Microplaner to make your life easy. If you don’t have one, a sharp knife will do. Just stay out of the bitter, white pith layer below the zest! 

Don’t skimp on the zest, it’s the major flavor contributor. The zest of any citrus contains essential oils that concentrate flavor. The flavor is, of course, present in the juice of the fruit, simply not in as concentrated of a form. This recipe capitalizes on that and uses a generous amount of lemon zest along with a more minor amount of lemon juice.

Juice- Fresh is Best!- You’re going to need around 4 lemons, depending on their size. As with the recipe Lemon Brownies I am Baker puts out, the focus is on the lemony flavor, and that comes from fresh juice and zest. The bottled stuff won’t get you the same result.

Glaze- I like the glaze nice and thick- almost frosting-like- for my Lemon Brownies. However, if you prefer a thinner glaze like Skinny Lemon Brownies, you can add more juice or a bit of water. Remember to cool the brownies completely before you pour the glaze on. If the brownies are too warm, the glaze will melt and just run off the edges of the brownies down into the pan.

I used my handheld electric mixer to make the glaze. I like to keep it as thick as possible. Mixing it by hand is far too much of a chore for me. Feel free to hand mix it if you need a good arm workout.

To keep the glaze thick, I added 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the powdered sugar and mixed it well. Then I add more lemon juice, one teaspoon at a time until the glaze was thick but spreadable.

I poured it in the center of the completely cooled brownies, then I used my small offset spatula to spread it evenly over the top. This little spatula is one of my favorite kitchen tools. I use it for almost everything and it costs less than 4 bucks! Works like a charm. Look at how thick and gorgeous that glaze is on the cut brownies!

Ingredients: If you read through the ingredients list for this recipe, you will notice that it does not call for baking powder or baking soda. This is not a mistake or an error of omission. These brownies bake up to be fairly close to the same thickness as they are when raw, uncooked batter or just a smidge thicker

Mixing: The recipe calls for the batter to be beaten on medium with a stand up electric mixer for a full 2 minutes. This does add a little bit of volume to the finished dish and makes the batter lusciously creamy. Don’t skip this step!

Pan: I use my Nonstick 8X8 Baking Pan to bake these brownies. I like to make an aluminum sling for the pan for easy removal once the brownies are baked.

To do this, all you need to do is line the pan with aluminum foil, overhanging two opposing sides with an extra 2 inches of foil. The overhang doubles as handles for easy lift out. With the sling, I don’t need to worry about the Lemon Brownies sticking if I keep them in the pan long after they’re cooled and glazed. They’re easy to pop out of the pan in one piece and cut into individual bars without marring the nonstick pan.

If you want to skip this step, go ahead and just grease and flour your baking pan.

Bake Time: Don’t over bake the brownies, or like any brownie, they will be dry.I baked mine for 20 minutes until the edges just started to get slightly golden.

Overnight Improves Texture/Flavor: Like many other brownies and bar cookie recipes, I like these bars a lot more the day after they’re baked. I find that the texture improves significantly, and the Lemon Brownies are moister the second day. The wonderful, intense, natural, lemony flavor seems to mellow and intensify all at the same time!

Lemon Brownies Recipe

I fell in love with this Lemon Brownies recipe at first bite, and I bet you will too! Make your mouth happy and whip up a pan of them today!

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Lemon Brownies

Moist, tangy Lemon Brownies blend the bright refreshing flavor of citrus with the moist chewy texture of brownies under a thick candied lemon glaze.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Servings: 12 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

Lemon Brownies:

• ▢ 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3/4 cup sugar
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Glaze:

• ▢ 1 round cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ 2-3 teaspoons lemon zest

Instructions

• Line an 8X8 inch baking dish with aluminum foil, overhanging the edges 2 inches on two opposing sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350° F.
• In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, add the flour, sugar, salt, and butter and beat until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, add the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix until well combined. Add this egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and using an offset spatula, smooth out the top of the batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden or a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool the brownies completely in the pan set on a wire baking rack before applying the glaze.
• Make the glaze by sifting the powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice to powdered sugar and using a hand-held electric mixer, beat until the juice is completely combined. Add more lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze reaches a thick but just spreadable consistency. Pour glaze onto the center of the completely cooled Lemon Brownies and use an offset spatula to spread and cover the surface. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 2-3 teaspoons of lemon zest.  I recommend refrigerating overnight, then removing from the pan, and cutting into bars.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1/12 of the recipe | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

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More Brownie Recipes:

• Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies
• German Chocolate Brownies
• Brookie Bars
• Red Velvet Brownies

More Lemon Desserts…

• Lemon Ricotta Cookies
• Lemon Pound Cake
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Source: Rita Recipes

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