These lemon brownies are full of fresh lemon flavor. They have white chocolate, so they are a brownie! It is also topped with a lemon glaze. These brownies have that fudgy texture and decadent flavor that marks a great brownie, but with a white chocolate and lemon twist!
These lemon brownies take take the best traits of a brownie and fresh fruit flavors of lemons and brings them together. Tart lemon and sweet white chocolate make a refreshing and exciting taste that is better than any other lemon desserts I have tried.
For other lemon recipes try, Lemon Cookies, Lemon Bars with Graham Cracker Crust, Mini Lemon Bundt Cake.
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Why This Lemon Brownie Recipe Works
- Lemon flavor- Lemon and white chocolate go together beautifully and neither overpowers the other in this richly flavored dessert!
- Fudgy texture- Like all the best brownies, these lemon brownies have a fudgy, slightly chewy, and soft texture that melts in your mouth.
- Easy recipe- This brownie recipe is broken down into simple steps and doesn't require anything more complicated than zesting a lemon and only 15 minutes of prep time.
- Homemade recipe- This lemon brownie recipe is so soft, delicious, and simple to make that you will not even consider a boxed brownie mix again!
Step By Step Recipe Video
Ingredient Notes for Lemon Blondies
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Large Eggs- Pull these out 2 hours before baking to get to room temperature.
- Oil- Use canola oil or vegetable oil.
- White chocolate bar- I recommend using a high quality bar of white chocolate so it will melt an incorporate well. I used Lindt. White chocolate chips do not always melt as effectively.
- Lemons- You will need to zest 2 lemons. You can then squeeze ½ of one of these lemons to get the lemon juice for fresh lemon juice.
- Powdered sugar- Be sure to sift this as clumps can cause gritty frosting.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Dairy free- You can use your favorite dairy free options for this recipe!
- Gluten free- I haven't tested this gluten free. Let me know if you do.
- Oil- You can use Olive oil.
Step By Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake these lemon brownies. This recipes uses a stand mixer with paddle attachment.
STEP 1: Prep. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Then, spray a 9X9 square baking pan with baking spray. Line it with parchment paper, letting it come up 2 sides of the pan. Then, spray it again.
STEP 2: Melt butter and chocolate. Cut the butter into cubes and put it in a small sauce pan with the white chocolate. Heat it in medium-low heat until completely melted before removing it from the heat.
STEP 3: Dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, cornstarch and salt.
STEP 4: Beat eggs. Use a mixer to beat together the sugar, eggs, and egg yolk on high speed for 5 minutes.
STEP 5: Combine. Add in the butter and chocolate mixture, oil, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix on low speed until it is combined. Then, add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined as well.
Next, scrape the bowl and pour the batter into the pan.
STEP 6: Bake. Bake it for 40-45 minutes. It is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownie comes out with moist crumbs. If there is raw batter put it back in for 2 minutes longer and recheck.
STEP 7: Cool. Put the pan on a wire rack and let it cool completely.
STEP 8: Lemon icing. Mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Pour the icing over the brownies and let it set before cutting your brownies.
Tip: Make sure the powdered sugar is sifted to avoid gritty frosting.
Expert Baking Tips
When you are baking the brownies, you need to be careful when you stir in the rest of the ingredients after the eggs are beaten.
If they are added in too fast, the eggs' air will deflate and you won't get as much of a rise from the brownies.
Make sure to spray the pan with baking non-stick spray, so the cake doesn't stick to the pan. It is also a good idea to place parchment paper on the bottom of the tray as well.
Make sure your parchment paper comes far enough up the sides that you can use it as a handle to lift the brownie to make removing it from the tray easier.
What Makes Brownies Fudgy?
To make brownie recipes more fudgy you include more egg yolk and cornstarch.
The extra egg yolk adds more fats to the recipe which helps give that moist and soft texture compared to the tougher, more cakey texture from the gluten in the flour.
The cornstarch helps by breaking down the gluten strands from the flour as well leading to a more fudgy brownie.
FAQ
This means that the brownies were too under done. You will probably have extremely fudgy brownies. Bake the brownies again for another 5-10 minutes to cook them more.
This means the brownies are over baked. Make sure when you bake these, the center is slightly under done. You should get moist brownie crumbs when testing with a toothpick.
Yes you can. It will just make thick lemon brownies.
Recipe Variation
- You can skip the lemon glaze on top. However, it does give it extra flavor.
Special Tools
- 9X9 pan: I use metal square pans for baking. I don't recommend glass pans.
- Parchment paper circles: I used 8-inch parchment paper circles for the bottom of the pan. I love to use the premade circles, so I don't have to cut it out of regular parchment paper.
- Baking spray: I use the nonstick spray that has flour in it.
- Offset spatula: I use this to easily spread the frosting or fillings.
Storing and Freezing
Store these lemon brownies in an airtight container like a cake carrier. Store in the fridge up to 5 days.
Freezing
You can freeze the lemon brownies in individual brownie slices. Place in an airtight container and freeze up to 30 days.
Other Brownie Recipes To Try
Other Lemon Recipes To Try
- Lemon rolls
- Lemon blueberry cookies
- Lemon blueberry cheesecake
- Lemon bar cupcakes
- Lemon poppy seed cake
Make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Brownies
Ingredients
Lemon Brownies
- 2 cups White granulated sugar
- 3 Large eggs room temperature
- 1 Egg yolk
- ½ cup Unsalted butter
- 4 oz White chocolate bar
- ½ cup Oil canola or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 3 Lemons zested Medium lemons
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice Half of a lemon squeezed.
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Lemon Glaze
- 1 ½ cups Powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
Instructions
Lemon Brownies
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9X9-inch square pan with baking nonstick spray. Line the bottom and 2 sides of the pan with parchment paper. Spray again.
- In a small sauce pan, add the butter, (cut it into cubes first) and the white chocolate. Heat on medium-low heat until completely melted. Take off the heat.4 oz White chocolate bar, ½ cup Unsalted butter
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Salt
- Using a mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and egg yolk on high-speed for 5 minutes. Add in the butter/ white chocolate mixer, oil, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix on low until just combined.2 cups White granulated sugar, 3 Large eggs, 1 Egg yolk, ½ cup Oil, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, 3 Lemons zested, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed. Take off the mixer and scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist brownie crumbs. If it is a lot of raw batter, bake for another 2 minutes and check again.
- Put the hot pan on a cooling rack. Cool completely
Lemon Icing
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Pour the icing on top of the brownies. Let the icing set before cutting the brownies.1 ½ cups Powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
Lauren says
So I made these a second time and left them in the oven until the edges were browning and it was baked through and it still fully deflated after I pulled it out of the oven. 🙁 I beat the eggs for a full 5 minutes, my oven was at 325, I used a 9x9 metal pan. The sinking happened twice so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I see the note about them sinking because they're underbaked but I wonder if anyone else has experienced this multiple times and has tips to avoid it?
Debby says
If doubled do I use 9x13 pan?
Stephanie Rutherford says
Yes!
Anna D says
These are DELICIOUS! They were a hit with all of my friends! So pretty and a great consistency. I did 1/4 cup LESS sugar than the recipe called for and they were still perfectly sweet.
Andrew says
really amazing and refreshing recipe which wasn't too difficult to make. personally it was VERY sweet but that's probably just personal preference so not worth docking any stars. well done
Angela says
Hello,
This recipe sounds amazing! Which rack level does this need to be baked on?
My go to fudgiest brownie recipe has it bake on the very top rack to prevent it from getting to dry. Is this recipe anything like or does it bake on the middle rack?k
thank you!
Stephanie Rutherford says
I always bake on the middle rack.
Lauren says
These are FANTASTIC. I pulled mine out too early and they sank badly, but the taste and texture were still 10/10. These are quite different from a traditional lemon bar - the white chocolate really does add a great subtle flavor and texture. I added extra lemon zest to the glaze for more of a pop. Can't wait to make these again!
Helen AL says
These are so fragrant and perfect texture. A recipe I’ll come back to time & again.
Beth says
Lemon brownies are amazing!
I had to use an 8x12-inch glass pan as I did not have any square pans. Brownies are delicious. I toyed with not using the glaze but that totally finishes off the brownies. Don’t skip it.
Perfect recipe.
Mary B says
I don't like chocolate, so can I just leave it out?
Stephanie Rutherford says
Yes you can.