If you’re a lemon lover, these lemon brownies will be your new obsession. They look just like tiny lemon cakes, but when you bite into them, they really do have the texture of a brownie! Each bite is dense, buttery, and tangy with the perfect balance of sweetness and lemony zing. The fresh lemon glaze is tart and just sweet enough, with lemon zest added for more flavor. We can’t get enough of these snappy lemon brownies!
If you give me the choice between chocolate-anything vs. anything else, I’m pretty much always going for the chocolate. But…these lemon brownies would give me a dilemma. I like them even better than my easy lemon bars (which are delicious!) because I love the gooey brownie texture.
These lemon brownies have a bright lemon flavor, similar to my lemon crinkle cookies, but they’re so moist and buttery, just like a brownie.
Testing results for lemon brownies
- We did not do this, but if you want a more intense lemon flavor, you can add a few drops of lemon extract to the batter.
- It’s much easier to remove the lemon brownies from the pan before pouring over the glaze as it is less messy.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Lemons: This is not a recipe where you can skimp and use bottled lemon juice. You need the freshly squeezed juice and the lemon zest to make these brownies pop.
Eggs: Be sure your eggs are room temperature.
Pin this now to save it for laterHow to make lemon brownies
- Mix up the lemon brownie batter and bake the brownies. You’ll need an 8×8-inch pan for best results.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely.
- Once the lemon brownies have cooled, whisk together the glaze of fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar. Pour the glaze over the brownies and use an offset spatula to spread the icing evenly.
- Allow the glaze to set for about half an hour. Garnish with lemon zest and lemon slices.
Lemon lovers
Fresh lemons add so much flavor to savory or sweet dishes. They’re one of our favorite ingredients to work with, and we always have freshly squeezed lemon juice in the refrigerator. I add some to my tea every afternoon.
We think lemon desserts are a great choice for almost any potluck gathering. Some people (people we do not relate to) don’t love chocolate, so for those people, we’ll take these lemon brownies or our easy lemon icebox pie, which uses Eagle brand condensed milk and is a traditional icebox pie.
Our lemon pound cake with lemon glaze is a crowd favorite. It’s our reader-favorite cream cheese pound cake recipe with lemon added, and it is absolute perfection.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
Join Southern Food and Fun Community group
and Southern Potluck group!
And please follow us on social media:
Lemon Brownies Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the lemon brownies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- zest of 2 lemons
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the lemon glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- lemon slices and zest, to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal later.
- In a large bowl, add the melted butter and sugar then whisk until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time beating well between each addition.1 cup unsalted butter, melted, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and mix until smooth. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl then fold into the other ingredients.zest of 2 lemons, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon), 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. These Lemon Brownies took exactly 28 minutes in our test oven.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan before turning out.
Make the glaze
- When the lemon brownies have cooled, add the powdered sugar and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable – add a little more lemon juice if it’s too thick or some extra powdered sugar if it’s too thin.1 cup powdered sugar, sifted, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Pour the lemon glaze over the lemon brownies. Use an offset spatula to smooth the glaze into an even layer. Sprinkle over some lemon zest and add lemon slices to decorate.lemon slices and zest, to decorate
- Allow the glaze to set for 30 minutes then slice into squares.
Notes
- These Lemon Brownies are pretty citrusy, but for an even more intense lemon flavor, add a few drops of lemon extract to the batter when you add the lemon juice.
- Room temperature eggs help emulsify the batter, giving your brownies a beautifully even texture.
- Baking any brownie perfectly can be tricky. We suggest a bake time of between 25 and 30 minutes, and our preference is a brownie with a fudgy center. You’re looking for set edges and a soft, slightly underbaked middle, which will give you that signature fudgy texture once cooled.
- We find it much easier to remove the lemon brownies from the pan before pouring over the glaze, as it is less messy. You can pour the glaze over the brownies while they are still in the pan if you want to!
- Serve chilled for a firmer, fudge-like texture or at room temperature for a softer, gooier bite.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
Keep the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four
days, or refrigerate for up to a week. The texture becomes even more fudgy
after the first day.
These lemon brownies freeze really well. Just wrap each square individually and store in the
freezer for up to two months. Let them thaw at room temperature before
enjoying.
