Easy Lemon Brownies
by Sommer Collier — on Mar 19, 2025 
The Best Lemon Brownie Recipe – These delightfully unique lemon brownies have the same soft and fudgy goodness of classic fudge brownies or blondies but with the zippy taste of lemon bars. Top them with a thick lemon glaze for the ultimate bright, sweet, and delicious treat!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Why We Love This Easy Lemon Brownies Recipe
My fellow summery and decadent dessert lovers, allow me to introduce you to our latest obsession… Lemon Brownies!
The title can be a little confusing but, no, this is not a combination of lemon and chocolate. These lemon brownies have the soft, solid, and dense texture and look of traditional chocolate brownies but are made without cocoa powder. Instead, they are more like a delightful combination of citrusy lemon bars and lemon blondies, with a fudgy texture that feels like brownies in your mouth.
We take the lemony indulgence to another level by including a sweet and vibrant lemon glaze in this easy lemon brownie recipe. Together, these light and tangy treats are an irresistibly delicious and fun alternative to classic brownies!
Ingredients You Need
- All-purpose flour – or your preferred gluten-free alternative
- Sugar – granulated white sugar
- Cornstarch – the secret ingredient for thick, slightly chewy, but soft brownies
- Salt – just a pinch to balance the flavors
- Butter – unsalted, melted and cooled
- Eggs– large, at room temperature
- Lemons – fresh lemon juice and zest
- Extracts – a combination of lemon extract and vanilla extract adds a bright and not-too-sharp flavor to these baked goods
For the Lemon Glaze –
- Powdered sugar – sifted and measured
- Lemon juice – use freshly squeezed juice for the best lemon flavor
How to Make Lemon Blondies
Get the complete (printable) Easy Lemon Brownies Recipe and video tutorial in the recipe form at the bottom of the post.
Pro Tip: Do not overbake these bars; the fudgy texture is what makes them feel like brownies!
Recipe Variations
- Gluten-free – Use your preferred gluten-free all-purpose flour alternative.
- Dairy-free – Simply use your favorite non-dairy butter replacement to make brownies without dairy.
- Citrus – Feel free to change up the flavor of these blondies! Swap lemon juice with lime or orange juice to create the citrusy brownies of your dreams.
- Add-ins – Fold in a cup of white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, or other goodies you like into the batter just before transferring to the baking pan.
- Glaze – Swap the lemon glaze with vanilla frosting or cream cheese frosting. Or leave the glaze off entirely for a less sweet but still equally delish treat!
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional lemon bars have a buttery bottom crust topped with a soft, silky, and thick lemon layer that’s similar to the custard filling in lemon meringue pie. Lemon brownies, on the other hand, are more chewy and cakey throughout.
The best way to store brownies is in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll keep well for 3-4 days on the counter, or up to 5-6 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can! To keep them fresh, I suggest wrapping each brownie individually in plastic wrap before storing them in an airtight ziploc freezer bag. Freeze the lemon brownie bars for up to 2 months, then let them thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before eating.
Looking for More Delightful Dessert Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Easy Banana Pudding Cookies
- Cheesecake Brownies
- Easy Cherry Pie Bars
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Caramel Brownies (Stuffed!)
- Pistachio Pudding Cake
- Easy Marshmallow Fondant Recipe
- Orange Sugar Cookies with Frosting
- White Chocolate Lemon Bars
- Key Lime Cookies
- Lemon Cheesecake Recipe (Limoncello Cheesecake)
- Old Fashioned Blueberry Pudding with Rosewater Sauce
- Cream Cheese Tart with Pomegranate
Iced Lemon Brownies Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup melted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest from 4-5 lemons
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze –
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Line the baking dish with parchment paper, so you can easily lift the whole sheet of lemon brownies out of the pan once they are baked.
- Set out a large mixing bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk well. Then vigorously whisk in the melted butter and eggs, until smooth.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract, whisk again until the mixture is very smooth.
- Scoop the lemon brownie batter into the prepared pan. Smooth it out into an even layer. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. *You do not want to overbake these bars; the fudgy texture is what makes them feel like brownies.
- Allow the lemon brownies to cool.
- Set out a clean bowl for the glaze, and whisk together the powdered sugar and additional lemon juice. Once smooth, pour the glaze over the top of the lemon brownies and smooth it out with a rubber spatula. Allow the brownies to continue cooling to room temperature as the glaze sets.
- Once the glaze is fully set, lift the entire sheet of lemon brownies out of the pan by the edges of the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve!
These are amazingly delicious!
I want to make them for a family gathering however one member is GF. Could almond flour be substituted for flour?
Can I use avocado oil instead of butter? Watching the cholesterol! :)
Wow! These Lemon Brownies were so easy to make and tasted incredible!!
I can’t get over how delicious these brownies are! They’re moist, flavorful, and have the perfect balance of tart and sweet.
These lemon brownies are absolutely divine! The texture is perfectly chewy, and the tangy lemon flavor pairs beautifully with the sweet glaze. I made them for a family gathering, and they were the first to disappear!