Lemon Brownies Are the Bright, Chewy Antidote to Chocolate Overload. Not to be confused with Lemon Squares, these have the texture and consistency of a chocolate brownie.
Look, I know everybody loves chocolate. But sometimes it seems as though every dessert, every sweet snack, is chocolate dipped, chocolate covered or chocolate filled. I decided it was time for a citrus intervention.
Enter: lemon brownies. Or, as I like to call them, “chewy squares of sunshine that politely slap your tastebuds awake.” If you’re thinking, Wait, lemon brownies? Isn’t that just a lemon bar?
Well, bless your heart, and keep reading.
No, they are absolutely not the same thing and Lemon Brownies deserve their own spotlight. Honestly, I wasn’t even aware that they were a thing until a few weeks ago and the intrigue was killing me. I’ve now made several batches, played around with ingredients and methods, and this one was the clear winner. At the rate they disappeared, I would say they were well received.
Let’s break it down, shall we?
So, What Are Lemon Brownies, Exactly?
Lemon brownies are the sassy citrus cousin to your classic chocolate brownie. They’re tender, dense, and just the right amount of chewy – with zero chocolate and a whole lot of lemony punch. There’s no meringue topping, no shortbread crust, and no powdered sugar snowstorm hiding all your cracks and imperfections (lemon bars, I’m looking at you).
Instead, you get a shiny, almost fudgy-ish top (thanks to eggs and the perfect mix of fat and flour), a chewy interior that clings to your fork (or fingers) in the best way, and a sharp citrus zing that says, I’m not here to play.
I have always loved a good zing.
Lemon Brownies vs. Chocolate Brownies
Make no mistake – I’m definitely not trying to replace chocolate brownies here. That would be sacrilegious. Chocolate brownies are rich, deep, a little moody – basically the dessert equivalent of your friend from high school who would only wear black.
Lemon brownies, on the other hand, are the cheerful best friend who shows up in a bright sundress, brings margaritas, and still somehow manages to get everyone home safely. They’re lighter in flavor but just as bold in personality. They still have that dense, fudgy structure you crave in a brownie—but without the cocoa, the sugar bomb, or the nervous breakdown that follows three too many squares.
They also don’t make you feel like you need a nap afterward. Which, let’s be honest, is a huge win for anyone over the age of 30.
But They’re Not Lemon Bars Either – And Remember That
I can already hear someone mumbling, “Aren’t lemon bars kind of the same thing?” And I’ll say it again: absolutely not.
Lemon bars are more custard than brownie. They’ve got that buttery shortbread crust on the bottom (or Nilla wafer), then a soft, almost jiggly lemon filling on top. They’re beautiful, but they’re also a little fussy. You have to wait for them to set, you have to slice them just right, and God forbid you forget to dust them with powdered sugar before the photo shoot or they look like jaundiced sad bricks.
Lemon brownies? They don’t need a crust to hold their own. No layers, no chilling, no powdered sugar façade to make them look good. Just mix, bake, glaze, and boom – you’ve got a dessert that’s “fire”, no matter how crooked your knife skills are.
Lemon Brownies Get Glazed
I topped these lemon brownies with a glaze that’s laughably simple but makes a huge difference. Just a little powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and some lemon extract. Stir until smooth, drizzle or pour, and let it do its thing.
The glaze sets up with this glossy sheen that makes your brownies look bakery-worthy without you having to use a piping bag or pretend you care about perfect drips.
And because I’m sometimes just a little extra (don’t act surprised), I topped a few of them with edible flowers. Because why not? They’re gorgeous, they add a pop of color, and they make people think you’re a baking genius when really you just had a few pansies lying around.
Yes, edible flowers are bougie. Yes, I recommend them.
How To Make Lemon Brownies
Here’s what you’ll need:
Lemon Brownies:
- All-purpose flour – Or bread flour, or even gluten free flour.
- Granulated sugar – It’s a “sweet”, after all.
- Baking Powder – Helps to give them structure more than it makes them rise.
- Kosher Salt – Salt strengthens gluten, which is more of that structure nonsense.
- Butter – Enhances overall taste and helps to make them dense and fudgy.
- Lemons – The zest is rubbed together with the sugar to help release zest oil, and lemon juice for obvious reasons.
- Lemon extract – Seals the lemony deal.
- Vanilla extract – For overall decadent taste.
- Confectioners’ sugar – This is for the glaze.
- Milk – For the glaze.
Optional (but fabulous):
- Edible flowers – For garnishing.
As far as where to get the edible flowers, I ran across these on Amazon and have found myself using them more than I thought I would. They’re dried flowers and arrive flat on a sheet with a clear plastic cover. They come with tiny tweezers so you can “fluff them” which I started to do, but alas my patience wore out. So, garnish with edible flowers if you feel so inclined. You’ll also need a 9×9 or 8×8 square baking pan.
A glass pan will technically work, but a metal pan will work better. Metal heats up faster and cooks more evenly than glass. Glass will hold the heat longer, even after it has been removed from the oven.
These Lemon Brownies are quick (kind of), they’re gorgeous, and they walk the fine line between sweet and tart like a dessert acrobat. No complicated layers. No waiting 6 hours for them to set. No flourless chocolate energy crisis.
Just sunshine, sugar, and a little attitude – exactly the way I like it.
Pin it. Share it. Make them twice in one week. I won’t judge.
If you do make them, tag me on Instagram – I want to see those edible flower moments, y’all. And if you skip the flowers because you’re not in a whole mood today? Still love you. Still want to see your brownies.
Now go forth and bake the bright stuff.
Here’s your printable –
Lemon Brownies
Chewy brownie-like squares of sunshine that will politely slap your tastebuds awake.
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 lemons, zested & juiced
- ½ cup butter*, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk*
- ½ tsp lemon extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a 9x9 square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Add sugar to a mixing bowl and add zest, rubbing it between your fingers to release the oils.
- Add butter and whisk to combine,
- Add extracts and eggs, and whisk (or mix on low) until glossy.
- Slowly add in flour, salt and baking powder and mix until combined thoroughly. Don't overmix.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool.
- To make the glaze, whisk the sugar, milk and extract together until smooth. Add more sugar if too thin, more milk if too thick, 1 tsp at a time.
- Pour glaze over the brownies. Use an offset spatula to even the glaze out if it doesn't spread to the edges. Allow glaze to set before cutting.
Notes
* I used plant-based butter and almond milk and had the same results from each that I've had in past recipes using dairy ingredients.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 223Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 150mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g
The provided nutrition calculated may not always be accurate.
Here’s your pinnable –
