Lemon Brownies
Lemon Brownies are my new favorite dessert. Topped with a delicious lemon glaze, they are just the right mix of fresh lemon and sweetness. Here is not one, but two ways to make this delicious treat.
We’ve made some other great lemon recipes like Lemon Blueberry Donuts, Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes and Lemon Sweet Rolls. Go check those out next!
As much as I am crazy for chocolate, I do love finding new ways to bake without that classic ingredient. It’s fun to spice it up and try something new! Lemon is a fun way to do that.
Why Call These Lemon Brownies?
These lemon bars have more of a brownie texture: they’re moist and dense. This recipe is going to look a lot like your usual brownie recipe, but of course no cocoa or chocolate chips. We. They’re both delicious! We also included an easier version using a cake mix for when you are in a hurry. Both are delicious!
Ingredients for Homemade Brownies
Lemon Zest
If you’re new to lemon zesting, it is easiest to use the tool made for this job: a lemon zester. (Genius name, right?) But if you don’t have one and are in a pinch a veggie peeler will work. Make sure you wash your lemon before.
Lemon Brownies Glaze
This is the most yummy part of all – the glaze! All you need is three ingredients: lemon zest, lemon juice and powdered sugar. It’s very sweet and a bit tangy at the same time.
How To Make Homemade Lemon Brownies
- Mix together the dry ingredients and wet ingredients (minus the egg) separately.
- Combine the two mixtures then add one egg at a time.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes and let it cool.
- Make the glaze and pour over the cooled brownies.
Ingredients for Lemon Cake Mix Brownies
- Yellow Cake Mix
- Lemon Instant Pudding
- Eggs
- Lemon Juice
- Lemon Zest
How To Make Lemon Cake Mix Brownies
- Mix all five ingredients together in a bowl.
- Pour into an 8×8 baking dish and bake for 22-24 minutes.
- Make the glaze and pour over the cooled brownies.
You’re going to adore these lemon brownies recipes, and all your friends will be begging for the recipe!
Other Lemon Desserts You Will Love
Pink Lemonade Cheesecake Bites
Lemon Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie Ingredients
- 1 C unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 C sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
Lemon Glaze Ingredients
- 1 1/2 C powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 tbsp lemon zest
Cake Mix Version
ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix
- 1 box lemon pudding
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
Directions for Homemade
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper
- Using a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder
- Using a standing mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until light and fluffy
- Beat in eggs, one at a time until combined
- Gradually beat in the dry ingredients until combined
- Pour batter into the baking pan and bake in the oven for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Make sure to not over bake.
- Allow to completely cool on the counter.
Lemon Glaze
- Using a large mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until combined.
- Pour the glaze over the lemon bars and spread evenly.
- Allow to harden overnight before enjoying!
Directions for Cake Mix
- Line an 8” square baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray so that the brownies lift out easily.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- With a hand mixer, combine the cake mix, pudding, lemon juice, eggs, and lemon zest in a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted in the center and come out clean or with only crumbs (no wet batter). Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Proceed as directed above for glaze.
Best brownie recipe ever! My family couldn’t get enough of them
I make this wonderful Lemon Brownie recipe this morning. Absolutely heavenly. It came out tasting very much like lemon meringue pie. I think I beat the eggs to much as it was more like a cake consistency, but tasted like it came from heaven. My wife couldn’t wait to give her mother some. I am retired and live with my wife at her home place in the Philippines.
These are delicious. I followed the recipe exactly as written. I prefer the texture of these brownies over a traditional lemon bar. Great lemon flavor! Thanks
Just made these for the first time, and I have only one question: How do you wait until the next day to eat them??? They’re so good right out of the oven… I’m not sure they’ll last another hour….
Forgot to mention that I misread the number of eggs as 2 instead of 4. This made me have to bake about an extra 20 minutes, but the result is phenomenal… chewy, not cakey. Crunchy at the edges. Perfection!
Mine looks like a cake
Vickie wish I could be there to taste
.them
Will send rrcipe to my little brother. He is a good cook
My friend posted this recipe on her facebook page and I immediately saved it since my lemon tree has thousands of lemons on it. This recipe was AMAZING!!! The whole house smelled delicious while it was baking. We could hardly wait for it to cool enough to put the icing on, then wait EVEN MORE for the icing to harden. My family (4 of us at home today) aet the whole thing by the end of the day. We are not even ashamed!!! So delicious!
I baked these! They were absolutely fabulous! I still have people asking me to bake them again. I wouldn’t change anything about the recipe. Just be sure to take them out of the oven soon enough. Set your timer for less than the allotted time and keep checking. You don’t want them to be over baked. They should be under cooked slightly. And I mean slightly! So so lemony delicious. Thank you so much for this recipe.
I will be making these today can’t wait. X
Would it be better to use Meyer lemons or any lemons?
Any lemons will work.
Mine came out more like a sponge. What did I do wrong? ♂️
i just love lemon anything gonna try this soon like tomorrow my family will love this thanks for sharing it with all of us
Omg the whole family flipped over these. Taste like a lemon bar but so much easier and doesn’t take as many lemons. We love the texture, they’re my new go to for dessert!
Wow, these brownies look amazing. I would love to try this. Thanks a lot for sharing.
I wanted to try the cake mix version but couldn’t find how much of each ingredient to use. I made the other version, and came out cakey. Haven’t tried it yet, but hoping it’s yummy because I’m a huge lemon lover!
My kids LOVE these!! But we all agree that the texture is more like a cake. But an extremely moist cake. This is a keeper❤️
Love your recipes but wish you had nutrition chart included. Husbands on low carb diet but have an occasional cheat.
I make these gluten free and can eat the whole pan by myself, if the rest of the fam would allow it that is. 😉
Especially delicious with the lemon glaze.
What did you do to make them gluten free?
I enjoyed reading your writings and I have benefited a lot from your words
So delicious! Looking forward to making them again and again