Description
Lemon brownies bring a zesty twist to classic desserts that will make your taste buds dance with pure citrus delight. Creamy, tangy, and perfectly balanced, these sunshine-inspired treats guarantee a refreshing escape from ordinary brownies.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping/Glaze Ingredients:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
Instructions
- Grab 2 sticks of unsalted butter and melt them in a microwave-safe bowl, heating in 30-second bursts and stirring between intervals until completely liquefied.
- Whisk 2 cups of granulated sugar into the melted butter until the mixture looks smooth and slightly lighter in color.
- Crack 4 large eggs into the butter mixture, adding them one at a time and whisking thoroughly after each addition.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of freshly grated lemon zest into the batter and pour in ¼ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, blending everything until combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until no flour streaks remain.
- Optional: Sprinkle ½ cup of white chocolate chips into the batter and distribute evenly.
- Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.
- Spread the batter evenly across the prepared pan using a spatula.
- Bake for exactly 25-30 minutes, checking with a toothpick for moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan.
- Combine 2 cups of powdered sugar with ¼ cup lemon juice, whisking until smooth.
- If the glaze feels too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time to thin it out.
- Optional: Stir 1 teaspoon of lemon zest into the glaze for extra citrus punch.
- Once brownies are totally cool, pour the glaze over the top and spread evenly.
- Let the glaze set for 5 minutes before slicing into squares.
Notes
- Let the butter cool slightly before mixing with sugar to prevent scrambling the eggs.
- Zest lemons before juicing for the most vibrant citrus flavor and easier handling.
- Use room temperature eggs to help create a smoother, more consistent batter that blends easily.
- For a gluten-free version, swap all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and ensure all other ingredients are gluten-free certified.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 16
- Calories: 329 kcal
- Sugar: 43 g
- Sodium: 56 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 47 mg