Lemon Brownies
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These delicious lemon brownies have the texture of a brownie and the tangy lemon flavor of a lemon bar. They’re made in one bowl and finished off with a lovely lemon glaze.
Lemon Brownies
Now I know that you may be thinking, lemon brownies?! Ew. Don’t worry guys–we don’t like lemon and chocolate together either. These flavorful lemon-y bars are called lemon brownies because of their fudgy, brownie-like texture. No chocolate involved (if you want real brownies we have many to choose from). These lemon brownies are made with the same method as brownies, but you won’t use any chocolate or cocoa powder, which gives them a dense, chewy texture that perfectly pairs with the bright lemon flavor. Finish them off with a tart lemon glaze and you’re in for a real treat.
Ingredients for lemon brownies
I love these lemon brownies because they come together quickly with pantry staples like granulated sugar, eggs, butter, all purpose flour, and baking powder. The brownies are made in one mixing bowl–no standmixer required and the glaze comes together in seconds. Basically these are so easy you have no excuse not to make them 🙂 Here’s your shopping list:
Unsalted butter
Granulated sugar
Lemons
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Lemon extract
All purpose flour
Salt
Baking powder
Powdered sugar
And that’s it!
Our tips for fudgy lemon brownies
To get that fudgy brownie texture in these lemon brownies you’ll need to make sure you follow these tricks. These will ensure you get a soft, chewy texture!
Melt the butter and sugar together: To get that crackly, glossy brownie top you’ll need to make sure the sugar granules break down into the butter. You’ll do this in a microwave, repeating melting the butter and sugar together until the butter is fully melted and the sugar is breaking down!
Don’t over mix the batter after you’ve added the flour: Over mixing once you’ve added in the flour will cause gluten bonds to form in your lemon brownies which leads to a tough, bready texture–NOT what you want in a brownie. Switch over to a rubber spatula when you add the dry ingredients in and only fold the batter together until it’s just mixed and no streaks of flour remain.
Under bake the brownies slightly: Remember that these bars will continue to bake as they cool so you’ll want them to be slightly under baked when you take them out of the oven so they cool to that beautiful, fudgy texture.
Happy baking, my friends!
XXX
Author: Sofi | Broma Bakery
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 16 brownies
Category: dessert
Method: oven
Cuisine: american
Units:
USM
Ingredients
for the lemon brownies
1 cup granulated sugar
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
for the lemon glaze
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper on all sides. Set aside.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar to release the lemon oils into the sugar. Add the butter to the lemon sugar and microwave until the butter is fully melted, the sugar is starting to dissolve and the mixture is hot to the touch, about 1 minute, then remove and stir using a whisk. If the butter isn’t completely melted, microwave for another 15 seconds. Whisk again.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon extract and whisk vigorously until the mixture becomes glossy and lightens in color, about 30 seconds.
Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and use a rubber spatula to fold together until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix. Use the rubber spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly the the edges.
Bake until the edges are set, and a butter knife inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
While the lemon brownies cool, make the glaze. In a small mixing bowl combine the lemon juice, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until smooth. If the glaze seems too thick, add a teaspoon of lemon extract to thin it out. Pour the glaze over the cooled blondies, spreading evenly to the edges. Allow the glaze to set completely before slicing and serving!