When life gives you lemons... skip the lemonade and make the best lemon blondies! If you've been searching for the perfect rich lemon blondies recipe, this is it. These bars are soft, thick, chewy, and irresistible. Finished with a homemade thick lemon glaze. They're buttery, bright and perfect for spring!
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If you love bright, citrusy, delicious desserts like these easy lemon blondies, you'll definitely want to try my lemon raspberry loaf (it's a Starbucks dupe!) and my chewy lemon poppy seed cookies. This lemon meringue cheesecake is always an impressive dessert, and my lemon drop cocktails are so amazing and yummy!
Recipe At A Glance
- Blondies have a soft, chewy texture and taste like a brownie, but removing the chocolate makes them lemon brownies!
- These rich lemon blondies have a bold lemon flavor. The three types of lemon in these blondies make the citrus flavor explode.
- They look fancy, but are made with simple pantry staple ingredients.
- There is no mixer required to make blondies! They are made simply with a whisk and a spoon and some good old-fashioned elbow grease.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Fresh Lemon Zest - This is a non-negotiable ingredient in lemon blondies and is responsible for the strong lemon flavor.
- Lemon Extract - Make sure you use lemon extract and not lemon oil. You can find lemon extract sold at most grocery stores in the baking aisle.
- Brown Sugar - Brown sugar is a defining ingredient in classic blondies, giving them that signature butterscotch flavor. It also adds extra moisture, which helps create their soft, chewy texture.
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
- Add White Chocolate Chips - Add up to 1 cup of white chocolate chips to the batter before pressing it into the baking pan.
- Add Fresh Fruit - Add fresh berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
- Add A Chocolate Ganache Topping - Make the same chocolate ganache topping that I make in my cherry cheesecake bars by pouring warm cream over chocolate, honey, vanilla and salt. Let it sit until the chocolate has melted, about five minutes and whisk to incorporate.
- Add Sprinkles - Add Jimmy Sprinkles to the batter to make these have a funfetti vibe!
If you like this recipe for lemon blondies, you have to try my mini egg cookie bars, too!
How To Make Lemon Blondies
Step 1
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
Step 2
In a separate mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter and eggs. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until smooth and light in color. Add the lemon zest and lemon extract, whisk to combine.
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Step 3
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined and no dry spots remain.
This is also when you would add any mixins that you would like!
Step 4
Press the batter into an 8x8-inch pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 24-26 minutes at 350°F.
Step 5
Make the lemon glaze by combining the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, then stirring until a thick glaze forms. Start with 3 teaspoons of lemon juice, then slowly add the last teaspoon to adjust for consistency.
Step 6
After the bars have baked and have fully cooled, remove them from the baking dish and cut into squares.
Drizzle or spread lemon glaze on the blondies. Let the glaze set for 15-30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.
Pro Tips For This Recipe
- Don't overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients. Overmixing can lead to dense blondies.
- Err on the side of slightly underbaked for a fudgier texture. But still make sure the blondies are cooked.
- Let the lemon blondies fully cool before adding the lemon glaze. Adding the glaze while they are hot will cause the glaze to melt, and it will become very runny.
- Measure the flour properly using the spoon and level technique. What I mean by this is use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, and use the flat side of a knife to level it off perfectly. 1 cup of properly measured flour weighs 140 grams. For this recipe, you will need 210 grams of flour.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Keep leftover lemon blondies in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 3-4 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freeze lemon blondies unglazed for up to 2 months. Wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag. To thaw, set out at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cakey blondies are often a result of using too much (or incorrectly measured) flour or overbaking the blondies.
Fresh is best for the overall flavor, but bottled can be used in a pinch.
Yes! Double the recipe.
Lemon extract greatly intensifies the flavor, but it can be omitted or substituted with vanilla extract, if needed.
The edges of the blondies will be lightly golden, and the center will be set but still slightly soft.
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Rich Lemon Blondies Recipe
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- 8x8 Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Whisk
- Wooden Spoon
- Two Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar firmly packed
- ½ cup White Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Butter melted
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Extract
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 3-4 teaspoons Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter and eggs for 1-2 minutes until lighter in color and smooth. Add the lemon zest and lemon extract and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until no dry spots remain (do not overmix). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until lightly golden and the center is set.
- Allow the blondies to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Using the parchment paper, lift them out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Glaze
- To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until thick and smooth. Add lemon juice gradually until the desired thickness and texture of glaze is reached. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled lemon blondies. Let the glaze set before serving.
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Notes
- Fresh Lemon Zest: A non-negotiable that is responsible for the deep lemon flavor.
- Lemon Extract: Make sure to use lemon extract and not lemon oil. Lemon extract can also be omitted or substituted for vanilla extract, but the blondies will not have as rich a lemon flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is an essential ingredient in blondies and gives them a wonderful butterscotch flavor and adds extra moisture, which keeps the blondies soft and chewy.
- Optional Mixins: White chocolate chips, fresh berries, Jimmy sprinkles or a chocolate ganache topping.
- Don't overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients. Overmixed batter can lead to dense blondies.
- Err on the side of slightly underbaked for a fudgier blondie. When they are done baking, the edges will be lightly golden brown, and the center will be set, but still slightly soft.
- To make this lemon blondies recipe in a 9x13 pan, double the recipe.
- Let the lemon blondies fully cool before adding the lemon glaze otherwise, the glaze will melt and become runny.
- Measure the flour properly to avoid cakey blondies. Use the spoon and level method. This recipe uses 210 grams of flour.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Jessica says
These lemon blondies are the best! They are ultra chewy, thick, and delicious. This recipe was born while I was trying to develop a similar recipe, and I just couldn't turn away from it, it was that delicious!