Lemon blondies {aka lemon brownies} are a quick and simple to make dessert. They mix in one bowl, are loaded with lemon zest and bake up with a chewy and brownie-like texture. The sweet lemon glaze adds another layer of flavor making this easy recipe perfect for lemon lovers!
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As a busy mama and self taught baker, I find blondie bars super simple to make when you don’t have a lot of time. I have been baking cookie bars for several decades now and I love how quick and easy they are to create. Like lemon bar cookies and lemon cookies, this blondie recipe is the right balance of a little sweet and a little tart.
Much like my raspberry blondies, strawberry blondies and blueberry blondies, you will love the soft and fudgy texture and the fact that the blondies mix up in one bowl without a mixer. Slice them into small squares or larger bars, you can't go wrong either way!
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🍋 ingredient notes
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
- Lemons ~ for the best flavor, use fresh lemons {washed and dried} for the zest and lemon juice. Lemon zest provides a ton of flavor without adding extra liquid to the blondie recipe. Squeeze the lemons for the fresh juice after you have zested them {this Microplane zester is my favorite!} . Typically one medium-large lemon will yield one tablespoon of zest and about 2-3 tablespoons of juice.
- Sugar ~ granulated or white sugar is needed to help the blondie bars shine with lemon flavor, while confectioners’ sugar adds to the soft texture. Confectioners’ or powdered sugar is also needed for the lemon glaze. I don’t sift mine, but if you want a super smooth icing, feel free to do so.
💭 Are these the same as lemon bars?
No, lemon bars are different. My Mom’s lemon bars have a shortbread cookie crust with a soft lemon curd topping. This lemon blondies recipe has a texture more like a fudgy brownie and does not use lemon curd.
🥣 how to make easy blondies from scratch
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
For the lemon blondies: In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar and kosher salt until well combined. The mixture will get thick and it should take about 1 minute.
Then add the eggs and vanilla. Scrape up and down the bowl as needed and whisk until combined, about 1 minute. Now add the lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk until well combined.
Next add the all-purpose flour and mix until the batter fully comes together.
Drop the batter {it’s thick} into the prepared baking pan and smooth to an even layer.
Bake until the edges have barely browned and a tester in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. It will be very light in color. For a gooey texture, bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
For the lemon icing: add the confectioners' sugar and lemon zest to a bowl and stir to combine. Then add the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and stir until a thick glaze forms. Smooth the icing over the cooled blondies and allow to set.
👩🏻🍳 tips for the best blondies or brownies
I know I am a broken record here, but measure your ingredients correctly. Measure the flour with he spoon and level method, fluff the flour in it’s container, then spoon into a measuring cup and level it off with the flat side of a knife. For less dishes to wash, use a food scale and skip the measuring cups! This is the scale that I use and love.
This recipe for lemon blondies makes chewy and fudgy blondies. To create this texture, be sure to not over mix the batter and don’t over bake the blondies! No one likes a dry blondie. It's better to err on the side of less done than over done. The blondies will firm up and continue to cook as they cool. If you like a more gooey center, bake the blondies a minute or two less.
For the best blondies, I recommend baking in a light colored 8x8 baking pan. Dark pans absorb more heat and can cause the edges to burn while the middle is undercooked. Glass pans also distribute the heat differently and can have similar results to dark colored baking pans. If baking in a glass pan, it’s recommended to lower the temperature by 25°F and bake for a few minutes longer.
Remember your oven is different from mine and the baking time may be slightly different. I use this oven thermometer to ensure my oven is at the temperature I think it is.
If you need to speed up the cooling process, once the blondies have cooled enough that you can pick up the pan with your bare hands, place the pan in the refrigerator to cool completely.
🫙 how to store
Lemon blondies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature, my testers preferred room temperature.
They also freeze well for up to three months; allow to defrost before serving. The icing can get a little "wet" after defrosting, you can lightly pat with a paper towel to absorb any of the moisture before serving, but it does not affect the taste.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Lemon Blondies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Simple Lemon Blondies
Lemon blondies (aka lemon brownies) are a quick, one-bowl dessert with lemon zest, a chewy texture, and a sweet lemon glaze, perfect for lemon lovers!
I highly recommend using weight {metric} measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Ingredients
Lemon Blondies
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (113g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar (60g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15mL)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 large lemons)
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (157g)
lemon icing
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar (120g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (30mL)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- For the lemon blondies: In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the melted butter (½ cup/113g), granulated sugar (½ cup/100g), confectioners' sugar (½ cup/60g) and kosher salt (¼ teaspoon) until well combined. The mixture will get thick and it should take about 1 minute.
- Then add the eggs (2 large) and vanilla (1 teaspoon). Scrape up and down the bowl as needed and whisk until combined, about 1 minute.
- Now add the lemon juice (1 tablespoon/15mL) and lemon zest (2 tablespoons/from 2 large lemons) and whisk until well combined.
- Next add the all-purpose flour (1 ¼ cup/157g) and mix until the batter fully comes together.
- Drop the batter (it’s thick) into the prepared baking pan and smooth to an even layer.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the edges have barely browned and a tester in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. It will be very light in color. For a gooey texture, bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack.
- For the lemon icing: add the confectioners' sugar (1 cup/120g) and lemon zest (1 tablespoon/from 1 large lemon) to a bowl and stir to combine. Then add the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and stir until a thick glaze forms. If necessary at ½ teaspoon more juice at a time until a thick icing consistency forms.
- Smooth the icing over the cooled blondies and allow to set.
- Then use the parchment to pull the bars out of the pan and cut into desired sizes.
Notes
Lemon blondies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature. They also freeze well for up to three months; allow to defrost before serving. The icing can get a little "wet" after defrosting, you can lightly pat with a paper towel to absorb any of the moisture before serving, but it does not affect the taste.
I recommend a light colored metal baking pan. If baking in a glass pan, it’s recommended to lower the temperature by 25°F and the bake time will also increase.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 161Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 31mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 0gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
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