I’m just going to say it: I have made every other lemon brownie recipe on the internet and hated all of them. Unfortunately, none of them had that classic brownie texture–they were light, fluffy and cake-like instead. They should all be renamed lemon cake bars. But my lemon brownies? They’re dense, chewy and gooey like an actual brownie, but they are packed with fresh lemon flavor. I took my perfect blondies recipe, replaced the brown sugar with white sugar, and then loaded the batter with lemon zest and lemon juice. Also, I added an extra egg yolk to make sure these lemon brownies were dense and chewy like an actual brownie. They even have that thin crackly crust like a brownie should! This is because the way to get a crackly crust on a brownie is to have an excess amount of sugar in the batter, and to beat the eggs with the sugar for a long time (until the sugar is fully dissolved). Plus, one of my taste-testers (my neighbor) said the glaze on top gives these donut vibes. I really couldn’t improve upon these if I tried.
Ingredients
The magic of these lemon brownies lies in the appropriate ratios of sugar to fat to eggs. Using three total egg yolks but only one egg white makes these so dense and chewy. And, using equal amount of flour to sugar gives the batter a high portion of sugar (compared to regular baked goods), which leads to the thin, crackly crust on top.
Butter. One stick (half a cup or 4 ounces) of unsalted butter that has been melted and cooled. Sugar. One and a half cups of granulated white sugar. Yes, this is a lot for an 8-inch pan of dessert, but trust me, it’s necessary for the chewy texture and thin crispy crust on top. Lemon. We need two lemons for this lemon brownies recipe, because we’ll zest one entire lemon for the batter, plus half of another lemon for the glaze on top. We also need 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice for the batter and another 1.5 tablepsoons for the glaze. Eggs. Let me make this crystal clear: you need 3 eggs for this recipe, but you will only use the 3 egg yolks and one of the egg whites. After making this recipe, you will have two leftover egg whites. Do not add 3 whole eggs to this recipe, please! Flour. One and a half cups of all-purpose regular white flour. Baking Powder. Three-quarters of a teaspoon of baking powder. Do not use baking soda. Salt. Just one-half teaspoon of salt to balance the sweetness of the sugar. Please don’t forget salt when you’re baking–it harmonizes all the flavors. Powdered Sugar. For the optional glaze on these lemon bars, use ¾ cup of powdered sugar, 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice and the zest from half of the lemon. This just makes the bars even more tangy, but is entirely optional.
How to Make Lemon Brownies
First, preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit and have an 8-inch square pan ready. If it’s not non-stick, line it in one direction with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the side to use as handles to lift out the lemon brownies after baking. To make these easy to cut, I actually move them to the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Then, they pop right out of the pan, and then cut into 16 squares. If you’re using the glaze, whisk together all ingredients and pour on top.
How to Store Lemon Brownies
These keep well at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. You can move them to the fridge for up to 1 week. You can freeze already-cut brownies in two layers of plastic wrap for up to 6 months. *You can get away with only 1 egg + 1 egg yolk in this recipe, if you like. For extra fudgey results, use one whole egg + 2 egg yolks.
