Ready for fresh squeezed lemon filled brownies? This is not your typical chocolate brownie but it is a lemon rich flavored little brownie type cakes. Lemon brownies are fresh and oozing with lemon flavor almost like a lemon bar but more cake like. Drizzled with a lemon and confectioner’s sugar glaze makes these brownies one to make over and over. Easy recipe for first time bakers as you will probably make these more than brownies.
How to Make Fresh Squeezed Lemon Brownies
Ingredients for these simple bakes include zest of 2 large lemons, lemon juice, butter, sugar, flour baking powder and salt, 2 eggs with one yolk. So grab some fresh lemons next time you go grocery shopping so you can make these in a minute. Recipe takes about 45 minutes from start to finish including the bake.
Zest lemons with microplane or small grater on a piece of parchment paper. Mix this zest with 1/4 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor with blade attachment. If you don’t have a food processor, mix the zest with the sugar in a small bowl until sugar becomes bright yellow in color
Preheat your oven to 350 ° F. Place oven rack in middle of oven. Lightly spray 8″ x 8″ baking dish with cooking spray. Line the baking dish with parchment paper extending the edges over two sides. This will make it easy to remove brownies from the pan after baking. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray as well.
In medium mixing bowl. add softened butter and remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and lemon sugar mix. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add 2 whole eggs and one yolk, one at a time, beating between additions until batter is very creamy.
Add 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, lemon and vanilla extract to the batter. Don’t be concerned about the look of your batter being loose and curdled, it will smooth out once you add the dry ingredients.
Add 1-1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt to a second mixing bowl, whisk to blend together. Gently fold in the flour in two batches with a rubber spatula. * This is very important step, folding in flour, if you want tender brownies. Just make sure you have incorporated all the flour especially on the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Spoon the batter into the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 28 minutes. The brownies are done with a toothpick entered into the center of the brownies comes out clean with the exception of a few moist crumbs.
Place the lemon brownies on a cooling rack in the pan and allow to cool 5 minutes, then remove the brownies using the parchment paper handles to remove from pan. Place the parchment paper with brownies back on the cooling rack and allow to completely cool before glazing.
Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice with 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar. Mix until smooth and medium thickness. If too still, add tiny bit of water, if too runny add tiny bit of confectioner’s sugar. Drizzle lemon glaze over the brownies.
Tip: Freeze the lemon brownies before glazing about 15 minutes. This will help the glaze set and will also help with cutting pretty slices. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe makes 16-2″ squares- 4 rows x 4 rows or 25-1″ square bites. (Cut 5 -1″ squares 5 x 5).
Tips on Making these Lemon Brownies Moist
Use room temperature butter and eggs. Add the extra egg yolk, reserve the white for another recipe. This really adds to the moistness and richness of the little cakes.
Avoid over mixing the flour/dry ingredients into the batter. Folding is the best technique for incorporating the dry ingredients for soft moist texture.
Watch the oven temperature and timed baking as you do not want to over bake these lemon brownies. I found 28 minutes for my oven was perfectly baked. Bake in the middle of your oven.
PrintFresh Squeezed Lemon Brownies
Fresh squeezed lemon juice and grated zest mixed with sugar enhances the lemon brownie cakes. Tender and moist lemon brownies/or cakes with lemon glaze are delicious served in bite sized pieces.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 26-30 minutes
- Total Time: 45-50 minutes
- Yield: 25– 1” x 1″ servings or 16– 2” x 2″ servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Zest of 3 lemons, no white pith-reserve zest from one lemon for garnish*
1/4 cup granulated sugar + 3/4 cup
9 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon and vanilla extracts
1/4 cup lemon juice from zested lemons
1–1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1–1/4 tablespoons lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon*
Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Position oven rack to middle of oven.
2.Lightly spray with cooking spray one 8″ x 8″ glass baking pan. Line with parchment paper and extend paper over two edges of the baking pan for easy lift after baking. Lightly spray parchment with cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Zest 2 lemons with microplane or small grater, set aside in small bowl. Cut both lemons in half and squeeze juice to equal 1/4 cup for the brownies. Any leftover juice should be reserved for the lemon glaze. Zest the third lemon and reserve for garnish. If you don’t want to buy the third lemon for zest garnish that is optional.
4.In bowl of food processor with blade attachment, add 1/4 cup sugar and zest of 2 lemons. Pulse until sugar turns a pretty yellow. Remove from bowl and place in small bowl to add to the batter.
5. In medium mixing bowl, add softened butter, lemon sugar and remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Using a hand mixer with beater attachments, beat until light and fluffy. Add 2 whole eggs and one yolk one at a time, beating after each addition.
6.Add 1/4 cup lemon juice and lemon and vanilla extracts- 1 teaspoon each. Beat until mixture is blended. Note batter will look curdled, it ‘s ok when you add the flour it will become smooth.
7.In medium bowl, add 1-1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoons salt. Whisk together to blend. Add half of the flour to the batter, fold in with a rubber spatula, add remaining flour and continue to fold until all is incorporated. Be sure to scape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake in oven 350° F for 26 minutes. Longer if the center is not done. No more than 30 minutes. To check for doneness, insert toothpick into center of brownies, when it is removed the toothpick should come out clean. If you have a few crumbles that is ok, better to underbake than over bake for tenderness.
9.Remove from oven, let brownies sit 5 minutes on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, carefully lift the brownies using the parchment handles and place on back on cooling rack to completely cool. Once cool, place in freezer 15 minutes to firm before adding glaze.
10. Add glaze right before serving. If freezing ahead, wrap brownies securely in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze until needed. When ready to serve make lemon glaze, and serve at room temperature.
Lemon Glaze & Zest Garnish
In small mixing bowl, add 1 cup confectioners sugar and 1-1/4 tablespoons of lemon juice from lemon juice reserved or third lemon. Stir to until smooth and creamy. Glaze should be medium thickness. If too thick, add tiny bit of water or lemon juice, if to thin add additional 1 teaspoon of confectioners sugar until desired thickness.
Pour glaze over uncut brownies, sprinkle with lemon zest if desired. Cut into desired cake sizes. I cut cakes into 1″ x 1″ slices making 25 servings. Or you can cut larger 2″ x 2″ slices making 16 servings.
Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Make sure you fold in the flour as this makes the cakes tender moist.
You can zest the lemons a day ahead and make the lemon sugar also a day ahead, just be sure to reserve the lemon juice as this is used in the recipe.
Brownies can be frozen after baking with no glaze for up to 2 months. Glaze and cut before serving.
Other Ideas You Might Like To Try:
Mini Lemon Curd Tarts with Blueberry Garnish. See also Mini Raspberry Tarts for cookie crust.
These little cakes are so delicious. If you love lemon you will really like this recipe. Let me know if you make them. Enjoy!