These Fudgy Lemon Brownie Bars or Lemon Blondies are bright and fresh - just perfect for the end of summer. They are so easy to make, baking in 20 minutes and have the BEST texture. It's that soft, melt in the mouth fudgy chewy brownie texture that you love, but with a summer twist. These lemony brownies are covered with a sweet yet tart glaze that makes these little bites so delicious that it is impossible to stop at just one!
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC, then lower your shelf so it sits in the lower third of the oven.
Line a 9x13 pan with baking parchment. (See note 2)
Zest and juice the lemons - You will need 5 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of zest. Set this aside until needed.
Add the flour, salt and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl and stir to mix. (see note 3)
Melt the butter in a small pan or in the microwave.
Add the lemon juice to the melted butter and then stir this into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined.
Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, stirring gently between eggs.
Once the eggs are combined, gently stir in the sugar.
Scrap the lemon brownie batter into the prepared 9x13 pan and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan, for an hour, on a wire rack. After the hour use the parchment paper to remove the brownie and allow it to cool completely before glazing.
To prepare the glaze (see note 4)
Zest and juice the lemon - You will need 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of zest.
Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and then add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir continuously until it is thick, smooth and creamy. (see note 5)
Once the brownie has cooled pour the glaze evenly over the top.
Allow the glaze to set, then cut the brownie into thin bars and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
The number of lemons you will need depends on the size of your lemons as they vary so much in size. So be guided by your lemons.
For the brownie you will need 5 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of zest. For me, that is usually 2 large lemons or 3 smaller lemons.
For the glaze you will need 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest.
When lining your pan with parchment if you overhang some of the paper on either side it makes it much easier to remove the brownies from the pan once cooled.
Use a mixing bowl and a wooden spoon for this rather than your stand mixer or electric mixer. The mixture doesn't need much mixing and the electric mixers will not give you the right brownie consistency.
We like a thick layer of glaze, if you want just a thin layer you can half the ingredients.
If the glaze is too thick thin with more lemon juice. If it is too thin add more sifted powdered sugar.