Raspberry Lemonade Brownies
You will fall in love with the bright, tangy, tart and sweet flavors of these Raspberry Lemonade Brownies that have all the fudginess and deliciousness of traditional chocolate brownies with fresh Summer flavors. They are based on my popular Lemon Brownies, and they are very easy to make with simple ingredients. I top them with a pretty pink lemonade white chocolate glaze that you make with fresh berries, white chocolate and lemon juice. This combination is heavenly! Even if you think you don't like white chocolate, you will love this recipe - it will change how you think about brownies. They also stay soft and fudgy for days and are especially delicious enjoyed cold from the fridge. If you love this idea, try my Lemon Blueberry Brownies, and if you want to try my most popular traditional brownie recipe, then these Homemade Thick & Fudgy Brownies are a must.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy recipe - this recipe comes together quickly and it only requires 25 minutes of baking time.
- Simple ingredients - just like the best brownies, these lemon raspberry brownies are made with a few simple ingredients including butter, sugar, eggs, flour and white chocolate.
- Moist and fudgy texture - these raspberry lemonade brownies have the same fudgy texture as chocolate brownies which is hard to believe until you try it for yourself! You can see in the photos how moist they are, and they simply melt in your mouth.
- Pink raspberry lemon glaze - the lemon icing is white chocolate ganache made with lemon juice and it is tangy, sweet, creamy and not too sweet. Even if you don't like white chocolate, you will love it! A few berries give it a natural pink color and after chilling it sets to this lovely fudgy texture.
- Fresh fruity flavor - plenty of lemon zest and some lemon juice adds bold lemon flavor with a burst of tartness that pairs so well with the creamy notes of white chocolate. The raspberries stay juicy and taste so delicious with lemon.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BLONDIES AND BROWNIES?
Why not call these Raspberry Lemonade Blondies since they are not brown? Well, the main difference between blondies and brownies is melted chocolate. Neither of these contain actual chocolate, since chocolate is defined as a product containing cocoa solids. However, I use melted white chocolate in the batter where as classic blondies are more similar to cookie dough in that they do not contain any form of melted chocolate in the batter. Hence, why I call these "brownies". Also, the texture is so fudgy that they are more akin to brownies.
INGREDIENTS FOR RASPBERRY LEMONADE BROWNIES
- Unsalted butter - these lemon raspberry brownies have a soft fudgy texture and are made with butter. I prefer unsalted butter for its sweet creamy flavor.
- White chocolate - without any form of chocolate, these would just be blondies and it's the cocoa butter that gives them such a nice dense and fudgy texture. I use it in the batter and also for the glaze which is so perfectly sweet, creamy and tangy. The combination of lemon with white chocolate is one of my favorites and even if you don't think you like white chocolate, you will love these! Be sure to use pure white chocolate without any added oils. I always use this one, and Lindt also makes a nice one.
- All purpose flour - regular all purpose flour is perfect to make fudgy and chewy brownies. Use unbleached flour which will give you that nice dense texture.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla rounds out all of the flavors. I like this Madagascar vanilla extract.
- Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps these brownies fudgy. If you reduce the sugar they will not be as moist and they are less likely to have the shiny top.
- Eggs - 2 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in this recipe and one egg yolk adds rich flavor and natural yellow color.
- Lemon zest - a generous amount of lemon zest is the star ingredient! Be sure to use a fine microplane to grate off just the yellow part of the lemon peel since that is where all of the flavor lives. The white part, called the "pith", is bitter.
- Lemon juice - tart fresh lemon juice creates the most beautiful glaze to balance the sweetness of the lemon brownies. You'll also use a little lemon juice in the brownie batter which makes it extra moist and gives them a delicate tartness.
- Raspberries - you'll need up to 1 cup of raspberries for this recipe. Since raspberries are fragile, I recommend flash-freezing them for about 20 minutes until they are hard before folding them into the batter.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE LEMON RASPBERRY BROWNIES
- STEP 1). Freeze the berries. Lay your berries on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer and place it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
- STEP 2). Melt white chocolate. Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water (a double boiler) and stir constantly until smooth. White chocolate is very prone to burning (more so than dark chocolate or milk chocolate) so watch carefully and do not try to rush it.
- STEP 3). Infuse sugar with lemon zest. Place sugar in a large bowl with lemon zest. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to rub the zest into the sugar until it is fragrant and the sugar takes on a pale yellow tone.
- STEP 4). Mix eggs and sugar. Add whole eggs and egg yolk and whisk vigorously until thick and lightened by a shade. This will take 1-2 minutes by hand and you should feel that most of the sugar is dissolved when you rub some of the mixture between your fingers.
- STEP 5). Add melted chocolate. Add melted white chocolate, cooled melted butter and salt to the egg and sugar mixture, then whisk it in until smooth. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla.
- STEP 6). Add flour. Sift 1 cup (142g) of the flour over the bowl and fold it in gently until mostly incorporated with a few streaks remaining.
- STEP 7). Fold in raspberries. Toss the raspberries with the remaining 2 teaspoons (6g) of flour and add them all into the batter (with the residual flour) and fold them in until evenly distributed, but do not over-mix.
- STEP 8). Bake. Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes until the top is shiny and crackly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then refrigerate for 2 hours for best results.
- STEP 9). Make the icing. Gently melt white chocolate until smooth. Add lemon juice and stir it in until smooth and glossy. Mash up 2-3 raspberries and add them to the mixture and stir it in. Immediately pour it over the cooled brownies, spread it out and let set for about 20 minutes in the fridge before slicing.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use pure white chocolate. This recipe will not work well with compound chocolate which contains fats and oils other than cocoa butter and will gives these squares a greasy feeling. Pure white chocolate has cocoa butter as its only source of solid fat.
- Let the finished brownies chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before slicing to ensure you get those nice clean slices.
- Sift the flour. I know this seems like a pain for a simple brownie recipe, but if you've ever seen white "balls" in your neat slices of brownie, that's a pocket of flour that didn't bake out. Brownie batter is thick and not that high in moisture so it is more difficult for flour to incorporate without having to mix a lot. Sifting helps it incorporate easier so you do not end up with lumps, and you will not need to mix excessively.
- Do not over-mix after you add the flour. Just fold it in gently at this point and it shouldn't take very long. Over-mixing will lead to a bready texture.
- Do not over-bake. These bake quickly thanks to the high quantity of egg and really don't need much more than 25 minutes. If you over bake them, then they are more likely to be cakey instead of dense and fudgy.
RECIPE FAQ
It's an oxymoron isn't it? Fruit lemon brownies? They are not brown and they are not made with dark chocolate. But, that's kind of what they are if we pretend brownies don't need to be defined by dark chocolate. The recipe is similar in ingredients and method to a traditional brownie recipe, except we use white chocolate and lots of lemon!
White chocolate is so important for this recipe to create the fudgy texture and to make the shiny crust. Do not leave it out.
Make sure you use pure white chocolate. Do not use compound chocolate which contains other vegetable oils. White chocolate should contain pure cocoa butter which will give these brownies a fudgy texture. If you use compound chocolate, then they may feel greasy and they may not bake properly.
It's about dissolved sugar. If you see my Perfect Shiny Crust Brownies recipe, I explain how the shiny top is achieved when sugar is thoroughly dissolved.
Lemon raspberry brownies are baked when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist sticky crumbs attached - not wet batter, and NOT clean. If the skewer is clean, then the brownies are over-baked and if the skewer has wet batter then they are still raw.
The number one reason why these would turn out dry is if they are over-baked. These brownies will take a little less time than normal to bake due to the extra egg yolk and higher flour content but start checking for doneness around 22 minutes. Measure the flour accurately too because too much flour will make them dry.
The trick to making clean slices for brownies is to chill them thoroughly and then use a hot dry knife. Dip the knife in hot water and then wipe it clean and dry between each slice.
These brownies keep well at room temperature for 1 day in an airtight container, then store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. They are actually even more delicious and fudgy when cold!
I would not recommend freezing these as the moisture from the raspberries will make them a bit soggy once thawed.
Looking for more Lemon?
If you love baking with lemon, try these recipes:
If you love brownies...
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Raspberry Lemonade Brownies
Ingredients
Lemon brownie batter:
- ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp (175g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 2 lemons
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 ½ oz (100g) pure white chocolate minimum 28% cocoa butter finely chopped
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoon (10ml) lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tsp (148g) all-purpose flour, divided
- ¾ cup (80g) fresh raspberries, frozen for 20 minutes
Raspberry lemon icing:
- 3 ½ oz (100g) pure white chocolate minimum 28% cocoa butter finely chopped
- 3-4 teaspoon (15-20ml) lemon juice
- 4 raspberries, crushed
For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
Instructions
- Freeze the berries. Lay your berries on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer and place it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang at each side and secure the sides down on the edge of the pan with ¾-inch binder clips.
- Place sugar in a large bowl with lemon zest. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to rub the zest into the sugar until it is fragrant and the sugar takes on a pale yellow tone. Add whole eggs and egg yolk and whisk vigorously until thick and lightened by a shade. This will take 1-2 minutes by hand and you should feel that most of the sugar is dissolved when you rub some of the mixture between your fingers.
- Place chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot with 1 inch of simmering water (over a double boiler) and melt it gently with frequent stirring until smooth. White chocolate is very prone to burning (more so than dark chocolate or milk chocolate) so watch carefully.
- Add melted white chocolate and cooled melted butter to the egg and sugar mixture, then whisk it in until smooth. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla.
- Sift 1 cup (142g) of the flour over the bowl and fold it in gently until mostly incorporated with a few streaks remaining. Toss the frozen raspberries with the remaining 2 teaspoons (6g) of flour and add them all into the batter (with the residual flour) and fold them in until evenly distributed, but do not over-mix.
- Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for 23-26 minutes until the top is shiny and crackly and the edges are lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then refrigerate for 2 hours for best results.
- Make the icing. Gently melt white chocolate until smooth. Add lemon juice and stir it in until smooth and glossy. Mash up 2-3 raspberries and add them to the mixture and stir it in. Immediately pour it over the cooled brownies, spread it out and let set for about 20 minutes in the fridge before slicing.
