Fudgy Lemon Brownies

Have you ever thought a brownie could exist in lemon form? They can! These White Chocolate Lemon Brownies have all the fudginess and deliciousness of traditional chocolate brownies with a fresh fruity flare. They are easy to prepare with simple ingredients and full of flavor. They also stay soft and fudgy for a week! If you are a die hard chocolate lover like me, then you will be surprised at how a lemon "brownie" can be so satisfying. If you love baking with white chocolate, try my fudgy White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies too!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Fast & easy to make - these blondies come together quickly and take less than 30 minutes to bake.

• Fudgy texture - my lemon blondies have the same fudgy texture as a chocolate brownie! They are chewy and moist with a shiny crust on top.

• Creamy white chocolate blondies - these squares are based on white chocolate to provide sweet creamy notes to carry that bright citrus taste.

• Bright lemon taste - just a bit of lemon zest adds such bright flavor and pairs so well with both white chocolate and raspberry.

• White chocolate chunks - use pure white chocolate with 100% cocoa butter for creamy taste. White chocolate and lemon is such a delicious combination!

• Lemon glaze - the lemon icing on top is basically a white chocolate ganache made with fresh lemon juice instead of cream! It is tangy, sour and sweet and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

• Unsalted butter - these blondies have a soft fudgy texture and are made with butter. I prefer unsalted butter for its sweet creamy flavour.
• All purpose flour - regular all purpose flour is perfect to make fudgy and chewy blondies. Use unbleached flour which will give you that nice dense texture.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to this recipe since it is the main flavour that complements the sweet dairy notes. I like this Madagascar vanilla extract.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps these blondies moist. If you reduce the sugar they will not be as fudgy and they are less likely to have the shiny crust.

• Egg - 2 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in these blondies.
• White chocolate – pure white chocolate adds sweet milky creaminess to contrast the fresh lemon taste.
• 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.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEMON BROWNIES

• STEP 1). Melt white chocolate. In a large bowl over a pot with ½-inch of simmering water, stir together the white chocolate and butter until completely melted, smooth and glossy. You can also use the microwave with frequent stirring.
• STEP 2). Beat eggs with sugar. Combine eggs with sugar in a large bowl and use a whisk to beat until pale, thick and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt.
• STEP 3). Add melted chocolate. Mix warm white chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until evenly blended.

• STEP 4). Add flour. Sprinkle flour over the batter and fold it in gently until well incorporated and smooth.
• STEP 5). Fold in white chocolate chips. Add the white chocolate chips or chunks and fold them through. Pour batter into prepared pan and use the back of the spatula to smooth out the surface.
• STEP 6). Bake for 24-28 minutes until golden around the edges, slightly puffed with a shiny top and a toothpick inserted someplace between the edge and the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

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 it's only source of solid fat.

• Be sure to not over-bake the brownies or they can end up more dry instead of dense and fudgy.

• Let the finished brownies/blondies chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before slicing to ensure you get those nice clean slices.

RECIPE FAQ

How do you make lemon brownies?

It's an oxymoron isn't it? Lemon brownies? They are not brown and they are not made with chocolate (well, real chocolate). But, that's kinda 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!

Can I make these lemon brownies without white chocolate?

White chocolate is so important for this recipe to create the fudgy texture and to make the shiny crust. Do not leave it out.

What type of chocolate should I use for lemon brownie recipe?

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.

Can I use orange zest for these Lemon Blondies?

Sure! You can use an equal amount of orange zest in place of lemon zest and make Orange Blondies. They will taste great!

How do I make clean slices on my blondies?

The trick to making clean slices for blondies 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.

How do I store these blondies?

These blondies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also store them in the fridge to keep them longer and they will have an extra dense fudgy texture when cold.

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Lemon Brownies

Christina Marsigliese

Fudgy white chocolate lemon blondies! Imagine fudgy brownies without the chocolate and instead bursting with bright lemon flavor and creamy milky white chocolate. These are a lemon-lover's dream!

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 16 blondies

Ingredients

  

Blondie batter:

• 4 oz 113g pure white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 7 tablespoon 100g unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 2 lemons
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup 142g all-purpose flour
• ½ cup 85g white chocolate chips

Lemon glaze:

• 2 oz 56g white chocolate chopped
• 1 tablespoon 15ml lemon juice

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang along each side.
• Combine white chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place it over a saucepan with barely simmering water. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Or, melt in the microwave at 50% power in short bursts with frequent stirring so that it doesn't burn.
• Combine eggs, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a large bowl and whisk or beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and thick. Mix in vanilla. Mix in warm melted white chocolate mixture.
• Sprinkle in flour and fold it in gently. Just before all of the flour is incorporated, fold in the chocolate chips.
• Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for 22-26 minutes until the top is shiny and crackly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze, combine chopped white chocolate and lemon juice in a bowl and place it over a saucepot with ½ inch of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth and glossy. You can also do this in the microwave, but make sure to stop every 15-20 seconds to stir so it doesn't burn. Immediately drizzle over cooled brownies and let set for about 15 minutes before slicing.

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