These Summery lemon brownies are made with lemon-infused sugar, melted white chocolate chips, and fresh lemon juice, then topped with a simple, tangy cream cheese frosting that's brightened with even more lemon zest and juice.
Summer Lemon Brownies with White Chocolate
Unlike classic chocolate brownies, these Lemon Brownies are light, tangy, and full of sunny vibes—basically everything you want when you're not in the mood for another heavy dessert. Don't get me wrong - I do love chocolate (take a look at these raspberry brownies)! But here, I swap out cocoa powder for lemon zest and melted white chocolate chips, so every bite is chewy, soft, and bursting with bright, citrusy flavor. I can already tell these brownies are going to be my new go-to for spring and summer gatherings, brunches, and potlucks just like my super-popular blueberry lemon loaf with lemon glaze, this lemon raspberry bundt cake, and my lemon thumbprint cookies.
Lemon Brownies
These Summery lemon brownies are made with lemon-infused sugar, melted white chocolate chips, and fresh lemon juice, then topped with a simple, tangy cream cheese frosting that's brightened with even more lemon zest and juice.
Ingredients
Lemon Brownies
- ¾ cup butter
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9x9” pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter with a hand mixer.
- In a medium bowl add sugar and lemon zest and whisk together to coat the sugar with the lemon. Add to the large bowl with the butter. Cream everything together. Add the vanilla extract and the eggs, one at a time until mixed in before adding the next.
- In a microwave safe bowl add white chocolate chips and melt slowly in the microwave, start with 20 seconds and continue heating in 10 second increments just until the chocolate melts (do not overheat).
- Add melted white chocolate to the butter mixture and blend in. Add lemon juice and mix everything together.
- Add salt to the flour, whisk in and add flour to the wet mixture and mix until just incorporated.
- Pour batter into the baking pan and spread out evenly. Bake for 35-38 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Begin checking at about 25 minutes and if the top is getting too brown cover it with a sheet of tinfoil to finish baking. Remove and allow to cool.
- While brownies are cooling, make the topping. In a small bowl add cream cheese and mix with a hand mixer to soften. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest and mix together until smooth.
- When brownies are completely cool, spread the topping over them. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Notes
- You will need these supplies: a 9x9-inch baking pan, measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, hand mixer and stirring spoon.
- Get organized: Gather your ingredients at once and prepare equipment ahead of time.
- Room temperature ingredients: Ensure that your butter, eggs, and cream cheese are at room temperature before baking for the best texture and smooth batter.
- Lemony Sugar: Whisk or press the lemon zest into the sugar to allow the lemon oils to release and flavor the sugar.
- Easy lift and clean cuts: Use enough parchment paper to allow it to fold over the edge of the pan so you can lift the brownies easily out of the pan. To make clean cuts, let the brownies cool fully and refrigerate for about 30 minutes before slicing. Use a warm sharp knife to cut your brownies. Clean off the knife with each cut.
- Cool before topping: Allow the brownies to cool completely before adding the topping/glaze to prevent it from melting or sliding off.
- Alternative to cream cheese topping: You can leave out the cream cheese, just make a glaze for the top or nothing at all. If you prefer a thicker glaze, reduce the amount of lemon juice slightly or add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. If you like a more intense lemon flavor, add a little more zest to the glaze/topping.
- What baking pan to use: I used 9x9-inch pan. You can bake brownies in a 9x13” pan for a more traditional size brownie. Reduce bake time to 25-30 minutes.
- Refrigerate: Store your brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Freeze lemon brownies in an airtight container for about 2 months.
- Make them gluten-free with either gluten free baking flour or almond flour. Just be sure to check the consistency and adjust the baking time slightly.
- How do I know my brownies are done? To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), they’re done!
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Lemon Brownies
Amount per Serving
Calories
456
% Daily Value*
Fat
21
g
32
%
Saturated Fat
13
g
81
%
Trans Fat
0.5
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
6
g
Cholesterol
90
mg
30
%
Sodium
202
mg
9
%
Potassium
110
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
63
g
21
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
44
g
49
%
Protein
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
555
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
5
mg
6
%
Calcium
56
mg
6
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
How to Make Lemon Brownies (Step-by-Step Photos)
- Gather all the ingredients - this photo conveniently shows every single ingredient you need (labeled):
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x9” pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter with a hand mixer.
- In a separate bowl, whisk sugar and lemon zest together to coat the sugar, then mix it into the butter. Add vanilla extract and eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, starting with 20 seconds and adding heat in 10-second increments until smooth.
- Stir the melted chocolate into the butter mixture, then mix in the lemon juice. Whisk the salt into the flour, then add it to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 35-38 minutes, checking at 25 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, cover with foil. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- For the topping, beat cream cheese until smooth, then mix in powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest.
- Spread over the cooled brownies and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Presentation Ideas
Lemon Brownies aren’t just delicious but they can be beautiful, too. I like to garnish them with lemon zest or a few lemon slices to make them look as good as they taste. If I’m skipping the cream cheese topping (or a lemon glaze), I’ll just dust them with powdered sugar instead. They’re perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of homemade whipped cream, or a cold glass of milk!
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store Lemon Brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Make sure they are completely cooled before sealing to prevent moisture buildup.
- Refrigeration: For longer freshness, store brownies in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep them covered tightly to avoid drying out.
- Freezing: Freeze the brownies for up to 3 months. After cooling, place them in a freezer-safe container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
- Reheating: To reheat, warm individual pieces in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or for 5 minutes at 350°F in the oven (if you want them slightly warm with a little crisp edge). Do not add cream cheese frosting when reheating them in the oven.
More Summer Desserts
Number two and the instructions say to add butter and cream yet there is no cream in this recipe. There is cream cheese for the topping. Please clarify I put the cream cheese in this step and I’m sure it was wrong, but I will say the brownies turned out delicious. I didn’t even make a topping
Hi Laura. Thank you so much for pointing that out! The instructions were meant to say “cream the butter” - I’ve updated the wording now to make it clearer and avoid any confusion.
It sounds like your version still turned out delicious—even without the topping! I’m glad to hear it worked out in the end, and I really appreciate your feedback. 🙂 🙂
These look yummy and I look forward to trying them. I just have two questions:
1) This recipe calls for fresh lemon juice correct? (Not the nasty bottled stuff.)
2) In your step-by-step pictures, there is a spoon with brown stuff. It's not labeled and I don't see any ingredient listed that it could be such as vanilla. What am I missing? Thank you for your time.
Hi Janis! Yes, I am using freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly zested lemon! You're correct, that's the vanilla extract - I have missed that in my ingredient list. It's added now and everything is corrected - thank you for pointing that out! 🙂 🙂
love this recipe ♥️
instead of calling them brownies they should be called "yellowies"
Haha, I love that — "yellowies" has a great ring to it! Thanks for making me smile! 🙂 🙂
Just made them today and my son loved them!!!
Thank you, Eva, I am so glad your son enjoyed these!!