Lemon lovers, rejoice! These tart, lemony blondies topped with a light lemon glaze are everything you want in a citrus dessert. Moist, dense and gooey, they’re the bright, non-chocolate cousin to classic brownies. I refreshed an older version of this recipe to achieve a fudgier, less cake-like texture, and I’m very happy with the result.
The original recipe produced perfectly lemony blondies but they turned out a bit more cake-like than I wanted. I wanted that dense, gooey interior with a slight bite, so I made a few changes. Instead of creaming butter and sugar as you would for a cake, I beat the eggs and sugar first. That step gives a thin crust and helps the batter rise slightly. I then fold in melted butter at the end to create a chewy, fudgier texture. I also reduced the flour and the amount of butter, which together help keep the blondies dense rather than airy.
For finishing, I add a thin lemon glaze. You can double the glaze for a thicker layer if you prefer — it’s delicious either way. I’ve also made the recipe with oranges instead of lemons and it’s just as good; see the recipe notes for options.
At room temperature these blondies are soft and gooey; chilled they become almost fudge-like. I enjoy them both ways and hope you will too.
Let’s make blondies!
Please read the recipe notes before beginning.
Gooey Lemon Blondies
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Ingredients
For the blondies
- 100 gms butter
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup caster sugar (142 gms)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 gms)
- Pinch of salt, if using unsalted butter
For the glaze
- 1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted (40 gms)
- 1 to 2 tsps lemon juice
Instructions
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Melt the butter gently (do not boil) and set it aside to cool slightly. Line an 8×4 inch baking dish with baking paper (see notes for pan alternatives). Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
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In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, lemon juice and zest.
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Sift in the flour and salt, then beat briefly on low speed until just combined.
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Add the cooled melted butter and stir to form a smooth, runny batter.
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Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. This ensures a gooey, dense texture; if you prefer a more cake-like blondie, bake until the center is fully dry.
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Cool the blondies completely to room temperature; they will sink slightly and firm up as they cool. To make the glaze, combine the sifted icing sugar and lemon juice, adding the juice slowly until you reach a runny but spreadable consistency. Adjust the amount of juice as needed.
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Spread the glaze over the cooled blondies and let it set for about 15 minutes. Slice and serve.
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Storage: these blondies are soft and gooey. They can be stored at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerated for up to a week in warm weather. Chilled blondies are firm and fudge-like—both ways are delicious.
Notes
You can double the glaze for a thicker topping. The glaze also works beautifully with orange juice and zest if you’d like an orange variation; you can substitute orange juice for lemon juice in the batter to make orange blondies.
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