These gluten free lemon brownies are the zesty, lemony equivalent of a chocolate brownie. They don’t actually contain any chocolate, but they’re just as rich and melt-in-the-mouth fudgy. They’re packed full of lemon zest and lemon juice, and the tangy lemon cream cheese icing on top makes them extra decadent. And they’re really easy to make!
This is the lemoniest recipe I’ve ever made. Yes, these lemon brownies are even more lemony than the lemon crinkle cookies, the lemon curd cookies, the lemon rolls and also the lemon curd cake. (If there’s ever a lemon shortage, you know who to blame.)
They really do have that typical fudgy, slightly dense, melt-in-the-mouth brownie texture – but instead of chocolate, they’re packed full of lemon zest and lemon juice. And as if that wasn’t enough, they’re also topped with a lemony, tangy cream cheese icing.
Why are they called lemon brownies?
The name “lemon brownies” is definitely controversial, because they’re neither brown nor do they contain chocolate (or cocoa powder). Some call them “lemon blondies”, others call them “lemon bars” (even though lemon bars are a totally different dessert made with a shortbread crust and a layer of lemon curd filling on top) – basically, naming these bars of lemony deliciousness is a complex thing but honestly: it doesn’t really matter.
They’re one of the best (and the easiest) lemon desserts you’ll ever make or taste – and that’s true regardless of what you call them.
I chose to call them “lemon brownies” simply because that seems to be the most common name that people use. (These were actually inspired by the fabulous lemon brownies from Flouring Kitchen and Buttermilk by Sam.)
Before we get to the bits and bobs of making these fudgy gluten free lemon brownies – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my newsletter to keep up to date on the latest recipes and tips!
PRE-ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK!
The book that will teach you how to make ANY recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free or vegan (and still taste spectacular)
PRE-ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK!
The book that will teach you how to make ANY recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free or vegan
Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.
How to make gluten free lemon brownies
These lemon brownies are really quick and easy to whip up: you don’t need a stand or a hand mixer, just a bowl and a large balloon whisk, and you’re good to go.
Because we’re using melted butter, there’s no need to cream the mixture or anything like that – you just need to combine all the wet ingredients, add the dry, whisk until smooth and then bake.
Top tips for making the PERFECT gluten free lemon brownies
- Use unwaxed (ideally organic) lemons. Because you’ll be using lots of lemon zest, I recommend using organic unwaxed lemons – that will give you the best flavour and you’ll also avoid any pesticides or fungicides that the “regular” lemons are treated with.
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar. This helps to release the maximum amount of essential oils from the lemon zest, which will make your lemon brownies extra fragrant.
- The extra egg yolks make the lemon brownies fudgier and more vibrant in colour. The colour of your final, baked lemon brownies depends entirely on the colour of your egg yolks: the more intensely yellow-ish orange your yolks, the more vibrant your lemon brownies will be. If your egg yolks are fairly pale in colour, you can add a tiny amount of yellow food colouring to the batter (I didn’t add any to my brownies because my yolks were super orange).
- Don’t be tempted to add more lemon juice. Too much liquid can make the lemon brownies too cakey.
- For best results, weigh your ingredients, especially the flour. If you’re using cups/volume measurements, it’s very easy to over-measure your flour (especially because different brands of gluten free flour blends can vary A LOT in terms of density). This recipe uses a relatively small amount of flour, and adding too much can make your lemon brownies dry and crumbly – so, to get the best possible texture, I recommend using a digital food scale.
- No raising agents. I don’t use any chemical raising agents (baking powder or baking soda) in my brownie recipes because I want them to be as fudgy and gooey as possible, and adding raising agents can make them cakey (a texture I never ever want to see in my brownies). And the same goes for these gluten free lemon brownies: don’t use any raising agents if you want them to be deliciously melt-in-the-mouth fudgy.
- Short baking time. You need to bake the gluten free lemon brownies for 20-22 minutes at 350ºF/180ºC or until they’re golden on top, an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean and they’re still soft to the touch when you gently press down on them with a finger.
- It’s better to under- rather than over-bake the lemon brownies. Just like with chocolate brownies, the worst thing you can do to these lemon brownies is to over-bake them: that will make them dry and crumbly.
- Cool them COMPLETELY to room temperature before you add the lemon cream cheese icing on top. And even if you decide to skip the icing: I still recommend waiting until they’re completely cooled before you cut into them. They can be quite delicate and fragile when they’re warm, but as they cool, they absorb some of the ambient moisture, which helps them to achieve the perfect texture.
- They’re even better the next day – which makes them the perfect make-ahead dessert!
The lemon cream cheese icing
Many lemon brownie recipes are topped with a simple lemon icing made from lemon juice and powdered/icing sugar – which is great, but I wanted something a bit different for this recipe.
So, I added some cream cheese to the simple lemon icing (along with a generous amount of vanilla bean paste and some extra lemon zest), and the result is AMAZING. The tanginess of the lemon curd complements the lemon flavour perfectly and it also helps to cut through the sweetness of the icing.
Keep in mind that the lemon cream cheese icing will take longer to set and dry: adding the cream cheese (with its extra moisture and fat) means that the icing will stay “wet” and sticky to the touch for longer – depending on the ambient humidity, it can take 1-2 hours for it to be dry to the touch.
If you want an icing that sets and dries out quicker, make a simple lemon icing instead, with powdered/icing sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and some vanilla (and no cream cheese).
That said, I really do recommend giving the cream cheese version a try: the flavour is incredible, and nobody will mind if the icing is still a bit gooey on top… if anything, that only makes these lemon brownies EVEN MORE decadent.
And there you have it: this covers everything you need to know about these truly fabulous gluten free lemon brownies. I still can’t get over just how fudgy and rich they are. Their texture definitely justifies their name, they truly are brownie-like, just without the chocolate and with A LOT of lemony goodness instead.
If you love lemon desserts, these should be at the very top of your to-do list.
Happy baking!
More lemon dessert recipes
If you can’t get enough of lemony deliciousness, you’re definitely in the right place!
- Gluten Free Lemon Curd Cookies
- Gluten Free Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- The Best Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake (Lemon Loaf)
- The Softest Gluten Free Lemon Rolls
If you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my newsletter to keep up to date on the latest recipes and tips!
PRE-ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK!
The book that will teach you how to make ANY recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free or vegan (and still taste spectacular)
PRE-ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK!
The book that will teach you how to make ANY recipe gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free or vegan
Gluten Free Lemon Brownies
These gluten free lemon brownies are the zesty, lemony equivalent of a chocolate brownie. They don’t actually contain any chocolate, but they’re just as rich and melt-in-the-mouth fudgy. They’re packed full of lemon zest and lemon juice, and the tangy lemon cream cheese icing on top makes them extra decadent. And they’re really easy to make!
Print Rate SAVE
4.91 from 22 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook/Bake Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Servings 16
Author Kat | The Loopy Whisk
Ingredients
Lemon brownies:
- 250 g (1¼ cups) caster/superfine or granulated sugar
- zest of 2 lemons (Ideally, use organic unwaxed lemons.)
- 170 g (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
- 2 US large/UK medium eggs, room temperature
- 2 US large/UK medium egg yolks, room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 45 g (3 tbsp) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 150 g (1¼ cups) plain gluten free flour blend (I used Doves Farm Freee gluten free plain white flour that doesn't have any xanthan gum added.You can also mix your own gluten free flour blend using this recipe.Note that for this homemade blend, 1 cup = 150g, so ideally use a digital food scale and the weight measurements for best results.)
- ½ tsp xanthan gum (If your gluten free flour blend already contains xanthan gum, add only ¼ tsp.)
- ¼ tsp salt
Lemon cream cheese icing:
- 120 g (1 cup) powdered/icing sugar, sifted
- 55 g (¼ cup) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 10 g (2 tsp) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- zest of ½ lemon (Ideally, use organic unwaxed lemons.)
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
Instructions
Lemon brownies:
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, pre-heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line a 9-inch (23cm) square baking pan with parchment/baking paper.
Tip:When lining the baking pan, I recommend leaving some parchment/baking paper overhang, as that will help with removing the lemon brownies from the pan later on.
Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl, and use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar.
Tip:This helps to release more essential oils from the zest, and it will make your lemon brownies even more lemony and aromatic.
Add the melted butter, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla, and whisk until well combined and smooth.
Tip: Don't aerate the mixture – you don't want to whisk it until it's pale and fluffy, but just until all the ingredients are combined. Introducing too much air into the batter can make the lemon brownies cakey rather than fudgy.
Add the lemon juice and whisk well to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk well until you get a smooth, fairly runny batter with no flour clumps.
Transfer the batter into the lined baking pan and smooth out the top.
Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 20-22 minutes or until they’re golden on top, an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean and they’re still soft to the touch when you gently press down on them with a finger.
Tip: It's better to under-bake rather than over-bake these, as you want them to be super fudgy.
Allow the lemon brownies to cool completely to room temperature in the baking pan before you spread on the lemon cream cheese icing.
Lemon cream cheese icing:
In a bowl, combine all the lemon cream cheese icing ingredients. Whisk well until you get a smooth, runny icing with no clumps.
Pour the icing over the (completely cooled) lemon brownies and use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth it out into an even layer.
Allow the icing to set at room temperature (if you have the patience) before removing the lemon brownies from the pan, slicing and serving.
The addition of cream cheese (with its extra moisture and fat) means that the icing will stay “wet” and sticky to the touch for longer – depending on the ambient humidity, it can take 1-2 hours for it to be dry to the touch.
If you want an icing that sets and dries out quicker, make a simple lemon icing instead, with 120g (1 cup) of powdered/icing sugar, 6-7 teaspoons of lemon juice, lemon zest and some vanilla (and no cream cheese).
Storage:
The gluten free lemon brownies keep well for 3-4 days in a loosely covered container in a cool, dry place. I don't recommend keeping them in a tightly closed container, as that will make the icing very soft and gooey.
Tried this recipe?Mention @theloopywhisk or tag #theloopywhisk!
