These gooey and fudgy Lemon Brownies feel like classic brownies but have the same bright and zesty flavors as lemon bars. A simple lemon glaze on top adds a burst of sweet lemon flavor to every bite!
If you love lemon desserts as much as I do, then you’ll definitely want to check out my Lemon Cupcakes, Lemon Blueberry Bread, Lemon Crinkle Cookies, and Lavender Lemon Bars!
Gooey vegan brownies + zesty lemon bars + chewy blondies = these irresistible vegan lemon brownies!
This easy vegan lemon brownie recipe is perfect for spring. Just like classic brownies and blondies, they’re rich and chewy but are bursting with bright and refreshing lemon flavors! A simple lemon glaze on top is the perfect finishing touch, adding just the right amount of sweetness to every bite.
If you can’t stand the thought of brownies without chocolate, then fine, call them lemon cookie bars. 😉
Why you’ll love these lemon brownies
- A brownie-lemon bar hybrid – With a moist, gooey, and fudgy texture and a fresh lemon flavor, these brownie-lemon bar hybrids are a unique and delicious dessert!
- Bright and zesty – Fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, and a 2-ingredient lemon glaze fill these glazed lemon brownies with bright and refreshing flavors.
- A treat for spring – While I love gooey eggless brownies year-round, these lemon blondies are a perfectly refreshing treat for spring!
Frequently asked questions
It hasn’t been tested, but you can experiment with this recipe by folding ½ cup to ¾ cup of vegan white chocolate chips or fresh blueberries, 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried culinary lavender, or up to 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds into the batter.
Instead of the lemon glaze, decorate the brownies with a dusting of powdered sugar, spread a layer of my Whipped Lemon Buttercream or Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting on top, replace it with a simple vanilla glaze instead (replace the lemon extract with vanilla extract), or add a few dollops of my Vegan Lemon Curd on top for double the lemon goodness!
Yes! Just replace the all-purpose flour with a quality gluten-free flour blend.
The brownies keep well for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They can also be stored for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
I haven’t tried it, but the brownies should freeze well for about 2 to 3 months in an airtight container.
Lemon Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 3 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 drops yellow food coloring optional
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×9 (or 8×8) inch baking pan. Or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat the softened vegan butter and sugar until creamy.
- Add the vanilla, lemon extract, lemon zest, juice and optional yellow food coloring. Mix until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Stop the mixer and add the flour, followed by the cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix until just combined.
- Spread in the prepared pan, using an offset spatula. The dough is thick, like cookie dough, so be patient and get it as even as possible with either your hands or the spatula.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until just set in the center. Don't over bake, or they will be dry.
- Let them cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment paper (if using) and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice until thick but pourable. Add additional powdered sugar if needed. Spread over the cooled brownies.
- Let the glaze harden before slicing and serving. Enjoy! You can sprinkle a little extra lemon zest on top, if you want.
Notes
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Leftover lemon brownies will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, or about 3 days on the countertop in a covered container.
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Gluten free? Substitute a gluten free flour.
So,i happen to be a lemon lover,made this recipe couple of hours ago,already enjoying them,they are absolutely delicious and i’m not even a vegan🥰
These sounds great! Can I use coconut oil (or coconut cream?) in place of vegan butter?
I haven’t tested this recipe with coconut oil, but it would probably work okay. They might be greasier and would miss that buttery flavor. I hope you enjoy!
so so good. took to a family gathering and they were a huge hit! lots of requests for the recipe. also very easy to make.
Made a double batch for a family get together yesterday and they were a hit. A 10 year old asked for the recipe to give to her mother haha. So delicious. These will be made over and over again. Thanks for yet another great recipe!
You are welcome, Krista! Thank YOU for your awesome review and fun feedback! I’m so glad the recipe was a hit! I appreciate you using my recipes! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Made these for my son’s 19th birthday and they were delish! We are lemon lovers & they hit the spot. My husband even said he liked them more than lemon bars! Will be making these again!
Hi Leigh. Happy birthday to your son! I’m thrilled everyone loved the lemon brownies! Thanks for your awesome review and feedback! Happy cooking to you!
Another fabulous dessert! Thank you! Now I am curious about what the next flavor of brownies will be?! The recipe was easy to follow and the lemon brownies baked up well. Hoping to freeze some, but they might disappear before I can get them in the freezer! 🙂
I definitely have some more ideas for brownie recipes! Red velvet, pumpkin… just to name a few. 🙂 I’m so happy you enjoyed the lemon brownies.
We really liked these. I didn’t have a square pan so we used an 8” round. It baked up with a pretty raised crust but was too much dough for that size and a bit too fudgy. We added a couple drops of lemon oil to the dough. Would recommend some in the glaze as well as lemon zest. Will try these again in a different pan. Thanks!
I decided to skip the icing, and they were still a hit! A very original dessert 🙂 I had some issues with the consistency at the beginning, it was less thick than the “cookie dough” consistency you described, but I added a little bit more flour and it worked out 🙂
I’m thrilled the brownies were hit! Thanks for sharing your baking experience and great review! They are unique, and I love lemony desserts! Happy cooking to you!
These were great and pretty easy! I would recommend using the parchment because I didn’t and my edges came out a little hard and I ended up trimming them off. I also added a few drops of grapefruit juice to the glaze and a few drops of beet juice to make it pink. Garnished with strawberry slices for fanciness! Yum.
Sooo good! Undetectably vegan and a major crowd pleaser! Make these immediately, especially if you love lemon 🍋
Hi Madison. Your review is fabulous! Thank you for sharing! I’m so excited you loved the lemon brownies!
These lemon brownies were amazing. I took them to a dinner get together with several couples and they loved them. (I did leave out the food coloring.) No one realized they were vegan!!
I will definitely make again.
I know I am inundating you with comments but I am so excited to use your vegan butter to bake. I made your lemon brownies with it and they were fabulous! Doubled the recipe for a 9 x 13 pan for 25 min. Absolutely wonderful! Thanks again.
These are wonderful and I even added lavender like your bars. Thank you. Would these freeze week? And how would you do it?
Hi Sarah. I’m so glad you loved the brownies, and tried them with lavender! Yumm! I haven’t tried it, but the brownies should freeze well for about 2 to 3 months. Once completely cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap a couple of times, then wrap in foil. Place in an airtight container. Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and feedback! Happy cooking!
How did you incorporate the lavender? Did you just add the food grade lavender petals into the brownie mixture?
Loved it. So good and simple. Thank you
You are welcome! Thank you for your wonderful review!
I made these gluten free and they were delicious!
Can I use coconut oil or avocado oil instead of vegan butter?
I haven’t tested it, but it would probably work okay. They might be greasier and would miss that buttery flavor.
I am not a vegan. Can I use regular butter, or what else do you suggest?
Yes, you can. I hope you enjoy them!
I completely forgot to give the 5-star rating with my comment.
Another superb, mouthwatering recipe from you. Thank you Nora for sharing your talents with us.
These were amazing, easy, and delicious! I doubled the recipe and baked in a 9×13.
Though the color wasn’t as yellow as seen, this is Absolutely delicious! Even better the next day from the fridge. I highly recommend!
Would you recommend a 9×13 for the doubled recipe? Going to make these now. Thank you Nora!
Yes, and bake a bit longer. Enjoy!
You and Nisha from rainbowplantlife are all I need recipewise, your lemon muffins are my most baked recipe ever and this one is fantastic, too! Lemon sweets are so underrated generally!
I agree, lemon sweets are amazing! I just love them! Thanks for your fun and wonderful feedback and review! Glad you are loving my recipes! Happy cooking!
I just got finished making these amazing lemon brownies and have already eaten two of them! They are simply amazing and the recipe is perfect exactly as it is written. Nora, you never cease to amaze me with your delicious recipes, thank you!! And for dinner tonight, I will be making your skillet enchiladas which my whole family loves:) Thanks to you, Nora, we are all happily eating and look forward to all your culinary adventures!
Oh yay and you made them so fast after I posted them! They really are easy to whip up. 🙂 I am so happy you enjoyed the lemon brownies, and thank you for your kind comments! I make those skillet enchiladas a lot for my family too.