Sweet, buttery, and swirled with rich brown butter. These blondies are loaded with icing, perfectly chewy, and absolutely delicious!
They’re soft, chewy, and slightly crinkly with just the right punch of bright lemon flavor. Made with sweetened lemon sugar, deep brown sugar, and subtle hints of vanilla and caramelized brown butter.
Every bite melts in your mouth, especially with the creamy brown butter lemon icing on top and a final sprinkle of lemon sugar for a little sparkle and extra citrusy zing. Trust me, these are the blondies people will beg you to make over and over.
This year, I’ve been playing around with lemon in my baking—something I never thought I’d love. Growing up, I didn’t think lemon desserts were worth the effort, and that mindset stuck with me for years. But over time, I’ve come to appreciate how amazing a sweet lemon treat can be. And after finding out that my youngest brother, Oslo, adores lemon desserts? Now I’m totally hooked on making more!
Seeing little Oslo happily devour these bars completely melted my heart. These lemon blondies have officially become one of my all-time favorites!
After that, I couldn’t stop thinking about lemon desserts. At first, I just wanted to make a simple lemon bar—something I didn’t already have a recipe for, something fresh and new. Maybe it was all the sunny spring days putting me in the mood!
But let’s be honest—blondies are way more fun. So I decided to create the ultimate lemon blondie recipe. And you guys… they are so good. We’re talking crinkly tops, the deep, nutty flavor of brown butter, bright lemon sweetness, a hint of vanilla, and dreamy swirls of vanilla bourbon white chocolate (I found the best bars at Whole Foods).
I know you’re going to love these!
Here’s how to make them:
Ingredients
- Lemon zest
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Eggs (make sure they’re at room temperature—not cold!)
- Salted butter
- White chocolate (I use Milkboy Swiss Bourbon Vanilla Chocolate Bars)
- Vanilla
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
Ingredients for the Icing
- Salted butter (lightly browned on the stove)
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla
- Powdered sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon zest
Steps
Step 1: The Lemon Sugar
Mix the granulated sugar with the lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar—this helps release the lemon oils, making the sugar extra fragrant and flavorful. Then, mix in the brown sugar.
Step 2: The Eggs
Here’s the trick—whisk the eggs really well before adding them to the batter.
Whisking them first creates air, which helps give the blondies that perfect crinkly top. I know it feels like an extra step (and yes, another bowl to wash), but trust me, it’s worth it!
Once whisked, add the lemon sugar mixture to the eggs.
Step 3: Brown the Butter & Mix with Eggs
Grab a skillet (I like using cast iron) and add the cold, salted butter. Let it sizzle over medium heat until it turns a light golden brown.
Then, slowly mix the warm butter into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking constantly until you get a smooth, glossy batter. The heat helps dissolve the sugars beautifully.
Toss in the white chocolate (some of the finely chopped bits will melt into the batter—yum!) and add the vanilla.
Step 4: Finish the Batter & Bake
Add the flour and salt, whisking until everything is smooth.
Pour the batter into a 9×9-inch square pan. I baked mine for exactly 30 minutes.
Step 5: The Icing
Once the blondies have cooled, whip up the tangy lemon icing.
Mix a little browned butter with lemon juice, vanilla, and powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out. Drizzle the icing over the blondies—it looks so pretty!
For the finishing touch, sprinkle that lemon zest and sugar mix on top. So good! Enjoy these sweet, lemony blondies—they’re little Oslo’s favorite!
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