Oh my gosh, if you think you know a good dessert, wait until you bite into one of these babies! Forget those fussy, crumbly lemon bars you see everywhere. We’re making something better today: the ultimate, perfectly chewy, bright-as-a-sunbeam **Lemon Blondies**! Seriously, they’re so easy, you barely need a mixer. I remember the first time I managed to get that impossible texture just right—dense, a little gooey in the middle, with those tangy lemon pops—it took three tries! But now? It’s foolproof. These are my go-to when I need a quick, happy afternoon bake. Trust me, these simple lemon blondies are going to change your baking game forever.
Why You Will Make These Lemon Blondies Again and Again
I didn’t even need a stand mixer for this! These truly are a weeknight wonder when you need a little brightness in your life. They hold up so well, which is a huge bonus.
- The texture is unmatched—super **chewy** and dense, never cakey, thanks to the melted butter.
- That flavor explosion from the fresh lemon zest is incredible; it just screams summer!
- Cleanup is a dream! Since everything mixes in one bowl, you aren’t spending forever later scrubbing pots.
- They stay perfectly moist for days, which means you get the same great bite on day three.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Lemon Blondies
Okay, the list for these isn’t long, which I love, but the quality of what you use really makes a huge difference here. You need that intense citrus flavor to cut through the sweetness. Make sure everything is measured precisely!
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
My biggest non-negotiable tip? You absolutely must use fresh lemon zest. That bottled stuff just doesn’t have the same perfume or punch. If you use the zest from a lemon, you get these little oil pockets of intense flavor that are key to making these Lemon Blondies sing. Don’t skip the zest part—it’s flavor gold!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Lemon Blondies
If you want to make these even *more* decadent, absolutely toss in about 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips with your wet ingredients. They melt just enough to give you that creamy surprise in every bite. Now, if being strictly gluten-free is necessary, I’ve had success swapping the all-purpose flour for a quality 1:1 gluten-free blend, but you might need an extra minute or two in the oven just to set up the center.
Equipment Needed for Your Lemon Blondies Recipe
You really don’t need anything fancy here, which is why I love this recipe so much for quick bakes! Having your gear ready makes prep fly by.
- A sturdy 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Parchment paper—this is a lifesaver for easy clean-up!
- One big mixing bowl for the wet stuff.
- A smaller bowl for mixing the dry ingredients.
- A whisk and a reliable silicone spatula.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Bake Chewy Lemon Blondies
This is where the magic happens, and honestly, it doesn’t get much easier than this! We’re moving fast here, so have your setup ready before you even turn the oven on. Just follow these steps, paying close attention to when you stop mixing—that’s the secret handshake for chewiness. Once you get the hang of this method, you’ll be whipping up amazing lemon squares faster than you can believe!
Preparing the Pan and Oven for Lemon Blondies
First things first, get that oven warming up to 350°F (that’s 175°C). Now, grab your 9×13 pan. You have to line it with parchment paper, but here’s the trick: leave a decent overhang on the sides. Seriously, don’t skip this! Those flaps act like built-in handles, letting you lift the entire slab out perfectly cool later.
Mixing Wet and Dry Ingredients for the Lemon Blondies Batter
In your big bowl, it’s all about the fat and sugar first. Whisk that melted butter and sugar until they look okay together. Then, beat in the eggs one by one until they’re incorporated. Follow that up with your bright lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract—smell that already? In the other bowl, just quickly whisk your flour, baking powder, and salt. Now, add the dry stuff to the wet stuff gradually. Mix until you barely see streaks of flour left. Stop right there! Overmixing develops gluten, and we want chewy, not tough!
Baking and Cooling Your Lemon Blondies Perfectly
Spread that beautiful batter evenly into the prepared pan and slide it into the hot oven for about 25 to 30 minutes. You’re looking for light golden edges, but remember my warning: if the toothpick comes out completely clean, you’ve baked it too long! You want moist crumbs attached. This is vital for chewiness! Once they look done, pull them out and let them cool completely—and I mean completely—on a rack before you even think about cutting them. Patience here prevents a gooey, messy slice!
Tips for Achieving the Best Texture in Your Lemon Blondies
Texture is everything with a blondie, right? You want that satisfying chew that sticks with you just a little bit, not something that crumbles like a cookie or rises like a cake. My biggest downfall when I first started was always overbaking them out of fear they were still raw in the middle. Big mistake!
Remember that melted butter versus creamed butter? Melted butter immediately leads to a denser, chewier result because it doesn’t incorporate as much air as creaming softened butter does. That ratio of fat to sugar we used is already set up for success. Just make sure you watch that timer like a hawk. Pull them out when there are still some moist crumbs clinging to your toothpick. They firm right up cooling on the rack. If you want more help achieving that perfect density, I learned a ton over at my post about the best lemon brownies—the rules on chew come from the same place!
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips for Lemon Blondies
Guess what? These Lemon Blondies actually get *better* the next day! They are fantastic for making ahead of time if you’re having people over. You want to store them in a single layer in a truly airtight container at room temperature. If you stack them, make sure you put a piece of parchment or wax paper between the layers so they don’t stick together once they’ve set up.
If you really need to keep them longer, they freeze like a dream! Cut them into squares first, then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then pop them all into a freezer bag. They should be good for about two months. When you want one, just let it thaw on the counter for about an hour. If you need a super fast treat, I have some great advice over at my post on no-bake cookie delights about quick snack storage if you are feeling impatient!
Serving Suggestions for Bright Lemon Blondies
These bright squares are perfect just naked, especially with that light dusting of powdered sugar, but I love dressing them up a tiny bit for company! I usually serve them slightly warm—not hot, just warm enough to get gooey—with a big scoop of really good vanilla bean ice cream melting right next to it.
If you’re serving them after dinner, a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream mixed with just a tiny bit more lemon zest is divine. It makes them feel fancy, even though they took about thirty minutes to bake! It reminds me a little of how a slice of good, rich pound cake feels with cream. Pure comfort food!
Frequently Asked Questions About Lemon Blondies
Can I use lime or orange zest instead of lemon?
You absolutely can! If you want to switch things up, lime works beautifully and gives you a slightly tarter, brighter punch. Orange zest makes for a sweeter, more floral blondie, which is also lovely. Just remember to use fresh zest, no matter what citrus you pick, because that intense oil is what gives these baked squares their signature zing!
My blondies came out cakey, what went wrong?
That’s the number one bummer! Cakey blondies usually happen for one of two reasons. First, you might have overmixed the batter after adding the flour; we want minimal mixing for chewiness. Second, and perhaps more common if you used creaming methods in the past, is overbaking. Always pull these when the toothpick has moist crumbs attached—they firm up as they cool on the rack. If you’re looking for more tips on avoiding that cake texture, my guide on making perfect lemonade pie has some cross-over tips on balancing structure!
How long do these chewy blondies stay fresh?
Because of that lovely fat content and the sugar ratio we used, these stay wonderfully fresh! At room temperature, tightly sealed in a container, they are excellent for about four days. They might even be better on day two because the lemon flavor sinks in!
Do I have to use the powdered sugar dusting?
Not at all! The powdered sugar is purely aesthetic—it gives them that beautiful, professional, slightly cracked top look. If you skip it, you still have the best lemon blondies in the world underneath! I sometimes skip it if I’m making a big batch just for us mid-week when no one cares how it looks.
Nutritional Estimates for Lemon Blondies
Since we are using simple ingredients here, the numbers still come out pretty reasonable for a satisfying treat, but remember, these are just estimates based on standard measurements. If you use white chocolate chips, those numbers will shift a bit!
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 25
- Fat: 13
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Protein: 3
Nutritional Estimates for Lemon Blondies
Since we are using simple ingredients here, the numbers still come out pretty reasonable for a satisfying treat, but remember, these are just estimates based on standard measurements. If you use white chocolate chips, those numbers will shift a bit!
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 25
- Fat: 13
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Protein: 3
Lemon Blondies
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 16 squares 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Simple, chewy lemon blondies with a bright citrus flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until combined.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
- Let the blondies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Once cool, lift the blondies out using the parchment overhang. Cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
Notes
- For a stronger lemon flavor, add 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips to the batter.
- Do not overbake; slightly underbaked centers will set as they cool, resulting in a chewier texture.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 55
Keywords: lemon blondies, lemon bars, chewy blondies, citrus dessert, baked squares