Every chocolate lover knows that when it comes to a warm, fudgy dessert, nothing beats brownies. But, did you know the greatness that is the brownie doesn’t stop at chocolate?
As it turns out, there are other brownies out there to be had that boast some pretty unique and amazing flavors.
And this recipe for lemon brownies has us running for the kitchen!
What makes this recipe so special isn’t just the amazing taste and texture of these “brownies”, but also how easy they are to make.
Inspired by Jenny Can Cook, these lemon brownies don’t even use butter in the ingredients, and the very best part? They don’t require much effort, either. Like, you don’t even need a mixer!
So, how do you make these delectable, sweet, and tart dessert treats? Easy. First, gather your ingredients together.
You’ll need:
- 1 cup of all-purpose white or wheat pastry flour (that’s right, wheat flour works perfectly for these brownies)
- 3/4 cups of sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 tsp. of baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt (make sure it has at least 2% fat) or sour cream
- 3 Tblsp. vegetable oil
- The zest of 2 lemons + 2 Tblsp. of fresh lemon juice
For the glaze, you’ll need:
- 1 heaping cup of powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
- zest and juice of one large lemon
Step 1:
Now that you have everything gathered, preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8 x 8-inch cake pan with aluminum foil. Make sure to leave 2 to 3 inches of excess foil sticking up above the sides of the pan. This way you can use it to lift the brownies from the pan after they’re done.
Step 2:
Next, zest your lemons. There are many ways to get this job done and several types of zesters. Our favorite is the long, thin, handheld zester made specifically for the purpose.
If you don’t happen to have one of these lying around, though, Jenny points out that you can also use a standard box grater. Just be sure to use the side with all the tiny holes with “teeth” on them. You know- the side that you almost never use.
Step 3:
The next thing you’ll do is add all of your ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl (use a large bowl if you intend to double the batch).
After you’ve added the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs, yogurt, oil, and lemon zest to the bowl, cut open one of the lemons and squeeze the juice until you have at least 2 tablespoons. Make sure to catch or remove any seeds before proceeding to the next step.
Step 4:
Now it’s time to mix it all up! Using a spatula, fork, or what-have-you, mix up everything in the bowl and stir for roughly 30 seconds or so. You want the batter to have a smooth, creamy consistency.
Step 5:
Once you do, go ahead and pour the batter directly into your foil-covered baking pan. No need to grease here, folks!
This recipe makes a relatively thick batter, so don’t be afraid to push it out to the corners of your pan and try to get an even spread on it.
Step 6:
Then pop your lemon brownies in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. In the meantime, while the brownies are baking, now is the perfect time to whip up the icing.
Step 7:
This step couldn’t possibly be any more simple.
Pour the powdered sugar and 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice in a bowl and stir together until a nice, beautiful glaze forms. This can take a while, Jenny explains, and at first, it might not seem like there is enough lemon juice.
Just keep on stirring, though, (roughly 20-30 seconds) and the powdered sugar will combine with the lemon juice and come together into the perfect glaze. Add in the remaining lemon zest and give it a stir.
After 20 minutes have passed, pull your brownies from the oven.
Allow them to cool off for about 10 minutes, then pull up on the foil “handles” you created at the beginning. Holding over a piece of wax or parchment paper, gently peel the foil from the bottom of the brownies as you brace the top of them with one hand. Then, place the bottom-side down onto the paper.
Step 8:
Then, drizzle your lemon icing over the top of it to spread it all over the top of the brownies, allowing it to run down all the sides.
Now there is nothing left to do but slice into your lemon brownies and enjoy!
To get the full tutorial with all the delicious visuals, watch the video below.
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