White Chocolate Lemon Brownies

Stack of two lemon brownies topped with white icing.

These white chocolate lemon brownies have a moist and chewy texture from melted white chocolate. They are packed with bright and fresh lemon flavor and topped with a creamy lemon icing.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 27

Total Time 47

Servings

Calories 299kcal

Author Allison Mattina

Ingredients

Brownies:

½ cup (113g) salted butter cut into 8 pieces
⅔ cup (116g) white chocolate chips divided
¼ cup (55g) light brown sugar packed
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1½ tablespoons lemon zest about one large lemon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups (158g) all purpose flour spooned and leveled or weighed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Lemon icing:

1¼ cups (150g) powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
lemon zest for garnish

Instructions

Brownies:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 metal baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it (I use nonstick baking spray). Set aside.
Place the butter in a large microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave until the butter is melted. Immediately add ⅓ cup (58g) of white chocolate chips. Stir gently, to ensure the chips are covered in butter, then set aside for 5 minutes. The heat from the melted butter will melt the chips.
After 5 minutes, whisk the melted butter and chocolate chips, you should have a smooth mixture. Add both sugars, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Tap the excess batter off the whisk and into the bowl and remove the whisk.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined. Stir in the remaining ⅓ cup (58g) white chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Moisten your fingertips with water and press the batter into an an even layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center has a few moist crumbs but no raw batter.
Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

Lemon icing:

Whisk powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add more lemon juice as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Pour the icing over the cooled bars and spread into an even layer. Grate lemon zest over the top, if desired. The icing will firm up over time. I usually wait a couple hours for it to thicken before cutting and serving.

Notes

Serving and storage

Serve chilled or room temperature. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. These bars stay soft, chewy, and flavorful for days.

Nutrition