These incredible Gluten Free Lemon Brownies are topped with creamy lemonade icing. They are decadent, flavorful, and so easy to make!
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I know I have talked about our lemon tree in a few posts, but it is hard not to love our tree. It gives us tons of giant lemons most of the year! What better way to celebrate our lemon tree than to make the perfect gluten free lemon dessert?
This new lemony lemon brownie recipe is pretty incredible. They melt in your mouth with every delicious bite. I make a lot of brownies, but I think you will agree this is going to become popular!
If you want to try more of my gluten free brownie recipes, try my traditional gluten free brownies. If you love white chocolate, these gluten free white chocolate brownies are pretty amazing, too!
Why these gluten-free lemon brownies are the best:
- These lemony gluten free lemon brownies are bursting with sweet, tart lemon flavors.
- These brownies are soft and delicious. All you need are 7 simple ingredients!
- Enjoy these homemade brownies plain, or top the gluten free lemon brownies with lemon glaze!
I get many emails and comments from non-gluten-free readers asking for a gluten version. I haven’t baked with regular flour in over 13 years. I recommend checking out one of these two recipes if you are not gluten free: These Triple Lemon Brownies and Lemon Brownies. The recipes are very similar, except the second has an extra egg.
I made these with oranges instead of lemons as that is what I had in the house and I couldn’t wait to make them – lol. They were FANTASTIC! My husband (who is not gluten free) couldn’t get enough of them. These will be a new family favorite for sure. Thanks so much for this recipe!”
ella, blog comment
Allergen Information:
These homemade lemon brownies are gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oat-free. They can also be made dairy-free using plant-based butter.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-free flour blend: I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1, Pillsbury Gluten-Free Flour Blend, and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure. One reader reported Better Batter brand also works well. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours, and I can not guarantee the recipe will work if you use other mixes.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum, guar gum, or another binder, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Lemon – Fresh is best because you need lemon juice and zest.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
If you are a lemon fanatic, I have tons of delicious gluten free lemon dessert recipes on the blog! You may love these Gluten Free Lemon Oat Bars, too.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Add the gluten free flour, sugar, and salt to a bowl and whisk to blend them.
Step 2: Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, and butter to a bowl and whisk to blend.
HINT: Partially melt the butter so it mixes in more easily.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon to combine them.
👀 Sandi Says: You can also use a standing mixer to mix the dough if you prefer.
Step 4: This is what your lemon brownie batter should look like.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
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Step 5: Line your 8×8 metal baking pan with parchment paper and dump the batter in.
Step 6: Use a spoon to spread the batter evenly in the pan. This can be a bit tricky, so don’t worry if your top isn’t perfectly smooth. You can get the top of the spoon with a little water to make it easier. The lemonade glaze will cover the uneven parts.
Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes at 350º F. Remove from the oven and allow the gluten free lemon brownies to cool.
Step 7: Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice to a bowl. Whisk to blend the glaze.
Step 8: When the brownies are cool, spread the glaze over the top of the brownies.
You may also love using these brownies to make this easy recipe to make Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches too!
Fun flavor variations:
- Add white chocolate chips to the brownie batter.
- Substitute lime juice and zest.
- Make them orange with orange juice and zest.
You may also like these chewy Gluten Free Butterscotch Brownies!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, you can definitely double the recipe and make a 9×13 pan full of lemon brownies!
You don’t need baking powder because you want the brownies to be dense and moist.
I always store gluten free baked goods like these lemon brownies in the refrigerator. Keep them in an airtight container.
The extra lemon brownies can easily be frozen. Place the cooled brownies in a freezer-safe container or zip-style baggie.
You can use as much or as little lemon glaze as you like. They taste delicious plain, too, without the icing!
This gluten free lemon bundt cake recipe and gluten free lemon tart recipe are also full of lemon flavor if you are looking for a cake recipe!
This recipe is amazing! I’ve made it a few times. YUM.”
Barbara F.
More Gluten Free Brownie Recipes:
- Paleo Brownies – hidden veggies!
- Gluten Free Peppermint Brownies
- Easy Gluten Free Brownie Cookies
- Gluten Free Brownie Cheesecake Bars
- Decadent Gluten Free Espresso Brownies
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Lemon Brownies
Equipment
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend * see note, you may need more or less flour!
- 1 cup cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter partially melted
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract OPTIONAL
Lemonade Glaze
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice more if needed
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 1 1/4 cups gluten free flour blend, 1 cup cane sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and whisk to blend.
- Place the 8 tablespoons unsalted butter into a microwave-safe dish and microwave it for 30 seconds to partially melt it.
- Add 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract into the butter and whisk to blend.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix.
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. You can also spray non-stick oil in the pan if you prefer.
- Add the lemon brownie batter to the pan and use a spatula or large spoon to spread it around evenly.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until done. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the middle of the brownies. If there is batter on the toothpick, it needs to bake a little longer.
- Remove the cooked lemon brownies from the oven. Allow them to cool.
- Mix 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar and 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice in a small mixing bowl and spread the lemonade icing over the cooled brownies. Enjoy!
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These lemon brownies will keep for up to 4 days in an air-tight container or up to 4 months in the freezer. I recommend storing them in the refrigerator.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Thank you for this perfectly easy and delicious idea 😍😍😍🍋
I am so glad you loved these brownies, Thank you!
Does this recipe need baking soda? There is a comment about not using expired baking soda but that ingredient is not in the ingredient list.
where is the baking soda in the recipe ? I read the recipe and do not see baking soda in it. You replied to Patricia, about how fresh her baking soda was. These look really good and want to make them but want to make sure that I have the right ingredients. thank you.
Hi Marie, I mentioned this above, but will write it here as well. I think I see where the confusion was. A reader asked in an email to me if they could add baking soda and then she commented on the post after my email. There definitely no baking soda in the recipe, though I did tell her she could try it for more rise.
Made these yesterday with Better Batter flour. Soooo good. Really only needed a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Yum!!!
Yay! I am glad to hear that Better Batter flour worked well in this recipe. Thank you!
I made these with oranges instead of lemons as that is what I had in the house and I couldn’t wait to make them – lol. They were FANTASTIC! My husband (who is not gluten free) couldn’t get enough of them. These will be a new family favorite for sure. Thanks so much for this recipe!
I love the idea of using oranges!! Thank you!
the flavor is amazing. I would like to try to make these again. One concern…mine came out flat. The picture looks like it should be at least an inch thick. mine were about a 1/4 inch thick. what did I did do wrong?
Hi Patricia, what size pan did you use? You can try adding 1/2 tsp of baking soda to see if you get more rise.
I used a 8×8 pan . the baking soda is a New box
I will make this recipe again and hopefully it will come out just as nice as yours.
I don’t see baking soda on the list. ?
Where did you see baking soda? I don’t use it in this recipe.
In your comment above, you ask her if the baking soda is fresh.
“Hi Patricia, what size pan did you use? Did you make sure your baking soda wasn’t expired?”
I have made this recipe a few times and it is always a huge hit! For the glaze, I soak lemon zest in the lemon juice while I am making and baking the brownies. Then I strain the zest out before adding the lemon juice for the glaze. I find it gives it a stronger lemon flavor than lemon juice alone.
I love the way you are using the lemon zest. I will have to try that on my next batch. Thank you!
These were absolutely delicious. Will make them again.
I am so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you so much.
These were amazing! I doubled the recipe and used a 9×13 pan. Baked for 35 minutes. I cut them into triangles and they were a hit at a family party.
I am so glad you loved these brownies, Sue. Thank you!
These are so delicious! My family and friends who don’t have to eat gf enjoyed them as well.
Having non-gluten free folks not be able to tell something is gluten free is my goal. Thank you so much for the best compliment :-).
These lemon brownies are so good! I decided to try a monk fruit blend in place of the sugar, and it worked well. I put some of the monk fruit in the blender to make it powdered for the icing.The lemony taste helped to hide the sometimes bitter taste I get from sugar substitutes.
I recently learned that you can freeze lemon zest. I measured out tablespoons and put them in an ice cube tray, then transferred to a ziploc bag. I froze some lemon juice cubes, too. The next time I make this it will be super easy!
I am so glad to know monk fruit worked well in this recipe. Also the tip to make it powered is so helpful. Thank you!!
Does the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF flour and the King Arthur Measure for Measure GF flour have the Xanthan Gum in it? I’ve never made anything gluten free. Thanks!
Hi Pat, the two flour blends you mention both do have xanthan gum, so there is no need to add more.
So delicious and super lemony! I didn’t have the flour the recipe called for, so I used a rice flour blend I have from a local company. It still turned out amazing! I will most definitely be making this again!
I am so glad the flour blend you used worked well. Thank you for your kind words about the recipe.
I made these today! So delicious. I did add a teaspoon of lemoncello to boost the flavor and 1/4 tsp in the glaze.
What a delicious idea to add limoncello!
Everyone loved these! Seconds were served for many and there weren’t any left at the end of the night. 😋 One thing- cook time was off for me but that was likely my oven. It took mine 35-40 minutes to cook.
I am so glad you loved the recipe. Can I ask what type of pan you baked them in? Thank you.
I love these. My second time making them. So simple and delicious!
I am so glad you love the recipe, Julie. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!
Taste good but very chewy and it did not rise at all-there is no baking soda/powder in the recipe? I usually use Namaste GF flour, is there a way to avoid the chewiness?
Hi Leonor, I am sorry to hear. I haven’t tested that flour blend, but I do know it is very starchy which can affect the texture. These are brownies, so they aren’t supposed to rise a lot.
This recipe was a bit of disaster for me. I didn’t see any rising ingredients in it but I trusted the recipe. After 25 minutes of baking it was still soupy batter so I panicked and reads some comments. Someone commented about using “fresh baking soda” so I mixed in some baking soda and tried baking it again. It turned out terrible. I’m bummed because these ingredients weren’t cheap.
Hi Candace, I also sent an email so we can troubleshoot. I haven’t heard of this happening to anyone who has made this recipe. What flour blend did you use? If it was soupy, it tells me you used a starchy blend or a blend with dried milk powder. In this situation, you have to add more flour because the starch and dried milk ingredients dissolve…Please let me know and we can figure out how to fix it so the recipe works for you.
These lemon bars are so delicious that we can only make them once or twice a year, lol. everybody loves these whether they must eat GF or not. If you are a fan of lemon goodies, this recipe is very highly recommended!
I am so glad everyone loves them. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know :-).
Can you use brown sugar
Hi Jayna, I haven’t tested coconut sugar. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.
Delicious but the prep time is much more than 10 minutes with all the fussy lemon work. Between the bars and the glaze I used 3 lemons with a little juice leftover.
I am really glad you enjoyed them. Prep time will vary depending on someone’s experience, whether they are using bottled lemon juice, etc.
I made these lemon brownies today with fresh lemons picked from our tree. Pamela’s GF baking mix was my flour blend. Excellent recipe and very easy to follow.
Tart, moist and delicious! And addictive….kept going back for one more bite.
Thanks for posting your recipe.
I am so glad you loved them. These gf lemon brownies have been very popular with everyone.
Thank you for the recipe, the flavor on them was great! I am wondering though if the recipe is missing baking soda? Mine were barely a 1/2″ high. Thoughts? Thank you!
Hi Jennifer. What size baking pan did you use? Brownies are typically not tall. You are welcome to add baking soda if you like, but I haven’t tested it.
My oh My! These are just the best lemon bars ever, Whether or not they are GF! Tender, lemony, Just firm enough to hold up well on the Christmas tray, but they didn’t last long. I forgot the lemon zest, and that made them a delicate lemon flavor as the lemon glaze added just that extra kick. They were still great, but I’m a real lemon fan and I’ll remember the lemon zest next time. I added paper thin slices of kumquat for a beautiful presentation.. and it only took two kumquats, if you don’t live where they are plentiful. Thank you for my new top-of-list bar cookie!
I am so glad you loved the lemon brownies. We have a very productive lemon recipe, so we make these often :-).
Have made this twice now – first time per the original recipe, and the second time I got creative after reading some of the comments… added 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda to the batter, and dumped a load of white chocolate into the pan before pouring in the batter!
I don’t do much gluten-free baking, but needed to bake something for my wife’s friend who has celiac disease, when she came to visit.
Great recipe – fantastic flavour and the second try with sodium bicarb, I wouldn’t even know it had no gluten – was so fluffy and springy!! Would recommend, and will be making again 🙂
Hi Charles, thank you so much for your note. I love that you made these for a friend. I will have to try that baking soda and white chocolate in the pan next time I make these!!
Although tasty, this is more a lemon bar vs. a brownie. Maybe this needs baking soda or powder? My result was 1/3″ high.
I find bars to be gooier. You would need to use baking soda as powder won’t do well with the acidity of the citrus.
I’ve made these twice now and added a cup of white chocolate chips- I pushed the chips to the bottom the batter in the baking pan and it made it like a crust for the brownies. So GOOD!!!
I am going to try that next! I love how you got creative with the recipe!
Perfect dessert. I made it with limes and it tasted like key lime pie. Everyone loved it. This is a keeper for sure and easy to make with minimal mess.
I am thrilled you loved this recipe. I love the idea of using lime!
These are SO good! I’d definitely recommend making a double batch! My non gf eaters loved them, too!
I am so glad you loved these. Thank you for coming back to leave a review!
I had to come back and comment again because I am soooo addicted to these darn things!! I took some to work and one of my employees said “oooh what are those can I have a taste?” I am pretty stingy with sweet baked goods but I obliged & now almost every day before work I get a text “we want lemon brownies, pleeeeAaaaaasse” lol we are all addicted now !
You absolutely made my day. I am so glad you are enjoying the brownies :-).
I just finished making these, I used great value gf flour(normally us bob’s gf for baking & the generic for dusting when rolling out)but last grocery trip my store didn’t have any) I was delighted to see the turned out great! I am wondering do you think I could replace lemon juice with other juices to get different flavors ? I know the acidity of lemon juice sometimes is important part of ingredients.
Hi Marnie, I am so glad you enjoyed these brownies. You can use lime or orange juice to flavor them. I would recommend maybe using a little orange extract with the orange juice since the flavor is a little milder. Thank you so much for coming back to rate and comment on the recipe!
I have made these with orange juice … good! I even made them with root beer, I make a root beer cake for family that isn’t gf so thought what the heck lol used all same measurements just used the root beer in place of lemon juice. They turned out great, I would have like a little more flavor so next time I may look for some flavor extract to add to it. Everyone in the house liked all the flavors and now asking for watermelon flavor lol !! Thank you for perfecting the recipe !!
You definitely win the award for my most creative blog reader! I love how you are experimenting with the flavors!! I wonder if rootbeer syrup would add enough flavor?
These lemon brownies are truly AMAZING! I followed the recipe exactly, including using Bob’s 1 to 1 because that’s what I had on hand, but I omitted the frosting (and I am totally a frosting girl, so that tells you something). They are the perfect blend of moist / dense / cake, and the taste is delicious. We have a new favorite in our house that isn’t chocolate. Thank you!
You absolutely made my day. Thank you so much for coming to let me know you loved these lemon brownies!
Hello! In Step 1 of the directions, you say to mix the dry ingredients together, and it includes “baking soda” but baking soda isn’t listed on the Ingredients list. Do we use baking soda? If so, how much? I hope to make these today! They sound AMAZING. I LOVE lemon pastry and am excited to try these.
Hi Chris, there is no baking soda. I had tested it, then decided they have a better texture without it. I corrected the ingredients in the post to reflect this. Thank you so much.
Want to make for a friend. I don’t have gf flour on hand. CanI use regular wheat flour? I just ran out and haven’t replenished. Thanks.
Hi Julie, I haven’t baked with wheat flour in over 15 years so I honestly do not know how this recipe will be with that flour. I suspect it will be fine as gluten free flour mimics wheat flour.
Question, is there any way we could use less sugar in this recipe? They look awesome and I would love to make them, but that is too much sugar for me.
Hi Sandra, I haven’t tested these with less sugar. I would say to give it a try…maybe committing the lemonade glaze would reduce the sugar enough?
I found this recipe on FB in gluten free group and with all the lemon juice I have, and the beautiful picture, I knew I had to try it. I used the Bobs Red Mill flour suggested. I also used mixer before flour added then used scraper to mix in flour in 3 batches. The butter will look weird before adding flour but after adding it, it’s perfect and beautiful. I baked at 25 mins and it was done. Cooked and added drizzle except I needed more juice than recipe. My bf loved it too! This is a keeper! Thank you!!
Cooled not cooked before adding drizzle.
I am so glad you and your boyfriend loved the brownies!! You made my day coming back to let me know!
Hi Sandi – firstly all your recipes so far have been great and I use Measure for Measure and Bob’s Red Mill. I cant wait to try this one, I love lemon desserts and this looks great!
Thanks-
Thank you so much Mia, I hope you love these as much as we do :-).
These are AMAZING!!!!! They taste just like non-GF lemon bars. Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect. So simple and can’t wait to make them again!
I am thrilled you love them Colleen. I couldn’t believe how close their texture is to the real thing. Thank you for coming back to leave a comment and rating.