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 that 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!
I get many emails and comments from non-gluten-free readers asking for a gluten-free 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
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.
You may love these Gluten Free Lemon Oat Bars, too.
How to Make Gluten-Free Lemon Brownies (Step-By-Step)
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. 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 liquid.
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.
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:
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
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.
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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.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
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!