These incredible Gluten Free Lemon Brownies are topped with creamy lemonade icing. They are decadent, flavorful, and so easy to make!
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 brownies 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!
This recipe is amazing! I’ve made it a few times. YUM.”
Barbara F.
Why these are so good:
- 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.
This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten free flour blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend, Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour Blend, and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. 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 – To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan 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.
How To Make Gluten Free Lemon Brownies:
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 blend them together.
NOTE: You can also use a standing mixer if you prefer.
Step 4: This is what your lemon brownie batter should look like.
Step 5: Line your 8×8 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 20-22 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!
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!
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
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.
You can easily freeze the extra lemon brownies. Place the cooled brownies into 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, without the icing, too!
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!
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
Gluten Free Lemon Brownies
Equipment
- 8×8 pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend * see note, you may need more or less flour!
- 1 cup sugar One reader has used monk fruit sweetener in place of sugar.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 size large eggs
- 8 tablespoons butter unsalted, semi-melted
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon 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 the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- Place the butter into a microwave safe dish and microwave it for 30 seconds to partially melt it.
- Pour the rest of the wet ingredients 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 up the icing and spread 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, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
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.
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.