Lemon Raspberry Blondies

What you need to know…

• We highly recommend using frozen raspberries for this recipe. If you have fresh raspberries simply flash-freeze until solid before adding to the batter. Fresh (unfrozen) raspberries tend to dissolve into the batter leaving a light pink spot where the raspberry used to be. Frozen raspberries hold together longer leaving a jammy pool of deliciousness! If using fresh raspberries decrease the baking time by at least 10 to 15 minutes.

• Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled.

• Don’t over-bake! Be sure to slightly under-bake the blondies so they’re soft and chewy like a great brownie. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the pan. Moist crumbs are great just no wet batter.

• You can skip the raspberry lemon icing if desired but we highly recommend adding at least a thin drizzle made with lemon juice and powdered sugar.

• We find it’s best to cut the baked blondies into squares before adding the icing.

• The blondies are freezable with or without the raspberry lemon icing.

• Serve Raspberry Lemon Blondies slightly warm for an incredible treat.

Pro Tips

• Create a sling made of sheets of parchment paper for easy removal from the prepared pan.

• Use only the yellow skin of the lemon, no white pith which tastes bitter.

• This recipe is easily doubled and baked in a 13 by 9 inch baking pan.

• Save a few of the frozen raspberries to scatter on top of the batter before baking.

• Take care when folding in frozen raspberries. Over-working the batter will cause the raspberries to bleed color into the batter.

Suggested Variations

Strawberries

Frozen strawberries are also great in these lemon blondies. Cut fresh strawberries into quarters then half each piece. Flash-freeze the strawberries by placing on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid before using. Freezing helps prevent the berries from melting into the batter.

Smash fresh strawberries to create the lemon berry icing as written in the recipe.

Blueberries

Blueberries are a natural in this recipe. They’re perfect with the lemon base and don’t need to be pre-frozen. Be sure to reduce the baking time by 10 to 15 minutes.

I’m not keen on blue icing so if you feel the same skip smashing blueberries and use just lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Serving Lemon Raspberry Blondies

For a larger portion, cut the blondies into 9 bars. Use a fork for larger servings like you would with a slice of moist cake.

For a handheld version, cut the bars into 16 smaller squares. The nutritional information in our printable recipe card is for 9 servings.

Lemon Raspberry Blondies

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Yield: 9

Course: Dessert

Author: Tricia

Pin RecipePrint RecipeRate Recipe

Rate our recipe!

A fantastic combination of sweet, tart, chewy, moist and tender all in one easy to make blondie!

Ingredients

For the blondies:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (156g)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar divided (220g)
• zest of 2 lemons
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter (127g or 4 and 1/2 oz) room temperature
• 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (2oz)
• 1 cup frozen raspberries (140g)

For the icing:

• 4 fresh or thawed raspberries
• 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus more as needed for desired consistency

Instructions

To make the blondies:

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Light coat a 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Cut a length of parchment paper to fit the pan allowing the extra to come up to the top on opposite sides. Repeat by fitting another sheet in the opposite direction. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Using an electric mixer blend until the lemon zest has broken down and the sugar is fragrant and bright yellow, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the butter to the lemon sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time mixing well after each addition. Pour in the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Blend on low just until incorporated. (The batter may appear broken, this is normal.) Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula. Mix on low just until blended. Using a rubber spatula gently fold in the dry ingredients just until no steaks of flour remain. Don’t over-mix.
• Using a rubber spatula gently fold in 3/4 of the frozen raspberries taking care not to over-mix as the pink color will bleed into the batter.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Top with the remaining frozen raspberries. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with no wet batter. Moist crumbs are great.
• Cool the blondies in the pan set over a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Using the parchment sling, remove the blondies to a cutting board. Cut into squares as desired.

To make the icing:

• Smash 3 or 4 raspberries through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium-small bowl. Discard the seeds and any remaining pulp.
• Add the powdered sugar and lemon juice to the bowl and blend using a whisk or fork. Add more lemon juice or sugar until you reach the desired consistency. Drizzle the icing over the blondies. Spread with a spatula or spoon to cover. Allow the blondies to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

• Baking time may vary depending on how frozen the raspberries were when added to the batter.
• Store leftovers in single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for longer storage.
• Blondies may be frozen well sealed in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered as an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 408IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg