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These lemon brownies are a fun lemony twist of a classic. 
One of my favorite brownies of all times are the BYU Mint Brownies I shared here on the blog years ago. They became a favorite when I was in college and they were sold in the school cafeteria – the Cougareat. The combination of mint and chocolate has always been a favorite. I can never eat a mint brownie without reliving college memories.
Well, I now have a new favorite companion for chocolate and that is lemon!
We attended a graduation party recently and one of the desserts was a brownie with a layer of frosting and then chocolate ganache. At first glance I figured it was just a white mint frosting but when I bit into it I was pleasantly surprised – it was lemon! I was in lemon heaven. Lemon isn’t my first thought for a flavor combo to work with chocolate, but work it does!
My friend who brought the brownies told me her daughter had made them based on a favorite brownie from a Utah restaurant, Pizzeria Limone. I love Pizzeria Limone and their pizza but had never tried the brownies there before. But if they are as yummy as the brownies my friend’s daughter made, I will definitely be getting one on my next trip to Utah. I’m anxious to get one and compare the taste to the ones I made.
As soon as I got home from the party I knew I had to recreate the amazing brownie and flavor combo. I decided to use my mint brownie recipe for the base of the brownie and just turn the mint frosting layer into lemon. It worked beautifully.
I changed up the top layer of chocolate ganache just a bit and used a combo of chocolate chips, butter and some whipping cream heated up in the microwave. I chilled the frosted brownies for about 20 minutes before adding the chocolate ganache layer on top.
I then popped the brownies back in the refrigerator to help the chocolate set up and make it easier to cut them. It is fun to watch people’s faces when they first bite into one because they don’t expect the lemon! But they end of loving it!!
Lemon Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 C butter
- ½ C cocoa
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 4 eggs
- 2 C sugar
- 1¾ C flour
- ½ Tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Lemon Icing
- 5 Tbsp butter
- dash of salt
- 3 Tbsp milk
- 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
- 2? C powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 1 1/3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup butter
Instructions
- Melt butter and mix in cocoa
- Allow to cool
- Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt
- Mix well
- Add nuts
- Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes
- Cool
Prepare lemon icing
- Soften butter
- Add salt, corn syrup and powdered sugar
- Beat until smooth and fluffy
- Add lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Mix
- Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting
- Spread icing over brownies
- Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing
Chocolate ganache
- Combine whipping cream, chocolate chips and butter in microwave safe bowl.
- Heat until butter and chocolate chips melt, stir to combine.
- Spread on top of chilled brownies.
- Refrigerate to allow chocolate to set up and make easier to cut.
Colleen says
These brownies are delicious! Did you use salted or unsalted butter? Your lemon layer looks so much thicker. Did you use a 9×13? Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe! It’s a keeper!
Leigh Anne says
Colleen, I’m glad you loved them to. I always use salted butter and I did use a 9 x 13 pan.
Marnie says
Oh, my! Brownies, lemon & chocolate on top? You are speaking my language! These look amazing. I can hardly wait to try them. YUM Thank you for sharing these!