Raspberry Lemon Blondies
Indulge in the delightful combination of tangy lemon and sweet raspberry with these delectable Raspberry Lemon Blondies. These soft, shortbread bars are bursting with zesty citrus flavor and pockets of juicy raspberries, making them a perfect treat for any occasion.
Sweet and Tart Treat
Raspberry Lemon Blondies are a moist dessert that has a shortbread-like consistency with the flavors of fresh lemons and raspberries which make the flavors pop with a balance of tart and sweet. Then the sweet glaze brings all the flavors together with a bright pink top. It makes the perfect summertime dessert for any occasion.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
A nice balance of tart with sweet flavors.
Filled with the fresh fruits of lemons and raspberries.
A showstopper with its bright pink glaze over the top.
Always a popular dessert at any gathering.
Ingredients
- Raspberries– These berries taste and look so good in these bars. If using frozen berries, do no thaw before baking.
- Lemon juice– Fresh lemon juice will help make this dessert stand out with a strong lemon flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be a substitute but it will not have as strong of a flavor.
- Lemon Zest– This is optional but I do recommend using it to add even more zippy lemon flavor.
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- White granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Baking Powder
- Salt
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions and a list of ingredients.
Step-by-Step Instructions
These blondies are easy to make. All you have to do is:
- Mix the wet ingredients: Start by creaming together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Then eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. It may appear separated but beat it together for about 3 minutes and it will become light and fluffy.
- Mix and add dry ingredients: Now mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add this mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until it combines together. Then very gently fold the raspberries into the batter. Some will naturally crush when stirring together but less is best.
- Bake: Spread the batter into a baking pan. Then bake for around 30 minutes. The edges will become golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean. Now take it out of the oven and allow it to cool.
- Cover with glaze: Take around 5-7 raspberries and strain them through a fine mesh strainer to get as many seeds out as possible. Mix in powdered sugar to the raspberry puree. Then add lemon juice one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. You will want it thick but still able to pour it. Once the bars have cooled down, cover the top with the glaze. Allow that to harden before cutting into them to serve.
Storage Options
To store: Store cooled blondies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in an air-tight container to freeze for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
When the blondies are too hot, the glaze will become runny and will not harden properly.
Yes, frozen raspberries can be used in place of fresh. Make as directed and do not thaw them before adding to the batter.
Fresh lemon juice will give the blondies a strong, tart lemon flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used as a substitute but will not have as strong of a tart flavor.
Helpful Tips
* Try not to overbake them or they will become dry and crumbly.
* If the glaze appears to be too thick, add a little more lemon juice. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
* To make the glaze even more pink, add a drop of food coloring to the glaze before spreading it over the top of the blondies.
* Substitute raspberries for blueberries or strawberries for a different flavor combination.
More Delicious Desserts
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Raspberry Lemon Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup lemon juice fresh is recommended
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest optional
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh raspberries or frozen- thawed
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon raspberry puree see notes
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar- about 2 minutes. Add eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and beat until it becomes light and fluffy- about 3 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold the raspberries into the batter.
- Spread batter into the baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool.
Glaze
- To make raspberry puree, mash 5-7 raspberries in a small bowl then strain out the seeds in a fine mesh strainer. Add in the powdered sugar. Stir in lemon juice until desired consistency. It should be thick but pourable. Spread over the top of cooled blondies. Allow the top to firm up before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Allow blondies to fully cool before adding the glaze to prevent it from becoming runny.
- Blondies will become dry when overbaked.
- You can leave the raspberries out of the glaze if you prefer and substitute with a few drops of red food coloring.
- Add more powdered sugar if the glaze becomes too thin or lemon juice if the glaze becomes too thick.
