Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease and line an 8x8inch pan and place a piece of parchment that spans just the center length with the ends of the parchment hanging over the edge of the pan. Press the parchment flat so it adheres to the bottom and sides of the pan.
In a large bowl, add the sugar and the lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar to release the oils. This will really bring out the lemon flavor from the zest.
Next add the butter, lemon extract, and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy about 1 minute.
Then add lemon juice and eggs. Quickly beat together on medium speed until combined and smooth.
Now, add your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt. Beat on low speed until combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake the lemon brownies for 25 minutes until slightly golden on the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for about 15 minutes.
To Make the White Chocolate Lemon Glaze:
Meanwhile, make the white chocolate lemon glaze. Add the white chocolate and lemon juice to a small bowl. Microwave in intervals of 20 seconds, until the white chocolate has completely melted. (If you don’t have a microwave, use a double boiler.) Stir until combined and glossy. Then stir in the lemon extract and salt.
Pour the white chocolate lemon glaze over the lemon brownies and move the pan around to encourage the glaze to cover the surface of the lemon brownies. Finally, top with the lemon zest. Allow the glaze to set for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
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Notes
Quick Tips:
Don’t overmix the batter. Once the flour is added, mix just until combined to keep the brownies tender. Overmixing can encourage gluten to form.
Let the brownies cool a bit before glazing. If the bars are too warm, the glaze will melt and become runny rather than setting into a smooth layer.