Strawberry Lemon Blondies are filled with sweet fresh fruit with a lemony-flavored bright and tangy twist that’s baked into every delicious bite. This recipe is so quick and easy to make from scratch using simple ingredients and bakes soft, chewy, dense dessert bars that are covered with a pretty pink glaze.
Strawberry Lemonade Blondies (Better Than A Blonde Brownie)
This Strawberry Lemon Blondies recipe creates a moist, chewy sweet treat with a rich twist on the traditional blondie. Just like Sue Moran’s recipe from her blog, The View from Great Island, my version starts with a simple homemade batter (similar to soft shortbread) that contains plenty of pockets of jammy fresh strawberries which is perfectly complemented by a burst of tangy lemon flavor.
But unlike Moran’s glaze, which requires a food processor to make her strawberry, lemon, powdered sugar puree, mine is even easier because I use jam (yes, it’s from a jar)–no heavy equipment needed! Still, both result in a pretty pink topping that tastes like spring and summer in every sweet slice.
What I love most about including fresh berries in my blondies, with their undeniable sweet flavor, is that baking pre-season fruit softens, sweetens, and brings out the best of the produce, even when it’s not spring or summer.
These Strawberry Lemon Blondies have buttery crisp edges that complement their melt-in-your-mouth moist centers; with the perfect mix of sweet and tart, this indulgent dessert is packed with fresh strawberries and bursting with bright lemon.
Do you like blondies better than brownies? My Pumpkin Blondies and M&M Blondies recipes are must-makes! But if you prefer the taste of chocolate, try my Rolo Brownies, Brownie Cookies, Slutty Brownies, and so many more.
Why We Love This Strawberry Lemon Blondies Recipe
- Quick and easy to make using simple ingredients.
- Soft, dense, and moist–nothing dry or crumbly about them.
- Full of fresh fruit flavor with just the right amount of sweet and sour
- Beautiful bars that bring out spring and summer flavors in every bite.
- Lemon and strawberry glaze adds extra moisture and and pretty pink hue.
- Perfect sweet treat for picnics, potlucks, backyard barbecues, or any day dessert.
Ingredients / Shopping List
- Salted butter: You can use unsalted butter, but add an extra pinch of salt for flavor.
- White sugar: Replace this with brown sugar if you prefer, but the blondies will turn out much darker if you do.
- Egg
- Lemon juice: Feel free to use fresh lemon juice, or lemon juice from concentrate.
- Lemon zest
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Fresh strawberries: I would not recommend using frozen strawberries for this recipe.
- Powdered sugar
- Strawberry jam: You can also try this with strawberry pie filling or strawberry syrup, but you will need less if you use either one.
Substitutions and Additions
- Swap Your Strawberries: For these Strawberry Lemon Blondies, strawberries are the star, but you could easily swap them out for your favorite fresh berries. Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, or a mix would all be delicious. You can even try diced rhubarb in this recipe.
- Add-Ins: For an extra burst of sweetness, mix some white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or even nuts (like almonds or walnuts) into the batter.
Recommended Tools
- 9×9 inch baking dish
- Parchment paper or cooking spray
- Mixing bowls
- Hand or stand mixer
- Mixing tools
- Measuring tools
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
How to Make Strawberry Lemon Blondies
This from-scratch Strawberry Lemon Blondie recipe makes a moist, rich fruit-flavored dessert with a sweet and tart twist on the traditional blondie. It is so quick and easy to prepare the homemade batter that’s then baked and glazed into the prettiest pink blondie bars.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until fully combined and creamy, about 30 seconds.
- Add in the egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest and beat until fully incorporated.
- Mix the flour and baking soda into the wet ingredients and beat until just combined.
Pro Tip: It is important not to overbeat. - Fold in the strawberries until just combined.
Pro Tip: The batter should be thick. - Pour the batter into the baking pan.
Pro-Tip: I used a 9×9-inch baking dish because I like a thick, dense crumb to my dessert bars. However, you could use a 9×13-inch baking dish, but the blondies will be thinner and the baking time will be less. If you don’t have any parchment paper, feel free to use cooking spray. This blondie doesn’t stick to the baking dish too much, so it should be easy to get out. However, do be careful when getting the blondies out, because they may break apart. - Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean 1 inch from the edge.
Pro-Tip: Be careful not to over bake these blondies. You want them to be dense and chewy. If you over bake them they can become dry. - Make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and strawberry jam.
- Pour the glaze on top of the baked blondies once they have completely cooled.
Pro-Tip: Make sure the blondies are completely cool before you add the glaze. If they’re warm, the glaze will melt. - Allow the glaze to set for about 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
- Enjoy!
Storage Tips
- To Store: These blondies must be stored in the refrigerator because of they contain fresh fruit. Store them in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- To Freeze: To freeze these blondies, wrap them well and store in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
I do not recommend using frozen strawberries for this recipe because they release juices that will end up making the blondies soggy. It is best to use fresh strawberries for these Strawberry Lemon Blondies.
I do recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice in this recipe. Fresh juice will give you a much brighter lemony flavor, and since you already have the lemon for the zest, you have your fresh juice right in your kitchen!
The glaze consistency may turn out differently depending on the lemon juice and/or strawberry jam that you use. You are looking for a glaze that drips slowly down the side of a glass, not one that runs quickly or stays stuck. If you need it to be thicker, add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. If you need it thinner, add ½ teaspoon of lemon juice at a time.
Other Easy Lemon Recipes
- Lemon Puppy Chow
- Strawberry Lemonade Cream Cheese Cookies
- Lemon Truffles
- Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Lemon Curd
Strawberry Lemon Blondies
Ingredients
Blondie:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (~ 1 large lemon)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1¼ cup diced fresh strawberries
Glaze:
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (~ 1 medium sized lemon)
- 1 tbsp strawberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer, beat the salted butter and granulated white sugar together until fully combined and creamy, about 30 seconds.
- Beat in the large egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest until fully incorporated.
- Mix the all-purpose flour and baking soda into the wet ingredients. Beat until just combined but do not overbeat.
- Fold in the diced strawberries until just combined. The batter will be thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean 1 inch from the edge.
- In the meantime, make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and strawberry jam together in a small bowl until fully combined.
- Let the blondies cool completely before pouring the glaze on top.
- Give the glaze about 10 minutes to set before cutting into squares and serving.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: These blondies must be stored in the refrigerator because of they contain fresh fruit. Store them in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- To Freeze: To freeze these blondies, wrap them well and store in the freezer for 3-4 months.
- Be careful not to over bake these blondies. You want them to be dense and chewy. If you over bake them they can become dry.
- Make sure the blondies are completely cool before you add the glaze. If they’re warm, the glaze will melt.
- I used a 9×9-inch baking dish because I like a thick, dense crumb to my dessert bars. However, you could use a 9×13-inch baking dish, but the blondies will be thinner and the baking time will be less.
- If you don’t have any parchment paper, feel free to use cooking spray. This blondie doesn’t stick to the baking dish too much, so it should be easy to get out. However, do be careful when getting the blondies out, because they may break apart.
Instead of fresh strawberries in the mix, can you use fresh strawberry puree for a smoother texted? If so, do you recommend using the same measurement as the fresh strawberries?
Thank you!
I have not tried this to properly advise. Sorry!!
Why does this recipe instructions say 2 cups butter (2 sticks). 2 cups of butter is 4 sticks. Confusing instructions and can make a world of difference in a recipe.
Where exactly do you see that? The recipe card say 1 cup (2 sticks)
I figured it out… when you click on x2 to double the recipe it says 2 cups (2 sticks) it doesn’t double the amount of sticks only the cups. 😉
My husband loved them! Made them to bring to a friend and he was sad he didn’t get but one so I had to make another batch today!😻