Lemonies

I refuse to call a lemon treat baked like a brownie a “lemon brownie.” It’s just not right! Brownies are, first of all, brown. And chocolate-based, be they studded with nuts or swirled with cream cheese or frosted with fudge. These treats aren’t exactly blondies, either, which tend to contain brown sugar and are more like cookies than anything else.

So, what to call these delightfully sunny yellow treats? Not lemon bars, although that would be close…but really a lemon bar has a buttery crust with a gooey, lemon meringue pie-like center and a dusting of powdered sugar on top. I have to credit another food blogger, Christina of Sweet Pea’s Kitchen, for calling them “lemonies,” as I feel that this is the most appropriate title.

My coworkers enjoyed these treats, and I look forward to making another batch when my sugar fast is over. This recipe used Meyer lemons, but regular ones would surely work just as well.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• zest of 3 small/medium lemons
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with baking spray.

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, flour, and salt; beat on low to medium speed with the paddle attachment until well-combined.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and zest from 2 of the 3 lemons. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, until very fluffy and light in color. Scrap the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Pour batter into prepared dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, until edges are just golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake, as these can turn out dry! Mine baked for about 21 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before glazing.

To make lemon glaze, place 1 cup powdered sugar and zest of the third lemon in a small bowl. Add remaining lemon juice, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until you reach a drizzly consistency. I added another half-cup of powdered sugar to reach a slightly thicker drizzle.

Spread glaze over top and allow to harden, then cut into squares. Store at room temperature for 2-3 days.