Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Mar. 17, 2025
This Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is super moist, dense, and bursting with lemon. The almond flavor comes through beautifully. The lemon glaze brightens up the whole loaf.
In This Article
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Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Why This Recipe Stands Out
We have plenty of easy quick bread recipes here, and this Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is truly something special. Here’s why:
- Refreshing Lemony Flavor: Bursting with refreshing lemon flavor, this bread is a must for all the lemon lovers out there. It’s spring in a loaf, much like our Lemon Olive Oil Cake.
- Incredible Glaze: This lemony and almond-y drizzle is seriously delicious. It’s no wonder this is one of our all-time favorite lemon recipes.
- Super Moist: The combination of yogurt and milk in this bread recipe guarantees a super moist loaf. Plus, the glaze soaks into the warm bread, further locking in the moisture.
- Keeps Well: This bread stays incredibly moist for days! It’s one of our Best Sweet Breakfast recipes that never fails to impress!
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Flax Meal – Flax meal is a key ingredient in this recipe. It helps make the bread extra soft and tender, and it adds a unique flavor and texture. If you don’t have flax meal, ground chia seeds or almond meal can be used as a substitute.
- Poppy Seeds – They add a pleasant crunch to the bread and a subtle nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the lemon.
- Greek Yogurt – Half a cup of vanilla Greek yogurt not only adds moisture to the bread but also a slight tang that complements the lemon zest and juice.
- Almond Extract – It adds a lovely, fragrant flavor that sets this bread apart from the rest.
- Fresh Lemon – Both the zest and juice of a fresh lemon are used in this recipe. They provide a bright, citrusy flavor that makes this bread perfect for spring and summer.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are a few of our favorite variations and substitutions:
- Flax Meal: If you don’t have flax meal, ground chia seeds or almond meal can be used as a substitute.
- Nuts: Feel free to add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to the bread batter for some extra crunch. We think almonds, pecans, or walnuts would work wonderfully.
- Berries: Lemons and berries are a classic combo. Consider adding some chopped strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries like in our Lemon Blueberry Bread.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry and fold together just until incorporated.
- Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes.
- While the bread is baking, whisk together all the glaze ingredients.
- Brush the glaze generously over the warm bread once it’s out of the oven. Allow the bread to cool.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our favorite prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:
- Mix Dry Ingredients: You can mix all the dry ingredients and store them in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days in advance.
- Bake and Freeze: This bread also freezes beautifully, so you can bake it ahead of time and freeze it for later. Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap before freezing. When you’re ready to serve, just let it thaw at room temperature or in the fridge, and it’s good to go.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?
Because this lemon loaf relies so much on the flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice, we highly recommend using freshly squeezed juice only.
Is it necessary to add the glaze on top?
It’s not necessary, but it’s what makes this lemony loaf as spectacular as it is. it adds an extra punch of lemon flavor and also helps keep the bread moist.
Can I use low-fat or non-fat yogurt instead of whole milk yogurt?
Yes, you can. Whole milk yogurt adds a bit of richness to the bread, but if you prefer to use low-fat or non-fat yogurt for a healthier option, it will still work. The bread may just be slightly less moist.
How long does Lemon Poppy Seed Bread keep?
This bread can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Be sure to store it in an airtight container.
Did you make this?
Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
This Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is easy, scrumptious, and moist! Perfect for breakfast and brunch. Bursting with refreshing lemon and aromatic almond, it's an instant winner.
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 TB flax meal
- 3 TB poppy seeds
- 1 TB baking powder
- ½ tsp table salt
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup olive oil, or canola oil
- ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt, whole
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp pure almond extract
- 1 lemon zest, from one fresh lemon
- 1 lemon juice, from one fresh lemon
For the Glaze
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 T lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp pure almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Grease one standard size loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, flaxmeal, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, and both extracts, lemon zest and juice until well incorporated.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry, folding together with rubber spatula just until incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake 55-60 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few tender little crumbs attached.
- Meanwhile, combine all glaze ingredients in a bowl and whisk together just until combined.
- Brush glaze generously over warm bread top, making sure to use all of the glaze. It will soak into the bread, giving it superior moisture and flavor!
- Allow bread to finish cooling in pan on wire rack. Using a thin knife, gently loosen edges and remove to slice and serve.
Notes
- Make sure to use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for the best flavor.
- Do not overmix the batter. Just fold the wet ingredients into the dry until they are combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough and dense bread.
- Brush the glaze generously over the warm bread. This will ensure that the bread soaks up all that delicious lemony sweetness and stays moist.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan. This helps the bread hold its shape and continue to absorb the glaze, making it even more flavorful.
- Flax meal helps make baked goods extra soft and tender. It also adds flavor and texture. Ground chia seeds or almond meal can also be used in place of flax meal.
- This recipe is part of our Quick Bread Recipes Collection.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 51IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg
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- Moist Lemon Zucchini Bread – The perfect balance of whole, nutritious ingredients create the ultimate lemon zucchini bread. Enjoy it any time of day.
- Blueberry Lemon Bread – This Blueberry Lemon Bread is chock full of plump berries and fresh lemon. It has the perfect balance of sweetness and lemony tang.