Oh hiiiii all my lemon lovers! For some reason, a lot of AK readers go absolutely nuts over lemon. I say this because every time I post something lemony, it tends to go viral; this leads me to the conclusion that there are A LOT of you who simply LOVE lemon.
This lemon poppyseed bread was something I dreamt up this past spring, and couldn’t stop making over and over again. It’s SO moist (I said it), gluten free, easily dairy free, healthy thanks to a mix of oat flour and almond flour and perfectly naturally sweetened with honey. I MEAN FLUFFY, TENDER AND OH SO GOOD with a little butter or extra drizzle of honey on top. Perfection.
What you’ll need to make healthy lemon poppy seed bread
This delicious and easy lemon poppy seed loaf is made with better-for-you ingredients than your traditional lemon poppy seed bread, yet it still tastes just like a moist lemon cake! We’re not using any oil, butter or refined sugars. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Plain or vanilla greek yogurt: for a delicious boost of protein and moisture. Feel free to use your favorite dairy free yogurt if you’d like. We love siggi’s dairy free coconut plant based cups!
- Eggs: you’ll just need 2 eggs for the whole loaf.
- Honey: this healthy lemon poppy seed bread is naturally sweetened with honey.
- Lemon juice & zest: for the ultimate, bright lemon flavor.
- Almond extract: a bit of almond extract truly gives it that traditional lemon poppy seed flavor.
- Gluten free oat flour: one of the flours we’re using to keep this bread gluten free. See below for an easy way to make your own at home!
- Almond flour: be sure to use a fine, blanched almond flour to get the right consistency.
- Poppy seeds: what’s a lemon poppy seed bread without the poppy seeds? You can also sub chia seeds if you’d like.
- Baking soda & salt: for proper baking.
- For the glaze: we’re using some powdered sugar and more fresh lemon juice, plus almond extract if you’d like. However the bread is amazing without it too!
How to make homemade oat flour
You can easily make your own gluten free oat flour by simply placing gluten free oats into a blender and blending or pulsing until they’re smooth and resemble flour. This is a super easy & affordable option. Be sure to measure out 1 cup of your oat flour after making it! It’s also important to make sure your oat flour is VERY fine. Feel free to check out all of our recipes using oat flour.
Can I use different flour?
If you don’t have oat flour, I think regular flour or 1:1 gf flour would work well. Please do not sub another flour for the almond flour. The almond flour contains moisture and fat which helps give the bread proper flavor and texture.
What makes this lemon poppy seed bread healthy?
As I mentioned before, traditional lemon poppy seed bread recipes tend to be made with extra oil, butter and refined sugars. We’re giving this one a makeover with easy swaps to make it the BEST healthy lemon poppy seed loaf ever!
- Oil free. There’s zero oil in this healthy lemon poppy seed bread! It’s moist from the protein-packed greek yogurt and contains healthy fats thanks to almond flour.
- Naturally sweetened. It’s naturally sweetened with just honey!
- Gluten free. This lemon poppy seed bread is gluten free thanks to the combo of almond and gluten free oat flour.
- Easily dairy free. You can easily make it dairy free using your favorite dairy free yogurt. We love siggi’s plant based cups.
- Healthy fats + protein. There are additional healthy fats from the almond flour, and a boost of protein from the yogurt and eggs.
Trust me when I say this lemon poppy seed bread tastes just as indulgent as that loaf you’ve been eyeing at Starbucks, but it’s nutritious enough for breakfast or a snack.
How to make lemon poppy seed bread (in one bowl!)
The best part about this bread? It’s made in just one bowl! Here’s how to do it:
- Prep your pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix the wet. In a large bowl, whisk together the following ingredients until well combined: yogurt, eggs, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice and almond extract.
- Add in the dry. Add dry ingredients to the bowl: oat flour, almond flour, poppyseeds, baking soda and salt; mixing with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Bake it up. Pour the batter into your loaf pan and bake for 35-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool bread in pan for 5 mins then remove and transfer to a wire rack; allow bread to cool completely before adding the glaze.
- Add the glaze & serve. Make the glaze by mixing together powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and almond extract in a medium bowl. You may need to add in more lemon juice if it is too thick (start with a teaspoon at a time). Pour over bread and spread with a spoon if necessary. Top with a little extra lemon zest if you have any for a pretty effect and enjoy!
Pro tips
- Follow the recipe. The best way to ensure the success of this lemon poppy seed bread is to follow the recipe and use the exact ingredients as written (unless I note specific substitutes).
- Pack your almond flour. Be sure to pack your almond flour as you would do with brown sugar. Do not pack your oat flour.
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. If your eggs are too cold you risk the butter coagulating. To bring your eggs to room temp, simply place them in a bowl of warm water for 3-5 minutes before you use them.
- Use fresh baking soda. If your baking soda is older than 3 months, I suggest grabbing a new one for best baking results.
- Line your loaf pan. I recommend lining your loaf pan with parchment paper AND spraying it with nonstick cooking spray so that your bread comes out easily.
Storing & freezing tips
To store: this healthy lemon poppy seed bread should be kept well-covered in foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days, then I recommend transferring to the fridge or freezer.
To freeze: this loaf freezes well! Simply wrap in plastic, then tightly in foil and finally place in a reusable bag or freezer friendly bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature once you are ready to eat. You can also feel free to freeze individual slices for a quick on the go treat. Feel free to freeze without the glaze and then top it once it is thawed out.
If you like this recipe, you might also like
- Paleo Lemon Poppyseed Cookies
- Healthy Lemon Poppyseed Muffins with Lemon Blueberry Glaze
- Paleo Orange-Kissed Loaf with Dark Chocolate Glaze
- Lemon Blueberry Quinoa Pancakes
- Paleo Lemon Blueberry Bread
Get even more of our delicious bread recipes here!
If you make this healthy lemon poppy seed bread recipe, be sure to leave a comment below and rate the recipe! You can also snap and picture and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen. xo!
Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Amazing healthy lemon poppy seed bread made with a mix of oat and almond flour and naturally sweetened with honey. This easy gluten free lemon poppy seed bread has a boost of protein from greek yogurt and is made in one bowl for an easy, healthy breakfast or snack!
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 1/2 cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt (or sub plant based yogurt of choice such as almond or coconut yogurt)
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup honey
- zest from 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Dry ingredients:
- 1 cup oat flour, gluten free if desired
- 1 cup packed blanched fine almond flour
- 1 tablespoon poppyseeds (or sub chia seeds)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- For the glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 4 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the following ingredients until well combined: yogurt, eggs, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice and almond extract.
- Add dry ingredients to the bowl: oat flour, almond flour, poppyseeds, baking soda and salt; mixing with a wooden spoon until well combined. pour into prepared loaf pan. bake for 35-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool bread in pan for 5 mins then remove and transfer to a wire rack; allow bread to cool completely before adding the glaze.
- Make the glaze by adding powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and almond extract in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. You may need to add in more lemon juice if it is too thick (start with a teaspoon at a time). Glaze should be somewhat thick. Pour over bread and spread with a spoon if necessary. Top with a little extra lemon zest if you have any for a pretty effect. Cut bread into 8 slices and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
To make dairy free: I suggest using a dairy free yogurt such as siggi's plant based yogurt. You can use any flavor you'd like!
A note on subs: If you don't have oat flour, I think regular flour or 1:1 gf flour would work well. Please do not sub another flour for the almond flour. The almond flour contains moisture and fat which helps give the bread proper flavor and texture.
This recipe is great with or without the glaze!
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
148 comments
Amazing!!!
Glad you like it!!
Hi Monique, is it possible to skip the almond extract?
Hi! That should be fine – it will just have a slightly different flavor.
Hi! Can flax eggs be used instead?
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but I saw that a reader had success using them 🙂 let me know if you try it!
Super jum recipe though we had to modify for dietary reasons. Flaxseed eggs (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water= 1 replacement egg) worked great as a replacement for the real eggs. Lovely <3
Perfect! I’m glad the flax eggs worked out well 🙂
Wow, this was fantastic! I used a container of Siggis nonfat vanilla and only used 1/3 cup honey since the yogurt sweetened it a little bit. I normally don’t even crave lemony desserts but my fiance asked me to make him something lemony so I’m glad I went with this recipe. I intended on making the glaze but it doesn’t even need it. So good.
Perfect! So glad you both enjoyed!
Ive made this twice in two weeks and its so so good! perfect light, not too sweet, lemony bread! thanks!
The perfect loaf! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
This bread is so good! My husband liked it too. I cut back on the honey a little since the vanilla yogurt I used had a lot of sugar. I’m gluten and dairy free so I’m always happy to find a good recipe to keep around.
Perfect! So glad you both enjoye!
So good and moist!
Glad you loved it!
This lemon poppy seed bread is amazing! It doesn’t even taste like a “healthier” version. The only issue I had is that my loaf fell a lot in the middle. I’m wondering if it’s because I opened the oven to rotate it halfway through? Or maybe I didn’t cook it long enough. Either was it is delicious though!
Hmm did you measure everything properly? And what kind of yogurt did you use? Was it greek yogurt? Also, was your baking soda fresh? Glad you enjoyed regardless!
Looks amazing! Qs- can I sub maple syrup for the honey?
Yes, that should work!
This is so delicious! The texture is perfectly moist without being dense/wet. The crumb is lovely and the glaze just adds that extra something. Will be making again for sure! The top middle slightly sunk but maybe this is normal? Otherwise, excellent.
So happy you loved it! It can sink when there is too much liquid, so just make sure your baking soda is fresh and that you measured everything accurately!
Hi! I don`t have almond flour in my kitchen, so i was wondering if i could replace it with more oat flour or coconut flour? which one would be the best and how would the measurements be? or if this wouldn`t work haha 🙁
I haven’t tried it and probably wouldn’t recommend as the almond flour is the only ‘fat’ in this recipe, which helps to add texture, flavor and moisture!
OMG, this was so delicious, moist and perfect! I made this for a weekend trip with friends and everyone raved about it and couldn’t believe it was gluten-free! I would love to make them as muffins next time. I’m thinking 18-23 min at 350 degrees, Monique?
So happy you loved it! And that sounds about right! 🙂
I make this at least once a week. Seriously my favorite recipe. So delicious and allows me to satisfy my sweet tooth with healthy nourishing ingredients! Thanks Monique!
Love that! Perfect treat or snack 🙂
Such a delicious lemon bread!! Tastes so yummy you don’t even miss any oil or sugars that most lemon breads have. Must make!!
Absolutely! My fav 🙂
This is one of my favourite recipes. My husband is so addicted that I can’t keep up baking more.
I’m so glad!
This was delicious and so simple! I used greek yogurt and subbed maple syrup for honey, subbed vanilla for almond extract because I’m out. I didn’t have oat flour so I just zapped some in the blender and it turned out great. The glaze was way too thin, I kept adding powdered sugar and ended up starting over. I would add the powdered sugar to the bowl and then gradually add the lemon juice until it looks right. Definitely will make again, I think I’ll try an orange almond combo for the holidays. Thank you for this delicious and guilt free treat 💗
So glad you enjoyed! Hmm very strange about the glaze – it definitely shouldn’t be super thin with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and just 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice. I hope you were able to make it work!
Holy mother of! This was so good! The flavor was intense and you could not tell one bit this was gluten free bread other than it was a little flat (but expected). If you love lemon, make this!!
Haha so glad you loved them!!
Wow this is delicious! It came out perfectly moist and has the best flavor and texture! I love the hint of almond
So happy to hear that!
This recipe is one of my favorite breads to make ever! I love how fresh the lemon zest makes the kitchen smell. I use vanilla extract instead of almond and I still love it!
So happy to hear that! One of my favs, too 🙂
can i substitute the almond flour with oat flour and if so by how much?
I haven’t tried it so can’t be certain. I’ve only tested the recipe as is. Also, since an almond flour is a nut flour and oat flour is a grain flour, I wouldn’t recommend subbing them out
This bread is UNREAL! Seriously, do yourself a favor and make it. Absolutely delicious!
Glad you love it!
I have never left a comment on any website before. I tested this recipe and followed the instruction
exactly as written. The crumb was dense and not moist and very little lemon flavor.
That’s so strange considering there’s lemon zest and lemon juice in the loaf. next time you could always try using a lemon yogurt or a lemon extract for more lemon flavor!
This was a hit in my household. My two kids nearly ate the entire loaf for breakfast (and probably would have if I hadn’t made them save me some).
Such a great snack or breakfast!
This was so delicious. The lemon is very bright but not overpowering. I didn’t feel like making oat flour so I subbed with tiger nut flour. Also the parchment paper is a MUST! I didn’t have any and just greased the pan so the bottom stuck. It made a delicious mess. I skipped the icing and topped with raspberry jam. I think my oven may have been a bit hot. It got very dark on the outside and was just baked on the inside.
I’m glad it was still delicious! Hope you can give it another try lowering the temp a bit (the tiger nut flour may have also changed the consistency a bit).
I bought some whole wheat flour for another recipe on this website – can I use it instead of Oat flour? What is a general rule for substituting flour?
I think a regular flour (or a whole wheat pastry flour) would work, just note that a fully whole wheat flour might make the bread a bit dense. Every baked good I make varies in terms of the flour & liquid ratios so I would always suggest making the recipe as-is unless I specify ingredient swaps!
Deeelish.
I added an extra quarter cup of milk and made pancakes instead of baking in a loaf.
I used a tablespoon of lemon extract in place of the lemon zest.
I’m glad that worked out well!
This is so delicious! I made it last weekend for coffee with my in-laws who are vegan and gluten free. It was a hit and we gobbled it all up. I used flax eggs and plant based yogurt. I’m going to make it again today with regular eggs and I know it will be delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Perfect! Glad everyone enjoyed!
Can these be made into muffins ?
Yes!
Hey! Can you use whole wheat flour instead of almond flour?
I wouldn’t recommend it – sorry! The texture will be much different.
Oh, okay! Thanks! 🙂
Easy to make and will make a again for sure! I had to sub AP flour for oat because I didn’t have any. Texture is perfect but I love more of a lemon punch so next time I’ll add a bit more lemon juice to the batter, maybe 1 more tbsp.
I’m glad that worked out well! And yes feel free to add some extra zest, too, if you’d like.
Has anyone made these into muffins? If so, how many does it make and how long did you bake it for? (Assuming at 350F) Thanks!
I made about 8-10 muffins
20 minutes to bake at 350
Yes a few readers have! I would suggest around 18-23 minutes.
Amazing! I used maple syrup instead of honey and it turned out perfect 😊
Love it!
I love this lemon poppyseed bread!! Used lemon greek yogurt and added a dash of lemon extract. This recipe makes my heart so happy!
So happy to hear that!!
Absolutely love this bread! I made it vegan and it turned out delicious. Thanks for another great recipe Monique!
So happy to hear that!
Would maple syrup work instead of honey?
That should work!
This is amazing! We made it for breakfast/snacks for the week and of course had to taste test. The perfect balance of lemon and almond without being overly sweet. Followed the recipe as directed and used chia seeds instead of poppy seeds. Will definitely make again!!
The best! Glad it was a hit 🙂
Hands down, one of my favorite recipes of yours! And I don’t even like lemon in my desserts/sweets. It’s so delicious, moist and healthier! We didn’t even put the powder sugar icing on it and it was still SO delicious. 2 thumbs up!
So happy to hear that! One of my favs, too 🙂
Substituted regular flour for oat flour and turned out really good! Next time going to double the amount of lemon zest—maybe my lemons weren’t in their prime. So good!!
Glad you enjoyed! And yes, feel free to up the lemon if you’d like 🙂
SO SO good!! The bread is almost gone in a couple days and I already want to make it again! Love the texture of using both oat and almond flour and just the right amount of sweetness too.
Isn’t the texture amazing? Glad you loved this one!
Another great recipe from AK. Sub’ed all purpose flour for oat and still came out perfect. Not too sweet, not too dry. A very easy recipe to follow and nail on the first try
I’m glad that worked out well! Perfect snack or breakfast 🙂
Delicious! Made these into muffins but otherwise made recipe exactly as written. The kids loved them too. Winner!
Perfect! So happy to hear that.
This was DELICIOUS! I substituted flax eggs and the texture was great. Thank you!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
FANTASTIC! Excellent texture, light but filling. And I don’t feel guilty eating for breakfast! Used maple syrup because I didn’t have honey and omitted poppy seeds. Bread tastes faintly sweet and great on its own but the glaze melts in and makes it perfect!
So glad you loved it!
Amazing! This did not last 48 hours in the house.
I was out of almond extract, so I subbed vanilla and it still tasted incredible.
Perfect! Glad it was a hit!
Just made this and it is absolutely delicious!! Followed ingredients and directions exactly and it came out perfect. Just wondering though – best way to store bread for the next 5ish days?
So glad you love it! Check out the full post for storing & freezing instructions 🙂 this loaf should be kept well-covered in foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days, then I recommend transferring to the fridge or freezer.
Hi. I made this last night and ate it this morning for breakfast drizzled with vanilla almond yogurt (Kite Hill) and topped with fresh blueberries. It was so delicious and my entire family loved it! I used Nancy’s vanilla oatmilk and faba bean yogurt and vanilla extract and baked it in a glass loaf pan for 35 minutes. I know the glaze would take it to the next level, but it was great without it! I also warmed up a piece of it for dessert tonight and topped it with Cado ice cream. Yum!
That sounds amazing! Glad those little swaps worked out well!
My dairy- loving, gluten craving- boyfriend even said this was the best lemon bread he ever had.
So happy to hear that!!
So tasty! How do you think this would turn out made as muffins?
They should turn out well!
I was expecting this to taste really healthy, but it was surprisingly good! And I mean that in the best way possible. 😉 My boyfriend loved it too! It’s a great healthier way to enjoy lemon poppy seed cake. Will definitely make this again, maybe also as muffins.
Amazing! So glad you both enjoyed!
Hi, I made this just now but when I added the day to the wet ingredients it eventually turned too thick I couldn’t stir anymore. So I added some almond milk to get to ur consistency. I followed the instructions and used the same type of stainless steel measuring cup for the honey, yogurt, almond flour and oat flour. Please let me know what I did wirong. Thx! Btw it turned out ok but not too sweet.
Hi! that’s strange! So sorry you had an issue. We do have a video for helpful tips, but my biggest one is to make sure to NOT pack the oat flour.
YUM! My whole family LOVES this bread! Definitely going to be a new addition to the regular rotation of AK baked goods. I added about 1 tbsp maple syrup instead of honey and skipped the glaze, but it is still super delicious! We keep the loaf in the fridge and then warm individual slices up in the microwave for breakfast or a snack. Love it as is or topped with peanut butter, regular butter and even cream cheese!
So happy to hear that! Love this with some cream cheese, too 🙂
For some reason it will only let me leave 4 stars, I would happily leave it 5 and tried to do so! This was amazing. I am super impressed. I didn’t feel like I was eating gluten free. The only change I made was to the glaze, and that’s only because I am not eating white sugar right now. I did make a glaze out of maple sugar and drizzled it on there. But didn’t necessarily need it. So good!
So glad you loved this one! Perfect treat 🙂
Can i make mini cupcakes? Instead of loaf
Sure, that would be fun!
My husband and I love this bread!! I want to make it for my son but don’t want to give him any added sugar yet… if I leave out the honey and don’t sub with maple syrup will it change the consistency?
So glad you both loved it! If you leave out the sweetener the recipe won’t be quite the same, I’m sorry!
I made this wonderful bread tonight. I used Silk soy vanilla yogurt (to eliminate the dairy). I also substituted agave syrup for the honey, and reduced the amount to 1/4 cup.
For fun, I added 1/4 cup of pomegranate arils on top of the batter, after pouring into loaf pan – & barely swirled with a knife. Everything else I made according to directions, except used half the amount of glaze suggested in the recipe.
My husband said it’s the best bread I ever made !😁
Perfect! Sounds delicious. Glad it was a hit!
This recipe is great for Spring! It’s moist and the flavor is so bright and delicious. I love that it’s gluten free so everyone can enjoy! Thank you for another hit.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
I made this recipe as a breakfast snack to bring home to family I was visiting. Everyone loved it! It’s very moist and the lemon flavor comes through wonderfully. I can’t wait to make it again!
So happy to hear that!
Omg this is just heavenly good even without glaze😋 the half was gone before it cool down so I didn’t have time to put a glaze on. Will be making another one soon 😁
So delicious! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Delicious. I love the combination. of oat and almond flour and hope you have more recipes with that combo in the future!
I do, too! Check out my oat flour recipes here (a lot of them have almond flour!)
This was delicious! I’ve been really impressed with recipes combining oat and almond flour for their texture – thank you!
Also, it’s nice to have a GF/healthy option that’s not banana based, I love banana bread but sometimes it’s nice to switch it up!
Absolutely! I’m loving the oat flour & almond flour combo right now 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
Sooo good! Highly recommend!
Glad you loved it!!
This recipe is delicious. Don’t skip the glaze as it adds a lot. I was impressed to find a recipe with no oil in it but you don’t even miss it!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Adding a rating!
This is delish! I used wholemeal flour instead of oat flour and it was so yum. Didn’t even need the drizzle. Thank you 🙏
I’m glad that worked out well!!
Delicious bread! Not overly moist or mushy like some GF breads. All easy ingredients, would definitely make again. I’m sure these would make great mini muffins too
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
So delicious! Everyone in our house loved it, kids included! Used flax eggs and subbed maple syrup. Came out perfect 🙂
Perfect! So happy to hear that 🙂
this recipe is so easy and it makes the most DELICIOUS bread that I don’t feel awful eating. I’ve made it three times now and love it more every time.
Such a great snack or treat! Glad you enjoyed.
Next time I make this, I am hiding it from my husband. We both loved it and it was gone in a day! Yum!
Haha it’s too good! Glad you both enjoyed 🙂
OMG YUM. I made this with Siggi’s plain whole milk yogurt, which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND (both in this recipe and just in general, lol). I also added an extra Tbl each of poppyseeds, lemon juice and lemon zest because I love things super seedy and super lemony, and it was perfect for me.
Lastly, I decided to be super extra and use some homemade thyme-infused honey that I’ve been infusing for several months in place of plain honey here. WOWWWW!! I am honestly impressed with myself…and very grateful for this recipe, Monique!!
Perfect! That sounds amazing!!
Made these tonight as muffins, got 10. Left out the poppyseeds, used vanilla extract instead of almond, no glaze (trying to cut calories) and used an extra 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice. Took out of the oven, ate 1 almost immediately….delicious!! I didn’t see anyone mention how lemony these make your house smell while they’re baking. Wonderful!!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
This is a fabulous recipe! I really searched to find a gluten free recipe that used honey, and this one is just perfect. I love lemon and poppy seed so I zest an extra lemon and add an addition 1 – 2 tbsps of poppyseeds. Thank you so much for creating and posting this!
Perfect! Glad you loved it!
Excellent recipe. The loaf is flavourful with a nice, moist texture. It is just sweet enough without being cake-like.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂