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    Home » Recipes » Gluten Free Quick Breads

    Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Bread

    Published: Apr 13, 2026 by Nicole Spiridakis

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A tender, gorgeously sliceable gluten free lemon poppyseed bread topped with a bright, thick lemon glaze for maximum flavor. Skip the stale coffee shop offerings and make this delicious classic at home!

    A gluten free orange loaf cake topped with orange glaze.

    I dearly love this one-bowl gluten free lemon poppyseed bread, which is my go-to recipe when I want a quick bake to leave out on the counter for easy nibbling. Soft yet sturdy, generously strewn with lightly crunchy poppyseeds, and finished with a thick slick of lemon glaze, this is one of my very favorite recipes. Top slices with silky smooth homemade lemon curd or honey lemon curd, or spread them generously with strawberry honey jam. So good!

    Jump to:
    • What You'll Love
    • Ingredients Needed
    • Variations to Try
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Make it Extra Flavorful
    • Tips & Recipe Notes
    • Proper Storage
    • More Gluten Free Lemon Recipes
    • Recipe

    What You'll Love

    • Super quick and easy. Layer the ingredients into just one bowl, give a brief whisk and a stir, slide into the oven, and you're on your way to a delicious lemon loaf.
    • So lemony. Check out my trick below to make the loaf itself super lemony. And then of course, that sweet-tart lemon glaze spread on top is the home run that adds so much flavor.
    • Simple ingredients. Pantry and fridge staples make up this recipe, and I've included flour substitutions below, as well as tips to make this easily dairy-free if needed.
    Ingredients for gluten free lemon poppyseed bread are text-labeled.

    Ingredients Needed

    Here's a rundown of everything you need for this quick bread. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

    • Yogurt - For the best results, use plain full-fat yogurt or vanilla yogurt.
    • Granulated sugar
    • Eggs - Large eggs at room temperature work best.
    • Oat flour - Learn how to make oat flour at home, or pick up a package at the store (certified gluten-free if needed). If you don't eat oats, brown or white rice flour makes a fine substitute.
    • Almond flour - I love the extra protein and moisture fine-ground almond flour adds to this bread. If you don't eat almonds, try another nut flour or substitute oat flour.
    • Baking powder
    • Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt.
    • Oil - I like coconut oil, but you can use vegetable oil or another neutral oil of your choice, such as avocado oil.
    • Glaze - Lemon juice and (sifted) powdered sugar

    Variations to Try

    • Another citrus - Swap the lemon for orange, lime, or tangerine.
    • Skip the poppyseeds - Feel free to leave out the poppyseeds to make this a simpler gluten free lemon yogurt cake.
    • Make it dairy-free - Easily make this loaf bread dairy-free by using non-dairy yogurt for the yogurt.
    A top down shot of a loaf of sliced gluten free lemon poppyseed bread.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Here's an overview in photos of how to make this gluten free lemon poppyseed bread:

    Eggs and yogurt are whisked together to form the base of a lemon poppyseed bread.

    1. Make base: Rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar, then whisk in the eggs and yogurt.

    Flour is mixed into the yogurt mixture for gluten free lemon poppyseed bread.

    2. Add remaining ingredients: Whisk in the dry ingredients, then finish by adding the oil. Fold in the poppyseeds.

    Batter for gluten free lemon poppyseed bread in a loaf pan.

    3. Bake: Pour batter into a prepped loaf pan, then place in a 350F oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.

    A baked loaf of gluten free lemon poppyseed bread cools on a rack.

    4. Make glaze: Whisk 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into 1 cup of powdered sugar. Cool the cake completely, then top with the glaze.

    Make it Extra Flavorful

    I LOVE this trick when making citrus-flavored bakes to really ramp up the flavor: Zest the lemon (or whatever variety of citrus you choose), then use your fingers to rub it into the sugar before adding the rest of the ingredients. This releases the citrus oil, infusing the sugar with fragrance and flavor. Try it - I bet you will notice a difference!

    Gluten free lemon poppyseed bread on a plate with a cup of coffee.

    Tips & Recipe Notes

    • What type of yogurt? I prefer PLAIN whole milk yogurt in this loaf. You could also use low-fat yogurt, but I would not use non-fat because you'll lose the richness from the higher-fat yogurt. In a pinch, you can try low-fat or regular Greek yogurt.
    • Add vanilla extract. Add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to the batter for extra depth of flavor.
    • Another oil. You can use your choice of oil in this cake. I use melted coconut oil or vegetable oil interchangeably, depending on what I have on hand. But you can use any neutral oil you like.
    • Skip the glaze. If you want to streamline this recipe even more, omit the glaze, but make sure to add the citrus zest to the batter as detailed in the tip above. You can use the zest of 1 or 2 lemons, depending on how strong you want the flavor.
    • Make it a cake. This loaf is sturdy enough to bake into a cake! Use an 8 or 9-inch round and adjust the baking time accordingly. Or, bake it into a layer cake using 2 9-inch cake rounds and fill and frost with vanilla or lemon buttercream.
    A cup of coffee and a slice of gluten free lemon poppyseed bread.

    Proper Storage

    • Counter - Cover the loaf or transfer it to an airtight container or sealable bag and store it on the counter for up to 3 days.
    • Fridge - Place the loaf in a sealable bag or container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    • Freezer - Cut slices and wrap them in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag, or wrap the whole loaf in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before eating.

    More Gluten Free Lemon Recipes

    • A couple of lemons and a bunch of gluten free lemon cookies on a plate.
      Gluten Free Lemon Cookies
    • Five gluten free lemon blueberry muffins on a white napkin.
      Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins
    • A slice of gluten free lemon curd cake on a plate near the cake.
      Gluten Free Lemon Curd Cake
    • A lemon and poppyseed cake cake on a white plate.
      Gluten Free Lemon and Poppyseed Cake

    Happy baking! If you make this gluten free lemon poppyseed recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina  ❤️

    Recipe

    Gluten free lemon poppyseed bread on a plate with a cup of coffee.
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    Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Bread

    Nicole Spiridakis
    A tender, gorgeously sliceable gluten free lemon poppyseed bread topped with a bright, thick lemon glaze for maximum flavor.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 servings
    Calories 350 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the cake:

    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 lemon , zested
    • ½ cup plain full-fat yogurt
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 ½ cups oat flour (180 grams)
    • ¼ cup almond flour (30 grams)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • ½ cup oil , coconut, vegetable, canola
    • ¼ cup poppyseeds

    For the glaze:

    • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 cup powdered sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease a loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, rub the zest of 1 lemon into the 1 cup granulated sugar, then whisk in the the ½ cup plain full-fat yogurt and 3 large eggs, stirring and whisking until well blended. Add the 1 ½ cups oat flour, ¼ cup almond flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, mixing just to combine. Add the ½ cup oil and stir well to incorporate. Fold in the ¼ cup poppyseedsKeep stirring until it forms a smooth batter. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
    • Rest the batter while the oven heats, then place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overbake.
    • Cool cake on a rack for about 20 minutes; then turn it out of the pan to cool completely.
    • When the cake is thoroughly cooled, whisk 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice into the 1 cup powdered sugar until a thick glaze forms. Spread it over the top of the cooled cake.

    Notes

    • What type of yogurt? I prefer PLAIN whole milk yogurt in this loaf. You could also use low-fat yogurt, but I would not use non-fat because you'll lose the richness from the higher-fat yogurt. In a pinch, you can try low-fat or regular Greek yogurt.
    • Add vanilla extract. Add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to the batter for extra depth of flavor.
    • Another oil. You can use your choice of oil in this cake. I use melted coconut oil or vegetable oil interchangeably, depending on what I have on hand. But you can use any neutral oil you like.
    • Skip the glaze. If you want to streamline this recipe even more, omit the glaze, but make sure to add the citrus zest to the batter as detailed in the tip above. You can use the zest of 1 or 2 lemons, depending on how strong you want the flavor.
    • Make it a cake. This loaf is sturdy enough to bake into a cake! Use an 8 or 9-inch round and adjust the baking time accordingly. Or, bake it into a layer cake using 2 9-inch cake rounds and fill and frost with vanilla or lemon buttercream.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 5gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 156mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 2gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 92IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 124mgIron: 1mg
    Disclaimer: Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is an estimate (I'm not a nutritionist and can't guarantee accuracy!). Even when not specified, be sure to check that all the ingredients you use are gluten free if you need them to be by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer.
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know in the comments how it went!

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    A photo of Nicole Spiridakis

    Welcome!

    I'm Nicole, a writer, recipe developer, and cookbook author. I share carefully tested gluten-free baking recipes as well as the occasional vegetarian and vegan dish, all made with simple, wholesome ingredients. I believe in real food, lots of vegetables, and balance, too -- because I dearly love cake. Welcome! Learn more about me.


    The cover of the cookbook Flourless: Recipes for Naturally Gluten-Free Desserts by Nicole Spiridakis shows an opera cake.

    My cookbook, Flourless, was published by Chronicle Books and is full of naturally gluten-free desserts to tempt everyone! Learn more.

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