Gluten Free Poppyseed Bread

My mom makes poppyseed bread around the holidays every year, and it was only a matter of time before I turned it gluten-free. It's just SO good! Deceptively simple ingredients make up this recipe, but don't be fooled: this is a winner of a quick bread. Soft and sweet with a bit of crunch from the poppyseeds, this loaf stays moist and fresh for days, too.

For a lemony take on poppyseed treats, try my gluten free lemon poppyseed cake or gluten free lemon poppyseed muffins. You can also drizzle the top of this bread with a sweet-tart lemon glaze!

What You'll Love

If you love poppyseeds, I know you'll love this loaf! It's:

• Perfectly textured. As mentioned, the balance of gluten-free oat and almond flours forms a smooth crumb that's undetectably gluten-free.
• Sweet enough! OK, I know I like to reduce sugar a bit here and there (see my strawberry honey jam as an example!), but I find this loaf to be slightly on the sweeter side, and I love it for that. A swipe of tangy cream cheese adds a perfect contrast.
• Great for gifts. My mom packages up mini loaves of her poppyseed bread as gifts, and this recipe works beautifully as a fun and special edible gift. The loaves bake up nice and sturdy, and they can be stored in the freezer until you're ready to share them.

Ingredients Needed

Here's a look at the ingredients that go into this loaf. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Granulated sugar
• Eggs - Large eggs are best!
• Evaporated milk - I have not tried this recipe with whole milk, but I imagine it would work just fine.
• Oil - Your choice of oil here - melted coconut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil all work.
• Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
• Oat flour - Learn how to make oat flour, or pick up a package from the store (certified gluten-free if necessary!). If you can't eat oats, substitute brown rice flour.
• Amond flour - Fine-ground almond flour is best rather than almond meal. If you can't eat almonds, substitute more oat flour.
• Baking powder
• Salt - I used fine sea salt, and table salt works great.
• Poppyseeds

Variation Ideas

• Add citrus zest - Rub the zest of 1 orange or lemon into the sugar to add sweet citrus flavor.
• Almond extract - I love the combo of poppyseeds and almonds! Add ½ teaspoon of almond extract if you like.
• Bake as mini loaves - The photos here show a traditional large loaf cake. But, I also love baking this recipe as mini loaves and giving them as gifts. You should be able to get 3 mini loaves of bread from the batter. Make sure to grease and line the mini loaf pans with parchment paper for easy removal.

Tips & Recipe Notes

• Isn't that oven temperature high? The loaf bakes at 375°F, which can be higher than some regular and gluten-free recipes. However, it is not a problem here, and the loaf will bake evenly. If you think it's browning too quickly, tent foil over the top.
• Make dairy-free. Use your favorite non-dairy milk or non-dairy condensed milk for the condensed milk.
• Bake as a cake. Similar to a gluten free poppyseed cake, you can bake this loaf in a 9-inch round pan or a springform pan. I have not tried a bundt pan, but I think it would be lovely!
• To serve: Serve the bread with softened butter or cream cheese, or sift powdered sugar over the top of the bread before serving.

Proper Storage

• Counter - Cover the bread or place it in an airtight bag or container and store it on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Fridge - Keep the poppyseed bread in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Wrap the loaf or loaves in foil and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw the bread in the fridge before serving.