Let's make a bright and fresh quickbread for spring - a gluten-free lemon poppy seed loaf. Yum!
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Do you love lemon-flavored breads and desserts?
I do too.
But I only realized it recently. Thankfully, I'm making an effort to incorporate more lemon-flavored things on the blog, like these gluten-free lemon blueberry scones or these gluten-free lemon & thyme bars.
And of course, this gluten-free lemon poppy seed loaf!
This quickbread is super easy to make, and produces a moist (sorry for using that word) spongelike cake with a light lemon flavor. You could add a glaze to this for added decadence, but I think it's so good as is, you don't need it!
Gluten-Free Flours Blends For Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
I've tested this gluten-free lemon poppy seed loaf recipe with two gluten-free flour blends, Cup4Cup and King Arthur's Measure For Measure. In the photo below, you can see the difference between the two. No changes were made except using a different gluten-free flour blend. The Cup4Cup loaf had a softer, more spongelike texture, where as the King Arthur Flour was a lot more crumbly. Both tasted great, but Cup4Cup is always my preferred flour for baking gluten-free.
Here's what you'll need to make gluten-free lemon poppy seed bread:
-Gluten-Free Flour: You can use whichever gluten-free flour blend you prefer, but please note, your results may vary if you don't use one of the ones I mentioned above.
-Poppy Seeds
-Baking Soda
-Baking Powder
-Salt
-Eggs
-Sugar
-Oil of choice
-Sour cream or Greek yogurt
-Milk of choice
-Lemon zest
-Lemon juice
How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
The process to make the gluten-free lemon poppy seed bread is really so easy. You combine the dry ingredients with a whisk. Then in another bowl, you combine the wet ingredients with a whisk, before mixing the two together. And that's it!
Please note: I prefer to let batters like quickbreads and muffins rest for 15 minutes or so before baking. This is a tip from America's Test Kitchen prevents a gritty texture in the final product.
How To Serve Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
This gluten-free lemon poppy seed loaf goes perfectly for breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee. You can add a dab or butter or jam to it for extra decadence, but I really don't think it needs it.
This gluten-free lemon loaf would also make a lovely addition to a weekend brunch. Or you can bring it to a summer barbecue for dessert with glaze on top (more details about that in the recipe card). Whichever way you choose to enjoy it, just make sure to do so within 2-3 days, because like all gluten-free baked goods, it hardens quickly. Keep it tightly wrapped & covered to keep that moisture in!
Can I Make This Dairy-Free?
Yes, but I haven't tried it. Due to the nature of this bread using Greek yogurt/sour cream, you could substitute a dairy-free yogurt/sour cream and milk if you like, and would need to make sure your gluten-free flour blend is dairy-free too (Cup4Cup contains milk powder). Please note if you use a nut-based milk, it could change the color of the batter and make it look much more dull, and not as bright (This happened when I used certified GF oat milk in a batch during testing).
What if it cracks?
Don't worry about it! It just means the bread baked properly. You can always add a glaze on top (recipe details below) if you'd like to cover it up.
More Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
Feel like another easy quickbread? This banana bread with walnuts hits the spot.
Looking for scones recipes? Bake a savory version with bacon, cheddar, and chives, or try these pumpkin scones with maple icing.
Want to practice your pie making skills? Check out this gluten-free peach pie with lattice design.
Ready to take your baking skills to the next level? Try these delightful, buttery, and flaky gluten-free croissants.
Discover all the gluten-free baking recipes on the blog right here.
Here's the full recipe for gluten-free lemon poppy seed loaf!
If you love this recipe, please leave a review! Thank you so much!
Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Recipe
Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
Recipe Adapted From Sally's Baking Addiction
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free flour blend, like Cup4Cup or King Arthur Measure For Measure
- 4 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup of granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream or Greek Yogurt, room temperature (use dairy-free if needed)
- ⅓ cup of vegetable oil, or your oil of choice
- ⅔ cup of milk (use lactose-free or dairy-free if needed), at room temperature
- 4 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 small lemon)
Instructions
Remove your eggs, milk, and sour cream/yogurt from the refrigerator to rest at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350° degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x5'' loaf pan with oil, spray, or butter.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In another medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until well combined. Then add the vegetable oil, sour cream/Greek yogurt, milk, lemon juice, and zest.
Once the wet ingredients are combined, add them into the dry ingredients (gluten-free flour mixture) and stir to combine, making sure everything is well incorporated. Don't worry about overmixing - there's no gluten developing here.
Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature. Then pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let the bread cool on a wire rack while still in the pan (it keeps cooking!). Slice and serve when cooled.
Notes
Gluten-Free Flour: Please note this recipe was specifically formulated using two gluten-free flour blends, Cup4Cup and King Arthur Measure For Measure. If you use a different blend, your results may vary.
Dairy-Free: To make this bread dairy-free, substitute your favorite dairy-free & gluten-free flour blend, dairy-free milk, and dairy-free yogurt/sour cream. Please note that plant-based milks may results in a darker batter.
Glaze: I don't add glaze to this lemon loaf, but you can. Here's a recipe for that.
Storage: Keep the bread tightly covered at room temperature for 2-3 days to retain moisture. It will harden over time, like most gluten-free baked goods.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 349Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 55mgSodium 294mgCarbohydrates 46gFiber 1gSugar 21gProtein 8g
The nutrition information on each recipe card is provided as a courtesy and for your convenience. The data is calculated by Nutritionix. You are encouraged to make your own calculations based on your ingredients and preferred nutritional facts calculator. While I try to make sure they are accurate, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these calculations.
Do you like quickbreads?
What's your favorite kind?
Tell me in the comments below!
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