This Almond Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is soft, moist and filled with lemon flavor! Topped with a zesty glaze, it’s breakfast bread worth getting out of bed for.
Everyone should have a scrumptious no-fail recipe for lemon poppy seed bread in their back pocket, dontcha think? Well, I did you one better: I’ve got a recipe for Almond Lemon Poppy Seed Bread and once you give it a try, it’s definitely going to go straight into your back pocket. Inspired by my Orange Glazed Poppy Seed Bread, it’s super moist, with bright, sunny flavor, a bit of crunch from the poppy seeds, and a little extra somethin’-somethin’ thanks to the almond extract.
What Makes This Lemon Poppy Seed Bread an Instant Hit
These little loaves of poppy seed bread are the best you’ll ever find, guaranteed. Our girls are crazy for it!
- The moistest loaf. This lemon poppy seed bread is moist to begin with, but what really seals the deal (literally) is that glaze. Don’t skip it! It soaks into the bread to add moisture, then it solidifies on top to seal that moisture in.
- Bright citrus flavor. Lemon zest in the bread and lemon juice in the glaze adds a fantastic bright flavor, while the fragrant almond extract lends the bread some complexity. It’s such an awesome combination!
- Easy to make. This almond lemon poppy seed bread is a quick bread recipe. And as advertised, it’s quick to put together!
Love lemony baked goods? Me too! Be sure to give my Easy Lemon Bars and Lemon Crinkle Cookies a try too.
Enjoy!
Bread:
- Flour – All-purpose flour adds structure to your loaves.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar, nothing fancy!
- Salt – To balance and enhance the flavor.
- Baking powder – This gives your loaf a nice rise.
- Poppy seeds – I love the little crunch these add. They make lemon bread extra fun!
- Milk – I always like to bake with whole milk for the most tender crumb, but any milk you have on hand will work.
- Vegetable oil – Or another oil you like to use for baking, like canola oil.
- Eggs – Beat these lightly in a small bowl before adding them to the recipe.
- Vanilla extract – An all-purpose flavor enhancer.
- Almond extract – The ingredient that makes this lemon poppy seed bread next-level delicious! Despite its name, almond extract isn’t nutty. Instead, it has a cherry-like, almost floral flavor.
- Lemon zest – Use a fine microplane zester; fine zest will more evenly flavor the bread.
Lemon Glaze:
- Sugar – For a sweet, syrupy glaze.
- Lemon juice – Squeeze this from the lemon you zested for the bread.
- Extracts – The same vanilla extract and almond extract you used in the loaves.
- Butter – Melt the unsalted butter, then let it cool just a bit.
How to Make Almond Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making this recipe.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350° F and coat two small loaf pans with cooking spray.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Stir the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and poppy seeds in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl (preferably one with a spout), mix the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, extracts, and lemon zest.
- Finish the batter. Use a mixer on low speed to mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Once combined, increase the speed to medium and beat for a minute.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the pans and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Make the glaze. Whisk together all of the glaze ingredients.
- Glaze the bread. Brush the glaze over the warm bread. Let the loaves cool for 20 minutes, then loosen the bread by running a knife along the edges of the pans and remove.
Tips for Perfect Poppy Seed Bread
Follow these additional pointers for the very best loaves!
- Make it extra lemony. A little baker’s secret is to use your fingers to rub together the lemon zest and sugar before you start baking. This releases the lemon oils into the sugar, adding more lemon flavor to the bread.
- Don’t overmix. With quick bread recipes, it’s important not to mix the batter too vigorously. In fact, it’s better to have some streaks of unmixed dry ingredients than to stir too much, which will give you a dense loaf without a lot of lift.
- Don’t second-guess the glaze. It will seem like a lot, but remember: it soaks into the bread! You want to use the full amount for the moistest, most delectable almond lemon poppy seed bread.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re slicing up a loaf of lemon poppy seed bread for breakfast, pair it with fresh fruit or something savory like Crustless Quiche or Overnight Egg Bake. In fact, I think this might be the perfect menu for a brunch get-together!
How to Store
- Room temperature: Wrap the bread in plastic or store it in an airtight container. It will keep for 3 to 4 days.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, you can refrigerate the bread for up to 6 days. Let it come to room temperature before enjoying.
- Freezer: Freeze these loaves wrapped in plastic, then place them in a freezer bag or airtight container to prevent freezer burn. They’ll last up to 2 months in the freezer; thaw at room temperature or in the fridge before serving.
More Quick Bread Recipes
Almond Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Yield: 20
This Almond Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is soft, moist and citrusy. Topped with a zesty glaze, it’s breakfast bread worth getting out of bed for!
Print
Ingredients
For the Almond Poppy Seed Bread
- 1-1/2 cup flour
- 1-1/4 cup sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs slightly beaten
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 2 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
For the Lemon Glaze
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. almond extract
- ½ tbsp unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
For the Almond Poppy Seed Bread:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray two 7-1/2” x 3-1/2" loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside. I love this smaller loaf pan size – the bread makes for a great hostess gift!
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and poppy seeds. Stir on low, just until combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients – the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and lemon zest.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer on low speed, beat until incorporated. Then raise the mixer speed to medium and beat for one more minute. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
For the Lemon Glaze:
- While the bread is baking, prepare the glaze. Combine all glaze ingredients and whisk until incorporated. When the baked loaves are removed from the oven, immediately brush the glaze over the warm bread tops.
- It will seem like alot of glaze, but it will soak in and make the bread ultra moist and flavorful, with a bit of a sugary crust once cooled. Cool loaves about 20 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the pans before removing bread from pans.
Notes
Adapted from my favorite Orange Glazed Poppy Seed Bread.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 239kcal Carbohydrates: 54g Protein: 2g Fat: 2g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 20mg Sodium: 96mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 43g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
I thought you might be interested in a recipe I made that is similar to yours but uses grated yellow squash. It was so moist and good but I’m anxious to try yours. Thank you!
Can’t wait to try this recipe after baking your Apple Bread! Question: could you sub chia seeds for the poppy seeds? Thanks so much!
This is the greatest bread of all time!! My family LOVES it! I have been making your recipe for the last 4yrs, however; I make mine in the mini loaf pans (Wilton® Mini Loaf Pan, 8 Cavity) and bake them for approx. 25-28 mins. My daughters, granddaughter and I all like to triple the amount of lemon glaze on our bread. Thank you for sharing!
Next on my list to make (so far) is your Honey Cinnamon Butter and the Homemade Pumpkin Bacon Dog Treats…
Absolutely outstanding, incredibly tasty bread! We made the recipe exactly as it was originally posted and will not alter a bit in future bakings. Just the right amount of lemon and almond to make one swoon! Thank you! Not a bad discovery during a pandemic. :)
Wonderful!! So glad you liked this recipe. Thank you for coming back to let me know. Enjoy!
just wanted to pop in and let you know this is my FAVORITE thing to bake! I saw it back when it was published on “A Cup of Jo” and have made it over and over again. People go crazy for it! Doubling it gives me two 9×4 and one mini loaf, which I keep for myself. :)
Made loaves of this bread for my neighbors today. Thanks for the recipe, Brenda. Merry Christmas!
I too have a question about using the small foil bread pans…I need to make 20 small loaves for a church Christmas gift and want to use this recipe. Should I double or triple it?? And is the baking time the same? I make breads a lot, but somehow have never done mini loaves!!!
Hello Erin – I really don’t know how many recipes of this you should make for 20 loaves, you’ll just have to experiment. The baking time will need to be reduced for smaller pans, but I don’t know by how much. It will depend on the size of your pans, how full they are, etc. Just set your timer for a lesser time and keep checking.
Hi Brenda! From one South Dakota girl to another, Merry Christmas! My Mother made almond poppy seed bread every Christmas, and I am carrying on her tradition for my family and neighbors this year. Your recipe is very similar to hers, but hers didn’t use lemon zest… I am going to use your recipe this year, so thank you for sharing! I do have a quick question for you… how many mini loaves will this recipe make? And, can I put several mini loaves in the oven at the same time? I’ve not used them before, but am excited to try! I think I’ll use the disposable foil pans as they’ll be easier to give and transport… Should they be sprayed with cooking spray as well? Thank you!!
Hello Joni from SD! :) I have not tried making mini loaves with this recipe, so you’ll just have to experiment. There are so many different sized loaf pans, too. You can definitely bake several mini loaves at a time, and I’d recommend spraying each pan with cooking spray.
I ran out of white sugar so used brown sugar for the glaze instead. It was even better. I love this recipe and try to keep it on hand. Thanks for sharing.
I love the idea of using brown sugar, and will give that a try next time. Thank you so much for writing to let me know!
Yum!! Almond poppy seed is one of my favorite bread flavors! The added lemon glaze must put this completely over the top! I think I make this as Christmas gifts for my neighbors this year! Beautiful photos!
I love both almond and lemon poppyseed, and to see them together in one recipe is so fun!