The BEST Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Bread made with Greek yogurt and honey. Perfectly moist, naturally sweetened, and topped with the most delicious fresh lemon glaze!
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There is just something about Lemon Poppy Seed Bread that feels like sunshine in every bite! Bright, fresh, and perfectly sweet with that irresistible citrus flavor. And this version? This bread is made lighter with wholesome ingredients like Greek yogurt and naturally sweetened with honey, so you can enjoy it any time of day.
Whether you are looking for a quick spring breakfast, an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee, or a simple treat to share, this healthy lemon poppyseed loaf checks all the boxes. It’s incredibly moist, easy to make, and topped with a simple lemon glaze that takes it to the next level.
Why You’ll Love This
- Lightened up – this lemon poppy seed bread recipe is made with Greek yogurt and naturally sweetened with honey for a healthier twist.
- Perfectly moist – no dry loaf here thanks to the yogurt and olive oil combination. Deliciously soft and moist with a sweet glaze!
- Easy to make – this quick lemon loaf couldn’t be easier to make. Just mix the ingredients, pour into the pan and bake!
- Freezer-friendly – this lemon poppy seed loaf is perfect for meal prep, future snacks, quick breakfasts or dessert.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- flour – I used all-purpose flour to get that soft texture, but you could use whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour.
- baking powder + baking soda – these act as leavening agents to help the bread rise and keep it soft and fluffy.
- Greek yogurt – keeps the lemon bread moist and adds a boost of protein. You could also use sour cream or even applesauce.
- olive oil – adds extra moisture, creates a soft, tender crumb as well as a light texture and enhances the flavor of the other ingredients. You could also use melted coconut oil or melted butter.
- large eggs – helps bind the loaf and gives this bread its structure and height.
- fresh lemons – fresh lemon juice adds brightness and tang while the lemon zest brings bold, fresh lemon flavor.
- honey – naturally sweetens without using any refined sugar. You could also use maple syrup or other natural sweetener.
- vanilla extract – adds a boost of flavor and warmth.
- poppy seeds – adds that classic crunch and texture to the bread.
- salt – enhances all the flavors.
- lemon glaze – made with a mixture of powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest that adds the perfect sweet-tart finish to the bread!
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Mix ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, lemon zest and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, eggs, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, and vanilla, mixing until all combined.
- Combine the batter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix with a spatula until just combined. Make sure not to overmix, a few lumps are totally fine and help keep the bread tender.
- Bake the bread. Pour batter into a prepared 9×5-inch loaf pan line with parchment paper or sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool. Let the bread sit for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the lemon glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest, mixing until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bread, slice and enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest – this makes a huge difference in the flavor as bottle lemon juice can taste too bitter.
- Don’t overmix the batter – stir until the flour is just incorporated. Overmixing leads to dense, tough bread.
- Measure flour correctly – spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off, don’t scoop! Scooping packs in too much flour and leads to dryness.
- Use room temperature eggs – this helps everything mix evenly and create a uniform batter, which leads to even baking.
- Line your pan with parchment paper – this makes removing the bread super easy, especially since there is honey in this recipe that makes it stick more to the pan.
- Let it cool before glazing – this prevents the glaze from melting and disappearing into the loaf. Letting it cool first makes the glaze stay thick and sets into that slightly firm, glossy layer we want.
- Add extra zest on top – this boosts the lemon flavor of the bread and makes it look beautiful!
Variations
- Make it dairy-free – swap the Greek yogurt for a dairy-free alternative or even some applesauce, although it might change the flavor of this bread.
- Add blueberries – lemon and blueberries are the perfect combination and would be such a great addition to this bread.
- Flour – feel free to swap out the all-purpose flour for whole wheat pastry flour, whole wheat flour or even gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour if making GF bread. I don’t recommend using almond flour or coconut flour in this recipe.
- Make muffins instead – divide the batter into 12 muffin cups and reduce the baking time to 18 to 22 minutes.
Prepping and Storage
To Store: This lemon poppyseed bread can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic or foil at room temp for 2 or 3 days. Make sure to refrigerate after that to keep this longer. This bread will last up to a week in the fridge.
To Freeze: This bread freezes really well too! You can either wrap the whole loaf in plastic wrap, aluminum foil or a freezer-safe bag, or you can freeze individual slices. When ready to serve, allow the bread to thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before slicing. This bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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More Quick Bread Recipes
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Hope you all enjoy this Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf recipe! If you love this as much as we do, please leave a 
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Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
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Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest plus more for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, lemon zest and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, eggs, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, and vanilla, mixing until all combined.
-
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix with a spatula until just combined. Make sure not to overmix, a few lumps are totally fine and help keep the bread tender.
-
Pour the batter into a prepared 9×5-inch loaf pan line with parchment paper or sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-
Let the bread sit for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest, mixing until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bread, slice and enjoy!