Keto Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is moist, nice and zesty with that poppy flavor and texture from poppy seeds. This feel-good treat is reminiscent of your favorite coffee shop muffin or bread.
Lemon Poppy Seed…what a comfortable combination!
Lemon poppy seed muffins and bread have been a favorite of mine since childhood. The zest…the spunk…the pomp and circumstance…
The sweet without being too sweet..
Blasts of flavor without pretension..
It’s all just too great!
Because I know there tends to be a preference between coconut flour or almond flour with grain-free baking, I have included two recipes here – one using coconut flour and one using almond flour.
One slice of the coconut flour version is only 1 net carb, whereas one slice of the almond flour version has 8 net carbs. In this sense, the almond flour version is not keto (but is sugar-free), so choose which version according to your personal taste and/or health goals.
I will say, the almond flour version is my personal favorite!
The texture of coconut flour can be a bit of an acquired taste, as it is fairly dense and sometimes spongy. When the ingredient portions are just right, almond flour and tapioca flour together form a texture that is just like regular all-purpose flour.
Let’s dive into the details! Below, I’m explaining the function of each ingredient in the recipe. You can skip right to the recipes by scrolling to the bottom of this post if you’re experienced at grain-free or low-carb baking!
Keto Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Ingredients:
Coconut Oil: The moist maker! I use melted coconut oil as the oil/fat portion of the recipe, which does yield that buttery flavor and silky texture. If you can do dairy, use melted butter, as it will give you that iconic coffee shop/bakery flavor that will just bring a smile to your face. 🙂 You can also use avocado oil!
Eggs: Used to fluff up the bread into delicious decadence! The coconut flour version of this recipe calls for a whopping FIVE eggs. Yup, that’s not a typo! Coconut flour is its own beast and requires a great deal of eggs to make it light and fluffy, as it is ultra dense and absorbs liquid like no other flour (truly). Don’t make it a thing, just get crackin’!
Almond flour is lighter and requires fewer eggs and liquid to fluff it up, so the almond flour version only requires 3 eggs.
Vanilla Extract: Adds nice warm flavor to the quick bread. If you don’t have it on hand, you can skip it, or replace it with almond extract for a little je ne sais quois.
Coconut Flour or Almond Flour: As mentioned earlier, I have included two recipes in this post – one using coconut flour (which is keto-friendly) and one using almond flour (which is low-carb, but may not be keto by some people’s needs).
Coconut flour makes the bread wildly fluffy yet moist and dense at the same time. It really is dreamy! Because coconut flour is very different from other flours, it isn’t easily replaceable in a 1:1 swap.
The almond flour version of this bread is magically moist and fluffy with a texture nearly indistinguishable from a baked good made with regular all-purpose flour! This version happens to be my preference between the two because of texture, but it does have a higher carb count so it would not be considered strictly keto by most.
Sugar-Free Sweetener: In keeping this lemon poppy seed bread low-carb, we use sugar-free granulated sweetener to sweeten it up! My favorites are Swerve, Lakanto, and Truvia. I used Truvia in this particular recipe.
Baking Soda & Sea Salt: Baking soda leavens the bread and helps it all hold together in one clean, cohesive loaf. Sea salt enhances all of the flavors! Don’t skip them!
Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest: The zesty lemon flavor comes from two whole tablespoons of lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. While I don’t use lemon extract (I think it tastes ultra funky), you can add some if you’d like. Don’t be afraid to go heavy on the zest, as that is where the majority of the lemon flavor comes from.
Poppy Seeds: We can’t have lemon poppy seed bread without poppy seeds! These fun and frisky little seeds bring unmistakable flavor to a treat that is difficult to describe, along with fun texture!
How to Make Keto Lemon Poppy Seed Bread:
Whether you’re making the almond flour version or the coconut flour version of this recipe, you can either prepare the batter using your blender or in a mixing bowl. The coconut flour version yields a thicker batter, so it’s best to use a mixing bowl rather than the blender. For the almond flour version, a blender works great but either prep method works!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9” x 5” loaf pan with parchment paper.
Beat the melted butter, eggs, and lemon juice together in a mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar-free sweetener, baking soda and sea salt until well-combined
Stir the dry mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture and beat until well combined. Stir in the lemon zest and poppy seeds. The batter will become very thick and crumbly.
Transfer batter to the parchment-lined loaf pan and use your hands or a rubber spatula to pat the batter down into an even layer.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven 50 to 55 minutes, until bread is golden-brown and tests clean when poked in the center with a toothpick.
Allow bread to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Can I Make This Recipe Paleo?:
Yes, absolutely. You can replace the sugar-free sweetener with coconut sugar (or raw cane sugar). If you prefer using pure maple syrup, simply use ½ cup to ⅔ cup, depending on your desired sweetness, and reduce the coconut milk in the recipe by the amount of pure maple syrup you use.
So there you have it! Two versions of low-carb lemon poppy seed bread. Let me know which one you make!
How to Store Lemon Poppy Seed Bread:
I simply cover the loaf pan in plastic wrap and keep it on the counter for up to 3 days. If the bread lasts past that timeframe, I transfer it to a zip lock bag and either refrigerate it or freeze it. The bread will last up to 7 days longer in the refrigerator or a few months in the freezer.
More Low-Carb Treat Recipes:
- Low-Carb Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins
- Keto Mug Brownies
- Dairy-Free Keto Coffee Cake
- Keto Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Now for the recipes! The keto coconut flour version is just below, and the almond flour version follows. Let me know which one you make!!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
- 5 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract
- ⅔ cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup sugar-free sweetener
- 1 tsp baking soda or 1.5 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest (3 large lemons zested
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup coconut butter
- 1 Tbsp sugar-free confectioners sweetener, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9” x 5” loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Beat the eggs, vanilla extract, melted butter, and lemon juice together in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the coconut flour, sugar-free sweetener, baking soda and sea salt until well-combined.
- Stir the dry mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture and beat until well combined. Stir in the lemon zest and poppy seeds. The batter will become very thick and crumbly.
- Transfer batter to the parchment-lined loaf pan and use your hands or a rubber spatula to pat the batter down into an even layer.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven 50 to 55 minutes, until bread is golden-brown and tests clean when poked in the center with a toothpick.
- If making the glaze, heat the coconut butter in the microwave for 20 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until melted and creamy. Stir in the sugar-free confectioners sugar.
- Allow bread to cool at least 20 minutes before adding the glaze, slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (or melted butter)
- 3/4 cup full fat canned coconut milk
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional
- 3 cups Super Fine Almond Flour
- 1/2 cup sugar-free sweetener
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lemon zest, about 2 large lemons
- 3 tbsp poppy seeds
Optional Glaze:
- 1/2 cup coconut butter, coconut manna
- 1 Tbsp sugar-free confectioners sweetener, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9” x 5” loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Beat the coconut oil, coconut milk, eggs, and lemon juice together in a mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the almond flour, sugar-free sweetener, baking powder, and sea salt until well-combined
- Stir the dry mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture and beat until well combined. Stir in the lemon zest and poppy seeds. The batter will become very thick and crumbly.
- Transfer batter to the parchment-lined loaf pan and smooth into an even layer.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until bread is golden-brown and tests clean when poked in the center with a toothpick.
- If making the glaze, heat the coconut butter in the microwave for 20 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until melted and creamy. Stir in the sugar-free confectioners sugar until dissolved.
- Allow bread to cool at least 20 minutes before glazing, slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Terri
Friday 10th of March 2023
Hi! Can something be substituted for the coconut butter in the glaze?
I don’t follow paleo or keto, but absolutely love your recipes! I just work with your substitutions, usually, so thank you for often including them!
Julia
Monday 13th of March 2023
Hi Terri! I'm not sure what could be used to replace coconut butter to be honest! I would make a regular powdered sugar glaze using sugar-free confectioner's sweetener. I would do 1 cup of sugar-free powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of water or lemon juice :)
Cindy Craner
Monday 24th of May 2021
Hi Julia-just reporting back that I made this bread with the substitutions and it came out great! Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
Julia
Monday 24th of May 2021
Yaaaaay! That's so great to hear! Thanks so much for swinging back around to let me know!! xoxoxo
Cindy
Tuesday 18th of May 2021
Thank you for your quick response! As I was looking in the pantry for the rest of the ingredients I seem to be out of Tapioca Flour, could I replace with cornstarch or all purpose gluten free flour? So excited to make this!
Julia
Tuesday 18th of May 2021
My pleasure! I haven't tried replacing tapioca flour with cornstarch but a quick google search tells me it will work in a 1:2 replacement - so use half the amount of cornstarch. Gluten-free AP flour will work too, but I would use less as well (not sure exactly how much), as it tends to be more absorbent than tapioca flour on its own. Let me know how it all works out!! xoxo
Cindy
Tuesday 18th of May 2021
I was excited to see the almond flour recipe but then noticed the coconut oil and full fat coconut milk. I am allergic to coconut in all forms and was wondering if I could substitute melted butter for the oil and almond milk for the coconut milk?
Julia
Tuesday 18th of May 2021
Hi Cindy! I'm pretty sure those substitutions will work, but because canned coconut milk contains a decent amount of fat, I would offset the fat loss by using a higher portion of butter to almond milk. For instance, I would try 3/4 cup melted butter and 1/2 cup almond milk and see where that lands me. If the batter looks too thin, add 1/3 cup to 1 cup of additional almond flour (until it appears thicker). Let me know what you end up trying! xoxoxox