Grain-Free Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Blondies are crispy, yet soft and chewy, just like an incredible blondie should be! Only 6 ingredients are needed to make this zesty, delicious blondie recipe happen!
A couple of weeks ago, I had a follower send me a message on Instagram requesting a recipe for Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Blondies. The concept sounded so amazing to me that I couldn’t help but indulge!
I’m completely addicted to anything that resembles a brownie, cookie, and/or cookie bars. Some of my favorites include these Grain-Free Tahini Blondies , Paleo Chocolate Chip Blondies, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies.
In case you aren’t familiar, blondies are a non-chocolate version of brownies. They are meant to have that classic crisp around the edges and a nice chewy inside.
If you love lemon poppy seed muffins, blondies, or cookie bars, you’ll go berserk over these beauties!
From a flavor standpoint, these lemon poppy seed blondies have that bright, zesty cheerful lemon flavor with that fun and unique poppy seed flavor and texture.
The texture of these blondies is absolutely addicting. The tops become magically crispy, and the inside is soft and chewy, making for the perfect bite every bite!
Let’s talk details.
Ingredients for Lemon Poppy Seed Blondies:
Tahini: That magical ingredient that makes these blondies chewy. Tahini also adds to the richness, fat content, and helps the blondies hold together.
You can replace the tahini with sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, or almond butter. If the nut or seed butter you’re using is very thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or coconut oil to the recipe, as tahini tends to be on the thinner side.
Pure Maple Syrup: The sweetener we use in these blondies! Pure maple syrup not only sweetens the blondies, but also contributes to the chewiness. Liquid sweeteners can be very beneficial to texture in some applications, and this is one of them!
Eggs: That key component to a cookie bar that allows the bar to rise, and keeps them held together. I haven’t tested the recipe using an egg replacer yet, but I’m willing to bet flax eggs will work – the blondies will just be denser.
Lemon Zest: The lemon portion of the recipe! In order to get an amazing burst of lemon flavor, I zested three lemons, which equated to just under 1 tablespoon of lemon zest. You don’t need lemon juice or lemon extract when you have enough lemon zest!
Almond Flour: The base of the recipe. Super fine almond flour when combined with the other ingredients makes for an amazing blondie that you’d never know was grain-free!
Poppy Seeds: Lemon and poppy seeds go amazing together, as is the case in these blondies! Poppy seeds have an unmistakable flavor and a little burst of texture that makes baked goods so enticing.
Sea Salt: Flavor enhancer! Sea salt brings out all of the flavors. It helps the lemon and poppy seed flavors shine through and also makes the blondies taste sweeter! Don’t skip it!
Sliced Almonds (Optional): Just for fun, I sprinkled the top of the blondie dough with sliced almonds before sticking it in the oven. I love the texture of the toasted thinly sliced almonds and find they add a uniqueness to the bars, but you can easily omit them!
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Blondies:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8” x 8” baking dish with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, beat the tahini and pure maple syrup until very well-combined and creamy. Whisk in the eggs and lemon zest and beat until well-incorporated. Add the almond flour, poppy seeds and sea salt and mix well until combined.
Pour the blondie batter into the baking dish and smooth into an even layer. If desired, sprinkle with sliced almonds.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the sides are golden-brown and the blondies feel slightly firm when poked. I bake mine for 25 minutes, turn off the oven and allow them to sit in the warm oven for another 10 minutes.
Allow blondies to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
More Lemon Poppy Seed Recipes:
- Paleo Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
- Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
- Grain-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Bread with Honey Lemon Glaze
Enjoy!
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Paleo Lemon Poppy Seed Blondies
Ingredients
- ½ cup tahini
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 cups super fine almond flour
- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ cup sliced almonds optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8” x 8” baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the tahini and pure maple syrup until very well-combined and creamy. Whisk in the eggs and lemon zest and beat until well-incorporated. Add the almond flour, poppy seeds and sea salt and mix well until combined. Pour the blondie batter into the baking dish and smooth into an even layer. If desired, sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the sides are golden-brown and the blondies feel slightly firm when poked. I bake mine for 25 minutes then turn off the oven and leave the blondies in the warm oven for 10 minutes longer.
- Allow blondies to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
would I be able to substitute the eggs for chia eggs? thanks! 🙂
Hi Shannon!
I haven’t tested the recipe using an egg replacemer, but I think it would work. I only have experience using flax eggs, but if chia eggs are similar, it should work. Let me know if you try it! xoxo
Made this today and it was delicious. I did add some extra zest as I found 1tbs wasn’t enough. I also added some vanilla bean paste. Very easy to make and will try almond butter next time instead of tahini. Served as a dessert with coconut vanilla ice cream and fresh berries. Thank you for another wonderful recipe that ticks all the boxes with my families dietary requirements.
I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed it, Fiona! Thanks so much for the feedback 😀 xoxo
Do you think I could make this with oat flour? My friend has an almond allergy.
Thanks!
Hi Kelsey!
The best replacement would be hazlenut flour (unless of course your friend is allergic to hazelnuts as well). You can also use cassava flour as a 1:1 replacement. Oat flour will work, but the consistency will be different – you may need to add some coconut oil or coconut milk if the batter seems too dense. Let me know if you try it! xoxox