Bursting with fresh flavor, my lemon bread recipe will have your taste buds singing! This sweet treat is bursting with citrusy goodness from both lemons and oranges, creating an unbeatable combination. With the addition of thyme, this lemon bread is truly something special - and it can easily be customized to suit your tastes!
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When I say this orange bread is amazing, I mean it! It makes a yummy sweet breakfast or a lighter dessert alternative. One of the best things about this lemon bread recipe is that you can alter how much lemon, orange, or any other citrus you use in it. Omit the orange for a truly lemony delight, or go in with all orange for delicious orange bread! My lemon bread recipe uses both to create a treat that's bursting with flavor.
To top it all off, I add the fragrant taste of thyme to make this dessert even more special. The combination of lemon, orange, and thyme is truly sensational! Aside from tasting amazing, this orange bread is also light, fluffy, and moist, thanks to the addition of Greek yogurt.
The key to getting that perfect texture is to not over-mix the batter - so when you're adding your dry ingredients, take care to combine them lightly! The result will be a lemon orange bread that's so tender and delicious that it'll have you counting down the minutes until you can take your first bite.
Why You'll Love This Lemon Bread Recipe
- Simple to make. No fancy techniques are involved in making this lemon bread recipe - just some basic baking ingredients and a few simple steps!
- Perfect for using fresh herbs. If you have an abundance of thyme from either your herb garden or the store, this orange bread is a great way to use it.
- A cute gift! I make mini versions of my lemon orange bread to gift to friends and family. It's an easy, inexpensive way to show someone you care (and how adorable do mini loaves look?!). You can really personalize this gift by incorporating citrus flavors the recipient loves - lemon, orange, or even lime and grapefruit!
Lemon Quick Bread Ingredients
- Butter
- White sugar
- Egg
- Milk
- Lemon juice
- Greek yogurt
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Thyme chopped
- Orange zest
- Lemon zest
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to make Lemon Bread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cream butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and cream for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add milk, citrus juice, and yogurt and whisk until well combined.
- In another bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, thyme, and zest.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just barely combined, do not overmix.
- Pour into one greased loaf pan (see note) and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs on it.
How to make glaze for lemon bread
Add a finishing touch to your lemon bread with a simple glaze! Here's how to make it:
Ingredients for glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
How to make lemon glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Once the bread is fully cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top.
- Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
My vanilla glaze icing recipe would also work well if you’d prefer a citrus-free glaze.
Lemon Quick Bread Recipe Variations
This recipe is delicious as is, but there are some fun variations you can try! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Add some chocolate chips: Leave out the thyme and add in chocolate chips! Citrus and chocolate are always a winning combination for me.
- Make it even fruitier: Add in 1 cup of fresh blueberries for a burst of juicy sweetness. The thyme, lemon, and blueberry flavors work together so well!
- Try a different herb: Lavendar would go perfectly in this recipe, but so would rosemary or even basil.
- Mix in some poppy seeds: Omit the thyme and add 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds - it's a classic flavor combination that never fails.
- Make it vegan: Replace the egg with a flaxseed egg and use non-dairy milk/Greek yogurt/butter to make this recipe vegan-friendly.
- Use sour cream: If you don't have any Greek yogurt to hand, try using sour cream instead. It'll do the same job of keeping the bread moist! Use the same amount as you would the Greek yogurt.
Lemon Thyme Bread FAQs
Yes! No matter what citrus you use to make this orange bread with lemon, if wrapped or stored in an airtight container, it should keep for up to three days at room temperature. Homemade lemon bread can also be stored in the fridge, which will last up to a week.
If you're looking to make it ahead of time, you can also freeze this lemon bread recipe - just make sure you wrap it tightly in either plastic wrap or place it in a container and store it in the freezer. It should keep this way for up to 3 months.
When you're ready to enjoy your lemon orange bread, just let it thaw overnight in the fridge. You can also freeze slices of orange bread, making it ideal for when you need a tasty treat but don't have the time to whip up a fresh loaf!
To ensure your orange bread with lemon is cooked to perfection, use a wooden skewer or toothpick to poke into the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clean, with a few crumbs, your lemon bread is ready!
Make sure you don't over-bake it - you want your orange bread to be light and fluffy, not dry and crumbly. Be sure to check the temperature of your oven and keep an eye on the baking time, as specified in my lemon bread recipe instructions!
Yes, you can use dried thyme in this recipe. Since it's a stronger flavor, you will want to use just 1 tablespoon of dried thyme if you're substituting it for fresh. But, if possible, using fresh thyme is the way to go for optimal flavor!
You can use sour cream or plain yogurt instead of Greek yogurt. All these ingredients will help make the orange bread moist and fluffy, so you can use whichever one you have to hand!
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Recipe for Lemon Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- ½ cup milk (less 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt
- 1 ¾ cup All purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (chopped , 1 tablespoon if using dried)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cream butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and cream for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add milk, lemon juice, and yogurt and whisk until well combined.
- In another bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, thyme, and zest.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just barely combined, do not overmix.
- Pour into one greased loaf pan (see note) and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs on it.
Notes
Nutrition
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John
I made this today and really questioned the thyme, only had dried and didn't use quite as much as called for.. But OMG what a flavor bomb, such a unique taste, I love it!!
Thanks for this recipe!!
Alli
So glad you liked it!
Alli
One of my favorite quick breads!