This quick blueberry bread is soft and moist like a blueberry muffin, loaded with heaps of juicy blueberries! Tossing the blueberries in flour keeps them from sinking in the batter, so there are pops of flavor in every bite. Finish off this blueberry loaf with a drizzle of lemon glaze and enjoy slices for breakfast or a snack.
If you love classic quickbread recipes like banana bread and the flavor of homemade blueberry muffins, you’ll love this delicious and easy lemon blueberry loaf!
Easy Homemade Blueberry Bread
Whenever there’s a loaf of this blueberry bread around, I find myself snacking on slices all day. Suddenly half the loaf is gone. Needless to say, these types of breads never last long in my house! This recipe is similar to my cinnamon sugar bread. It’s fluffy but still very moist and tender, even several days later. For this recipe, I’m using fresh blueberries for a burst of berry flavor throughout the bread, and drizzling the top with a simple lemon glaze for a pop of tangy sweetness.
What Makes This Blueberry Bread Recipe So Good?
- It’s the right balance of sweetness. There’s just enough sweet flavor between the bread itself and the bright, juicy blueberries scattered throughout. I love the contrast of the tangy lemon glaze next to the blueberries.
- It’s quick to throw together. They call them quick bread recipes for a reason. This blueberry bread takes minutes to prep for the oven, with simple ingredients. You can make the batter with fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Incredibly moist. This is thanks in part to the combination of oil and sour cream in the batter. Oil keeps the bread soft and moist, even days after baking. Meanwhile, sour cream adds to the moisture and overall tender texture.
- Freezes well. Just like other sweet bread recipes like pumpkin bread and cinnamon apple bread, this blueberry bread freezes like a dream. I often bake two loaves, one to enjoy now, and another to freeze for later!
Ingredient Notes
These are some notes on the important ingredients in this easy blueberry bread recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full list with the complete recipe details.
- Vegetable Oil – This is secret #1 to perfectly soft and tender quick bread and muffins. You can use any neutral-flavored oil, like canola oil or similar.
- Sour Cream – Secret #2! Sour cream makes this blueberry bread super soft and flavorful. Feel free to substitute sour cream with plain or Greek yogurt.
- Milk – Any type will work, including non-dairy milk.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – This recipe calls for both for a sky-high, fluffy blueberry loaf. Check the expiration dates on the packaging to make sure that your leavening isn’t past its prime.
- Blueberries – Fresh blueberries should be rinsed and dried thoroughly, and tossed in flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of the loaf pan. You can also make this bread with frozen blueberries. In this case, you can add them straight from frozen and you don’t need to coat the berries with flour before adding them to the batter.
- Lemon Glaze – I use a similar lemon glaze for my lemon bread and lemon bundt cake recipes. It’s easy to make with butter, powdered sugar, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, and grate the zest beforehand to use as a garnish!
The Best Blueberries
I have partnered with the Oregon Blueberry Growers to share this recipe with you. There are over 900 blueberry farms in Oregon and Oregon is one of the top producing states for blueberry harvests. Now that my toddler is old enough, I am really looking forward to taking him blueberry picking this summer at one of many local farms in Oregon. Growing up, we went camping every summer and that always meant filling up our gallon-size buckets with blueberries- and that is no small task! If you are blueberry picking this summer, save some berries for these mini pies as well.
How to Make Blueberry Bread
This soft and tender blueberry loaf comes together in a few simple steps. I make this recipe in a 9×5″ loaf pan, but you can use another size if that’s what you have on hand. Follow along here, and refer to the recipe card for the printable instructions.
- Prepare the loaf pan. While the oven preheats to 350°F, grease the loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. This is my preferred option because I can just lift the bread out of the pan after baking! Alternatively, grease and lightly flour the pan.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Meanwhile, whisk together the oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla. Cream in the sugar until that’s smooth and well combined.
- Make the batter. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add the wet ingredients, stirring until the flour just starts to incorporate.
- Add the blueberries. Toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of flour. Afterward, gently stir them into the batter. Be careful not to overmix.
- Bake. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350ºF for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread loaf cool completely before you glaze it.
- Add the glaze. Combine melted butter with powdered sugar, one tablespoon of milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine, adding additional milk one teaspoon at a time to reach your desired consistency. The glaze will be thick, and shouldn’t run off the spatula very quickly. Spread the glaze over the cooled blueberry bread and leave it to set before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter. It’s time to add the blueberries once most of the flour is incorporated but not all. Finish mixing the batter once the berries have been added.
- Use parchment paper. Lining the pan with a piece of parchment paper will make it so easy to remove this bread from the pan when it’s done baking.
- Make sure the bread is fully baked. Using a toothpick or butterknife, test the bread in several spots to make sure it’s baked through all the way. The toothpick should be clean, with no crumbs sticking to it.
- Let the glaze set. I like to add the glaze and then give it time to set until it forms a light crust on top.
- Or, skip the glaze altogether. If you prefer a less sweet bread, you can skip the glaze altogether.
Storing Leftovers
- On the counter. Store this blueberry bread in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Freeze. I recommend freezing this blueberry loaf without the lemon glaze for the best results. Cool the bread completely, and wrap it twice in plastic wrap as tightly as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months and let the bread thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Blueberry Recipes
Blueberry Bread
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This lemon-glazed blueberry bread is soft and moist like a blueberry muffin, loaded with flavor and heaps of juicy blueberries!
Ingredients
For the Bread
- ½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (118ml) sour cream
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) milk
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (175g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (143g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (7.5g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
- 1 tablespoon (9g) all-purpose flour
For the Glaze
- 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups (195g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1–2 tablespoons (150-30ml) milk
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
For the Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a loaf pan. Spray with cooking spray and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
- Combine all the wet ingredients and beat them together until well combined. Then add the sugar and beat until it’s incorporated.
- Combine all the remaining dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the flour starts to incorporate.
- Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour and then gently stir into the batter. Pour the batter in the prepared pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool completely before adding the glaze.
For the Glaze
- Melt the butter in the microwave and then combine with the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of the milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Spread over cooled bread and then add lemon zest. If you want the glaze to crust on top, let it set for about an hour.
Notes
- Frozen blueberries: Can be used, and do not need to be coated in flour before adding to the batter.
- Storing Instructions: This can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Freezing Instructions: I recommend freezing without the glaze for the best results. Cool the bread completely. Wrap it twice in plastic wrap, as tightly as possible. Allow several hours for it to thaw before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 343
- Sugar: 34.5 g
- Sodium: 205.8 mg
- Fat: 14.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.9 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 44.3 mg
I have made this 4 times for various functions and it’s first to go! I finally had a slice and now I understand! So very moist. The lemon really makes this standout.
Oh my gosh, that’s amazing! Thank you so much!