This Lemon Blueberry Bread has a moist and tender crumb and is loaded with juicy, sweet blueberries and lemon zest. The easy lemon glaze makes every bite memorable.
Watch the step-by-step video tutorial and see how easy it is to make this bakery-quality blueberry loaf recipe.
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Blueberry Bread Video Tutorial
Watch Natasha make this easy Blueberry loaf. We are known for our sweet bread recipes, like Banana Bread or Zucchini Bread, and this Blueberry Bread is equally delicious. Sweetbreads are easy and fun to make because they don’t require fancy equipment or rise time, and you’re going to love that your kitchen smells like a bakery while it’s in the oven.
Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe
We go through blueberries quickly and love adding them to everything from Fruit Salad to Smoothies, but they are completely transformed when cooked or baked into sweet bread. The blueberries become almost jammy when they are baked into Blueberry Pie and Blueberry Muffins.
When one of my readers messaged asking if our Cranberry Bread can be made with blueberries, a lightbulb went off in my head and I knew I had to test it. With some small modifications, we now have this new favorite, blueberry loaf with lemon icing.
Ingredients
The ingredients here are pantry and refrigerator staples but the results will rival any slice you might get at a bakery or coffee shop. Here’s what you’ll need for the blueberry bread:
- Dry Ingredients – all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt give structure to the bread. Baking powder makes the bread rise to achieve the dome on top (see our tips for the best rise below).
- Butter and Sugar are creamed together to add sweetness and moisture to the bread. Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt.
- Milk and Eggs – give the loaf its moist and tender crumb. Make sure your liquid ingredients are at room temperature for easier blending into the batter.
- Lemon zest – Grate the zest from 1 lemon and reserve 1/2 tsp of zest for the glaze.
- Blueberries – We use fresh blueberries. Rinse and dry them before using.
- Vanilla extract – adds flavor and aroma to the bread
Substitutions and Variations
Frozen Blueberries – use frozen if that is what you have on hand. No need to thaw – toss in flour and fold them in. You may need to bake a few minutes longer if using frozen blueberries.
Cranberries – Yes! One of our favorite combinations is cranberry and orange and this recipe was inspired by our Cranberry Bread.
Other Berries – You can substitute the blueberries for equal amounts of raspberries, blackberries, or chopped strawberries.
How to Make Blueberry Bread
- Prep – Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease your loaf pan with butter and dust with flour, tapping out the excess flour.
- Combine Dry Ingredients – In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream together softened butter and half of the granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the remaining sugar and continue beating until well combined and creamy (Note: the sugar takes a long time to incorporate if it’s all added at once). Beat in eggs, vanilla extract, and 1 tsp lemon zest and mix until well incorporated.
- Add flour mixture in 2 parts, alternating with the milk. Mix on medium/low speed just until incorporated with each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Coat Blueberries – In a small bowl, toss blueberries with 1/2 Tbsp flour then fold them into the wet ingredients just until incorporated and transfer to your prepared pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake for 50-60 min at 350°F until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes. Run a cake release tool or knife around the edges and transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Pro Tip:
Lightly coating blueberries with 1/2 Tbsp of flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the batter as it bakes, ensuring that blueberries are evenly dispersed throughout the finished loaf.
Tips to Achieve a Better Dome on Your Sweet Bread
- Oven Temperature – Make sure your oven is fully preheated. An oven thermometer helps! Also, if you use a dark-colored baking pan, reduce the temperature by 25˚F since it will brown faster.
- Dough Consistency – The thick dough will help support a more pronounced dome as it rises
- Fill the Pan Correctly – You want to fill the pan 2/3 full. Keep this in mind if you are using different-sized pans or mini loaf pans.
- No Peeking – Keep the oven door closed, opening it too early can cause a sudden drop in temperature which can affect the rise.
- Cooling – Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes to stabilize the structure before transferring it to a wire rack.
- Don’t Overmix – Overmixing the batter can develop too much gluten and knock out the air bubbles.
The Best Lemon Glaze
Whether you serve this Blueberry Bread for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or even for dessert, do not miss the incredible lemon icing on top. This easy Blueberry Bread recipe would not be complete without the simple lemon glaze generously drizzled over the top! You’ll need:
- Powdered sugar – Spoon it into a measuring cup for a consistent measure
- Fresh lemon juice – Freshly squeezed
- Lemon zest – Do not skip the zest as it adds an extra layer of bright citrus flavor
Once the bread has cooled, stir powdered sugar, lemon juice, and the 1/2 tsp reserved lemon zest until smooth. Add more lemon juice or powdered sugar until it’s a perfect drizzling consistency. Use a spoon to drizzle on top.
Pro Tip:
To contain any messes while glazing, place a plate or paper towel under a cooling rack to catch the drips and avoid puddling while the glaze sets.
Leftovers
This blueberry bread keeps so well – it stays soft and moist for days and doesn’t lose anything in quality or flavor. It’s the perfect to-go snack and is one of my favorite things to pack for road trips and long flights.
- Room Temperature: Wrap the Blueberry Bread in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for a week.
- Freezing: Cool the loaf completely, wrap it in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil, and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
This blueberry bread is so easy to whip up and is such a treat for breakfast or dessert. If you try it, don’t skip the glaze – it adds such a nice sweet and tangy contrast. You’ll love every bite!
More Blueberry Recipes
- Blueberry Lemon Dutch Baby
- Blueberry Scones
- Blueberry Crumble
- Arugula Salad with Berries
- Blueberry Cake
- Blueberry Pancakes
- Easy Blueberry Sauce
Blueberry Bread with Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
Blueberry Bread Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 Tbsp to dust blueberries
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
- Zest of 1 large lemon, about 1 1/2 tsp, divided (reserve 1/2 tsp for the glaze)
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries, rinsed and patted dry*
Lemon Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to reach desired consistency
- 1/2 tsp reserved lemon zest
Instructions
How to Make Blueberry Bread:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 6 cup (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 bread loaf pan)* then dust with flour, tapping out the excess flour.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together: flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and half of the granulated sugar on medium/high speed until combined then add the remaining sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract, and 1 tsp lemon zest and mix until well incorporated.
- Add flour mixture in 2 parts, alternating with the milk and mixing on medium/low speed just until incorporated with each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- In a small bowl, toss blueberries with 1/2 Tbsp flour then fold them into the batter just until incorporated. Spread the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 50-60 min at 350°F until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.* Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes then run a cake release tool or knife around the edges and transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.*
To Make the Lemon Glaze:
- After your bread is fully cooled, in a separate bowl, stir together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and reserved 1/2 tsp lemon zest. Stir until smooth. It should have a drizzling consistency. Add more lemon juice to thin it out or powdered sugar to make it thicker.
Notes
- Substitutions: substitute fruit amounts equally. Adding too much can weigh down the batter.
- Frozen Blueberries – do not thaw. Toss frozen berries in flour and add to the batter. You may need to bake a few minutes longer.
- Cranberries – You’ll love the combination of cranberry and orange as in our Cranberry Bread.
- Other Berries – try raspberries, blackberries, or chopped strawberries.
- Pan Considerations – Using a different pan size may require different baking times. Also, if using a darker-colored pan, reduce the temperature by 25˚F since the bread will brown faster.
- Baking times can vary depending on the oven so start checking the bread a few minutes before the suggested baking time.
- To glaze the bread – Place a plate under the cooling rack to catch the drips and avoid puddling while the glaze sets.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Turned out great! Me and my kid love it!! Very moist and the lemon blueberry combo is great!
Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder? I don’t have any baking powder at home
HI Laboni, baking soda is 4 times stronger than baking powder and also needs an acid to activate it which isn’t in the recipe allready. Without testing that through, I can’t make that recommendation since baking is so much of a science and I don’t want to steer you wrong.
Absolutely awesome! So flavorful and moist! And I was lucky enough to find some very plump juicy blueberries! I don’t care for lemon flavored foods, so I put a little lemon juice in the batter, but none in the drizzle. So it was just vanilla flavored, used milk instead of lemon juice. I also mixed a little whipping cream with 1% milk, didn’t have whole milk. LOVED IT!
Thank you, Dawn for your awesome feedback! I’m glad you loved it!
Made it today into a muffin kind because I don’t have a loaf pan. Followed everything except i used a little less sugar and a little bit more vanilla and used 2% milk (I don’t have whole milk) baked for 15mins but oh boy oh boy it was so delicious and moist and made the whole house smell amazing and doesn’t give me enough time to cool all of them and family started coming around to grab one! Thank you!
You baked for a total of 15 minutes?
I don’t understand that when it calls for 50-60 minutes!
Hi Denise! She baked them in a muffin pan, that’s why. They would bake a lot faster if you’re using a muffin/cupcake pan.
OMG!!!! So tasty and so easy to make. My wife thinks Im a hero.
You’re very welcome, John! I’m so glad it’s being enjoyed.
I’ve made this a few times and would make it every week were it not for watching my sugar intake. I don’t change a thing. It is my new favorite foods using blueberries!
I’m so glad you found a favorite on my blog, Sandra! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Third time I have made this and today I doubled the recipe for two loaves. Came out perfectly. I love this bread. It is just delicious. I have to admit I am a little addicted to it right now, lol. The glaze is so good on it too! A+
Hey Linda! Trying this recipe today. Did you put both pans in at one time? Or did you have to bake each loaf separately? Thanks!
I did both at once and everything seemed to come out fine. One may have gotten done a few minutes before the other, I just kept checking them the last few minutes of baking time.
Hello! I see that you live in Idaho! Are your recipes tailored to high elevation? Thank you!!
Hi Chris! No, I don’t have much experience with high-altitude baking. Please reference this resource from King Arthur Baking on high altitude baking.
I made this delicious blueberry bread today. Came out perfectly! My husband really likes lemon flavor. He told me to save the recipe. I had frozen blueberries and fresh lemons so I decided to give it a try. Nice recipe. Will be making again. Thank you.
That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Maryellen! I’m so glad these came out perfectly!
Excellent recipe! Easy to follow, the blueberry bread comes out delicious and stays fresh for days. Goes perfect with my morning coffee! Thank you Natasha!
You’re welcome, Eugenia! It sure is perfect with coffee!
being lucky enough to pick bluesberries (amongst other wild berries as well) right on our property i picked made ate..this was sooo good, made 2 froze one..delicious!! huggzz
2/24/24 so delicious. I followed recipe exactly as written . I did have to bake it a little longer, it was so moist and delicious. My son was like I have to learn how to make that lol and my husband just said mmm good lol
That’s great to hear, Viv!
made this yesterday in 3 small pans so i can share – came out very yummy! cake is nice & moist, the glaze gives it a great kick. i would advise being very careful with lemon zest & juice as even a little too much can overwhelm the blueberry taste. be sure to flour pan before pouring in batter – the berries make it sticky. also, remember to turn down the temp a little if using dark-coated pans.
Thanks for sharing and for the advice, Steph. We appreciate it!
Can I please get the link for lemon zester used to make blueberry bread?
Hi Shelley, Here is the zester we use and love.
Looks delicious, can’t wait to make it. Would 2% milk work for this recipe.
Yes, that would be fine. I hope you love the recipe!
I just made this last night and loved it. I added some lemon juice too and I am enjoying a slice with my coffee!
I’m glad you loved it!
This bread is bursting with blueberry flavor! So delicious and fun to eat!
I agree, Sha! It’s so yummy. Thank you for the feedback.
I know that you are endorsing a pan that is 8.5 X4.5, but I have two King Arthur pans, one is 8X4 and the other is 9X5. I just wish you bakers would universalize your quick bread recipe pan size! What time would you suggest for either of my pans for this recipe?
Hi Anne, using a different pan size will work but it may require you to adjust the bake time slightly to ensure it’s not over or under baked. I like to use this How to Adapt cake Pan Sized resource if using a different size. I hope this helps.
This sounds amazing! Would dried blueberries work in this recipe?
Hi Pat! I think it could, but I haven’t tested it to know how it would affect the moisture of the bread. I would try soaking them before hand to help. Let us know how it turns out.
Half of my kids love blueberries & love this bread!! The lemon glaze on top just brings out the flavor! SO yummy!