This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Lemon Blueberry Bread is soft, spongey, and moist. I love it with my morning cup of coffee or tea. It’s full of juicy blueberries and tart lemon flavor, and I haven’t found a single person who doesn’t love this delicious combination for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert. Plus, this lemon blueberry loaf is incredibly easy to make! All you need is one bowl and a loaf pan.
Table of Contents
If you’re a fan of lemon and blueberries, you’re going to love this quick lemon bread. It has just enough sweetness, with a lovely tartness from the lemon that keeps it from being too cloying. Honestly, I think the hardest part about making this lemon blueberry loaf is smelling it while it’s baking and cooling and not being able to eat it yet!
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Lemon and blueberries
Skill Level: Easy
Why This Lemon Blueberry Bread is So Good
- Perfect for any occasion: Whether you’re hosting a weekend brunch, enjoying an afternoon tea, or want a snack your kids will love, this lemon blueberry quick bread fits the bill.
- Make it your own: Another perk about this lemon blueberry bread is how easily you can adapt it to your preferences or dietary needs. Want to go gluten-free? No problem! Just swap in a gluten-free flour blend. Need it to be vegan? Use non-dairy milk, flax eggs, and vegan butter. You can even try different berries or citrus.
- So easy, anyone can make it: This quick bread recipe is a piece of cake (or, well, bread). You don’t need any fancy equipment or advanced baking skills—just a whisk, a bowl, and a loaf pan.
Ingredients to Make Lemon Blueberry Bread
- All-purpose flour: This is the main ingredient in this recipe, providing structure and texture. Whole wheat white flour also works. To make gluten-free lemon blueberry bread, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix. (Don’t swap in just almond or coconut flour as these require different liquid ratios.)
- Baking powder: This acts as a leavening agent that helps the loaf rise.
- Salt: A touch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Eggs: The eggs help bind the ingredients together and provide structure and moisture to the loaf. They also help the loaf rise and yield a tender texture.
- Granulated sugar: While sugar adds sweetness, it also makes sure this loaf is moist.
- Milk: This also adds moisture to the loaf, keeping it tender, soft, and light.
- Butter: Melted butter adds richness to this lemon blueberry bread. Make sure the butter cools slightly before incorporating it into the batter or you risk cooking the eggs.
- Lemon juice and zest: Lemon adds a bright and tangy flavor.
- Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen berries (see below!).
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Use frozen blueberries. The recipe will still taste fantastic with frozen blueberries, but make sure not to thaw them first. Toss them in frozen, and fold them in gently without over-stirring to avoid the batter turning purple.
- Swap blueberries for other berries. Consider adding other berries like raspberries, blackberries, or diced strawberries. These would all complement the tart lemon flavor.
- Add chopped nuts. Walnuts and pecans would be terrific in this loaf. Just fold them in gently before adding the blueberries.
- Make a glaze. I will sometimes add a drizzle of icing on top of this loaf. Ensure the bread has completely cooled, add icing over the top, and let it set before slicing and serving. Looking for an easy icing recipe? Try this simple one.
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Bread
Making the best lemon blueberry bread is similar to most quick bread recipes. Start with whisking the wet ingredients, stirring the dry ingredients, then combining the two. Before you know it, you’ll have a deliciously moist lemon blueberry bread.
Tips for Making the Best Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Use Greek yogurt instead of milk. Keep in mind that yogurt will make the bread a little dense. I recommend using milk if you want a more light and fluffy texture!
- Measure flour by spooning it into a measuring cup. If you scoop the flour from the container, it tends to get packed in the measuring cup. You end up with more flour than needed, leading to denser bread.
- Don’t overmix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Just mix until you don’t see any more flour streaks. If you overmix the batter, it can make the loaf tough.
- Toss the blueberries in flour before folding them into the batter. I do this to ensure they don’t sink to the bottom of the loaf while baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ensure the lemon blueberry loaf is completely cooled. Then wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, it’s best to transfer to the refrigerator or freezer. It will last in the fridge for up to a week.
Yes! Freezing is a great way to enjoy a slice of lemon blueberry bread whenever the craving strikes! You can freeze the whole loaf or individual slices, separated by parchment paper, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Place in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.
A common mistake is overmixing the batter, making the bread tough and dense. Stir the batter until the ingredients are combined, and there are no more white streaks of flour. Also, check your baking soda is not expired and measure your ingredients carefully.
If the top of your bread starts to brown too much before it’s done baking, simply tent it with a piece of aluminum foil to protect it from direct heat. This will help prevent over-browning while the bread continues to bake.
There are a few reasons why bread comes out dry. It’s possible you could have overbaked it or added too much flour to the batter. To avoid dry bread, measure the ingredients carefully and be sure to keep a close eye on the loaf during baking.
This Lemon Blueberry Bread is not only delicious but also super easy to make, requiring just a couple of bowls and a loaf pan. I haven’t met a single person that doesn’t love this loaf. I even love keeping it in my freezer. Last weekend, I thawed a loaf, and it made breakfast so much better.
More Quick Bread Recipes:
- Cinnamon Apple Bread
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Pistachio Bread
- Sweet Avocado Quick Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Strawberry Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
If you try this feel good Lemon Blueberry Bread recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
This Lemon Blueberry Bread recipe post was republished on May 14, 2023, and recently updated to increase the ingredient measurements for a fuller loaf. It also includes new photography and step-by-step images. If you loved the original recipe, you can still find it in the notes below.
Lemon Blueberry Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk at room temperature
- ½ cup butter melted
- 4 tablespoons lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×4-inch loaf pan loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, milk, butter and lemon zest and juice with a hand mixer until combined.
- Transfer the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients and mix until no streaks remain.
- In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining flour to prevent them from sinking into the loaf. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. If necessary, tent the pan with foil after 45 minutes of baking to prevent the top from browning too much.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- Instead of milk, you can use sour cream or greek yogurt.
- I tested this recipe with all purpose flour and whole wheat white flour, and both worked great.
- To make this gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix. Do not substitute only almond flour or only coconut flour.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I made the banana bread and lemon blueberry. Both are great but I think my oven was too hot for the banana bread.
Oh no, sorry to hear that! So glad you liked both of them still. Thank you!!
Another great recipe!! Thank you!! I substituted butter for vegetable oil ( same quantity) because I didn’t have any butter and it turned out delicious!
Thanks, Nad!! So happy your substitute worked well!
How do i adapt the cooking time & temp for this recipe if i’m using 9×5 loaf pan?
Hi Susanne, I have not tested this recipe in a 9×5 loaf pan, but I can’t imagine the time would be too different maybe adjusted by 5-10 mins.
I was hesitant to try because of the comments complaining about density but I followed your tips and wow! Perfect texture, taste, sweetness, and you could never tell it’s refined sugar free! My toddler and I made it together and it was easy to put together too! Thank you!
Aww, I love that your toddler got to help!! So happy the recipe worked for you, thank you for sharing!!
Can you make this without sweetener ? I want to make it without maple syrup and not substitute.
Unfortunately I would not suggest using no sweetener as the bread would have very little flavor and the texture would be a little off.