If you’re looking for a perfectly moist, bright, and just-sweet-enough treat, this Blueberry Lemon Bread is the loaf you need in your life.
It’s packed with juicy blueberries, real lemon zest, and that sweet little sparkle on top if you choose to add it. It’s cozy enough for everyday snacking, pretty enough for brunch, and simple enough that you can stir it up in just a few minutes — no mixer needed!
And if you love this easy quick bread, make sure to try my Glazed Lemon Loaf, my Carrot Loaf or my Chocolate Zucchini Bread, too!
My short backstory of this recipe
Way back when I first shared a lemon blueberry bread recipe (about seven years ago!), I really struggled to get it right.
I could bake banana bread with my eyes closed, but lemon blueberry? It kept coming out way too dense unless I did the whole creaming butter and sugar thing. And I was stubborn — I really wanted an easier, quicker version without the mixer.
In the end, I made peace with the fact that my old bread was basically a lemon pound cake… and it was pretty glorious, honestly. (Almost as glorious as secretly binge-watching Twilight — which, by the way, I still do. No shame.)
But here’s the exciting part: I finally figured out how to make a moist, fluffy, truly lemony blueberry bread that doesn’t need any creaming at all:
Just two bowls, a whisk, and a few simple ingredients — and you get a bright, cozy loaf that’s light, tender, and packed with juicy berries. It was worth the wait, friends. 🍋💛
Why this recipe (finally) works so well
- Incredibly moist and tender – thanks to sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and oil.
- Bursts of real lemon flavor – fresh lemon juice and lots of zest.
- No sinking blueberries – tossing them in the flour first keeps them beautifully distributed.
Everything that makes this loaf so good
Here’s what goes into this bright and cozy loaf – it’s all simple pantry ingredients. Nothing fancy, just good old-fashioned goodness! I’ll add a few tips and notes, just so you have everything you need to know right here.
- Oil: Neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or light olive oil keeps it extra moist without adding any strange flavors.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar for sweetness, and optional coarse sugar for a sparkling top.
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt: Full-fat gives the best texture and moisture. I make the recipe with either sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, depending on what I have on hand. I’ve also combined both to get rid of those fridge scraps, and it all works out just fine!
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen both work. (Frozen wild blueberries are especially fun!)
- Optional glaze: A simple lemon glaze for an extra pop of sweetness.
The quick tip rundown for the perfect loaf every time!
Here’s your little cheat sheet to bake it perfectly the first time:
- Toss the blueberries with the dry ingredients. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf, plus you don’t need an extra bowl/flour to flour them. Why would we make things extra complicated? Just toss them in the combined dry ingredients and move on with the recipe.
- Don’t overmix the batter. A few lumps are your friend — overmixing makes quick breads tough.
- Check your loaf early. Ovens vary! Start checking around 50 minutes and tent with foil after 35-40 minutes if the top is browning too fast.
- Let it cool completely before glazing. If the loaf is still warm, the glaze will melt right off instead of setting prettily.
Printable recipe
Blueberry Lemon Bread
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- ½ cup oil (neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or light olive oil work best)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream (or whole milk Greek yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 large lemons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ((195g if you use scales))
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries (do not defrost – frozen wild blueberries are fun here, lots of little specks of blueberries!)
Optional
- 1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar (for sprinkling)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 8×4 or a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Wet ingredients: In a medium bowl or measuring jug, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.½ cup oil, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, ½ cup full-fat sour cream, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the blueberries directly to the dry ingredients and toss gently to coat. (This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.)1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently stir until just combined. Don’t overmix—some small lumps are fine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. If you want a sparkling finish, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar.1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar
- Bake for 50–65 minutes (depending on your exact oven and baking pan used), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil during the last ~20 minutes.
- Let cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional glaze: Whisk together ½ cup powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled loaf. Allow to set a little before serving.½ cup powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
A few little extras to make it even better
- Use wild blueberries: They’re smaller, sweeter, and give you beautiful little speckles throughout the loaf. Don’t worry about a marbled/streaky batter, it bakes up so pretty!
- Add more lemon: For an extra zippy loaf, you can add an extra teaspoon of zest.
- Make it ahead: This bread keeps beautifully and actually tastes even better the next day!
- Glaze or no glaze?: It’s completely delicious without it, but the lemon glaze adds a lovely little tart-sweet finish.
How to store and reheat leftovers (if you have any!)
- Storing: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. It’ll keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This bread freezes like a dream! Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature.
- Serving tip: If you want that fresh-baked feeling, pop a slice in the microwave for about 10 seconds before eating.
If you bake this, I’d love to hear!
If you make this cozy Blueberry Lemon Bread, leave a star rating and a comment below — it absolutely makes my day to hear from you!
And don’t forget to pin it to save it for later! 💛💜
Kelly Barton says
This blueberry lemon bread is soooo good! It’s easy to throw together with frozen wild blueberries and I added the delicious drizzle. My family devoured it immediately!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Kelly!