This Lemon Blueberry Bread recipe produces a perfectly moist, flavorful and delicious loaf of quick bread! Topped with a lemon glaze this easy bread recipe is a classic combination of tart, sweet, and bright flavors! Sure to be a new favorite! Serve for breakfast, snack, or dessert! Love all things lemon? Try these lemon favorites: Lemon Curd, Lemon Blueberry Crepes, and Lemon Bundt Cake!
Lemon Blueberry Bread
This Lemon Blueberry Bread is a delicious, flavorful quick bread perfect to enjoy along with a cup of coffee or tea. I love the bright flavors of blueberry and lemon, and they work together so beautifully in this simple loaf.
This lemon blueberry bread recipe comes together quite quickly and would beautiful for a special brunch, tea party or shower. In fact, I made this recipe with a very special occasion in mind… a sweet baby shower for my friend Joanne of Fifteen Spatulas.
Read along for the details on this delicious Lemon Blueberry Bread!
Lemon Blueberry Bread Ingredients
- all-purpose flour – make sure you properly measure the flour. Loosen your flour up by stirring the flour in the container, spoon it into the measuring cup and then use the back of a knife to level the cup, sweeping the excess flour off the top of the measuring cup.
- baking powder – the leavening agent in this bread which helps the blueberry bread to rise.
- salt – a critical component in this recipe as it helps to intensify the lemon and blueberry flavors.
- unsalted butter – you can use salted if that is all you have on hand. Cut the amount of salt in half.
- sugar – granulated sugar gives this lemon blueberry loaf a lovely sweetness and helps balance out the tartness from the lemons
- eggs – brings the mixture together.
- vanilla extract – use the real stuff here, it adds so much flavor!
- fresh grated lemon zest and lemon juice – for a delicious lemon flavor. Zest your lemons first before juicing.
- milk -loosens up the batter.
- blueberries – you can use fresh or frozen but please remember to toss them in flour before adding to the batter. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom while the bread is baking.
And To Finish It Off – A Glaze!
The glaze is super simple to make but adds so much to this quick bread recipe. Just 4 ingredients that get whisked together and then drizzled over the bread.
- melted butter
- powdered sugar
- fresh lemon juice
- vanilla extract
FAQS
- Can this bread be frozen? Yes. Let the bread cool completely first. Then wrap in plastic wrap, followed by foil and then place in a freezer safe airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
- Can I use frozen blueberries? Yes. Frozen blueberries can be used in place of fresh blueberries in this recipe.
- Can I use a different type of berry? I haven’t personally tried other berries in this recipe but many readers have successfully. Blackberries and strawberries seem to be the best options.
- How should this bread be stored? Leftover lemon blueberry bread should be stored at room temperature or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
This Lemon Blueberry Bread is moist, fluffy, sweet and flavorful! I know I’ll be making this recipe again and again!
I may have even gone a little overboard with blueberries, so the recipe below actually lists a slightly smaller quantity than I used =)
More Lemon Treats to Try
- Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
- Raspberry Lemon Muffins
- Lemon Cream Puffs with Fresh Fruit
- Perfect Lemon Bread
- Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
How To Make Lemon Blueberry Bread
Lemon Blueberry Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries I used fresh
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Lemon Glaze
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*F and line a 9"x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease with butter).
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix until well combined.
- While slowly mixing, add flour mixture and milk in two batches (some flour, then some milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk). Stop mixing as soon as it's just combined.
- Rinse off the blueberries (if using fresh) so they have just a bit of moisture on them, then, in a small bowl toss the blueberries and 1 T. flour. This flour coating will help prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of your loaf while baking.
- Add the flour coated berries to the batter and gently but quickly stir, by hand, to combine.
- Immediately pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool bread in the pan for about 30 minutes, then move to a wire cooling rack with a baking sheet below (to catch the glaze you're about to add).
- Prepare glaze by simply whisking together the melted butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla, then pour glaze over the loaf. Allow to set a few minutes, then enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published on: Mar 30, 2016
I’ve been blessed to get to know Joanne not just through her site, but in person too, and let me tell you she is as sweet as can be, and gorgeous inside and out! I know she’ll be an amazing mom! Congratulations Joanne and Pete!
The bread is delicious but I struggled with the glaze. My glaze was more yellow than white and didn’t harden. Any idea why that is?
Thanks
I’m not sure if the color of the glaze is a big issue, but generally salted butter is more yellow than unsalted, so that could be a factor. Also, if your vanilla extract is super dark that could effect the color. Feel free to eliminate the vanilla in the glaze if desired.
The timing was way off for me!! I bake all the time so know it’s not my oven!! I cked it at 50 min n it was almost burnt!!!
Hi Marla,
Glad you caught it in time! Bake times can vary quite a bit based on the type of pan used, and the oven itself. I generally bake in a ceramic or stone bread pan, and it’s likely that a metal pan would bake much faster. I’m not sure which you used, but I’m glad you found what works for you and I hope you enjoyed the recipe. Happy baking!
Can this be made into muffins and if so time and temp please.
375 degrees for 30 minutes made 12 muffins.
This bread looks amazing! Like Hilary, I, too, would like to know if this can be frozen: with the glaze or add the glaze after thawing?
I have not experimented with freezing it, as I generally prefer baked goods fresh. Certainly I understand the need to save time by baking ahead, so it’s worth experimenting. I would certainly omit the glaze until the day you are planning to eat the bread. Happy baking!
Hey there… I just wanted to let everyone know that yes the bread can be frozen. Just about any bread can be frozen, but when adding a topping, that should be done after the bread is defrosted and ready to eat!
I freeze breads all of the time. I may go a bit overboard on the protection portion from freezer burn though. After cooling completely I wrap the loaves individually with plastic wrap, then with foil, and finally I place the loaf or loaves in freezer bags (depending on the size of your loaves and/or bags) and push as much air out as possible before putting in the freezer. I’m excited this year as I received a seal a meal for Christmas to give it a try.
Happy freezing!
This looks so good, and the photos are beautiful! Can you offer suggestions for the best way to freeze it (to store it well and best way to defrost it)? Thanks!
I have not experimented with freezing it, as I generally prefer baked goods fresh. Certainly I understand the need to save time by baking ahead, so it’s worth experimenting. I would certainly omit the glaze until the day you are planning to eat the bread. Happy baking!
Hi im planning to follow recipe as is but i am putting it into mini loave pans so my husbands coworkers gets one esch, how long do i bake it for??
As with most any baked good, you can adjust the pan size and simply use the “toothpick test” to check them. Once the breads have a slight dome and appear baked, pull one out and insert a toothpick in the center, then remove. The toothpick should come out clean, with no wet batter. Happy baking!
made two small loafs as practice runs, because i was wanting to take it to a family reunion lake weekend with my (very) new husband’s family.
the first two turned out perfectly! froze one loaf and defrosted fine!
Made this and it definitely did not disappoint. We couldn’t stop eating it!!!
Awesome! So glad to hear Tina! It usually disappears pretty quickly around my house too! =)
Made this today! Thank you for sharing. Took right at 65 minutes. The edges are very brown but the inside needed to be cooked. I didn’t have enough all purpose flour and ended up using 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. Have you ever punched holes in the top before the glaze?
Hi Nikki,
So glad you gave the recipe a try! I don’t usually punch holes in it for the glaze, but if you add the glaze when the bread is still a bit warm it seems to soak in nicely. Of course, feel free to poke some holes for the glaze if you like, the glaze is really good!
Happy baking!
I made this bread and love it. It was very moist and the lemon was not strong. I don’t like a lot of lemon and this was just right for me will make this bread many more times
Thanks so much for the lovely comment Patty! So glad you enjoyed it!