Lemon Blueberry Bread

I pulled this loaf from the oven on a gray Sunday morning when I needed something bright. The kitchen filled with the smell of warm lemon and caramelized sugar, and suddenly the day felt lighter. I've made it a dozen times since, tweaking the streusel until it crumbled just right.

I first brought this to a neighbor who had just moved in, still surrounded by boxes. She texted me later that night asking for the recipe. That's when I knew it was a keeper.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: The base that holds everything together. I spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off to avoid a dense loaf.
• Baking powder and baking soda: These two work as a team to give the bread a tender rise and a slightly open crumb.
• Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature so it whips into the sugar smoothly and creates that light, fluffy texture.
• Granulated sugar: Just enough to sweeten without turning it into cake.
• Eggs: They bind the batter and add richness. I always crack them into a separate bowl first, just in case.
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt: This is the secret to keeping the bread moist for days. Either one works beautifully.
• Fresh lemon juice and zest: The zest holds all the fragrant oils, while the juice adds tang. I zest before I juice, always.
• Vanilla extract: A quiet background note that rounds out the citrus.
• Blueberries: Toss them in a little flour so they stay suspended in the batter instead of sinking to the bottom.
• Cold butter for streusel: The colder it is, the better the crumb. I cube it and keep it in the fridge until the last second.
• Cinnamon: Just a whisper in the streusel to add warmth without stealing the spotlight from the lemon.

Instructions

Preheat and prep:

Set your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. I line mine with parchment paper so the loaf lifts out cleanly every time.

Make the streusel:

Mix flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl, then work in the cold butter with your fingertips until it looks like wet sand. Pop it in the fridge while you make the batter.

Whisk the dry ingredients:

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside.

Cream butter and sugar:

Beat them together until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about three minutes. This step adds air and lightness to the final loaf.

Add eggs and wet ingredients:

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla until smooth.

Fold in the dry ingredients:

Add the flour mixture gently, stirring just until no streaks remain. Overmixing makes the bread tough, so stop as soon as it comes together.

Toss and fold in blueberries:

Coat the berries lightly in a tablespoon of flour, then fold them into the batter with a spatula. The flour keeps them from bleeding too much color.

Assemble and top:

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the surface, and scatter the chilled streusel evenly over the top.

Bake:

Slide it into the oven for 50 to 60 minutes. If the top starts to brown too fast, tent it loosely with foil halfway through.

Cool and slice:

Let the loaf rest in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Wait until it's completely cool before slicing, or the slices will crumble.

Pin Recipe

One morning I made two loaves, one for us and one for a friend recovering from surgery. She said it was the first thing that tasted like comfort in weeks. That's what this bread does.

Serving Suggestions

I love it warm with salted butter melting into the crumb, or toasted the next day with a smear of cream cheese. It pairs beautifully with hot coffee or iced tea, and it holds up well on a brunch table next to scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.

Storage and Make Ahead

Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate for up to five. The streusel softens slightly in the fridge, but the flavor deepens. You can also freeze whole or sliced loaves for up to three months.

Variations and Substitutions

Swap the blueberries for raspberries or blackberries if that is what you have. Greek yogurt and sour cream are interchangeable, and I have used lime zest and juice in place of lemon with great results. For a gluten free version, use a 1 to 1 baking flour blend, though the texture will be slightly denser.

• Drizzle with lemon glaze for extra brightness and a bakery style finish.
• Add a handful of chopped pistachios to the streusel for color and crunch.
• Fold in white chocolate chips along with the blueberries for a sweeter, richer loaf.

Pin Recipe

This is the kind of recipe that fills your kitchen with warmth and makes people ask for seconds. I hope it becomes part of your rotation the way it has mine.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes, frozen blueberries can be added directly without thawing to avoid excess moisture and maintain vibrant bursts of flavor.

→ How to keep the streusel topping crumbly?

Use cold butter cut into the flour and sugar until coarse crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to sprinkle on the batter before baking.

→ What’s the best way to prevent blueberries from sinking?

Toss blueberries in a tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter, which helps keep them suspended evenly.

→ Can sour cream be substituted?

Plain Greek yogurt is a suitable substitute and adds similar moisture and tanginess to the loaf.

→ How do I know when the bread is done baking?

Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs when fully baked.