Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread
Lemon blueberry bread is a great recipe to bring a touch of sunshine to your table. The soft, fluffy dough is lightly sweet, filled with juicy blueberries, and has the tangy flavor of the lemons. As it bakes, your kitchen fills with a fresh, fruity scent that feels like the best part of summer mornings.
Why you will love this recipe
- The blueberries give this bread an amazing color. I love recipes that help me hold on to the last moments of summer. Even as autumn creeps in, a slice of lemon blueberry bread with a cup of tea feels like a little slice of summer sunshine on your plate.
- Fresh, tangy lemon and sweet blueberries are perfect for spring. Lemon zest and blueberries bring brightness to traditional sourdough bread.
- Lemon blueberry sourdough bread is perfect for your Easter brunch. Whether it's braided, shaped into rolls, or baked as a loaf, the golden crust and pops of blueberry color make it look extra special for a holiday breakfast or brunch.
- We love the cottage core vibes of this bread. And not just us! Did you hear that lemon blueberry bread is Taylor Swift’s favorite sourdough bread?
Ingredient notes
Flour: You don’t need to use bread flour to make our lemon blueberry sourdough bread. We always use all/purpose flour and the bread comes out perfectly every time. If you want a softer crumb, we do recommend using bread flour because it has a higher gluten content.
Sourdough starter: To create a pillowy, fluffy bread, you need an active sourdough starter. To make sure your starter is ready, you need to feed your starter a few hours before you start.
Salt: Even though this is a sweet bread, you do need to add salt to the dough. Salt enhances the flavor of the bread and helps strengthen the dough, so don’t leave it out.
Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe. If you use frozen blueberries, there’s no need to thaw them beforehand. Just add them to the dough and let them thaw during the bulk ferment.
Lemon: To balance the sweetness of the berries, we add both lemon zest and lemon juice. Always use fresh lemon juice when baking, as it tastes much better than bottled juice. Since we also include the zest, it’s best to buy organic lemons whenever possible.
Variations
- Add herbs: Fresh thyme, basil, or rosemary gives the bread a lovely, fragrant flavor that pairs beautifully with lemon.
- Try different types of fruit: Replace the blueberries with raspberries, blackberries, or chopped strawberries for a colorful variation.
- Honey and lemon: Brush the warm loaf with a little honey mixed with lemon juice right after baking. It gives the crust a light shine and a delicate sweetness that complements the soft, citrusy bread inside.
How to make blueberry sourdough bread
Day 1
Start by mixing flour and water. Let it rest for 30 minutes before adding the starter. To create a strong dough, you want to knead it for 10 minutes. Add the salt and lemon zest, and start the first series of stretch and folds.
How to perform the stretch and folds
Pull the dough from all four corners into the center of the dough. You do this to activate the gluten and create a strong dough. Repeat this step every 30 minutes until the dough has doubled in size. It usually takes about 3-4 rounds.
On day two, your dough is ready to add the blueberries and to shape your bread. Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface to shape your lemon blueberry bread, and let it rest in a banneton. You can do the bulk ferment at room temperature, but to give the bread an extra intense flavor, you can also cold ferment it overnight in the fridge.
Day 2
Now your bread is ready for the oven! Preheat your oven and Dutch oven if you use one. Because we’ve added blueberries to the dough, you should also line your baking tray with parchment paper. Transfer your bread to the baking tray and score it with your favorite pattern. Place your bread in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes.
Serving suggestions
This bread is amazing served with butter when it is still warm from the oven. For us, it doesn’t need anything else, but if you want to make your meal extra special, you can top your bread with cream cheese or cottage cheese.
Our tips for this recipe
- Use fresh lemons for this recipe! This will make a ton of difference.
- Feed your starter before you begin. You want your starter to be active and bubbly to create a light and fluffy lemon blueberry sourdough bread. If you’re short on time but still want to enjoy homemade bread with sweet blueberries? We think you will love our recipe for sourdough blueberry lemon quick bread.
- Use bread flour. While you can make bread with all-purpose flour, using flour with a higher protein content will give you better results.
- Use a kitchen scale. Measuring out the ingredients on a kitchen scale immediately improves your baking and helps to get the best results every time! If you’re not sure how to start, feel free to ask. We are happy to help.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! No need to let them thaw before adding them to the dough. The flour will absorb any excess moisture from the berries.
With other berries?
We haven’t tried this (yet), but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work! Let us know how it turned out!
Yes! This is a fantastic bread to cold ferment. The extra sourdough flavor is the perfect companion to the tangy lemon and sweet berries.
Storage
Fresh lemon blueberry sourdough bread can be stored at room temperature for two to three days. If you want to keep it for a longer period, you can freeze the bread. Simply let it thaw on the counter overnight. To restore the crust’s crispiness, you can place it in a preheated oven for a few minutes.
More of our favorite sourdough bread recipes
Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sourdough starter
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Feed your starter 4 hours before you begin.
Autolyse
- Add the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and water to a bowl or stand mixer and mix for about 10 minutes until you have a smooth dough.
- Cover your bowl and let it rest for 30-60 minutes.
- Add the salt and sourdough starter and gently fold it in with damp hands.
Stretch & folds
- Pull each corner of the dough into the center. Repeat this step four times every 30 minutes. On the last stretch and fold it is the perfect time to add the berries.
Pre-shape
- Transfer the dough to a floured work sufave and gently pull the dough into a rough square.
- Fold the long sides to the center of the dough.
- Turn the dough and repeat the previous step.
- Place the bread seam down and pull the dough towards to to create tension in the dough.
- Cover your loaf and let it ferment for 30 mintes.
Shaping your lemon blueberry sourdough bread
- Turn the bread upside down on a lightly floured surface and gently stretch two opsite sides into the center of your dough.
- Repeat this step for the other sides until you have a square.
- Pull the long sides together and pinch the seam.
- Place your loaf seam up in a banneton and cover your dough.
- Let it ferment for 12-16 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 440 °F (230 °C) and place a heatproof bowl with hot water in your oven to create steam.
- Transfer the loaf to a lined baking tray and score the top of your loaf.
- Bake your bread for 20 minutes.
- Lower your oven temperature to 410 °F (210 °C) and bake your sourdough lemon blueberry bread for another 10 minutes until golden.
- Let your bread cool completely on a wire rack before cutting and serving it with your favorite toppings.
Fantastic recipe. Always loved the lemon blueberry combo for cakes and muffins but never thought of it for bread. Definitely will try it!