Sourdough Blueberry Bread

This sourdough blueberry bread is a quick bread loaded with fresh blueberries and a hint of lemon, and drizzled with a sweet lemon glaze. It’s a moist and flavorful sourdough discard bread that’s easy to make!

During the spring months, one of our family’s favorite things is to go berry picking. And then we love to bring home all those berries and make all the berry-themed recipes like this honey-sweetened strawberry pie, berry baked oatmeal, blueberry honey freezer jam, and this sourdough strawberry galette.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Uses Sourdough Discard: You can use either active sourdough starter or sourdough starter discard for this recipe. But the fact that this recipe does’t require your starter to be in its active state (like when you’re making sourdough bread) helps make this a quick and easy recipe! It’s a great way to use up discard.
• Perfect for Spring and Summer: This blueberry lemon sourdough bread is so delicious any time of year, but it’s especially perfect to make during blueberry season, when you have access to fresh, juicy blueberries! If you’re in the mood for this delicious quick bread and it’s not the season for blueberries, never fear, you can use frozen berries!
• Elegant and Simple: This lovely sourdough blueberry loaf looks so beautiful and elegant with icing drizzled over the top of it, but it’s actually one of the most simple sourdough recipes to make with your sourdough discard.

Ingredients

Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour.
• Sugar: White granulated sugar is used for the sweetener.
• Sourdough Starter: You can use either active starter or discard sourdough starter.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter which has been melted and cooled. If you use salted butter, you may want to eliminate 1/4 teaspoon of salt in the recipe.
• Eggs: ​You’ll need 2 large eggs at room temperature.
• Whole Milk: It’s helpful to allow the milk to come to room temperature before using.
• Lemon: Fresh lemons are used for their juice and to make fresh lemon zest.
• Blueberries: Fresh blueberries are amazing in this recipe, but you can also use frozen if you prefer.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These are the leavening agents in this lemon blueberry sourdough bread. 
• Vanilla Extract: You can easily make homemade vanilla extract to have on hand in the pantry for recipes, or using some from the grocery store works just as well.

How to Make Sourdough Blueberry Bread

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making sourdough blueberry bread.

Preheat your oven to 350 and prepare your 9×13 loaf pan. Lightly grease your loaf pan and line with a piece of parchment paper so that the sides of the parchment paper fold over the long sides of your pan. I use clips to hold it in place and remove them before baking. Set aside. Melt the butter and set aside.

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl mix together the white sugar and fresh lemon zest so that the zest becomes infused into the sugar. Use a spatula to press the zest into the sugar.

Step 2: Next, add the sourdough discard, vanilla, eggs, lemon juice, milk and butter to the bowl and whisk together until fully combined.

Step 3: Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add it to your wet ingredients.

Step 4: Mix together until just combined. Do not overmix.

Step 5: In a small bowl, place your blueberries and the reserved 1 1/2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Gently stir the blueberries around to make sure that each is coated in flour.

Step 6. Gently fold in the flour covered blueberries using a wooden spoon or a mixing spoon. Let the batter sit for a few minutes so that it can thicken up a little.

Step 7: Pour the loaf batter into your prepared loaf pan and even it out. I like to add a few additional blueberries to the top of the batter before placing it in the oven.

Bake the Sourdough Blueberry Loaf

Step 8: Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. I begin checking my loaf after 55 minutes. If your loaf starts to look too brown but is not completely baked though, loosely top the loaf with tin foil to prevent the top of your loaf from getting too brown. You just want it to be golden brown.

Step 9: Let the loaf cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then remove from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Make the Glaze

Step 10: Once the loaf is completely cooled, prepare the lemon glaze. In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk. If you would like a thinner icing add more milk an 1/8 teaspoon at a time.

Step 11: Pour or drizzle the icing on the completely cooled loaf. Optional: garnish with fresh blueberries and lemon zest on top of the loaf.

How to Store

Store wrapped in plastic wrap and in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap in plastic wrap and place in an airtight freezer safe container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. To make thawing easier, slice loaf before freezing.

More Sourdough Discard Recipes

• Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
• Strawberry Sourdough Galette
• Sourdough Carrot Cake
• Sourdough Vanilla Almond Scones