The Best Blueberry Bread

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By: Julie Blanner168 Comments
Posted: 5/23/23

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Blueberry bread is a quick bread made in just five minutes without yeast! You’ll love this easy blueberry bread recipe. Make it into more of a blueberry loaf cake by drenching it in glaze!

It’s perfect for Saturday mornings, Easter and Mother’s Day brunch and so much more.

sliced blueberry bread on a platter with knife next to it

Blueberry Bread is a simple adaptation of my tried and true Sweet Bread recipe which has been made over 1,000,000 times! Spring is a great time to integrate fresh fruits into your favorite recipes like cakes, breads and muffins!

The addition of blueberries makes this bread even more acceptable for breakfast. Blueberries are rich in potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and fiber. They are full of antioxidants, low in calories, high in nutrients and incredible flavor!

The soft, moist texture and tender crumb has a cake-like consistency. Drench it in glaze and you have an incredible blueberry loaf cake.

close up of blueberry loaf cake, one slice cut on a white platter.

Table of Contents

Blueberry Bread

Blueberry Bread is made with just seven staple ingredients and fresh blueberries. Sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, milk and vegetable oil.

You can add vanilla extract, if you’d like, but it’s so flavorful you certainly don’t need it. It really is just that simple!

Why You’ll Love It

Tried + True – We love quick breads so much that we literally wrote the book! (A free e-book, that is!) You can get my complete guide to easy Quick Bread recipes made with staples here!
Simple Ingredients – This blueberry bread is so moist thanks to milk, vegetable oil and using one of my favorite tips: the toothpick test to ensure it’s done without over baking.
Reason – It’s so easy! No yeast, no fuss, and one of my favorite things about making bread is not having to clean a muffin tin. This recipe comes out perfect and creates beautiful, easy-to-serve slices, every single time!

It’s the perfect breakfast or beautiful addition to brunch! I tend to serve Blueberry Bread for Easter, Mother’s Day, the 4th of July and for breakfast when we are entertaining guests at the lake cottage, but it also makes an incredible dessert.

blueberry loaf cake on a white platter, knife to the side.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Visit the printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.

Sugar – Granulated white sugar.
Flour – All purpose flour.
Baking Powder – The leavening agent in this easy quick bread.
Salt – This ingredient brings out all the flavors in this simple bread.
Egg – The binding agent.
Milk – Use whatever you have on hand, from skim to half and half.
Vegetable Oil – What makes this bread so moist. You can substitute canola oil or melted butter in a pinch.
Blueberries – Fresh or frozen. Note, frozen will bleed creating a purple swirl effect.

Variations

Lemon Blueberry Bread – Incorporate the zest of one lemon into the batter or use 1 tablespoon lemon extract.
Cream Cheese Blueberry Bread – Combine 4 ounces softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup white granulated sugar and 1 egg. Pour half of the bread batter into the loaf pan, followed by the cream cheese mixture. Top with more batter, leaving room to compensate for rise.
Make it Crunchy – Sprinkle sugar (or cinnamon sugar) on top just before baking.
Add a Crumb Topping – Combine 1 tablespoon softened butter, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons all purpose flour in a bowl and mash with a fork or spoon until it reaches an oatmeal like texture. Pour over bread just before baking.
Top with Glaze – Lemon Glaze, Classic Glaze, Orange Glaze, or Cream Cheese Glaze

blueberry bread with glaze sliced on a white platter, knife to the side.

Two different gold loaf pan sizes on a white marble surface

Tools to Use

BMixer (You can also mix by hand)
Measuring Cups + Measuring Spoons
1 1/2 lb Loaf Pan
Baking Spray for a quick and easy release

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How to Make Blueberry Bread

Prep – Grease loaf pan and preheat the oven as directed.
Combine Dry Ingredients – sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Combine Wet Ingredients – Beat egg, milk and oil.
Mix – Gradually add flour mixture to wet until just moist.
Bake – Next, pour batter into the prepared pan an inch and a half below to compensate for rise. Optional: sprinkle sugar on top. Bake 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack
Glaze – Finally, you’ll combine glaze ingredients, warm and drizzle.

blueberry loaf on a white platter on a marble surface.

Tips

Use the Correct Loaf Pan – Learn more about Loaf Pan Sizes here.
Frozen Blueberries – If you’re using frozen blueberries, do not thaw. This will prevent purple swirling in your bread.
Use the Toothpick Test – Bake times vary based on your loaf pan size, material and oven. Insert a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, it’s done.
Don’t Overfill Your Loaf Pan – Fill 2/3 full to compensate for rise.
Fresh Vs Frozen – You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, but I prefer using fresh. However, if you choose to use frozen berries, make sure you gently fold them into the batter immediately out of the freezer. This will reduce the chance of your loaf turning purple..

A slice of blueberry loaf cake with the whole loaf in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen blueberries in bread?

You can definitely use frozen blueberries in this blueberry bread recipe. Don’t thaw them prior to baking, as this will allow them to keep their shape in the loaf a little better!

How do you keep blueberries from sinking in bread?

Try tossing your berries with a tablespoon or two of flour before adding them to the batter. Just remember to account for that when you mix up your dry ingredients, subtracting that same tablespoon or two from the amount called for in the recipe.

Should you wash blueberries before baking?

Yes, always wash your fruit before consuming. Blueberries are quite delicate, so wait to wash them just before baking.

Blueberry bread in loaf pan on a marble kitchen counter

Baking Alternatives

Make Muffins – If you prefer to make them into muffins, just grease miniature muffin tins and fill each to ⅔ full. Bake 12 minutes.
Make it Ornate – Alternatively, you can also bake it in an ornate loaf pan with the same minimal effort!

How to Store

Room Temperature – Store in a sealed plastic bag or covered in saran wrap at room temperature for up to five days.
Refrigerate – Refrigerate 1+ week in an airtight container or sealed bag.
Freeze – Freeze loaves or slices by wrapping them tightly in heavy foil or plastic wrap. Then place them in freezer bags (I like to do at least 2 to prevent freezer odors from seeping in), and freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature to serve.