With just 15 minutes of prep, this Lemon Blueberry Bread is the result of countless test batches to achieve the perfect balance of bright citrus, sweet blueberries, and a moist, tender crumb. With expert-tested tips for foolproof results, this isn’t just another quick bread—it’s the best one you’ll make. Keep reading for the simple tricks that make this recipe stand out!
I’ve included everything from high-altitude adjustments to storage strategies and all my closely guarded baker’s secrets to ensure your loaf turns out absolutely perfect every time.
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!
You will love this Blueberry Lemon Loaf
Testing, testing, 1-2-3-4! I tested the heck out of this recipe, enlisting my recipe testers from coast to coast, all in pursuit of the most mind-blowing, most lemony blueberry bread on the planet! And since I’m baking up in the clouds (hello, high altitude!), I’ve thrown in special adjustments for my fellow mountain bakers, too!
Let me tell you, this quickbread loaf is perfection! It comes out with a moist, tender crumb, loaded with lemon and blueberry flavor, with a lemon glaze like the cherry on top! The secret to this incredible bread? Fresh lemon zest and juice for that vibrant citrus punch, plus Greek yogurt for incredible moisture.
Whether you’re enjoying a slice with your morning coffee, serving it at brunch, or saving it for a sweet afternoon treat, this loaf delivers big on flavor without being overly complicated. Let’s get baking!
Lemon Blueberry Loaf Ingredients & Substitutions
- Flour: I use unbleached all-purpose flour here, but any all-purpose flour will work well!
- Baking Powder: For the perfect rise. Make sure it’s fresh!
- Kosher Salt: A little bit of salt balances out the flavors!
- Sugar: I used all-natural pure cane sugar, but white sugar works too.
- Lemon Zest & Lemon Juice: Lemon zest and juice for the big citrus pop! Invest in a zester today; it’ll save you time and your knuckles.
- Greek Yogurt: Use a full-fat, plain Greek yogurt for a moist texture and rich flavor; while you may use a lesser fat %, it will change the texture.
- Avocado Oil: For extra moisture and richness! You can use any neutral oil, like light olive oil or vegetable oil. You may also use melted butter.
- Eggs: Add structure and also help the loaf rise in the oven! Make sure they are room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract & Lemon Extract: Vanilla extract adds a depth of flavor and lemon extract allows the lemony flavor to shine through!
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries both work well here.
- For the Glaze: Powdered sugar, lemon juice, melted butter, vanilla extract, milk or cream (or extra lemon juice for lemon lovers), and a pinch of salt!
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, (High Altitude + 2-4 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder HA reduce to 1 ½ tsp
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup all-natural cane sugar or regular granulated sugar (HA reduce to heaping ⅓ cup)
- 2 lemons zested and juiced
- ⅔ cup Plain Greek yogurt full fat (full fat keeps it moist & rich)
- ¼ cup lemon juice fresh squeezed, about two lemons
- ½ cup avocado oil or other neutral oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract optional, or emulsion
- 1 tablespoon flour To toss the blueberries in
- 1 cup blueberries fresh, rinsed or frozen, do not thaw
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 – 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk Omit if using more lemon juice
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175° C) and grease an 8×4 or 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper or loaf pan liners.
- Rinse blueberries (fresh only) and toss with one tablespoon of flour and set aside. (If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw). Tossing blueberries in flour helps them stay suspended in the batter, so they don’t sink to the bottom of the pan.1 tablespoon flour, 1 cup blueberries
- Whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to blend them into each other to release the flavor in the zest, it should look like wet sand.½ cup all-natural cane sugar, 2 lemons
- Whisk in the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon extract until smooth.⅔ cup Plain Greek yogurt, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ cup avocado oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter should be thick.
- Gently fold in the blueberries, noting that when using frozen blueberries over folding might cause the berries to bleed into the batter. No biggie, but your quickbread may turn purple.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. If desired, run a butter knife down the middle to encourage a center split.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick or skewer inserted comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs. If browning too quickly, lay a piece of foil over the top.
- Cool for 30 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack, then cool completey before glazing.
Lemon Butter Glaze
- In a small bowl, add sugar, lemon juice, melted butter, vanilla extract, milk (if using), and a pinch of salt. Whisk until blended. For more lemony flavor, use only lemon juice to thin. Drizzle over cooled bread.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 – 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon milk, Pinch salt
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Notes
- Blueberries: Lightly rinse fresh berries so flour sticks better. Toss in flour to keep them from sinking. For frozen berries, coat in flour but don’t rinse.
- Lemon Juice: Two lemons usually yield ¼ cup juice, but this varies by size and juiciness.
- Oil Choice: Avocado oil is mild and healthier than vegetable oil, but both work fine.
- Lemon Extract: Boosts flavor but is optional. Want more lemon punch? Use ¾ teaspoon instead of ½ teaspoon.
- Baking Time: Ovens vary! Start checking at 40 minutes (or 35 if your oven runs hot). Mine was perfect at 48 minutes, but quickbreads can take up to an hour or longer. Be patient, if your bread starts browning too quickly, cover loosely with a piece of foil.
- Pan Type: Using glass or dark metal? Lower temp to 325°F and bake longer.
- Glaze Tip: Make ahead and microwave for 8 seconds if too thick to drizzle. Want less glaze? Halve the recipe!
- Room Temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Wrap well and refrigerate up to 5 days, but fridges tend to dry bread out.
- Freeze: Wrap unglazed bread in plastic wrap + foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: Let sit unwrapped at room temp for 1-2 hours, then glaze if needed.
- Already Glazed? Freeze unwrapped for 30 min, then wrap and store.
- In the bowl of your mixer, combine sugar and lemon zest. Mix on low to release lemon oils.
- Add eggs and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Slowly drizzle in oil, then add Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract (if using), and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- With mixer on low, add ½ of the flour mixture and mix until just a few streaks of flour remain.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and mix only until combined.
- Hand-fold in the flour-coated blueberries to avoid overmixing.
Nutrition
How to make Lemon Blueberry Bread
Step 1 – Prep the Blueberries
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175° C) and grease an 8×4* or 9×5-inch loaf pan or my favorite are these loaf pan liners. *If baking in a true 8×4-inch pan, your bread will rise higher and take longer to bake.
Rinse your blueberries, then toss the wet blueberries with one tablespoon of flour and set aside. (If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw). Tossing blueberries in flour helps them stay suspended in the batter, so they don’t sink to the bottom of the pan. See below for how to make in your stand mixer.
Step 2 – Prep Wet & Dry Ingredients
Whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to blend them into each other to release the flavor in the zest, it should look like wet sand.
Whisk in the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon extract until smooth.
Step 3 – Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients
Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter should be thick.
Gently fold in the blueberries, noting that when using frozen blueberries over folding might cause the berries to bleed into the batter. No biggie, but your quickbread will turn purple.
Step 4 – Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool for 30 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
Step 5 – Drizzle with Glaze & Enjoy
In a small bowl, add sugar, lemon juice, melted butter, vanilla extract, milk, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until blended.
After the bread has completely cooled, drizzle over the bread.
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Stand Mixer Instructions
- In the bowl of your mixer, combine sugar and lemon zest. Mix on low to release lemon oils.
- Add eggs and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Slowly drizzle in oil, then add Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract (if using), and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- With mixer on low, add ½ of the flour mixture and mix until just a few streaks of flour remain.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and mix only until combined.
- Hand-fold in the flour-coated blueberries to avoid overmixing.
Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe Variations
- Poppy Seeds – Add 1 tbsp for a subtle crunch and nutty flavor.
- Butter Swap – Use melted butter instead of oil for a richer taste.
- No Lemon Extract? No worries! Lemon zest and juice provide plenty of flavor. Gluten-Free – Swap in a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
Tips for the Perfect Lemon Blueberry Loaf
- Check for Doneness – Use a wooden skewer for quickbreads—it reaches deeper than a toothpick! Start checking at 40 minutes.
- Room Temperature Ingredients – Let eggs and yogurt sit out for smooth mixing.
- Measure Flour Right – Spoon into the cup, then level off—no scooping!
- Mix Gently – Overmixing makes the bread dense. Stir just until combined.
- Zest Trick – Rub zest into sugar to boost lemon flavor.
- Frozen Berries? – Toss in flour while still frozen; don’t thaw!
- Glass or Dark Pans? – Lower heat to 325°F and bake longer.
- Glaze Fix – Too thick? Add lemon juice. Too thin? More powdered sugar. Reheat for 8 seconds if needed!
High Altitude Adjustments
I bake at 5280 above sea level, and I’ve had my recipe testers at sea level test this recipe, and it’s turned out beautifully every time. Here are my high-altitude adjustments:
- Increase the flour by two tablespoons for altitudes up to 7,000 feet; above 7,000 feet, increase by ¼ cup of flour.
- Decrease sugar to a heaping ⅓ cup
- Decrease baking powder to 1 ½ teaspoons
- For altitudes above 7000 feet, add one tablespoon of water with the dry ingredients.
- Bake at 350°F (175° C) and begin testing for doneness at 40 minutes.
How to Store Lemon Blueberry Loaf
- Room Temp – Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Fridge – Wrap well and refrigerate for up to 5 days (fridges dry out bread!).
- Freeze – For best results, freeze before glazing. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap + foil, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Thawing – Let sit at room temp, unwrapped, for 1-2 hours before glazing and serving.
- Already Glazed? – Freeze unwrapped on a sheet pan for 30 min, then wrap as instructed.
Frequently Asked Questions
This quickbread freezes beautifully! Wrap cooled, unglazed bread tightly in plastic wrap + foil + freezer baggie, then freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, glaze after thawing for fresh flavor. Slice & wrap individual slizes before freezing, pop in the lunch box and go!
Yes! Frozen blueberries work just as well. Do not thaw them before adding to the batter, as this can cause excess moisture and streaking. Toss them in flour to help prevent sinking.
Yes! You can substitute sour cream or use full fat for the best texture. You can also try buttermilk or milk, which yields a thinner batter and may alter the texture.
A dense loaf can happen if you overmix the batter or don’t measure the flour correctly—always spoon and level instead of scooping.
The most common reason is underbaking. Use a toothpick or wooden skewer—it should come out with only a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If needed, bake in 5-minute increments until done. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil to prevent over-browning.
I haven’t tried it specifically in this recipe, but in my Blueberry Crumble Cake, I have used blackberries and raspberries (both fresh and frozen) and they worked beautifully.
Baking Tips for Gas Ovens
One of my recipe testers has a gas oven and struggles with quickbreads, so I gave her these tips, which she said WORKED!
- Lower the temp – Reduce by 25°F for more even baking (it may take longer).
- Middle rack – Always bake on the center rack for best results.
- Prevent over-browning – Tent with foil halfway through baking or place a baking sheet on the rack above to block direct heat.
- Check doneness – Insert a skewer in the center; if it has wet batter, bake 5-10 minutes more and recheck.
- Gradual cooling – Turn the oven off, crack the door, and let the bread sit for 5 minutes before removing.
- Let batter rest – Before baking, let it sit for 5-10 minutes—this helps absorb moisture, relax gluten, and can prevent sinking!
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Chellie
Lemon blueberry is one of my ultimate favorite combos! This loaf is perfection! The taste, texture, everything about it. It’s a family favorite.
So happy you loved it, Chellie!!
Phyllis
I love the pictures of the recipe. It helps me to know what I am doing and how to do it. Being 79 I like to see how things are made. Thank you for all your great recipes
Awe thank you so much, Phyllis!