The Best Blueberry Lemon Quick Bread Recipe

This blueberry lemon quick bread is exactly what you need when you’re craving something fresh and homey. Sweet blueberries and bright lemon zest come together in a tender, moist loaf that’s perfect with your morning coffee or as an afternoon pick-me-up. The best part? You probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen right now.

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My family is crazy about my lemon blueberry coffee cake, so I couldn’t resist turning it into a quick bread that’s quicker and easier to make.

This bread is loaded with blueberries. The batter is thick so you don’t need to worry about the blueberries sinking to the bottom. It has a bright lemon flavor and a crunchy streusel topping making it pretty much irresistible.

I baked the blueberry lemon quick bread in mini loaf pans, which reduces the cook time. In fact, I love the mini loaf pans so much I rarely make quick bread in a large loaf these days. They’re easier to share, or tuck a loaf or two in the freezer for another day.

Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Lemon Quick Bread Recipe

• Bright Citrus Flavor: The recipe uses fresh lemon zest, giving the bread a vibrant, tangy kick that perfectly balances the sweetness of the blueberries. The citrusy aroma fills your kitchen as it bakes, making it irresistible.
• Moist and Tender Crumb: By adding milk and butter, this bread achieves a rich, soft texture that stays moist for days. Each bite feels like it melts in your mouth.
• Freezer Friendly: The concentrated flavor of frozen blueberries works perfectly here, so you can bake this bread year-round without sacrificing taste or waiting for berry season.
• Size Versatile: The batter easily converts to muffins or mini loaves, requiring just a quick adjustment to baking time – perfect for holiday gifting or breakfast meal prep.

🫐 Every time I make this Lemon blueberry loaf, my house smells like heaven and my neighbors mysteriously start dropping by!

Recipe Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Lemon zest
• Sugar
• Butter — unsalted
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Milk — whole
• Blueberries — fresh or frozen

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Loaf

1. Prep Your Kitchen: Preheat your oven to 350°F and prep four mini loaf pans by spraying them with a baking spray that contains flour. The pans should measure 5¾ x 3¼ x 2¼ inches for perfect sizing.
2. Create the Foundation: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. This step ensures your leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the dry ingredients.
3. Build the Flavor Base: Start by combining sugar and fresh lemon zest in a large mixing bowl – take a moment to rub them together with your fingers to release the oils. Beat in the softened butter until the mixture becomes light and airy, then incorporate the eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
4. Combine with Care: Gently fold the flour mixture into your wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain – overmixing here will lead to tough bread. With a light hand, fold in your blueberries, being careful not to crush them.
5. Make the Topping: For that irresistible streusel, mix sugar and flour in a small bowl. Work in cold butter with your fingertips until you achieve a crumbly texture that holds together when squeezed.
6. Final Assembly: Divide the batter evenly among your prepared pans, ensuring they’re filled to roughly the same level. Generously sprinkle each loaf with the streusel topping. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches about 205°F.

Recipe FAQs

Expert Tips

• Pan Prep: Don’t skip the flour-based baking spray – regular cooking spray won’t give you the same clean release. If you don’t have baking spray, grease the pans and dust with flour.
• Cooling Method: Let the loaves cool in their pans for exactly 10 minutes – any less and they may break, any more and they might steam and get soggy. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Prevent Sinking Berries: Toss blueberries in a tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter to keep them evenly distributed.
• Do Not Overmix: Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined to avoid a dense or tough bread.

Lemon Blueberry Loaf Storage Tips

Once completely cooled, wrap your blueberry lemon quick bread tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The streusel topping will stay crunchiest on day one, but the lemon flavor actually intensifies over time.

For longer storage, wrap individual loaves in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months – just thaw overnight in the refrigerator when you’re ready to enjoy. If you’re planning to freeze the bread, consider adding the streusel topping after thawing to maintain its crisp texture.

My Favorite Loaf Recipes

Whether you’re craving something sweet or looking to impress your guests, these tried-and-true recipes never disappoint.

• My secret weapon for brightening any gloomy morning is this Lemon Blueberry Loaf recipe – it’s like sunshine in bread form.
• When you need a cozy hug in cake form, this cardamom-orange coffee cake hits all the right notes with its warm, inviting spices.
• I’ve been told my Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake disappears faster than weekend plans, and honestly, I can’t even blame my guests.
• Every time someone asks for my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe, I smile knowing they’re about to discover their new favorite way to use those overripe bananas sitting on their counter.

More Quick Bread Recipes to Consider

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4.51 from 103 votes

The Best Blueberry Lemon Quick Bread Recipe

This blueberry lemon quick bread is exactly what you need when you’re craving something fresh and homey. Sweet wild blueberries and bright lemon zest come together in a tender, moist loaf that’s perfect with your morning coffee or as an afternoon pick-me-up.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 mini loaves

Calories: 847kcal

Author: Melissa Griffiths

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Equipment

• Chicago Metallic Commercial II Non-Stick Mini Loaf Pans, Set of 4
• Anchor Hocking 2 Quart Glass Batter Bowl With Lid (81106L11)
• OXO Good Grips 9-Inch Whisk

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 ½ cups blueberries fresh or frozen

Streusel Topping

• ⅓ cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cold butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Spray four mini loaf pans (5 ¾ x 3 ¼ x 2 ¼) with non-stick cooking spray with flour.*
• For the streusel crumb topping, in a small bowl, combine sugar and flour. Add butter and mix until mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
• For the bread, in a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. Add butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and milk.
• Add flour mixture and mix just until combine. Stir in blueberries.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pan(s). Sprinkle with streusel crumb topping.
• Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. An internal temperature of about 205°.

Notes

• Double-check your baking powder’s freshness before starting – this recipe relies heavily on it for the perfect rise since it’s a quick bread without yeast.
• The color of your pan matters – darker metal pans will brown the crust more quickly than light-colored ones, so you may need to adjust baking time accordingly.
• A sprinkle of coarse sugar on top of the streusel before baking adds an extra layer of crunch and a professional bakery finish.
• If your blueberries are particularly juicy or large, cut them in half before folding them into the batter – this helps them distribute more evenly throughout the loaf.

Nutrition

Calories: 847kcal | Carbohydrates: 129g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 723mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 74g | Vitamin A: 1083IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 4mg