Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread Recipe

There’s something absolutely magical about slicing into a loaf of lemon blueberry sourdough bread and watching those juicy berries peek through the golden crumb. This bread combines the classic tang of sourdough with bright lemon zest and bursts of sweet blueberries, creating a breakfast treat that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.

I still remember the first time I pulled this beauty from the oven—the kitchen smelled like a summer morning, and my family couldn’t wait to slather it with butter!

What is Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread?

Ever wondered what happens when your favorite sourdough gets a fruity makeover? That’s exactly what lemon blueberry sourdough bread is! This isn’t your grandma’s plain sourdough—it’s a delightful twist that marries the tangy, complex flavors of fermented dough with sunny lemon and plump blueberries.

As they say, the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach, and this bread opens that door wide! Ready to bake something extraordinary?

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread

The Perfect Balance of Flavors

This bread hits every note perfectly. The sourdough tang balances the sweetness of blueberries, while lemon zest adds a refreshing brightness that wakes up your taste buds. Each bite offers a different experience—sometimes you get a juicy blueberry burst, other times you catch that subtle citrus zing.

Budget-Friendly Homemade Goodness

Making lemon blueberry sourdough bread at home costs a fraction of what you’d pay at artisan bakeries. A single loaf from a specialty shop can run you $8-12, but you can make this beauty for about $3-4 using simple ingredients. Plus, you control the quality of everything that goes in.

Versatile and Crowd-Pleasing

Whether you’re toasting it for breakfast, serving it at brunch, or packing it for picnics, this bread shines. The blueberries caramelize slightly during baking, creating pockets of jammy sweetness. If you enjoyed my classic sourdough sandwich bread, you’ll absolutely adore this fruity variation—it’s become my most requested recipe!

Try making this at home and watch it disappear faster than you can say “sourdough starter”!

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread

Quick Overview

This lemon blueberry sourdough bread is surprisingly approachable, even if you’re new to sourdough baking. The active hands-on time is only about 30 minutes, though you’ll need patience for the fermentation process. The result? A tender, flavorful crumb with a beautiful golden crust that crackles when you slice it. The lemon adds moisture while the blueberries create delightful pockets of sweetness throughout.

Time Breakdown:

Prep Time: 30 minutes
First Rise: 4-6 hours
Cold Fermentation: 8-12 hours (overnight)
Final Proof: 2-3 hours
Baking Time: 45-50 minutes
Total Time: 16-20 hours (mostly hands-off)

Key Ingredients for Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread

For the Dough:

100g active sourdough starter (fed and bubbly)
350g bread flour
50g whole wheat flour (optional, but adds depth)
275g water (room temperature)
10g salt
25g honey
Zest of 2 large lemons
150g fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, don’t thaw)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for coating blueberries)

Optional Add-ins:

1 tablespoon lemon juice for extra tang
1 teaspoon vanilla extract for warmth

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare Your Sourdough Starter

Make sure your starter is active and has doubled in size within 4-6 hours of feeding. It should smell pleasantly tangy and have lots of bubbles. This is crucial for good rise and flavor in your lemon blueberry sourdough bread.

Mix the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine your active starter with the water and honey. Stir until the honey dissolves. Add the bread flour and whole wheat flour, mixing with your hands or a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy—that’s perfect! Cover with a damp towel and let it rest for 30-45 minutes. This autolyse period helps develop gluten naturally.

Add Salt and Lemon Zest

After the rest, sprinkle the salt and lemon zest over the dough. Wet your hands and use the pinching method—pinch the salt and zest into the dough, then fold it over itself repeatedly for about 5 minutes. The dough will become smoother and more cohesive.

Bulk Fermentation with Stretch and Folds

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature (ideally 72-75°F). Over the next 4 hours, perform a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. To do this, wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat 4 times. After the first 2 hours, let the dough rest undisturbed for the remaining time. It should increase in size by about 50%.

Prepare and Add Blueberries

About 30 minutes before shaping, toss your blueberries with 2 tablespoons of flour. This coating prevents them from bleeding too much into the dough and helps them stay suspended. Gently fold the coated blueberries into the dough, being careful not to crush them. Some will break—that’s okay! Those create beautiful purple swirls.

Shape the Dough

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle, then perform a letter fold: fold one third over the middle, then fold the other third on top. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat. Finally, shape into a round or oval by pulling the dough toward you, creating surface tension. Place seam-side up in a well-floured banneton or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel.

Cold Fermentation

Cover your shaped loaf and refrigerate for 8-12 hours (overnight works perfectly). This slow fermentation develops incredible flavor and makes the dough easier to score. Don’t skip this step—it’s what gives lemon blueberry sourdough bread its signature tang!

Prepare for Baking

About an hour before baking, place your Dutch oven (with lid) in the oven and preheat to 450°F. When ready to bake, carefully remove the hot Dutch oven. Turn your dough out onto a piece of parchment paper (seam-side now down).

Score and Bake

Using a sharp knife or bread lame, score the top of your loaf with one deep slash or a decorative pattern. This allows the bread to expand properly. Carefully lower the parchment paper with the dough into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown.

Cool Completely

This is the hardest part! Transfer your lemon blueberry sourdough bread to a wire rack and resist cutting for at least 1-2 hours. The interior continues cooking as it cools, and cutting too early results in a gummy texture.

What to Serve Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread With

This versatile bread pairs beautifully with both sweet and savory options. For breakfast, serve it toasted with salted butter and a drizzle of honey—the butter melts into every air pocket while the honey amplifies the blueberries’ sweetness.

Try it with cream cheese and fresh berries for a simple yet elegant brunch spread. The tangy cream cheese complements the sourdough beautifully. For something heartier, make French toast using thick slices—the blueberries caramelize even more, and the lemon flavor intensifies.

Pair it with your morning coffee or a pot of Earl Grey tea. The citrus notes in Earl Grey echo the lemon in the bread perfectly.

For a savory twist, serve it alongside a fresh salad with goat cheese and candied walnuts. The combination of flavors is surprisingly sophisticated!

Top Tips for Perfecting Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread

Use Fresh Lemon Zest, Not Juice in the Dough

Lemon zest contains all those aromatic oils that give the bread its bright flavor without adding extra moisture that could make the dough too wet. If you want more lemon punch, add juice to a glaze instead.

Don’t Overmix After Adding Blueberries

Gently fold them in with 2-3 turns maximum. Overmixing breaks the berries and turns your dough purple (which isn’t bad, just not as pretty when sliced).

Test Your Starter’s Readiness

Drop a spoonful in water—if it floats, it’s ready. If it sinks, give it more time. A weak starter means poor rise and dense bread.

Adjust Hydration for Your Flour

Different flours absorb water differently. If your dough feels too sticky even after stretch and folds, add 10-20g more flour next time. If it’s stiff and tears easily, add a bit more water.

Watch Your Dough, Not the Clock

Fermentation time varies with temperature. In warm kitchens (above 75°F), bulk fermentation might take only 3-4 hours. In cooler spaces, it could take 6-7 hours. Look for the 50% size increase and a jiggly, airy texture.

Score Confidently

Use a quick, decisive motion when scoring. Hesitation creates jagged cuts. Your blade should be at a 45-degree angle for the best “ear” formation.

Create Steam in Your Oven

The Dutch oven traps steam, but if baking without one, place a pan of boiling water on the bottom rack for the first 20 minutes. Steam keeps the crust soft initially, allowing maximum expansion.

Storing and Reheating Tips

Room Temperature Storage

Keep your lemon blueberry sourdough bread in a paper bag or bread box for up to 3 days. Never use plastic at room temperature—it traps moisture and makes the crust soft and chewy instead of crispy. The crust will soften over time, but you can revive it by reheating.

Refrigerator Storage

While I don’t usually recommend refrigerating bread (it stales faster), if your kitchen is very warm or humid, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before eating or toast it directly from cold.

Freezing for Long-Term Storage

This bread freezes beautifully! Once completely cool, slice the entire loaf and place parchment paper between slices. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, or use a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Pop frozen slices directly into the toaster—no thawing needed!

Reheating for Best Results

For whole loaf: Preheat oven to 350°F, lightly spritz the crust with water, and bake for 10-15 minutes. The crust will crisp up again while the interior softens. For slices: Toast them or warm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.

Common Baking Mistakes to Avoid

Using Inactive Starter

This is the number one reason sourdough doesn’t rise. Your starter must be fed, bubbly, and doubled in size before using. If you’re unsure, do the float test.

Skipping the Autolyse

That 30-45 minute rest after mixing flour and water isn’t optional—it kick-starts gluten development and makes shaping easier.

Adding Blueberries Too Early

If you add them during mixing, they’ll break down completely and color everything purple. Add them after bulk fermentation begins.

Cutting Into Hot Bread

I know it’s tempting! But the interior is still setting. Cutting too soon results in gummy, doughy texture and accelerates staling.

Not Adjusting for Frozen Blueberries

Frozen berries work great, but don’t thaw them first—they’ll release too much liquid and make your dough soggy. Use them straight from the freezer.

Overbaking or Underbaking

The internal temperature should reach 205-210°F. If you’re unsure, use an instant-read thermometer. Underbaked bread is gummy; overbaked is dry.

Incorrect Dutch Oven Temperature

If your Dutch oven isn’t properly preheated, you won’t get good oven spring. Give it the full hour to heat up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use wild blueberries instead of regular blueberries?

Absolutely! Wild blueberries are smaller and more intensely flavored. You might want to reduce the amount to 100-120g since they’re so potent. They also hold up better during mixing and baking.

Why is my lemon blueberry sourdough bread dense?

Dense bread usually means your starter wasn’t active enough, you didn’t allow enough bulk fermentation time, or your dough was too cold during rising. Make sure your starter passes the float test and your dough increases by 50% before shaping.

Can I make this bread without a Dutch oven?

Yes! Bake on a preheated baking stone or sheet pan. Create steam by placing a metal pan on the bottom rack and pouring 1 cup of boiling water into it when you put the bread in. Remove the pan after 20 minutes.

How do I prevent blueberries from sinking to the bottom?

Coating them in flour helps, but some sinking is natural. Make sure your dough isn’t too wet, and add the berries when the dough has some structure (after the first stretch and fold). Frozen berries tend to sink less than fresh.

Can I reduce the honey or make this less sweet?

The honey isn’t just for sweetness—it feeds the yeast and helps with browning. You can reduce it to 15g, but don’t eliminate it completely. The bread isn’t very sweet anyway; the blueberries provide most of the sweetness.

What’s the best way to get an even distribution of blueberries?

After coating them in flour, scatter them over the flattened dough, then do a series of folds. Some clustering is natural and actually looks beautiful when sliced.

My crust is too hard—what went wrong?

Overbaking is the usual culprit. Next time, reduce baking time by 5 minutes or lower temperature to 425°F. You can also brush the crust with butter immediately after baking for a softer finish.

Can I add other fruits to this recipe?

Definitely! Try raspberries, blackberries, or diced strawberries. Dried cranberries soaked in warm water for 10 minutes also work wonderfully. Keep the total fruit weight around 150g.

Nutrition Information

Nutrient	Per Slice (1/12 of loaf)
Calories	145
Total Fat	0.5g
Sodium	295mg
Total Carbohydrates	30g
Dietary Fiber	2g
Sugars	4g
Protein	5g

Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.

Final Thoughts

There’s something deeply satisfying about mastering lemon blueberry sourdough bread. It combines the ancient art of sourdough fermentation with bright, modern flavors that everyone loves. The process might seem long, but most of it is passive time where the dough does its own thing.

Don’t be discouraged if your first loaf isn’t perfect—sourdough baking is as much art as science. Each oven behaves differently, every kitchen has its own microclimate, and your starter has its own personality. With each bake, you’ll understand your dough better.

The joy of slicing into a loaf you’ve nurtured from starter to finished bread is incomparable. When you share this with family and friends, watching their faces light up at that first bite, you’ll understand why bakers have been doing this for thousands of years.

So grab your sourdough starter, pick up some fresh blueberries and bright lemons, and give this recipe a try. Your kitchen will smell incredible, and you’ll have a stunning, delicious loaf to show for your patience. Happy baking!