Simple Lemon Blueberry Sweet Sourdough Bread Recipe

Lemon blueberry sweet sourdough bread is one of my favorite spring and summer sourdough loaves because the lemon zest and blueberries give it such a bright, fresh flavor. It is a lightly sweet sourdough bread made with active sourdough starter, bread flour, lemon zest, and either fresh, frozen, or dried blueberries.

When I want the same lemon blueberry flavor in a quicker bake, I usually make my Sourdough Discard Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread Recipe, but this loaf is the one I make when I want a true fermented sourdough bread. It is wonderful plain, toasted, or served warm with How To Make Easy Homemade Butter From Raw Milk spread over the top.

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What Is Lemon Blueberry Sweet Sourdough Bread?

Lemon blueberry sweet sourdough bread is a naturally leavened sourdough loaf made with active sourdough starter, lemon zest, sugar, and blueberries. The dough is fermented slowly, shaped with the blueberries folded inside, chilled overnight, and baked in a Dutch oven until golden brown.

This bread has a soft, lightly sweet crumb with the tangy flavor of sourdough, the brightness of lemon, and little bursts of blueberry throughout the loaf. It is not as sweet as a cake or quick bread, but it has enough sweetness to feel special for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon slice with butter.

Quick Look at This Recipe

Prep time: 25 minutes active time, plus fermentation
Bake time: 1 hour
Total time: About 2 days from starter feeding to finished loaf
Servings: 1 loaf
Texture: Soft, lightly sweet sourdough crumb with blueberries throughout
Best served: Toasted with butter, served plain, or used for French toast

Why I Love This Lemon Blueberry Sweet Sourdough Bread

I love this recipe because it feels like a special loaf without being complicated. The lemon zest adds such a fresh flavor to the dough, and the blueberries make each slice feel a little different.

This is also a good recipe when you want something a little more than plain sourdough bread, but you still want the slow-fermented flavor of a traditional sourdough loaf. If you love this flavor combination, my Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Scones (Fresh Milled Flour) and Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Muffins (With Lemon Glaze) are also good recipes to keep nearby for lemon blueberry baking.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Wooden spoon or Danish dough whisk
Measuring cups and spoons
Kitchen scale
Microplane or zester
Tea towel or plastic wrap
Bench scraper
Banneton basket
Parchment paper
Bread lame or sharp knife
Dutch oven
Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

100 grams active sourdough starter
350 grams warm water, about 85 degrees F
500 grams bread flour
80 grams cane sugar or brown sugar
10 grams salt
Zest from 1 whole lemon
1 cup fresh blueberries, frozen blueberries, or dried blueberries
Additional flour for dusting

If using dried blueberries:

1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup orange juice

Fresh, Frozen, or Dried Blueberries

You can use fresh blueberries, frozen blueberries, or dried blueberries in this lemon blueberry sweet sourdough bread. I have made this recipe with fresh and frozen blueberries, and both taste wonderful.

The main thing to know is that fresh and frozen blueberries can bleed into the dough and turn parts of the bread purple. That does not bother me because the flavor is still delicious, but it can change the look of the finished loaf.

If you want a cleaner-looking loaf with less purple streaking, use dried blueberries that have been soaked in orange juice overnight. The dried blueberries are easier to fold into the dough and usually make a neater loaf.

My Baker’s Schedule

This is the schedule I usually follow when making this lemon blueberry sweet sourdough bread.

The night before:

8:00 pm: Feed the sourdough starter. If using dried blueberries, place them in orange juice and let them soak overnight.

The next morning:

11:00 am: Mix the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
11:30 am to 12:30 pm: Perform 3 sets of stretch and folds.
12:30 pm to 7:00 pm: Let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature.
7:00 pm: Shape the dough, fold in the blueberries, place it in a banneton, and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning:

9:00 am: Remove the dough from the refrigerator, score it, and bake.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Sweet Sourdough Bread

The night before you want to mix your dough, feed your sourdough starter so it is active and bubbly by the next morning.

If you are using dried blueberries, place them in a small bowl with orange juice. Cover and let them soak overnight. The next day, strain them before adding them to the dough.

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, add the active sourdough starter and warm water. Stir until the starter is mostly dissolved.

Add the sugar and stir again.

Add the bread flour, salt, and lemon zest. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. The dough does not need to look smooth yet. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2: After the dough has rested, begin the stretch and folds.

Take one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it back over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat on the other sides.

Do 3 sets of stretch and folds, waiting about 30 minutes between each set.

Step 3: After the last stretch and fold, cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

The exact time will depend on the strength of your starter and the temperature of your kitchen.

Step 4: If you are using fresh blueberries, rinse and dry them well. If you are using frozen blueberries, keep them frozen until you are ready to add them. If you are using dried blueberries, strain them from the orange juice before adding them to the dough.

Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out of the bowl.

Gently stretch the dough into a rectangle. Do not stretch it too thin, or the blueberries may tear through the dough.

Place about half of the blueberries over the top half of the rectangle, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edges.

Fold the bottom half of the dough up over the blueberries.

Step 5: Turn the dough so it is facing longways.

Place the remaining blueberries over the top section of the dough, again leaving a little border around the edges.

Fold the bottom portion of the dough up over the blueberries.

Step 6: Gently shape the dough into a round or oval loaf, depending on the shape of your banneton.

Try not to press too hard, especially if you are using fresh or frozen blueberries, because they can burst and stain the dough.

Step 7: Place the shaped dough into a floured banneton basket, cover it, and refrigerate overnight for at least 12 hours. This final cold rise helps the flavor develop and makes the dough easier to score before baking.

Step 8: The next morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper.

Score the top of the dough with a bread lame or sharp knife. Keep the score shallow, about ¼ inch deep. This is especially important with blueberry sourdough bread because a deep score can cause the berries to push out while baking.

Place the dough into a Dutch oven.

The oven does not need to be preheated for this method. Place the Dutch oven into the oven, turn the oven to 425 degrees F, and bake for 1 hour with the lid on.

After 1 hour, remove the lid. If the loaf is golden brown, remove it from the oven. If you want more color, bake uncovered for another 5 minutes.

Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Tips for the Best Lemon Blueberry Sweet Sourdough Bread

Do not score the loaf too deeply. A shallow score helps keep the blueberries from bursting out of the top of the loaf.

Let the bread cool before slicing. Cutting too early can make the crumb gummy.

Use dried blueberries if you want less purple coloring in the dough.

Keep frozen blueberries frozen until you fold them into the dough. This helps reduce bleeding, although some color change can still happen.

Do not stretch the dough too thin when adding the blueberries. A gentle hand helps keep the dough from tearing.

Use an active sourdough starter. The starter should be bubbly and at peak strength before you mix the dough.

How to Eat Sourdough Sweet Breads

This lemon blueberry sweet sourdough bread is good on its own, but there are several simple ways to serve it.

Slice it plain and enjoy it as a lightly sweet sourdough bread for breakfast or a snack.

Toast a slice and spread it with butter, honey, jam, or nut butter.

Use thick slices for sourdough French toast. The lemon and blueberry flavor works beautifully with eggs, milk, cinnamon, and maple syrup.

Turn leftover slices into bread pudding if the loaf starts to dry out.

For another blueberry sourdough option, my Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping are a good choice when you want something quicker and more muffin-like.

How to Store Lemon Blueberry Sweet Sourdough Bread

Let the bread cool completely before storing it.

Store the loaf in a bread bag or wrapped at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Because this bread has blueberries in it, I do not like to leave it sitting out too long.

For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf and freeze the slices in a freezer-safe bag. Toast frozen slices straight from the freezer or let them thaw at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lemon Blueberry Sweet Sourdough Bread