Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread (Printable)

Tangy lemon and fresh blueberries combine in a soft sourdough loaf with zesty sugar layers for brunch enjoyment.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
04 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Filling

08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
10 - 1 cup fresh blueberries
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Lemon Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# How to Cook:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together sourdough starter, lukewarm milk, and eggs. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients, then mix in softened butter. Knead by hand or with stand mixer for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
02 - Cover dough with plastic wrap or damp towel. Let rise at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight, until doubled in size.
03 - In a small bowl, mix sugar and lemon zest until fragrant.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12 by 18 inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter. Evenly sprinkle lemon sugar over dough and scatter blueberries on top.
05 - Cut dough into six 3 inch wide strips. Stack strips on top of each other, then cut into six even squares. Arrange squares vertically, cut sides up, in a greased 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
06 - Cover and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until puffy.
07 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil for last 10 minutes.
08 - Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack. Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice for glaze, then drizzle over warm bread before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sourdough starter gives you that complex, slightly tangy flavor without any fussy starter maintenance before baking.
  • Those pull-apart pieces mean everyone gets their own portion—no awkward slicing required at the table.
  • Lemon and blueberry together taste like springtime decided to move into your kitchen permanently.
02 -
  • Frozen blueberries are actually your secret weapon—they hold their shape better than fresh ones and don't leak purple dye everywhere.
  • Don't skip the room temperature ingredients; cold eggs and milk will make the dough sluggish and harder to develop properly.
  • The pull-apart structure means you can't move these pieces around once they're arranged—plan your pan layout before you start stacking.
03 -
  • If your sourdough starter is particularly strong, reduce it by a tablespoon or two to keep the tanginess balanced rather than overpowering the delicate lemon and blueberry flavors.
  • Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut clean, straight lines through the layered dough—jagged cuts make the final stacking less neat and the layers don't bake as evenly.
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