Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread (Printable view)

Layers of sourdough, lemon zest, and fresh blueberries create a tangy-sweet baked delight.

# What You 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 Make:

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 a stand mixer for 7 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
02 - Cover dough with plastic wrap or a 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 the last 10 minutes.
08 - Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice for glaze, then drizzle over warm bread before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pull-apart texture means everyone gets a warm, jammy bite loaded with blueberries, no fancy slicing required.
  • Your sourdough starter finally gets to shine in something that tastes bakery-quality but happens entirely in your own kitchen.
  • That lemon-sugar combination hits different when it's baked into pillowy dough—it's bright without being tart.
02 -
  • Don't skip the overnight rise—sourdough needs time to develop flavor, and rushing it makes the bread taste like regular bread with starter thrown in.
  • If your blueberries are large, halve them so they distribute better and don't all sink to the bottom during the rise.
  • The glaze should be applied while the bread is still warm so it seeps slightly into the crumb and sets with a slight shine.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, the first rise might take 10-12 hours instead of 6-8—that's okay and actually makes the flavor deeper.
  • Make sure your sourdough starter is active and at peak rise when you feed it, or the dough will taste flat and won't rise properly.
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