Lemon Blueberry Bread with Streusel (Printable)
Moist lemon bread loaded with blueberries and a crunchy cinnamon topping.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Lemon Blueberry Bread
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk
09 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 2 tbsp lemon zest
11 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
12 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
→ Cinnamon Streusel Topping
13 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
15 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
16 - 1/8 tsp salt
17 - 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a small bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold butter and blend until mixture is crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
04 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
05 - Mix in milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until combined.
06 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
07 - Gently fold in blueberries with a spatula.
08 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the batter.
09 - Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift bread out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The bright lemon cuts through the sweetness in a way that makes you want another slice before the first has cooled.
- Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh, so you're not tied to season or farmers market luck.
- That cinnamon streusel crunch on top is the kind of detail that makes people think you spent all morning baking.
02 -
- Frozen blueberries are not a compromise; they actually prevent the bread from turning blue-grey and keep the berries from sinking to the bottom.
- If you make this when lemon is out of season and the juice tastes harsh, that one step of using quality lemons matters more than any other ingredient.
- The streusel must stay cold until you bake it, otherwise the butter melts and you get a cinnamon paste instead of crumbly topping.
03 -
- For extra lemon intensity without making the bread wet, add 1/2 tsp lemon extract to the wet mixture—it's a small addition that shifts everything toward brightness.
- If your oven runs hot, tent the loaf loosely with foil halfway through baking to prevent the top from browning too fast while the interior finishes cooking.