Easy Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread Recipe

Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread is bursting with juicy blueberries and sweet lemon flavor from fresh lemon zest. It’s the sourdough loaf you’re going to want to bake all spring long. 

Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread – where classic artisan baking meets the vibrant flavors of blueberry season! 

Picture a beautifully crusty loaf, now infused with the irresistible essence of fresh blueberries and the zesty tang of lemon. This family favorite is a true celebration of blueberry goodness – so much so, you’re going to want to bake this loaf again and again all spring long for it’s delicious flavor and aroma. 

With each bite, experience slightly sweet notes from the plump blueberries, that’s perfectly complemented by the bright citrusy zest of lemon. 

And when you slice into these, you’ll be met with beautiful violet blueberries and yellow specks of lemon zest all throughout! A masterpiece for all the senses!

Plus, I’ve even included a delicious and easy recipe for whipped blueberry honey butter. Need I say more?

You won’t want to skip on this addition! Lightly sweetened with honey and bursting with more beautiful blueberry hues, it’s the perfect topper for an already delicious slice of bread.

Whether enjoyed toasted for breakfast or savored alongside a cup of tea in the afternoon, this Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread is sure to become a cherished addition to your baking repertoire.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Flavor

Little pops of sweet blueberries and the freshness of lemon from the lemon zest inclusions, this sourdough loaf is bursting with flavor. It’s the perfect sourdough bread to make all spring long!

Presentation

When you first slice into this delicious sourdough bread, you will be amazed by how beautiful it is! Plump violet blueberries and specks of bright yellow lemon zest, its a loaf that family and guests will ooo and ah at!

Easy

Not only does this loaf taste amazing but it’s also easy to prepare! Sourdough beginners or pros will learn just how easy it is to take my Beginners Sourdough Bread recipe and give it a flavor boost with these delicious inclusions. 

Ingredients

Bread Flour – Bread flour is best when it comes to make sourdough bread. The higher protein percentage in flour gives the dough its strength so that it can rise to great heights and give you the best results.

Water

Sourdough Starter – This recipe calls for an active and bubbly sourdough starter. 

Salt – Any unrefined salt will do, but my favorite is Redmond’s unrefined salt for some extra minerals!

Blueberries – I used fresh blueberries for this delicious sourdough blueberry bread.

Lemon Zest – Be sure to only zest the yellow part of the lemon peel, as the white tends to be bitter.

Supplies

Large bowl

Kitchen Scale

Bowl scraper (optional)

Banneton Basket (proofing bowl) or small mixing bowl and tea towel

Danish Dough Whisk 

Dutch Oven

Parchment Paper

Lame / Razor blade / Sharp knife

Tea towel, plastic wrap, or what I like to use, a reusable shower cap

BAKER’S SCHEDULE #1

Day 1

Feed starter before bed 1:4:4 ratio (ex. 25g starter /100g flour /100g water)

DAY 2

9 am – Mix Ingredients

9:30 – 11:30 am – Stretch and fold every 30 minutes

5 pm – Preshape

5:30 pm – Inclusions, shape and place in the fridge

DAY 3

Score and bake in the morning

** This schedule is made for a 68-70 degree environment. Higher temperatures will quicken the process. Lower will lengthen the process.

BAKER’S SCHEDULE # 2

DAY 1

Feed starter so that it’s active, bubbly, and at its peak (4-12hrs before mixing dough)

8 pm – Mix Ingredients

8:30 – 10:00 pm – Stretch and fold every 30 minutes

DAY 2

5 am – Preshape

5:30 am – Inclusions, shape and place in the fridge

Score and bake in the evening

** This schedule is made for a 68-70 degree environment. Higher temperatures will quicken the process. Lower will lengthen the process.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread

FEED YOUR SOURDOUGH STARTER:

An active starter can take around 4-12 hours to peak, so adjust to what works best for your situation.

MAKE THE DOUGH:

In a large mixing bowl, add the active sourdough starter and filtered water. Mix with a Danish dough whisk or with your hand until it looks like a milky liquid.

Then, add the flour and salt. Again, mix with a whisk or by hand. Be sure to mix until all of the flour is incorporated. The dough will look shaggy, not like a uniform dough ball.

Let the dough rest for at least a half hour before you move on to the next step.

STRETCH AND FOLDS:

With a bowl scraper, scrape the dough away from the bowl.

Now, with slightly wet hands, grab a section of the dough and stretch the bread dough above your bowl. Then fold it over on top of the dough. 

Rotate your bowl clockwise a quarter of the way and repeat identical stretch and fold. Repeat the process until you come full circle. You will notice the dough will start to look much smoother than before.

Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes. (Now this is super flexible – you don’t have to stretch and fold every 30 minutes on the dot, but every 30 – 60 minutes will do just fine. As I said, it’s flexible).

Repeat the same stretch and folds 3 more times, with at least 30 minutes rest in between each set. 

BULK FERMENTATION:

Now this is the most finicky part of sourdough. There isn’t a set time for your bulk ferment. It is greatly dependent on the temperature of your environment. The warmer it is, the faster your dough will ferment. The opposite is true for cooler temperatures.

In an environment of 68-70 degrees, doughs will typically bulk ferment for 6-9 hours, but again, you will have to look for the signs that your dough is done fermenting, rather than the clock. Warm temperatures will be faster, while cooler will be slower.

Here’s what to look for:

• The dough should have increased in size by at least 50%
• The dough looks light, and jiggles when shaken.
• The dough should easily pull away from the bowl.
• There should be visible bubbles in the dough.
• The dough doesn’t tear when you do a windowpane test

PRE-SHAPE:

With slightly wet fingers, gently release the dough from the sides of the bowl. Be careful not to pop all of those lovely bubbles!

Tilt the bowl and leave gravity to do the work to move the dough on the counter.

Shape the dough by doing another round of stretch and folds until you have gone full circle.

With a bench scraper or your hands, turn the dough upside down, so the seam is now on the counter. Cover the dough with the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.

While you are waiting for the dough to rest, prepare your proofing basket. This can either be a banneton or a small mixing bowl lined with a tea towel. The purpose of this proofing basket is to keep the tight shape that you will create, so make sure you are using a standard bowl that is small enough to help keep the shape.

Dust the banneton or the tea towel with flour (most will say to use rice flour, but I have used just regular all-purpose flour) to prevent sticking.

Final Shape:

After 30 minutes of rest, flip the dough, with the floured side down.

Gently stretch the dough into a large rectangle, this is called lamination technique. Be careful not to stretch any sections of the dough too thinly, as the blueberries will break through.

Spread half of the blueberries and lemon zest over the dough.

Next, take the left side of the dough and fold it towards the middle. Spread 1/2 of the remaining blueberries and lemon zest on top of this new section.

Finally, take the right side of the dough and fold that towards the middle on top of the last section, like a tri-fold. Spread the remaining blueberries and lemon zest on top. Now, roll up the dough, starting with the part of the dough closest to you.

Gently cup your hands around the dough ball. Turn the ball in a clockwise motion about a quarter turn and then softly pull the dough towards you. Do this repeatedly until you see the dough form a tighter and more round shape. Stop if the dough starts to tear. Some blueberries may pop through the dough, this is okay.

With a bench scraper or just your hands, carefully scope up the dough and lay it upside down (smooth side down) into your floured proofing basket and cover it with a plastic bag or a shower cap.

COLD PROOF –

Place your proofing basket in the fridge to cold proof for 8-72 hours.

Placing your dough in the fridge slows down the fermentation process, which deepens the flavors of your loaf. It also gives you flexibility in when you want to bake your bread.

But don’t wait too long! If left in the fridge for too long, your dough will over-ferment, causing the dough to not be able to rise.

SCORE

30 minutes before baking, place the dough in the freezer. This helps with the scoring design.

At the same time, place your Dutch oven in your oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Allow the Dutch oven to preheat for at least 30 minutes.

Place a piece of parchment paper on your workspace and gently flip the banneton upside down over the parchment paper. Since you dusted the banneton, your dough should slowly release and fall onto the parchment paper, landing in the middle with the floured side facing up.

With a lame / razor blade or sharp knife, score a crescent moon shape, or any other scoring design your prefer. This is necessary for your bread to be able to expand while baking.

Grab the corners of the parchment paper and carefully place it into your preheated Dutch Oven and cover with the lid.

Bake the Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Bread covered for 27 minutes. Then remove the lid of the Dutch oven and continue to bake the bread for an additional 10-15 minutes with the lid off. 

Once golden brown, remove the Dutch Oven from your oven. 

Using the corners of the parchment paper, lift the sourdough bread out of the Dutch oven and place it onto a wire rack to cool.

Allow your homemade bread to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into it. (I know!! How can you possibly wait when it looks and smells so good?! But trust me, if you cut in too soon, your masterpiece will turn mushy and gummy.) In the meantime, listen to your loaf “sing” its little tune to you with every crinkle and crack.

Once the hour is up, slice into your work of art, slather on some whipped blueberry honey butter, and enjoy!

Whipped Blueberry Honey Butter

To a bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat together the room temperature butter, mashed blueberries, and honey on high until desired consistency is reached (2-3 minutes).

How to Serve

Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Bread is irresistible when sliced, lightly toasted and topped with salted butter, my whipped blueberry honey butter, honey, or jams!

If you happen to have any parts leftover that is starting to go stale, this Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Loaf makes for incredible French Toast or French Toast Casserole. Substitute plain sourdough with this Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Bread for a refreshing upgrade to a beloved breakfast option. 

Happy Baking!

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