Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread Recipe – Easy Homemade Loaf
Learn how to make this delicious Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread, which has a soft, fluffy crumb and a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavours. This easy homemade loaf is packed with fresh lemon zest and juicy blueberries, making it a great treat for any time of day.
What to Eat with Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread
This bread is perfect on its own, but it’s also great paired with a few simple toppings. Try it with butter or cream cheese for breakfast. You can also toast it and add a little honey or jam for a sweet treat. If you’re looking for a light snack, a slice with your favourite tea or coffee is always a good choice. The tangy lemon and sweet blueberries make it a versatile option that works any time of day!
Why Should You Make Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread?
This sourdough Bread is perfect for anyone who loves a lemony, fruity sweet treat. The tangy lemon and sweet blueberries come together for a flavour that’s hard to beat. With a soft, fluffy inside and a crispy crust, it’s a loaf you’ll keep reaching for. Whether you’re new to sourdough or an experienced baker, this recipe is simple and gives you a loaf that’s full of flavour!
How to Store This Loaf
To keep your Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread fresh, I like to slice the loaf and store the pieces in a Ziploc bag in the freezer (only if I don’t eat it within 2 days!). If I’m planning to enjoy it sooner, I just leave it on the counter in my bread box, where it stays fresh for up to 3-4 days. Either way, it’s easy to keep your loaf tasting great!
Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Loaf
Equipment
- Large glass or ceramic mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Kitchen towel or plastic wrap
- Dough whisk or wooden spoon
- Bench scraper
- Medium-sized bowl or banneton
- Parchment paper
- Scoring tool or knife
- Dutch oven
- Cookie sheet
- Bread Knife
- Ingredients
- Lemon Zester
- Lemon Juicer
Ingredients
- 125 grams of active sourdough starter
- 325 grams of room temperature filtered water
- 500 grams of bread flour or all-purpose unbleached flour
- 10 grams of salt
- zest of 3 lemons
- 150 grams fresh blueberries
- 60 grams white sugar
Instructions
Feed your Starter
- Before you begin, you will need to feed your sourdough starter.
- I recommend feeding your starter 4-8 hours before you plan to prep your dough.
- I usually feed my starter a 1:2:2 ratio. I start with 50 grams of starter in my jar and feed it 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water.
Step 1: Mixing your Dough
- In a large bowl, combine the sourdough starter and water. Stir until the starter is dissolved.
- You will be left with a milky consistency.
- Add the flour and salt. Mix until you are left with no flour pockets.
- *Tip* I like to use my dough whisk to mix the dough, and then I use my hands to make sure everything is fully incorporated
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 hour.
Step 2: Stretch and Folds
- Perform 3-4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes. Keep the dough covered between sets.
- To stretch and fold, lift one side of the dough, stretch it upwards, and fold it over the center. Repeat on all sides.
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation
- After completing the stretch and folds, cover the bowl and leave it at room temperature until bubbles form and the dough rises (3-12 hours, depending on the temperature).
- This will be trial and error. Your bulk fermentation time is dependent on your climate and the temperature of your house.
Step 4: Incorporating the Inclusions + Shaping the Loaf
- Flour your countertop and transfer the dough onto it. Gently stretch the dough into a large rectangle—this is called laminating. Be careful not to tear the dough.
- Sprinkle the majority of the lemon zest, sugar, and blueberries evenly over the surface.
- Fold one side of the rectangle into the center, then fold the other side on top, like a letter fold.
- Sprinkle more of the inclusions over the folded dough.
- Fold the dough again by bringing the top and bottom edges toward the center, creating a burrito shape.
- Sprinkle the remaining lemon zest, sugar, and blueberries on top of the dough before rolling it up to form a log.
- Perform gentle push-and-pull movements to create tension on the surface of the dough. If you need help with this step, I have a tutorial on my TikTok (@therapybysourdough).
- Place the dough in a floured banneton or towel-lined bowl, seam side up. Cover and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Refrigerate for 4-24 hours. (A longer fermentation enhances the sour flavor and makes it easier to digest.)
Step 5: Score + Bake
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with the Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes.
- Gently flip your dough onto parchment paper. The seam side will be sitting on the parchment paper.
- To flour the top of the loaf, use Thai rice flour or the flour you used to make the dough.
- Use a scoring tool or a knife to make a large cut along the side of the dough. This allows the gases to escape while it bakes. If you miss this step, your loaf could explode!
- You can add pretty designs if you would like. Pinterest has excellent inspiration pictures!
- Transfer it to the preheated Dutch oven.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes.
- *Tip* place a cookie sheet on the rack below your Dutch oven while your loaf bakes to prevent the bottom from burning
Step 6: Cool off and enjoy! Congratulations on your gorgeous loaf!
- Take your dough out of the oven and let it cool for at least an hour before cutting into it (if you don’t wait your bread may end up being gummy)
- Enjoy!!!
Don’t have a sourdough starter? No Problem! Check out my beginner-friendly sourdough starter guide.
Having trouble with your sourdough starter? Here are some ways to troubleshoot to get a super strong sourdough starter!
Need to stock up on sourdough essentials? Check out my sourdough must haves!
YUM!!!
I made this and instantly hid it from my family, it was my afternoon tea snack, so delicious toasted with some honey, mmmmmm. The way my house smelled while it was baking, my goodness, you’d think I’d died and gone to heaven! 🌼
Made this one for my work team and everyone LOVED it!!
I found the tips were super helpful for making this one especially adding in a more watery substance like blueberries!
Would you recommend using fresh or frozen blueberries next time?
Highly recommend the TikTok! helped me so much to figure out my bulk fermentation… no more flat sourdough!!!!
Omg so good!! Delish as French toast !