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Picking blueberries with my kids in the summertime is one of my favorite traditions—especially when we get to come home and bake together. You’re going to love how light and flavorful this Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Bread is. Whether you spread it with butter or toast it up for a blueberry breakfast or snack, it’s always a hit.
Loosely based on my classic sourdough bread recipe, this version is packed with fresh blueberries and bright lemon zest. I tested and re-tested this loaf with different amounts and flavor combinations and finally landed on this one—for the perfect pop of flavor and just the right touch of subtle sweetness.
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Bread
- Sourdough Inclusions – A little pop of blueberry and lemon flavor really make this loaf special. If you are looking for more mix-in ideas, like my Funfetti Sourdough loaf of Sweet Strawberry Sourdough loaf, check out this post with top 10 sourdough mix-in ideas.
- Zesty Flavor – I love the way lemons and blueberries go together for the perfect bright flavor profile. If you are craving more blueberry lemon goodness, then try these Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Sweet Rolls or this Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Focaccia.
- Breakfast Favorite – Just like my Cranberry Pecan Artisan Sourdough Bread, this artisan loaf makes the perfect loaf to serve on your breakfast table.
Important Ingredients
- Sourdough Starter: Use an active/ripe sourdough starter (doubled in size/bubbly/mild sour aroma) to mix the levain.
- Blueberries: Don’t use frozen blueberries in this recipe – fresh blueberries really make a big difference!
- Sugar: I’ve made this loaf with and without the sugar (you can leave it out if you want!), but I love the bit of added sweetness the sugar brings to the loaf.
- Bread Flour: I almost always use a 12.5% protein bread flour for my breads. This blueberry lemon sourdough has a high water content and needs to be paired with strong (higher protein) flour. If you don’t have bread flour and substitute all-purpose, you will need to reduce some of the water in the recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Substitutions
- Levain: Equal amounts of ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter can be substituted for the levain in this recipe.
- Blueberries: I think this recipe works best with fresh. You can substitute dried blueberries if you prefer. Soak the dried blueberries OR increase the water in this recipe by about 20 grams.
- Lemon Zest: If you don’t have lemon zest, leave it out for a delicious blueberry loaf.
Sourdough Baker’s Timeline
A sample baking schedule helps me when baking with sourdough. Sourdough takes much longer to rise than commercial yeast bread. This schedule helps me plan my bake.
A few notes: This schedule assumes the dough temperature is 78°F throughout the process. If you’d like to make the bread all on the same day, skip the cold fermentation and let the dough rise for a few hours in a banneton before baking.
| Day 1 | Levain/Mixing/Bulk Fermentation/Shaping/Cold Fermentation |
| 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Mix Levain. Let sit at 78°F for about 3-4 hours until doubled/bubbly and ripe. |
| 12:00 PM | Mix Dough |
| 12:30 PM | Stretch and Fold #1 |
| 1:00 PM | Stretch and Fold #2 Add Blueberries |
| 1:30 PM | Stretch and Fold #3 |
| 2:00 PM | Stretch and Fold #4 |
| 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM | Bulk Fermentation Continued |
| 4:30 PM | Pre-Shape the Dough |
| 5:00 PM | Shape and begin cold fermentation |
| Day 2 | Bake |
| 9:00 AM | Preheat Dutch oven |
| 9:15 AM | Score and Bake |
If you are new to sourdough, learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch and how a sourdough starter works in my Free Sourdough Beginner Guide. Using naturally fermented sourdough will take much longer, but you will love the fermentation benefits and the flavor!
How to Make Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Bread
Mix the Levain
Step 1: Mix Levain. Combine ripe sourdough starter with water and flour to prepare your levain (Image 1). Let rise until bubbly and active (Image 2).
Do you have to use a levain in this recipe? No. I prefer it, but if you have a well-maintained and frequently refreshed sourdough starter, you can substitute it in place of the levain in the recipe. You can also change the feeding ratio of your starter/levain to make it ready when you need it.
Mix the Dough
Step 2: Mix Dough. Combine ripe levain with water, sugar, and lemon zest (Images 3 & 4). Add salt and bread flour. Mix together using a dough whisk or spoon until a wet and sticky dough forms and the ingredients are fully combined (Images 5 & 6).
Note: If you want an even stronger dough, you can add an autolyse or fermentolyse to this recipe, or give it some extra folds or a few minutes of slap and folds, like I do in my classic sourdough bread.
Bulk Fermentation: Stretch and Folds and first rise
Step 3: Bulk Fermentation. Over the course of about two hours, perform a series of “stretch and folds” every 30 minutes. Add the fresh blueberries during the second set of stretch and folds (Images 7 & 8). For each stretch and fold, pull the dough from the bottom of the bowl and fold it over onto itself. Turn the bowl and repeat from each side (Images 9 &10). Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes between each set of stretch and folds.
Step 4: Rise. Then let the covered dough rest until puffed up, and risen about 40% (assuming 78-80ºF dough temperature).
Note: Colder dough will take longer to rise and will need to rise more than 40% before lamination and shaping. Look for scattered bubbles and a jiggly dough before moving to the next step.
Shape the Dough
Step 5: Bench Rest. Gently introduce tension into the dough by shaping into a circle and setting the dough on the countertop. Let the dough rest uncovered for about 30 minutes on the countertop (Image 11).
Step 6: Shape. Pull the dough sideways towards you and fold around in a circular shape, increasing the tension as you pull (Images 12, 13, & 14). Gather the bread into a circle and place into a lined or lightly floured bowl or banneton.
Cold Ferment and Proofing
Step 7: Cold Fermentation. Cover the banneton and refrigerate overnight (Image 15) for a cold fermentation. As the dough gradually cools to the refrigerator’s temperature, it should continue to rise slightly (Image 16).
Want to bake the same day? Skip cold fermentation. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm 78-80°F place for about 2-3 hours until puffed up, jiggly and risen. Preheat the Dutch oven, score and bake.
Bake the Bread
Step 8: Score. Score the sourdough loaf with a few simple cuts from a sharp knife or bread lame (Image 17).
Step 9: Bake. Preheat a Dutch oven (top and all) at 450°F for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the 450°F oven. Take the lid off and place your bread into the Dutch oven. Bake covered at 425°F for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the lid off the Dutch oven and lower the temperature again to 400ºF for the remainder of the bake. Let cool before enjoying (Image 18).
Amy’s Tip: This loaf can also be baked in a loaf pan if you don’t have a Dutch oven or want even slices for breakfast.
How to Store Leftovers
After the blueberry lemon loaf has cooled completely, slice it up into pieces. Place sliced bread in a plastic bag, push air out and freeze. This bread toasts up well straight from the freezer into the toaster or defrosts well to enjoy a slice later.
Amy’s Recipe Tip
Sometimes a blueberry will stick out as you shape the bread. That’s okay, just push it back in the dough, doing your best to keep the inclusions inside the dough and not on the outside (or they will burn).
Frequently Asked Questions
You can add a little, but keep in mind that lemon juice is acidic and can interfere with the fermentation process.
While it sounds delicious, it’s not very food-safe unless the dough and the baked loaf are each left out for less than two hours. I prefer to skip adding cream cheese inside the dough and instead spread it on a warm or toasted slice. Still just as delicious, without the food safety concerns!
I don’t recommend using frozen blueberries in this bread. They’ll lower the dough’s temperature and release too much moisture, which can affect the texture. Fresh blueberries work best—they hold their shape during shaping and burst open in the oven, creating a jammy, blueberry-filled loaf. You could also try soaked dried blueberries as an alternative.
Adding inclusions into sourdough bread is one of the fun ways to experiment and make some really tasty and delicious loaves of bread. Here are 10 of my favorite sourdough add-ins—you’ve got to try them!
Popular Sourdough Bread Recipes
If you tried this Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Loaf or any other recipe on my website leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Happy Baking!
Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Bread
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Ingredients
Levain (1:1:1 ratio, 3-4 hours peak at 78-80ºF)
- 45 grams sourdough starter ripe, bubbly and active , about 3 Tablespoons
- 45 grams all-purpose or bread flour , about 6 Tablespoons
- 45 grams water , about 3 Tablespoons
Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Bread
- 120 grams levain ripe, bubbly and active, about ½ cup, see recipe notes
- 330 grams water, 1 cup plus 6 Tablespoons
- 55 grams granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup
- 12 grams lemon zest, about 2 Tablespoons from 2 medium-sized lemons
- 10 grams salt, about 1.5 teaspoons
- 500 grams bread flour, about 3.5 cups
- 150 grams fresh blueberries, about 1 cup
Instructions
Levain (1:1:1 ratio, 3-4 hours peak at 78-80ºF)
- Mix together ripe/active sourdough starter with all-purpose or bread flour and water. Cover loosely and let sit 3-4 hours at 78-80°F until doubled, bubbly & peaked.Note: If you have a ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter that is fed equal parts flour and water – you can substitute 120 grams of it for the levain in this recipe.
Blueberry Lemon Sourdough Bread (78-80ºF dough temperature throughout the bulk fermentation)
- Mix Dough: To a large bowl, mix together ripe levain with water, granulated sugar and lemon zest. Whisk together. Then add salt and bread flour. Mix together using a dough whisk or spoon until a wet and sticky dough forms and the ingredients are fully combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Folds: After the dough has rested, you will perform a series of “stretch and folds” over the next 1 ½ hours. The goal is to strengthen the dough through a gentle kneading process. You will also add the blueberries into the dough during this process which will evenly disperse them throughout the dough. To “stretch and fold,” wet your hand (so it doesn’t stick to the dough). Reach around the dough down to the bottom of the bowl, pull the dough up and over and place it on top of the dough. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Turn another quarter turn and repeat. Perform one more quarter turn, stretching and folding the dough. Cover and set aside. Take note of how the dough feels through this process. It will go from feeling a little shaggy to smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and wait about 30 minutes between stretch and folds.
- Stretch and fold #1: 30 minutes into bulk fermentationStretch and fold #2: 30 minutes later, the dough will spread out. Add the fresh blueberries. Stretch and fold again, beginning to incorporate the blueberries into the dough.Stretch and fold #3: 30 minutes later, stretch and fold again. The blueberries will continue dispersing throughout the dough. Be gentle so you don't squash the berries, releasing their juices. We want the blueberries to stay as whole as possible.Stretch and fold #4: 30 minutes later, stretch and fold again. You should notice the dough feeling more cohesive and strong during this stretch and fold and not needing very much folding to come together. If your dough still feels loose, add in another couple stretch and folds to help strengthen and tighten the gluten strands.
- Rest: Cover the dough and let rise for 2-2.5 more hours at 78ºF. You’ll know the dough is ready to shape when the dough is puffed up about 40%, jiggles when you shake the bowl, and has scattered bubbles visible on the sides and top. If your dough is cooler, this will take longer and you will want to look for a larger percentage rise before shaping the dough.
- Pre-shape: Tip the bowl upside down, allowing the dough to fall onto a clean counter surface. Be gentle to avoid degassing the dough as much as possible. Wet your hands and the bench knife if needed and push the bench knife under the dough on one side and your free hand on the other side to tuck the dough under itself. The goal is to introduce some tension into the dough. Repeat this process, going around in a circle until you have a ball of dough. Do your best not to break any of the blueberries open.
- Bench Rest: Let the dough rest uncovered for about 30 minutes at room temperature. The dough will flatten a little as it sits. This allows the gluten in the dough to relax and prepares the dough to be shaped.
- Shaping: Prepare a bowl or banneton. Place a kitchen towel or hair net in the bowl and liberally flour as needed. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough if desired. Using a bench knife, lift the dough up off the counter and place it on top of the countertop – floured side down. This ensures that the flour is staying mainly on the outside of the dough. Going around in a circle, pull the dough sideways towards you and then fold up to the top of the round. Move 90 degrees and repeat the same process pulling the dough sideways and then folding up to the top. As you continue this process around the dough, increase the tension as you pull. Gather the bread into a circle and place into a lined bowl. If any of the blueberries pop out of the bread, remove them or stick them on the bottom side of the bread dough.Note: It is possible to shape the dough without any extra flour. The dough can stick to the kitchen towel but doesn't stick to the hair nets if cold proofed.
- Cold Fermentation: Cover the dough with the tea towel/shower cap/plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 14-20 hours. If you want to bake the same day, you can let the dough rise for about 2-3 hours until puffed up and risen. Then bake according to recipe directions.
- Preheat the oven: Put a Dutch oven (top and all) into the oven and preheat to 450°F for 20 minutes. You are working with very high temperatures, so make sure you have some good hot pads. Once preheated for 20 minutes, pull the loaf out of the refrigerator. Remove the covering. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. Flip the dough over so it is now sitting on the parchment paper. Take off the bowl/banneton and the kitchen towel.
- Scoring: Use a very sharp knife or bread lame to score the dough. Take the bread lame and score on one side of the dough, at a shallow angle about 30º and 1 inch deep. Score straight from the refrigerator on the cold dough for best results. This is not a loaf for intricate scoring – the blueberries will burst during baking which will be the focal point of your loaf.
- Baking: Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the 450°F oven. Take the lid off and place your bread into the Dutch oven (including parchment paper – this helps with the transfer). Put the lid on and put it back in the oven. Lower the temperature to 425°F and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the lid off the Dutch oven and lower the temperature again to 400ºF for the remainder of the bake. The sugar in the dough can lead to a crispier crust, so I like to decrease the temperature for the last 20 minutes of baking. Once the loaf reaches 200-210ºF, remove the bread from the Dutch oven to a cooling rack and let the bread cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the greatest thing i’ve ever tasted!
Thanks for the review! I’m glad it was delicious!
Thanks for the awesome recipe. I used frozen wild blueberries (they’re super small) coated in flour, and added during shaping. Loaf turned out great, next time I will lower hydration if using frozen berries.
Thanks for sharing!
I followed the recipe but baked 3 mini loaves instead of 1 large loaf if bread. I also made a lemon glaze out of powdered sugar and lemon juice. This recipe turned out perfect.
Thanks for the review! I’m glad the recipe turned out perfect.
Just had a slice. Delicious. I used frozen blueberries that I let sit out to remove most of the juice. It worked!
Thanks for sharing!
When do you add the lemon zest?
The lemon zest is added when the dough is mixed together initially (step 1 of mixing the dough). Happy baking!
Can this be cold proofed beyond the 20 hours? what about 36? thanks!
The longer you go, the more you risk overproofing your dough, which can impact the rise in the oven. It should still taste good though, so I would do whatever works for you!
This bread is soooo good! Easy to make too. I’ve got 4 loaves under my mixer 😆. I’ve shared it at work with other Amy bread. Tuesdays are bread day at work.
Thanks for the review!
leaving the blueberries hole is definitely a little challenging but worked beautifully. however, I did notice that the middle of my dough had no blueberries. I’m wondering if I can shove some in the middle when shaping so that they don’t all puff out to the edge.
When you’re shaping, you can gently press a small handful into the center of the dough before you finish tightening the loaf. Just try not to overwork the dough so you don’t lose too much of the air you built during bulk fermentation. Another trick is to scatter a few extra berries over the dough right before the final fold or roll during shaping, which helps distribute them more evenly throughout the loaf.
Wow, this was only my 4th loaf of sourdough and I followed your recipe and instructions exactly although my bulk ferment was much longer. It was so delicious. I am so excited to try other recipes from your site.
Thanks for the review! And welcome to this sourdough community.
Delicious!! My family loves this one!
Can I add more blueberries? If so, how many grams?
Yes – if you want more blueberries, I’d say it is up to your personal preference how many more you want to add. I’d be careful not to overload it, but you can make that call as to how many you like.
my apologies I found where to add the lemon zest
Great! Happy baking!