Lemon Blueberry Bread with Walnuts

Lemon blueberry bread with a golden brown crunchy crust on a wire rack

5 from 21 votes

Lemon Blueberry Bread with Walnuts

This easy lemon blueberry bread with walnuts has a crackly golden crust and a soft, tender crumb loaded with juicy berries and bright, fresh lemon. This one-bowl quick bread needs no mixer and is ready for the oven in about 10 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 436kcal

Author: Jamie

Equipment

Medium Loaf Pan - 1.25lb

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients:

⅔ cup greek yogurt or sour cream full-fat recommended
¾ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour plus additional 1 ½ tablespoons
1 ⅓ cup white sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Add ins:

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries if frozen, do not thaw
1½ cups chopped walnuts toasted optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease your loaf pan.
In a large bowl, add the lemon zest to the sugar and rub it in with your fingertips until the sugar is damp, sandy, and fragrant. This releases the lemon oils for a brighter flavor.
1 ⅓ cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest
Add the Greek yogurt (or sour cream), oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice to the lemon sugar. Whisk until smooth and the sugar has dissolved.
⅔ cup greek yogurt or sour cream, ¾ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. Do not overmix.
2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
In a separate small bowl, toss the blueberries with the reserved 1½ tablespoons of flour until lightly coated. This keeps them from sinking.
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Gently fold the floured blueberries and walnuts into the batter until they're just combined.
1½ cups chopped walnuts
Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, until the top is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the crust darkens too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Pan size and bake time: Two small loaf pans run about 50 to 60 minutes; one medium 1.25lb loaf pan runs about 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45 minutes.

Blueberries: Frozen berries work great straight from the freezer. Don't thaw them, or they'll streak the batter. Coat fresh berries in flour right after washing.

Toasting walnuts: Toast at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes before chopping for deeper flavor and better crunch.

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Optional glaze: Whisk powdered sugar with fresh lemon juice and drizzle over the cooled loaf.

Nutrition