Blueberry Bread with Oat Streusel Topping

My blueberry bread is a sweet, fragrant and berry-licious treat to bake up, especially when fresh blueberries are plentiful. Kissed with lemon for a bit of “zing”, and infused with rich, creamy buttermilk and sour cream, this moist and delicious blueberry bread recipe is finished off with a golden oat streusel topping!

Blueberry Bread, a Sweet, Berry-licious Little Loaf

For me, baking in the warm, summery months is truly a joy, what with the abundance of fresh fruits and bright, colorful berries bursting with sweet juice and loads of flavor.

Fresh blueberries are a beloved berry of mine to bake with, because they are so aromatic and so deliciously plump and sweet, wonderfully holding their shape in seasonal desserts from muffins, to scones, to pie, to fresh compote.

They're also phenomenal in a blueberry bread, one of my favorite desserts to whip up when I'd simply like to have a sweet loaf-style dessert on hand to thickly slice and serve as the craving comes.

My blueberry bread has a slightly lemony essence to it from a kiss of lemon zest, plus some added richness and flavor from melted butter, buttermilk and a hint of sour cream.

The topping is a slightly crisp and golden-brown oat streusel topping, offering a little extra texture, which I love.

Blueberry bread is a mouthwatering, berry-filled indulgence to bake up when you have an extra package or two of fresh blueberries on hand in the fridge, and you're craving the flavor of a seasonal dessert.

With both a little bit of tanginess and just the right amount of sweetness, it's the perfect sliceable goody for summertime!

My Blueberry Bread Recipe with Oat Streusel Topping

I took some inspiration from blueberry muffins for this tasty blueberry bread recipe, incorporating a good amount of rich ingredients that not only add flavor to this dessert, but moisture as well.

This bread has a tender-yet-dense texture, has lots of fresh blueberries along with a slight lemony note, and has just the right amount of sweetness without being overly sweet—it's the perfect seasonal snack!

Here's a sneak peek at my blueberry bread with oat streusel topping recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe below...)

1. I get things started by mixing together my oat streusel toppings in bowl, and keeping that nice and cold in the fridge until I'm ready to top my blueberry bread with it before baking.
2. Next, I whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl, followed by the wet ingredients in another bowl.
3. I add the wet ingredients to the dry, toss my fresh blueberries with a tiny amount of flour (to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of my loaf pan), and fold my blueberries into the batter.
4. The blueberry bread batter is poured into my prepared loaf pan, topped with the oat streusel topping, and is baked for about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
5. I allow the blueberry bread to cool slightly in the pan before turning it out to completely cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Recipe

Blueberry Bread with Oat Streusel Topping

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This blueberry bread is brimming with fresh, juicy blueberries, a kiss of lemon for flavor, plus a sweet oat streusel topping!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 8

Nutrition Info: 471 calories per serving

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Blueberry Bread Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons, divided use
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, room temp
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• Zest of one lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup melted and cooled unsalted butter
• ¾ cup buttermilk, room temp
• ¼ cup sour cream, room temp
• 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries

Oat Streusel Topping Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (slightly heaping) light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
• Pinch salt
• Pinch cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°, and spray a 9 ¼”x 5 ¼” x 2 ½ ” loaf pan lightly with cooking spray.
2. Prepare your streusel topping adding all of the ingredients into a bowl, and cutting in the cold butter with a fork, pasty cutter, or your fingers (I like to use my fingers) until the mixture is crumbly; set aside in the fridge to keep chilled while you prepare your batter.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder and salt; set aside these dry ingredients for a moment.
4. To another bowl, add the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla, and whisk until creamy and well-blended; add in the melted butter, and whisk that in.
5. Add in the buttermilk and the sour cream, and whisk those in until blended.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix carefully just until the batter comes together.
7. Toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour, and then carefully fold them into the batter, just until incorporated.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and crumble over the streusel topping; bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick/wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow bread to cool in loaf pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully turn out of the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Tips & Tidbits for my Blueberry Bread with Oat Streusel Topping:

• Reach for the buttermilk for tender crumb: Using buttermilk and a bit of sour cream helps to create that tender texture and slightly tangy flavor that pairs so well with the blueberries and that zip from the lemon zest. Also, leave these (as well as your eggs) out at room temp for about ½ hour to 1 hour to make for more “even” baking.
• Butter is better: Adding melted butter rather than oil into the batter infuses it with a delicious richness, and adds more flavor as well. Be sure to use unsalted butter here to be able to control the level of salt added into the blueberry bread.
• Fresh is best: Fresh blueberries are best for this loaf since they're naturally juicy, sweet and tangy. But you can substitute frozen blueberries in a pinch. And if using frozen, don't defrost them, as they can become soggy. Also, tossing the blueberries (either fresh or frozen) in a little bit of flour before adding them into the batter will keep them from sinking to the bottom.
• Choose the right size tin: Use a loaf pan that is approximately 9 ¼”x 5 ¼” x 2 ½”. Any smaller and the batter may overflow. (Let's just say that I have some “personal experience” with this, ahem.)
• Turn the pan halfway through baking: Turning the blueberry bread halfway through the baking process will help create even baking. And if the top of your loaf is a little craggy once it's baked, that's perfectly fine.
• How to store leftover blueberry bread: If you happen to have any leftovers, then simply slice and pack into a ziplock bag, and freeze; then, thaw in the fridge for a day or two before serving.

Hungry for more sweet, fruit treats? Check out these Blueberry Scones with Buttermilk Glaze, this Blueberry Compote, these Blueberry Pie bars, or these Blueberry Breakfast Rolls!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2017, and has been updated with even more love!