Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread

Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread is a bright spring treat with fresh blueberries, lemon zest, and a sweet lemony glaze. Sweetened with honey, this bread makes a yummy and wholesome breakfast or snack. Plus, it’s a great way to use up your sourdough discard!

Lemon and blueberries are a match made in heaven don’t you think? The citrusy tang of lemons complements the sweetness of blueberries so well. With such vibrant colors, they look absolutely stunning together and make you think of spring. Whether you’re enjoying some sunshine in May or dreaming of warm weather in November, this lemon blueberry sourdough bread is sure to bring a little hint of spring to your day.

What is sourdough discard?

Sourdough discard is the portion of sourdough starter you would normally throw away when you feed your starter. If you don’t discard your starter when you feed it, you’ll actually hinder its growth and activity. If you feed it the same amount, but there’s more of it, the starter won’t get enough nutrients and as a result be less active.

Generally, sourdough discard is no longer active, meaning it won’t make your baked goods rise. However, you can still use it for baking – for example, you can make muffins, cakes, tortillas, cookies, bagels, scones, pie crust, brownies, and crackers with it. In these recipes, baking powder or soda is used as the leavening agent, to make your treats rise. Sourdough discard recipes are a great way to use up any leftover starter you have on hand at the end of the week!

Tips for making Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread:

• When measuring out wet, sticky ingredients, such as sourdough discard or honey, I’ve found it can be helpful to lightly spray the measuring cups with baking spray first. This will prevent as much of the ingredient from sticking to the measuring cup, giving you a more accurate measurement.
• This recipe uses coconut oil to keep the lemon bread dairy-free, but you could also use butter or another neutral oil instead if you prefer.
• Make sure to let the blueberries thaw out if you’re using them from your freezer. If you don’t, they will release water as they bake in the oven, and your bread will turn out mushy.
• With quick breads, it’s easy for the outside to get brown quickly while the inside is still doughy. To avoid this, use the convection setting on your oven – it will help the bread cook all the way through and will also allow for more even browning.
• Store this bread in an air-tight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
• You can also freeze this bread if you like! Let it cool completely, then transfer it to a zip-lock bag or wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

Tools you will need:

To make this bread, you’ll need two mixing bowls, measuring cups, a spatula, a lemon zester, and a loaf pan.

Ingredients you will need

For the bread batter:

• 1 cup flour – All-purpose will likely taste the best, but you can substitute some whole-wheat or einkorn flour if you want.
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter – This can be active or discard because the baking soda and baking powder will make it rise.
• 1/2 cup coconut oil – If you’re not a fan of coconut oil, you can also use butter instead. Make sure it’s softened though!
• 1/2 cup honey – It adds some flavor in addition to sweetness that works so well with the blueberries and lemon.
• 1 egg – Set it out on the counter for a few hours before you make this bread so that it can come to room temperature.
• Zest of 1 lemon – This is the best part!
• 1 cup blueberries – They can be fresh or frozen. If you’re using frozen blueberries though, let them thaw before you bake this bread or else they will make your batter too watery.
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda – This works to make the bread rise, so your starter doesn’t need to be active.
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder – This helps the bread rise too!
• 1/4 tsp salt – Kosher salt works well.

For the lemon glaze:

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar – Also called confectioner’s sugar.
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice – Just use the lemon you zested for the batter 🙂

How to make Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread

Preheat your oven to 350 Fahrenheit, and use the convection setting if you have it.

Crack the egg into a medium bowl and whisk it together with the coconut oil, honey, lemon zest, and sourdough starter. Make sure to stir the batter together well so that there are no lumps of sourdough starter left.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. You don’t want to over-mix the batter because it will make the bread less fluffy and light.

Fold in the blueberries gently to avoid over-mixing the batter and to avoid smashing them if they’re very ripe.

Pour the bread batter into a greased loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake the bread for about 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

While the bread cools, stir together 1/3 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tbsp of lemon juice to make the glaze.

Remove the loaf from the pan and drizzle with the lemon glaze.

Looking for more sourdough discard recipes?

If so, make sure you check out the Kitchen Counter for baking ideas. Here are a few recipes to get you started:

• Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
• Sourdough Zucchini Bread
• Sourdough Dutch Baby
• Sourdough Coffee Cake
• Sourdough Crepes
• Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

If you make this recipe and enjoy it, let me know in the comments section below! You can also tag me on instagram @oldfashionedinspiration with a picture of your creation.