Hamdi Saidani Pioneer Woman Lemon Blueberry Bread is a tender, golden quick bread loaded with juicy blueberries and real lemon flavor from zest rubbed right into the sugar before it even hits the batter. No mixer needed, and the whole loaf is baked and glazed in about 3 hours.
Oil and sour cream keep this lemon blueberry loaf incredibly moist for days, and a thick lemon glaze poured over the top seals in all that brightness. It honestly tastes even better the next morning with coffee.
Why Rub the Lemon Zest Into the Sugar
This little step makes a huge difference. When you rub fresh lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your hands, the friction breaks open the oils trapped in the zest and releases them directly into the sugar crystals.
That means every grain of sugar carries real lemon flavor before it even touches the rest of the batter. If you skip this and just toss the zest in, you’ll get a bread that smells like lemon but doesn’t really taste like it.
Can You Use Frozen Blueberries
Yes, but thaw them first and pat them very dry with paper towels. Frozen blueberries carry a lot of extra moisture, and if you fold them in wet, they’ll turn the batter purple and create soggy pockets in the loaf.
Tossing them in that tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter helps too. The flour coating absorbs surface moisture and keeps the berries from sinking straight to the bottom.
Lemon Blueberry Bread Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 3 lemons, plus 5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon yellow liquid food coloring, about 4 drops (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, about 8 ounces
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
How To Make Pioneer Woman Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Mix the Batter: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with oil. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl and rub the zest into the sugar with your hands until fragrant. Whisk in the sour cream, eggs, oil, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and food coloring if using. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, then gently fold in the blueberries.
- Bake the Bread: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Cover the loaf with foil after 40 minutes to keep the top from browning too much.
- Cool Completely: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip it onto a wire rack and turn it right-side up. Cool completely, about 1 hour. The glaze won’t set properly on a warm loaf, so don’t rush this step.
- Make the Lemon Glaze: Stir together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add water a teaspoon at a time until the glaze is thick but pourable. It should coat the back of a spoon without running off immediately.
- Glaze and Set: Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the bread sit for about 30 minutes so the glaze sets before you slice into it.
Glass Pan or Metal Pan
A glass loaf pan gives you a flatter, more even top, which is great if you want a smooth surface for the glaze to pool on. A metal pan heats faster and pushes the batter up higher in the center, so you’ll get more of a dome shape.
Either one works. The texture and taste are the same. Just know the loaf will look slightly different depending on which you grab.
Why Cover It with Foil Halfway Through
This lemon blueberry bread bakes for a full hour or longer, and the top will get too dark if you leave it uncovered the entire time. Tenting a sheet of foil over the pan after about 40 minutes blocks direct heat from the top while the center finishes baking through.
Don’t press the foil down onto the bread. Just lay it loosely over the pan so air can still circulate. You want a golden crust, not a burned one.
What Makes This Loaf So Moist
Two things: oil and sour cream. Oil-based quick breads stay softer longer than butter-based ones because oil doesn’t solidify at room temperature the way butter does. The sour cream adds even more moisture plus a subtle tang that pairs perfectly with lemon.
This is why the loaf actually tastes better the next day. The crumb absorbs all that lemony moisture overnight and turns even more tender.
How To Store
Keep the loaf at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Don’t put it in the fridge, because cold air dries out quick breads fast. If you need to keep it longer, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slices in the microwave for a few seconds.
Nutrition
- Calories: 375 kcal
- Total Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 57 mg
- Sodium: 214 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 57 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 39 g
- Protein: 4 g
Try More Recipes
Pioneer Woman Lemon Blueberry Bread
Description
Pioneer Woman Lemon Blueberry Bread is a tender, golden quick bread loaded with juicy blueberries and real lemon flavor from zest rubbed right into the sugar before it even hits the batter. No mixer needed, and the whole loaf is baked and glazed in about 3 hours.
Oil and sour cream keep this lemon blueberry loaf incredibly moist for days, and a thick lemon glaze poured over the top seals in all that brightness. It honestly tastes even better the next morning with coffee.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Mix the Batter: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with oil. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl and rub the zest into the sugar with your hands until fragrant. Whisk in the sour cream, eggs, oil, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and food coloring if using. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, then gently fold in the blueberries.
- Bake the Bread: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Cover the loaf with foil after 40 minutes to keep the top from browning too much.
- Cool Completely: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip it onto a wire rack and turn it right-side up. Cool completely, about 1 hour. The glaze won’t set properly on a warm loaf, so don’t rush this step.
- Make the Lemon Glaze: Stir together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add water a teaspoon at a time until the glaze is thick but pourable. It should coat the back of a spoon without running off immediately.
- Glaze and Set: Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the bread sit for about 30 minutes so the glaze sets before you slice into it.
