Adapted from this blueberry muffins recipe, this blueberry muffin bread is soft, moist, and loaded with blueberries. Since there’s no individual muffins, this muffin batter goes from the mixing bowl to the oven in minutes. Though this quick bread is outstanding on its own, a swirl of blueberry jam and sprinkle of crumble topping create an outstanding crust.
I’m always on the lookout for quick and easy recipes that double as breakfast and snack. Banana bread, morning glory muffins, and zucchini bread are my usual defaults, but in an effort to break out of routine, blueberry muffin bread is now in the line-up.
What is Blueberry Muffin Bread?
Glad you asked. Blueberry muffin bread is exactly what it sounds like… blueberry muffins baked as bread. This is a quick bread recipe, so there’s no yeast required. Blueberry muffin bread is soft, moist, and completely overloaded with blueberries. Enjoy it warm from the oven or straight out of the refrigerator. It also freezes beautifully!
Blueberry Muffins in a Loaf Pan
Any muffin recipe yielding around 12 standard size muffins doubles as a quick bread recipe. Today we’re using my blueberry muffins, which is actually my master muffin recipe. This particular muffin batter creates 1,000s of muffin varieties including cranberry orange muffins, peach muffins, and apple cinnamon muffins. For the muffin bread, I added a little more flour to ensure this was a nice big loaf.
Now we can create plenty of quick bread recipes too! For example, swap blueberries for chocolate chips and you have an easy chocolate chip quick bread.
Blueberry Muffin Bread Ingredients
Like pound cake and biscuits, blueberry muffin bread is another example of how extremely basic ingredients easily transform into an absolutely delicious recipe.
- Butter: Butter is the base and produces a soft cakey crumb. If desired, swap with solid coconut oil.
- Sugar: Use a mix of granulated and brown sugar for flavor. A dry unrefined sugar, such as coconut sugar, works too. I don’t recommend a liquid sweetener.
- Eggs: 2 eggs work their magic providing structure and overall richness.
- Sour Cream or Yogurt: Plain low fat or full fat sour cream or yogurt add exceptional moisture, as well as the necessary acid for the baking soda.
- Vanilla & Salt: Flavor flavor flavor.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the workhorse of quick breads like apple cinnamon bread and zucchini bread. I don’t typically bake with gluten free flours, but let me know if you try any that work.
- Leaveners: Both baking soda and baking powder add necessary lift. Remember the differences in baking powder vs baking soda and why we use both in some recipes?
- Milk: The blueberry muffin bread would be flat and heavy without milk.
2 Optional Extras!
The blueberry muffin bread is completely awesome on its own. But if you want to take things up a notch, add one or both:
- Blueberry Jam: Swirl 2 Tablespoons of blueberry jam into the batter.
- Crumble Topping: Simply combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Sprinkle on top before baking.
The pictured bread includes both. See my recipe notes for detailed instructions.
Enjoying your slices with a swipe of homemade honey butter is fantastic here, too!
Blueberry Muffin Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Adapted from my favorite Blueberry Muffins, this blueberry muffin bread is soft, moist, and loaded with blueberries. Since there’s no individual muffins, this muffin batter goes from the mixing bowl to the oven in minutes. Though this quick bread is outstanding on its own, a swirl of blueberry jam and sprinkle of crumble topping create an outstanding crust.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (80ml) milk, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) fresh blueberries*
- optional: 2 Tablespoons blueberry jam and/or crumb topping (see recipe note)
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or coat with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract on medium speed until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients and milk into the wet ingredients and beat until no flour pockets remain. Fold in the blueberries.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan. See note if adding streusel or blueberry jam swirl. Bake for 60-65 minutes, loosely covering the bread with aluminum foil at the 30 minute mark to help prevent the top and sides from getting too brown. A toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf will come out clean when the bread is done. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
- Cover and store bread at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cool baked muffin bread completely. Tightly wrap the loaf or slices (individually or grouped) in 2 layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place wrapped bread in a large freezer-friendly storage bag or reusable container. Freeze for up to 3-4 months. Thaw wrapped or unwrapped in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Cooling Rack
- Sour Cream: Plain yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream. Unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana may also be used.
- Blueberries: Fresh blueberries are best. I do not suggest frozen blueberries. If you need to use them, do not thaw, add another 2 Tablespoons of flour to the dry ingredients, and extend the bake time.
- Why is everything at room temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. See my post on the importance of room temperature ingredients for more information.
- Blueberry Jam or Crumble Topping: If desired, swirl 2 Tablespoons blueberry jam (or any flavor) into the top of the loaf before baking. A crumble topping adds a lovely crunch. Simply combine 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, then using a fork, mix in 2 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter until crumbles form. Sprinkle over loaf before baking.
- Adapted from Blueberry Muffins with a *little* extra flour and milk to produce a nice large loaf.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Love this recipe! I’ve been using it as quick bread base for lots of other fruits and veg – apples, zucchini, pears.
First time I made it I didn’t have yogurt or SC, so, I used a bar of cream cheese. DECADENT! Just needed an extra 10 in oven, covered loosely with foil. Second making I used Greek yogurt and it was great too. Third time, I used regular yogurt and it was not as moist.
Also, added 2 T orange zest to blueberry bread. Def adds a little something extra.
All in all, great recipe! Thank you! Cheers!
Hey Sally, can I simply use chico chips instead of blueberries? Is there anything else I need to change if I do that?
Hi Sue, you sure can. No other changes needed. Enjoy!
The most incredible blueberry muffin recipe on the planet. I used nonfat plain greek yogurt and oatmilk. My friends are raving about them and asking for more. I also made some with cranberries. Can’t stop eating them.
I hace made this recipie 4 times and i Lovera it , Its great
Well I made this exactly as the recipe and it turned out great, the vast majority of people who have commented have had great success with it, so I find it strange you said it turned out awful.
Cooking technique maybe???
Made as per recipe and it turned out Great, rose perfectly, was nice and moist and a great alternative to muffins.
The next time I make it, I’m going to swirl in two tablespoons of Lime and Lemon Marmalade to see how it turns out as I’ve used lemon zest/Juice in blueberry muffins before and it adds a nice twist
Sally! Thank you for this recipe. It is absolutely delicious. I cannot wait to try this recipe over and over and add my own twist to it. I might make a blueberry banana bread next. But this recipe…WOW.
This recipe is sooo good. I made it for other people, but ended up sneaking so many pieces that I probably ate more than half of it 🙂 Highly recommend the crumble on top – it really takes it to the next level.
Hi Sally,
Can cake flour be used? Or a mixture of all purpose and cake flour?
Hi Laura, I don’t recommend it. Cake flour is a little too light to hold up to this thick batter.
Salley can lemon be added and if so how much zest and juice? I loved,loved, loved this and so didn’t my family neighbors and friends. Seems like I’m always baking something with the grandkids, especially with Covid.
can i use blueberry comstock? same amount? fresh bluederries are hard to find here in the Philippines
Hi Sally,
I only have a container of Chobani brand Greek blueberry flavored yogurt on hand (it’s not the fruit on the bottom kind). Would that work?
Hi Laura, It should work for a sweeter tasting bread! Or if you don’t wish to use it, unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana may also be used. Enjoy!
Another great recipe, Sally! I subbed berries for chocolate (I have a habit and I admit it) and did the crumble topping. I only had Greek yogurt on hand but it didn’t seem to matter because it was awesome! I liked that the base wasn’t too sweet to start with. Thanks.
Hi Sally,
What would the cooking time adjustment be if I used the small individual loaf pans rather than one large pan? Also, would the adjustment be good to follow on all of your bread recipes? (Pumpkin, banana nut and cranberry) thank you! I love your recipes and details❤️
Hi Nikki, Small loaf pans vary greatly in size so I’m unsure of the exact bake time needed for yours. The bake time will definitely be shorter. A toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf will come out clean when the bread is done.
Yummy and moist! I tripled the recipe and gave 2 as gifts during a family camping trip. People were talking for days about how good they were! Probably wouldn’t make 3 at a time again, it got a little overwhelming mixing all the batter. Another great recipe! Thank you Sally!
This is a tasty loaf. Mine was on the dry side because I only had no fat Greek yogurt and skim milk on hand. I’ll make this again.
Great recipe. I received many compliments. It is a keeper. The directions and notes were very clear and descriptive. Thank You@
I tried this recipe today and loved it! Guys, if you are looking for the perfect blueberry tasting muffin bread, look no further. This recipe is so good! Since I didn’t have any blueberries, I ended up making “blueberry-less blueberry muffin bread.” It still tasted wonderful, though. Thank you, Sally!
Hi, I’ve loved making lots of your recipes and had a question about the crumble. If using the crumble on top should I still wrap it in foil at the halfway point or leave it uncovered for the full 60-65 minutes?
Hi Andrew, When making this recipe with the crumb topping it is still recommend to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil at the 30 minute mark. Happy baking!
I think this is probably a good recipe except that putting all of this batter into one loaf pan was a HUGE mistake!! It overflowed all over the bottom of my oven (really irritated about that)! This recipe could almost make two loaves. I told my husband, before I put it in to the oven, that this looks like way too much batter for one loaf pan. I should have trusted my instincts.
Hi Nancy, Thank you for trying this recipe – I understand that was frustrating! Any chance you are using a different/smaller size pan? This recipe should fit well into a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
WHOA this is good. Thank you for this recipe, which I will be making as is, and variations of–for a long time to come, I am sure!
Made as recommended but made a cherry vanilla loaf instead of blueberry, it was delicious! I used frozen cherries and added 1/8 tsp almond extract in addition to the vanilla to enhance the cherry flavor. I should have added a bit more sugar but realized too late. Great recipe, thank you!
I made this with our freshly picked aronia berries, but it in four mini loaves, which it filled to the top, and I doubled the crumb topping to have plenty on each. It was a huge hit! Even my daughter who refuses breads and muffins with berries wanted to eat it, and loved it!
Hey Sally, my mom would like to make this bread but there are no fresh berries where she is (as well as other items like cream cheese). She would like to make a plain version. Is there a recipe you have that I can pass on to her that’s super moist like this but can be made plain? Thanks!!
Hi Kristen! This bread, even without the blueberries, is wonderfully flavorful, soft, and moist. Simply leave the berries out.
This turned out fantastic! So soft and delicious, thank you for sharing!!
I baked it in my tube pan with the struesel topping and it came out beautiful! Thank you!
Just made this for a second time. My girlfriend says it’s her favorite baked good so far. We love blueberries around here and this recipe utilizes them to perfection. Definitely recommend the streusel and the jam swirl. Delicious!
This is a great base recipe for quick bread. Swap fruits as seasonal, and I recommend adding the swirl and crumble. I made my own ‘jam’ by blending some dried blueberries soaked in apple juice into a thick paste. Adds another pop of flavor!
I highly recommend this recipe, and in particular with the streusel topping! I would advise using small blueberries. The cake cooked perfectly in 60 minutes, however where there were very large berries or a cluster of them, the moisture soaked into the cake. Great served hot with salted butter or cold with icing on top.
Made this bread using fresh blueberries I picked. It is AMAZING. So moist and flavorful with the crumb topping. Would recommend this recipe to everyone!
I’ve made this a couple of times as written and it’s come out perfectly! So delicious!