Sourdough Blueberry Bread

This sourdough blueberry bread is filled with fresh blueberry flavor and the pleasant tang of sourdough. Made with leftover discard, this easy sourdough quick bread is perfect for gifting or enjoying with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

One of my favorite times of year is blueberry season! Where I’m from in Nova Scotia, we’re kind of known for our blueberries. The acidic soil makes for an abundant crop each and every year, and there are fields of managed “wild” blueberries that naturally occur in burned forest areas.

Blueberry season is a cultural celebration here, and I love to enjoy the fresh seasonal berries every single year. If we can we go picking, but if not I just hop on over to the farmer’s market and pick up a few pints.

This sourdough blueberry bread is the perfect way to use some of your fresh, seasonal berries. But don’t worry, you can use frozen berries too! It’s a delicious and easy recipe and a favorite in my home when served with a cup of hot coffee (or milk, if you’re a toddler).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A great way to use up sourdough discard – nothing goes to waste!
• Perfect for serving with a cup of coffee or tea.
• A great way to use seasonal blueberries, especially wild blueberries if you can find them!
• You can use frozen berries in place of fresh if needed. The perfect way to get that fresh Summer flavor in the middle of Winter.

Ingredients

• Blueberries: If you can get access to fresh wild blueberries, that’s preferred! But you can use cultivated or frozen if that’s what you have on hand.
• Sourdough starter: You’ll need some discarded sourdough starter, but you can use active if that’s what you have available.
• Oil: Use any neutral flavored oil. I used avocado oil.
• Milk: Just a bit of milk helps add moisture to the batter.
• Cinnamon: Blueberries and cinnamon are a match made in heaven, did you know that?
• Pantry basics: Like vanilla, salt, sugar, baking powder, flour, egg, and cinnamon.

How to Make Sourdough Blueberry Bread

To get started, grease a loaf pan with butter or oil and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and adjust your oven rack to the lower third of the oven.

Add the blueberries to a medium sized bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour. Set aside.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to a large bowl. Whisk everything together really well to combine.

Make a small well in the flour mixture and start adding the wet ingredients: oil, egg, milk, and vanilla.

Finally, drizzle in the sourdough starter discard.

Fold everything together with a silicone spatula until smooth and well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, aiming for all the flour to be moistened and no large chunks remaining.

Add the blueberries coated in flour to the batter. Fold them in just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Combine 1 tablespoon of sugar with the cinnamon and whisk to combine. Sprinkle on top of the loaf before placing in the oven.

Bake your sourdough blueberry bread for 55-75 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.

Once the loaf has finished baking, allow to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before removing. I recommend cooling it fully in the pan if possible.

Once the loaf is cooled, use a butter knife to loosen the edges and invert the loaf onto a wire rack. Allow to cool to room temperature before wrapping it in a triple layer of plastic wrap for storage.

Storing Your Bread

At room temperature: Keep your bread wrapped in a triple layer of plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 2-3 days.

In the fridge: Wrap your bread tightly in a triple layer of plastic wrap. Store for up to 1 week.

Freezing: If you would like to freeze your blueberry bread, allow it to cool completely. Wrap in a triple layer of plastic wrap, then transfer to a gallon sized freezer bag and label. Freeze for 2-3 months and thaw before serving.

Tips for Baking with Sourdough Discard

• If you feed your sourdough starter daily, you’ll have a lot of discard – Keep it in a jar in the fridge to use in your favorite sourdough discard recipes.
• Use any refrigerated discard within 1-2 weeks, and don’t use it if it shows signs of spoilage.
• If using active starter, measure the starter after it has been stirred down to remove any air bubbles.
• Baked goods made with sourdough sometimes need a bit more sweetness. If you have a big sweet tooth, you may want to increase the sugar a bit to account for that.

More Sourdough Breads and Muffins

• Sourdough Beer Bread
• Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Sourdough Applesauce Muffins
• Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins
• Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

Please note that some of my blog posts here at Little Home in the Making may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Please see my Disclaimer for more information.