Lemon Blueberry Bread Streusel (Printable Version)

A moist quick bread with citrus, blueberries, and a buttery streusel topping, ideal for breakfast or snacks.

# Ingredient List:

→ Bread

01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour (190 g)
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - ½ tsp baking soda
04 - ¼ tsp salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
06 - ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - ⅓ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (80 ml)
09 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
11 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (140 g)
13 - 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for tossing blueberries)

→ Streusel Topping

14 - ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (45 g)
15 - ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
16 - ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
17 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed (45 g)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - Combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in cold butter using a fork or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until needed.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
04 - Beat softened butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
05 - Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until evenly incorporated.
06 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing.
07 - Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold into the batter.
08 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Evenly sprinkle streusel topping over batter.
09 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil if top browns too quickly.
10 - Cool bread in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The streusel gets crispy on top while the bread stays soft and tender underneath.
  • Fresh lemon zest makes every bite taste clean and alive, not heavy or overly sweet.
  • It works just as well for breakfast as it does for dessert when friends stop by.
02 -
  • Tossing the blueberries in flour really does keep them from sinking, I learned this after baking a loaf where all the berries ended up in a purple puddle at the bottom.
  • Don't skip the parchment paper lining, it makes lifting the loaf out so much easier and keeps the edges from sticking.
  • If your streusel melts into the batter instead of staying crumbly, your butter wasn't cold enough.
03 -
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it, it's much easier that way and you won't waste any of the fragrant oils.
  • If you don't have sour cream, Greek yogurt works perfectly and adds a little extra protein.
  • Make the streusel the night before and keep it in the fridge, it saves time in the morning and stays even crumblier.

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