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This easy blueberry bread recipe will quickly become a family favorite. Serve warm with butter for breakfast or an afternoon snack. No yeast needed!
I’ve been on a bread baking kick lately and my newest venture has been blueberry bread.
There is something so amazing about warm bread with little dots of blueberries and a pool of melting butter on top.
I slice this up for breakfast, but it makes a fabulous afternoon snack as well.
This is a quick bread recipe, which means there is no yeast! It’s beyond simple to throw together and we absolutely love it.
Unlike my chocolate banana bread and zucchini pineapple bread, this blueberry bread itself really isn’t sweet. Just little hints of sweetness from the berries.
Our Blueberry Banana Bread is another fan favorite!
Blueberry Quick Bread Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients – This blueberry oatmeal bread starts with a few simple ingredients including healthy white whole wheat flour, rolled oats, packed brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Wet Ingredients – You’ll also need a couple of large eggs, some milk, applesauce, and canola oil. The applesauce adds flavor and it helps to keep the bread moist and prevent it from becoming too dry or crumbly.
Fresh Blueberries – I really prefer to use fresh blueberries in this oatmeal bread recipe but you could use frozen blueberries if that’s what you’ve got.
What Readers are Saying!
“Made this with blueberries and it was great, then I made it with blackberries and nutmeg instead of cinnamon and it was even more better-er!” – Maggie M.
What We Love About BLUEBERRY BREAD:
- Blueberries: This one is kind of obvious but the blueberries are the star ingredient here. The little pops of sweetness just add the perfect touch to this bread.
- Healthy: This blueberry loaf is actually rather healthy compared to many other recipes. The blueberries are nutritious and loaded with antioxidants, and the whole wheat flour and oats are also nutritious.
- Texture: The rolled oats add a nice chewy texture to the bread that goes well with the soft blueberries and moist bread.
Special Tools Needed:
- Loaf Pan: I use these gorgeous ceramic loaf pans, but any loaf pan will do.
- Mixer: Not strictly necessary as you can mix this by hand, but a mixer always makes it easier!
- Mixing Bowls: If you ask me, you can never have enough mixing bowls! These are my favorite.
How to Make Healthy Blueberry Bread Recipe:
Wet Ingredients: This bread is pretty simple and you can mix it by hand, with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer. Whatever you have will work!
You’ll add all of your wet ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir them together. I’m using a combination of oil and applesauce to cut down on the fat and calories and up the moist goodness.
Dry Ingredients: Mix in the dry ingredients. I like to use white whole wheat flour, but regular white flour works well too. I also add in some rolled oats and cinnamon. So good!
Blueberries: Once you’ve gotten your batter stirred together, it’s time to grab the blueberries.
You’ll just fold those in gently.
I prefer fresh blueberries in this recipe, but frozen should work as well.
Bake & Serve: Spread your batter into a 9×5 loaf pan and sprinkle the top with just a few oats. It makes the bread look so hearty and delicious. You really can’t resist this one!
Bake the blueberry loaf for 45 to 55 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Be sure to let your bread cool a bit before slicing.
I rewarm the bread in the microwave or toaster just before slathering it with butter. Nothing better than warm bread and loads of melty butter, right?
Helpful TipS FOR THE BEST BLUEBERRY BREAD!
- Blueberries: I prefer fresh blueberries but frozen will work too. Do not thaw them first if using frozen. You’ll also want to be gentle when folding in the blueberries, especially if fresh, so as not to break them.
- Oats: I’d recommend using old fashioned rolled oats in this oatmeal bread.
- Mixing: Don’t overmix the batter and make sure you are using the correct amount of flour or it could make the texture of the bread dense and tough, dry, or crumbly.
How to Store Blueberry Bread:
This blueberry quick bread can be stored at room temperature for about 2 to 3 days in an airtight container or well wrapped in plastic. It will last longer, up to a week, if you refrigerate it!
You can also freeze this blueberry bread recipe. Just wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and then store in a freezer safe bag or container for up to a few months. Let it thaw completely before serving.
Recipe FAQs:
We’re using a combination of oil and applesauce to make this bread moist and flavorful. Applesauce is a great, healthy swap for oil in many baking recipes, reducing the fat and calories in the final product.
I prefer fresh blueberries in this recipe for blueberry quick bread, but you can use frozen blueberries. I would not thaw them first. It may also help to toss them in a bit of the flour before adding them. That’ll help soak up any excess moisture.
More Bread Recipes:
- Maple Cinnamon Bread: This one smells like fall and tastes like a dream!
- English Muffin Bread: We use this for breakfast sandwiches and it’s outrageous!
- Beer Bread: No yeast needed in this flavorful beer bread.
- Cranberry Bread: Those tart berries are amazing in this sweet bread!
- Jalapeno Cheddar Bread: Made in a dutch oven!
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread: Your kids will have no idea they’re eating zucchini!
- Pumpkin Bread: My all time favorite pumpkin bread!!
Blueberry Bread
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add sugar, milk, applesauce, oil, and eggs. Mix well.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients except for the blueberries and mix until combined.
- Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Pour in the loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in March 2010. It was updated in April 2019 with new text and photos.
Erin says
We LOVE this bread. I make it often, and if we don’t eat it, I freeze it, and it tastes GREAT later. AMAZING job.
Danielle says
This bread is excellent, just made it last night! I substituted soy milk for the regular stuff, and just used a half cup of unsweetened (or “no sugar added”) applesauce for the applesauce and oil. It just made the bread more dense, and less fattening;) It was just sweet enough for my tastes, and very filling. And, you were right Karly, the walnuts set off the berries beautifully! Thanks so much for sharing, keep up the great work.
my3rdI.org says
Had the chance to try it out today and it turned out good.
Made couple of slight changes to the recipe – added a teaspoon of vanilla and replaced 2 tablespoon of wheat with ground flaxmeal. I think next time I will try baking this in 10″ bread pan as there were a couple of spots those weren’t done yet. But other than that this is great recipe..
Thanks Karly!
kirbie says
I’ve never had blueberry bread either! Looks delicious! Now I just need to get blueberries
Top Fuzz says
This looks amazing! I have some frozen blueberries I have to use up – this recipe looks perfect 🙂
Ashley says
Yum love your healthy modifications to this loaf! I’m a bread person too.
Valen says
What beautiful bread!
Jen @ How To: Simplify says
I’m a bread person too! This looks delish!
Karly says
my3rdl.org,
The batter for this was pretty thick and I didn’t have any problems with the berries sinking. If you’re worried about it, though, just toss the berries in a bit of flour and that should keep them from sinking.
Enjoy!
Karly
Suzanne Warriner says
I have a lot frozen blueberries. How would I adjust the recipe for frozen vs fresh??
Karly says
I’ve only made this with fresh, but I would just thaw the frozen and use them. 🙂
grace says
excellent, karly. i’ll admit, i’m the schmo who just eats the burger and leaves the bun, but if the bread in question is fruity and sweet (and nutty–yes to the walnuts!), that’s a different story. i would absolutely love this batch–good on you for making it a bit more thigh-friendly. 🙂
my3rdI.org says
Wonderful recipe…will definitely try this weekend.
Any suggestion on how to prevent blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the pan? – looks like your’s didn’t.
P.S. Awesome pics…you’re in my RSS Reader for a long time now 😉
Erica Lea says
Good for you for making this bread healthier! White whole wheat is awesome stuff.
I also love bread. I could live on it for long time, if it wasn’t such an unbalanced diet. 😀
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says
I totally agree with you about walnuts in fruity breads! This looks amazing!
Maria says
Ohhhh my god!! I just love bread, but I’m also a blueberries lover… this is such an amazing recipe!!! Cheers
Rebecca says
Agreed, I love bread — your loaf looks beautiful. I’ve definitely bookmarked this to make when berries are in season. and healthy too!