Joanna Gaines’ Blueberry Bread Recipe Gets Its Zest From a Pop of Lemon

Is there anything as lovely as a home that smells of freshly baked blueberry bread? Well, it turns out that if you add lemon, the whole experience gets even brighter. The only trouble is finding a good recipe among the millions on the Internet, many of which look dubious or just dull. Enter HGTV legend Joanna Gaines, who has a simple, scrumptious recipe for a reliable lemon blueberry bread. 

In case you haven’t noticed, we trust Gaines’ cooking expertise. Though she became famous for fixing up houses with her husband, Chip, the Gainses have since started their own company, Magnolia. They produce everything from delightfully airy vacation rentals to reality television about subjects like gardening and renovation. But amidst these projects, Joanna Gaines has developed several delightful books worth of recipes, with a knack for sweets and comfort food.

In her cookbook Magnolia Table, Volume 3, Gaines writes that her blueberry lemon bread is “‘simple and subtly sweet, and often the perfect thing to drop off on a friend’s porch — sometimes for no reason other than to say ‘I’m thinking about you.’” Which sounds like an extra enticing reason to fire up the oven for a little bit.

The recipe is a pretty straightforward bread, made of the usual suspects: You’ll need flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. But we love that Gaines adds a hefty dose (one whole cup) of sour cream for an extra dash of moisture. And while this recipe is the perfect vehicle for freshly picked, in-season blueberries, you can also use frozen berries if you can’t find any ripe ones on hand.

If baking this bread reminds you that you absolutely love cooking, you can use that momentum to make an accompanying spread. In fact, Joanna Gaines has a recipe for a trio of flavored butters that will make you feel like you’re ready to star in your own Food Network show. 

Joanna Gaines’ Lemon Blueberry Bread

Ingredients

Crumbs
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

Lemon Blueberry Bread
1 ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Nonstick baking spray

Instructions
To make the crumbs: In a small bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, melted butter, and zest until pebbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the bread: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a light-colored 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1½ cups of the flour, the baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, stick of melted butter, eggs, and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture in two additions, alternating with the sour cream, stirring until combined. Gently stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. 

Toss the blueberries in the remaining tablespoon of flour and fold into the batter using a spatula. 

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over the top of the batter. 

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes, tenting with foil to prevent excess browning after 40 minutes if needed. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for another 45 minutes before slicing.

Store in an airtight container or sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, or place in the freezer for up to 1 month.