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 flourย (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) packedย 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 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Grease a 9ร5-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) |ย 9ร5-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 combineย 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
Sally, I made your Blueberry Muffin Bread last night. Instead of a loaf pan I used a 7 1/2″x10″ glass pan to make it more like a coffee cake. I subbed plain Greek Yogurt for the sour cream. I added your Crumbles topping with room temperature butter. I just needed to tell you it’s our new favorite! Super moist! Super delicious!
I would love to make the batter the day ahead and just put in the oven the morning my guests arrive so the home will smell deliciousโฆ. Can one do this??? Prepare the entire recipe, put in loaf pan in the refrigerator and then just pop in the oven the next morning? Or would I need to bring back to room temperature? Or is my idea just not feasible at all? Thank you! I am big in prep and ease day of serving but also love the aromas in the house!
Hi Margaret, we donโt recommend making the batter ahead of time. The leaveners will be activated and rise will be compromised as the batter sits. We hope you enjoy the bread!
Sally! This Blueberry Muffin Loaf sounds amazing! I have yet to make, but I will!!
I came here to respond to your question if anyone has used gluten free flour, and which ones. I tell people I don’t make gluten free recipes, I make recipes gluten free. I use either Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur’s G-F flours, 1 cup to 1 cup, and have yet for any of your recipes to come out other than perfect! And! No one knows! No one! In a pinch, I’ve used Great Value’s G-F, it’s ok, I just prefer the other two better. If I remember correctly, it was a bit grainy. It all depends on what is the first ingredient used to make the G-F flour. It seems white rice, and maybe it isn’t processed properly, is more grainy.
You have been my go to (my Gal Sal, as I tell everyone!!), for years!
Thank you for creating such wonderful and oh! so very delicious food!
Have a blessed day!!
xxoo
Will this recipe work in mini loaf pans ? I understand that cooking times will be different, but are there any other changes to make ?
Hi Rebecca, absolutely! Weโre unsure of the exact bake time, as mini loaf pan sizes can greatly vary. It will be shorter, but keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Hope theyโre a hit!
New follower here! How about dried blueberries? Can I use it? Thanksss!!
Hi Micah, Dried blueberries should work in a pinch, we wouldnโt use more than 1 cup.
Can I use 2% milk? Also can I use margarine instead?
Hi Jeaette, 2% milk will work in a pinch, but we do suggest sticking with butter for best results!
This just didn’t do it for me. I followed the recipe to the letter but skipped the jam and the crumb topping. I thought the result didn’t taste like a muffin at all and my blueberries sank to the bottom despite being tossed with flour before the mix in. I was disappointed with this one.
Kari – if you used frozen blueberries, that could be the reason as they are heavier. If using frozen, Trina advised to add 2 more tablespoons of flour to coat. Hope this helps!
The blueberry muffin bread was delicious I had a warm piece with a cold glass of milk and then the next night I had a piece with icecream!
Loved the recipe. So flavorful but all my blueberries sunk to the bottom. How can I prevent that if possible?
Hi Diana! Tossing the blueberries in a little flour helps prevent them from sinking. Are you using frozen? They are more prone to sinking since they are heavier. If using frozen, add 2 more tablespoons of flour to the dry ingredients to help.
Using fresh Trina. I will try the flour dusting the berries next time for sure.
Hi, I made this with fresh blueberries and the crumble topping, both of which sank completely to the bottom. The taste was overall good, but any idea what went wrong or how I can prevent this? Thank you!
Hi Rebecca, if both sank, it sounds like your batter may have been too thin. Did you make any changes to the recipe? Did your batter look nice and thick like the photos above?
Outstanding recipe. Comes together easily and taste is exceptional. Thank you Sally & team for this recipe.
I made this twice. The second time because it overflowed the pan on my first try. I remeasured everything and made sure pan size was correct. The second loaf did the same thing. I donโt know what I did wrong.
Hi Tracy! Are you using a true 9×5 inch loaf pan? Some are smaller and will be too small for this recipe.
Hi! Can I use your healthy blueberry muffin batter in this recipe instead?
We haven’t tried that, Laura, but it should work!
Can I replace buttermilk instead of regular milk? Have extra buttermilk would like to try to use
Hi Kerrie, if using buttermilk, use it to replace the sour cream AND the milk. (1 cup total.) Enjoy!
I am in the position of needing to add calories to my son’s food. He loved this bread and I would like to see if I can add more calories but I am not a baker. What happens if I add more sour cream (1 cup)? What happens if I substitute heavy cream for whole milk?
I tried putting cinnamon butter on top and he did not like it. What if I substituted the cinnamon butter for regular butter in this recipe?
I know this is a “terrible” problem to have and thank you in advance for your advice.
Hi Liz! Adding extra ingredients is tricky because it will throw off the ratios of dry and wet ingredients in the batter – adding extra wet ingredients would yield a too-moist and claggy bread. You could try subbing in heavy cream for the milk, but it might be a little too thick. You could also try adding a honey butter smear to the slices of bread. I hope this helps!