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This lemon blueberry sourdough bread is a fun spin on my original sourdough bread recipe. It’s bursting with lemon juice and zest, adding the zip of lemon flavor that’s enhanced perfectly with fresh blueberries. Top the freshly baked bread with a pat of butter or use it to make a yummy French toast for breakfast!

Four slices of lemon blueberry bread sit on a wooden cutting board with the rest of the loaf on the cutting board and sliced lemons.

Adding inclusions to my sourdough bread used to be so nerve-wracking for me. Like, what if I added too many, or what if I didn’t add enough? I’d question if I needed to add them in via the lamination process or just add them during a stretch and fold session.

When I started experimenting, I calmed down a bit. Because, as usual, everything seems scarier until you just start doing the dang thing. It’s bread, not a ticking time bomb!

I learned that as long as I had parchment paper down (and for double protection, a bread mat), the inclusions wouldn’t burn, and my bread would be awesome. It’s fun to test out different recipes and inclusions.

I think lemon and blueberry is such a timeless combination. Like these lemon blueberry scones or lemon blueberry cake–seriously, so good. So I knew I had to make it into a loaf of sourdough bread.

It’s the perfect recipe for spring and summer–bursting with freshness, color, and flavor. But even better, buying blueberries when they’re in season makes them way more affordable!

If you’re looking for other fun sourdough recipes, check these out:

A loaf of lemon blueberry sourdough bread sitting on a wooden cutting board. Lemon slices and a yellow kitchen towel sit in the background.

Ingredients

lemon juice and lemon zest – I used the juice and zest of one lemon. I removed some water from my original recipe to account for the lemon juice that is needed for this recipe. This results in the perfect hydration for this sourdough loaf while also packing lots of that lemon flavor! The lemon zest enhances the flavor even more.
fresh blueberries – I prefer using fresh blueberries. Wash them and pat them dry before using. You can also use frozen blueberries. I recommend thawing the blueberries first since frozen fruit tends to produce excess hydration, which would then change the texture and hydration of the dough. Pat any excess water from the blueberries before adding them to the dough.
bread flour – I always prefer using bread flour over all-purpose flour. Bread flour has higher protein and provides a better rise and chewier texture.
active sourdough starter – Make sure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly! Sourdough discard will *not* work in this recipe–the bread relies on the fermented sourdough to rise.
salt
warm water – I prefer to use lukewarm water when I’m baking my sourdough, as my kitchen tends to stay around 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit. If your kitchen runs warmer, you can use colder water. Filtered water works best.
granulated sugar – This adds the perfect amount of sweet flavor to the bread. I add it while I’m adding the water, bread flour, and sourdough starter. This is because sugar tends to add more moisture, so adding it in while adding the blueberries can result in an overly wet dough.

Equipment

Dutch Oven – hands down, my Lodge Dutch oven is my preferred baking container for my sourdough bread.
Bread Lame – A fresh lame makes the sharpest scores.
Dough Whisk – To help mix all the dough. You can also use your hands. Things can get sticky, but it is a great way to learn how the dough should feel.
Parchment Paper or Bread Mat – I prefer using both when I’m baking with inclusions to prevent them from sticking to the baking dish and burning.
Mixing Bowl
Kitchen Towel
Bread Banneton
Serrated Bread Knife

Step-By-Step Instructions

A glass mixing bowl with a shaggy sourdough dough sitting in it.

Step One: Start by whisking together your sourdough starter, lukewarm water, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and bread flour in a large mixing bowl. Mix until a shaggy dough forms—don’t worry about it being perfectly smooth just yet.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30–45 minutes. This rest period, called autolyse, helps the flour absorb the liquid and kickstart gluten development.

A glass mixing bowl after adding the salt and doing a round of stretch and folds. It is in a neat ball.

Step Two: After resting, sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and gently press it in. It’s time to start stretch-and-folds to strengthen the dough. Lightly wet your hands, then grab one side of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat this motion on all four sides.

During the second round of stretch-and-folds, gently fold in the blueberries, making sure they’re spread evenly throughout without squishing them.

A bread banneton with the lemon blueberry dough in it after overnight fermenting.

Step Three: Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature (around 70–75°F or 21–23°C) for 4–6 hours. During the first two hours, perform 3–4 more sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes to build structure.

Once the dough is well-risen and airy, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a round or oval loaf. Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a floured banneton or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel.

Cover and refrigerate the dough overnight (8–12 hours). This cold fermentation will deepen the flavor and improve the texture of your loaf.

The lemon blueberry sourdough dough before it is baked and after it is scored.

Step Four: The next day, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) for at least 30 minutes with a Dutch oven inside. Get your parchment paper or bread sling ready—this helps protect the fruit from scorching on the hot pan.

Take the dough out of the fridge and gently place it onto the parchment paper. Use a sharp knife or bread lame to score the top—this gives the bread room to expand while baking. Carefully lower the dough into the preheated Dutch oven.

Bake with the lid on for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until the crust is beautifully golden brown.

Let your loaf cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing. This helps set the crumb and keeps the inside from becoming gummy.

Two slices of lemon blueberry sourdough bread sit on a wooden cutting board. Two lemon slices sit in the foreground.

Storage

Store any leftover blueberry lemon sourdough bread in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature. Homemade bread is best enjoyed the day it is baked!