Sourdough Blueberry Lemon Artisan Bread Recipe

Blueberry lemon sourdough bread is one of the most delicious variations of artisan bread I make in my kitchen, and I’ve made lots of variations in my 6+ years of sourdough baking!  This loaf is packed with lemon and blueberry flavor.

Pin for later – the perfect way to use an abundance of sweet blueberries during blueberry season!

Artisan Sourdough With a Twist…

Sourdough artisan bread is one of my favorite things to bake in my kitchen, and I love experimenting with different add-ins to make all kinds of sweet and savory loaves.  This recipe is made with frozen or fresh blueberries and lemon zest – it’s the perfect artisan loaf for breakfast or an afternoon snack – toasted with butter and blueberry jam, or made into French toast.  If you’re intimidated by making artisan bread, you are in the right place!  This is such an easy recipe and I break down every step with lots of detail, plus I have video tutorials.

I have an entire blog post – The Ultimate Guide to Sourdough Starters – breaking down the history of sourdough and how to make and use it.  But to sum it up, for all of history before the past 150 years or so, it wasn’t possible to buy yeast or baking powder or baking soda.  You had to make your own yeast!  And odds are, this skill of making your own yeast was known by almost every baker or common lady in the village.  

Making your own yeast (aka sourdough starter) is as simple as combining a little flour and water in a jar or bowl and letting it sit on the counter at room temperature for several hours until it bubbles up.  Then, you use the bubbly yeast, leave just enough in the jar to cover the sides, and “activate” the next round of flour and water you add to the jar.  It’s that easy. 

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This recipe only has 5 ingredients – flour, water, salt, frozen blueberries, and lemon zest.  Now, some of that flour and water will be in the form of your sourdough starter, so you need one of those! 
• This recipe has as few steps as possible without compromising the quality of the loaf.  Once again, too many people have made this way too complicated and added unnecessary steps!
• This recipe is a great way to put your starter to use and will teach you to bake sourdough artisan bread like an old pro, without any fancy equipment…just the way home bakers with their own starters have been doing it for ages.

Check out this sourdough video for lots of tips and a tutorial for this sourdough blueberry bread.

What You’ll Need to Make Artisan Sourdough Bread

I am including grams for those who prefer using a scale, but it’s not necessary – I never weigh my ingredients!

INGREDIENTS

yield: 1 loaf

for the dough

• 1.5 cups (355 grams) warm water
• 1 cup (225 grams) active sourdough starter
• 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (17 grams) salt

for the blueberry lemon mixture

• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 1 cup frozen blueberries (fresh work too)
• zest from 1 whole lemon

TOOLS

mixing bowl

wooden spoon

tea towel

large dutch oven or crock with lid

razor blade

parchment paper

bench scraper (optional)

Banneton proofing basket (optional)

Proofing Box

Step-By-Step Instructions

Prepare the Dough

Pour 1.5 cups of warm water (no warmer than 110F or you may kill the yeast in your starter) into a large bowl, then add 1 cup of active sourdough starter and 3 cups of flour.  Stir it all together just enough to get the flour mixed in, but don’t knead, and don’t worry about little lumps and inconsistencies.  

Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes is up, add 1T salt to the dough, get your hands wet (water helps handle sticky dough), and use your hands to work the salt into the dough for a minute or so.  Then cover the dough with a towel.  

Bulk Fermentation with Stretch and Folds

Stretch and fold the dough.

Cover the bowl with a towel, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, repeat the stretch and fold process just like the first time.  Cover and let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.  Repeat this stretch and fold process followed by a 30-minute rest 3 times, for a total of 3 stretch and folds.

After the third stretch and fold, cover the dough and let it rest until it is doubled in size.  Depending on the strength of your starter, the hydration of the dough, and the temperature + elevation of your home, this could take anywhere from 2 to 12 hours. 

Make the Blueberry Lemon Zest Mixture

Add 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 cup of frozen blueberries, and zest from a whole lemon to a small bowl and stir gently to coat the blueberries in flour.  Set aside.

Shape the Dough

Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and stretch it into a big rectangle, kind of like if you were going to make cinnamon rolls.

Spread 2/3 of the blueberry lemon zest mixture over the dough rectangle.

Fold one of the long sides of the dough over to bring the edge to the middle of the rectangle, then fold the other long side over the top of the first side.  Now that the dough is folded into 3 layers it looks like a very long, skinny rectangle.  

Spread the remaining 1/3 of the blueberry-lemon zest mixture over the dough.

Then, start at the end closest to you and roll the dough up into a ball.

Roll the ball of dough toward you in a circular motion so the seam side is facing down.  Use both hands to spin the dough on the work surface a few times to tighten the seal underneath and create surface tension.

Final Proof

Turn the shaped ball of dough over into a banneton basket so the seam side is now facing up, cover the basket with plastic wrap or place it in a big plastic bag, and place it in the fridge to cold-proof before baking.  Cold proof for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.  I often let mine cold-proof overnight.

Score and Bake the Bread

When you’re ready to bake, start by preheating a dutch oven, bread oven, or crock with a lid in the oven at 425F for 30 minutes.  

Remove the dough from the fridge, and turn it out onto a piece of parchment paper.  Lightly dust the tip of the dough with flour (optional) and then use a razor blade to score the dough.

Place the dough on the parchment paper in the hot dutch oven and cover it with the lid.  Bake at 425F with the lid on for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and bake for another 8-10 minutes until the top of the loaf is golden brown.  Place the loaf on a wire rack to cool for an hour at the very least before slicing.

Professional sourdough bakers recommend allowing the loaf to rest for 12-24 hours before slicing for the best results.  This is because the dough is still very hot and lots of moisture is trapped inside when it first comes out of the oven.  If you cut into the loaf before it is cooled, it will lose moisture and be gummy, dry, and tough.  It’s worth the wait!

Baking Schedule Options

*times will vary depending on the strength of your starter, hydration of the dough, and temperature of your home.  I use a proofing box to speed things up and be more precise with my baking schedule*

FOR MORNING BAKING

Feed your sourdough starter so that it is peaked and active by 3pm the day before you plan to bake.

Day before baking

• 3pm: Prepare the Dough
• 3:30pm: Add salt and mix
• 4pm: first stretch and fold
• 4:30pm: second stretch and fold
• 5pm: third stretch and fold
• 9:30pm: (or whenever the dough has doubled) shape the dough and place it in the fridge for final proof, it will remain in the fridge until the next day

Day of Baking

• 7am: preheat the oven and dutch oven
• 7:30am: take the dough out of the fridge, score it, and bake it in the preheated oven according to instructions.

The bread should be cooled enough to slice and eat by lunchtime!

FOR SAME DAY PREP AND AFTERNOON BAKING

Feed your starter the night before you plan to bake.

Day of baking

• 7am: Prepare the dough
• 7:30am: Add salt and mix
• 8am: first stretch and fold
• 8:30am: second stretch and fold
• 9am: third stretch and fold
• pm: (or whenever the dough has doubled) shape the dough and place it in the fridge for final proof
• 1:30pm: preheat the oven and dutch oven
• 2pm: take the dough out of the fridge, score it, and bake it according to instructions.

The bread should be cooled enough to slice and eat by dinner time!

FAQ

How long does it take to make sourdough artisan bread?

It takes anywhere between 6-24 hours to make sourdough artisan bread, depending on the strength of your sourdough starter, the hydration of your dough, and the temperature of your home.  I use a proofing box to control the temperature and humidity and speed the baking process up.

What type of flour should I use to bake sourdough bread?

You can use any mixture of flour you would like, but the consistency, density, and flavor of the loaf change depending on the type of flour you use.  This beginner’s recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but bread flour works great as well.  A mixture of bread flour and whole wheat flour yields a nice, rustic loaf.

Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon zest?

Yes. You can use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in place of lemon zest, just be aware that this will cause your loaf to have streaking.  This doesn’t affect the taste at all, just the appearance.

Can I use a regular loaf pan to make sourdough blueberry bread?

Yes.  You can use a loaf pan to make sourdough blueberry bread.  When you get to the shaping step, shape the loaf into an oblong ball of dough and lay a floured tea towel inside of a loaf pan.  Flip the dough into this loaf pan rather than a banneton basket, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it cold-proof in the loaf pan.  Then, preheat the loaf pan and bake the loaf on parchment paper following the same directions as using a dutch oven.

This blueberry goodness is a family favorite.

Tips

• Perform the float test with your sourdough starter before you prepare the dough.  Drop a spoonful of starter into a cup of water, if it floats it is ready to use.
• Use quality flour and untreated water.  At least make sure the flour is unbleached.  Organic flour is preferable.
• Watch the dough, not the clock.  When the dough is rising, be patient.  Give it as much time as it needs to double in size before shaping.  
• Use a glass bowl or clear plastic baking bucket so you can see the dough as it rises and observe air bubbles and whether or not it has doubled in size.
• Use a very sharp knife when slicing your bread, I use this bread knife which cuts sourdough like butter.
• Use steam in your oven which is the best way to achieve a nice, crisp crust that is not burnt.  Place a pan of hot water on the bottom rack of the oven while the bread bakes.
• Make French Toast!  Mix up a few eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and a tablespoon of brown sugar in a large bowl.  Dip slices of the sourdough blueberry lemon bread in the egg mixture and cook on a griddle or in a skillet until browned.  Serve with butter, maple syrup, and powdered sugar.

Storage

The key to storing a sourdough loaf properly is letting it cool completely before slicing or storing it.  Once cooled, the loaf can be stored in a plastic bag or airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, in the fridge for a week, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.  Happy baking!

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