This blueberry muffin bread with that delightful crackly sugar top has all the deliciousness of bakery-style blueberry muffins in one easy loaf!

The world already has banana bread and zucchini bread and pumpkin chocolate chip bread and lemon bread (all very, very worthy quick breads).

So don’t you think it is high time for a few new variations? Like, blueberry muffin bread? I do believe it is.

Three slices of blueberry muffin bread cut from the loaf on wood cutting board.

1 1/2 Bowl Recipe

Easy and straightforward, this bread is fantastic!

If you love blueberry muffins, I think you’ll really like this fun variation on that theme.

The batter comes together quickly and is *almost* a one-bowl wonder. Like a good muffin or quick bread, the wet ingredients are whisked together and then the dry ingredients are added.

After a few quick turns of the spatula, the lightly floured blueberries get tossed in. Coating the blueberries in a thin layer of flour means they won’t sink to the bottom while baking.

Step by step collage of assembling ingredients for blueberry muffin bread.

Fresh vs. Frozen Blueberries

I have only ever made this bread with fresh blueberries but I’m hoping it will convert well to using frozen blueberries.

If experimenting with frozen blueberries, my recommendation would be to use them frozen (don’t thaw first). Toss the frozen blueberries in the same amount of flour as called for in the recipe and use in the recipe.

And while we’re talking about substitutions, I bet other types of berries would work quite well here. Maybe raspberries or blackberries?

The vanilla cake-y batter with just a hint of lemon should work well with a variety of berry flavors.

Batter in glass bowl for blueberry muffin bread.

Crackly Sugar Top

The real appeal to this bread is that phenomenal crackly sugar crust on top. Oh gosh, it’s so tasty.

Using coarse sugar makes all the difference.

  • turbinado or raw sugar (which is what I use in the picture below)
  • or coarse, white sugar (sometimes called sparkling sugar)

You can try substituting regular granulated sugar. It won’t have the same crunchy, fabulous texture, but it will add a slightly sandy pop of sweetness.

Blueberry muffin bread batter in loaf pan topped with coarse sugar.
Baked blueberry muffin bread in loaf pan.

The texture of this blueberry muffin bread is dense and soft and incredibly moist and tender. And that craggy muffin top is perfection.

We like this bread after it has cooled completely, and it’s good the next day, too. (And freezes great! Gosh, when will all the accolades end? This bread is positively perfect in every way, what can I say!)

Sweet enough for dessert but with some pretty good breakfast and snack vibes going on, too, this bread is a delight.

Two half slices of blueberry muffin bread on top of full slice.

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loaf of blueberry muffin bread split in half on top of full slice of bread

Blueberry Muffin Bread

4.98 stars (34 ratings)

Ingredients

  • cup (151 g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • cup vegetable, canola or avocado oil
  • cup (71 g) lightly packed brown sugar
  • cup (71 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups (178 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (113 g) fresh blueberries (see note for frozen)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons coarse sugar

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (or you can line with parchment with an overhang on the two long sides and lightly grease parchment).
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt (or sour cream), oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until well-combined.
  • Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix a couple turns with the spoon or spatula until the batter starts to come together but there are still a few dry streaks.
  • In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the 1 tablespoon flour until evenly coated. Add the blueberries (and any remaining flour) to the batter. Stir gently with a rubber spatula until the batter is just combined and the blueberries are evenly distributed through the batter.
  • Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top evenly with coarse sugar.
  • Bake for 50-55 minutes until a thin knife or toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Add additional baking time as needed.
  • Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

Blueberries: I haven’t tried this recipe with frozen blueberries (yet). But my recommendation would be to use the blueberries frozen; don’t thaw first. Toss the frozen blueberries with flour as described in the recipe. 
Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 137kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 122mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe