Blueberry Crumble Bread is soft, moist, and packed with juicy blueberries in every bite. It starts with a tender quick bread base and gets topped with a buttery crumble that bakes into a golden, bakery-style topping. A simple vanilla glaze drizzled over the top adds just the right amount of sweetness, making this loaf perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an easy dessert. If this is your kind of treat, you will definitely love my Blueberry Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the bread and helps create a soft, tender crumb. You can reduce it slightly if you prefer a less-sweet loaf, but I don’t recommend cutting too much since this is also a dessert-style bread.
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness and flavor. If you only have salted butter, just lessen any added kosher salt in the recipe.
- Sour Cream: This is what keeps the bread extra moist and soft. Full-fat sour cream works best, but plain Greek yogurt is a great substitute.
- Egg: Helps bind everything together and gives the bread structure. Make sure it’s room temperature for easier mixing. Out of eggs? Check out my egg substitutes to try!
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives the bread its structure. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend should also work if needed.
- Baking Powder: Helps the bread rise and stay light instead of dense.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps loosen the batter so it bakes evenly. Whole milk gives the best texture, but 2% works too. I used milk for the glaze, too.
- Blueberries: Fresh blueberries are best for this recipe since they hold their shape well. If using frozen, don’t thaw them first; just fold them in straight from the freezer to prevent bleeding.
- Crumble Topping: A buttery, bakery-style crumble made with flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, kosher salt, and cold unsalted butter. Keep the butter cold and don’t overwork it so you get those bigger crumble pieces.
- Glaze: A simple sweet glaze made with confectioners’ sugar and milk. It’s smooth, drizzleable, and adds just the right finishing touch of sweetness to the cooled bread.
FAQs
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes. Frozen blueberries work well; just add them straight from the freezer without thawing. This helps prevent the batter from turning blue.
Why did my blueberries sink to the bottom?
This can happen if the berries are too heavy or the batter is a bit loose. To help prevent it, make sure you fold them in gently and don’t overmix the batter. You can also toss them lightly in a spoonful of flour before adding them.
Can I make blueberry crumble bread without sour cream?
Yes. Plain Greek yogurt is the best substitute and works the same way to keep the bread soft and moist.
Can I skip the crumble topping?
You can (but I love a good crumble topping)! Without it, you’ll still have a good blueberry loaf, just more like a classic quick bread.
How do I know when the bread is done baking?
The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. The top should feel set and lightly golden, even if the crumble looks a bit darker.
Serving Ideas
- Serve warm or at room temperature with a cup of coffee or tea for a simple breakfast or afternoon treat.
- Add a scoop of no-churn vanilla ice cream (or my blueberry no-churn ice cream for even more blueberry flavor!) or whipped cream and serve it as an easy dessert.
- Slice and serve with extra fresh blueberries on the side for a pretty brunch spread.
- Lightly warm a slice and add a drizzle of glaze for that fresh-from-the-oven feel.
- Serve alongside other brunch favorites like my best muffin recipes (choose your favorite!), a fresh fruit platter, or scrambled eggs for a cozy weekend table.
How to Store Blueberry Crumble Bread
Room Temperature: Store the blueberry crumble bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. It’s best enjoyed fresh while the crumb is soft and the topping is crisp.
Freezer: For longer storage, freeze the bread (without the glaze) for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw overnight at room temperature, then glaze before serving.
Blueberry Crumble Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
- 2 cups (296 g) fresh blueberries, divided
Crumble Topping
- ⅔ cup (83 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, cold, cubed
Glaze
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat together the sugar and butter until creamy.
- Mix in sour cream and egg until smooth and fully combined.
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in 1 ½ cups of the blueberries, reserving the remaining ½ cup for the top.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the reserved blueberries evenly over the top.
Crumble Topping
- In a medium bowl combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the cold cubed butter. Using a fork or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form, ranging from pea-sized to small marble-sized pieces.
- Place the crumble in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to keep the butter cold.
- Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the batter, keeping the pieces pea-size to marble-size rather than breaking them into fine crumbs.
- Lightly press the crumble into the batter just to help it adhere during baking.
- Bake 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. (If the crumble begins browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.)
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed; add a little more milk for a thinner drizzle or more sugar for a thicker glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread before slicing.
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