It’s light, it’s fluffy, it’s bursting with blueberry flavor, it’s my healthy blueberry bread! Made in one bowl, I love how it’s egg and dairy-free.

As much as I love my banana blueberry bread, I’ve had several readers ask if I could make a banana-free version (yes, I selfishly forget that not everyone loves bananas as much as I do).

It wasn’t as simple as removing bananas from my original recipe, because I still needed enough moisture without turning the loaf gummy or soggy. After some testing, I landed on neutral-flavored oil and vinegar, which also resulted in a happy accident- the batter didn’t even need eggs.

The loaf turns out light, fluffy, and incredibly moist with just the right amount of blueberries throughout. I love it for a sweet breakfast (yes, breakfast), while my partner grabs a slice with his afternoon coffee. 

Table of Contents

1. Recipe highlights
2. Key Ingredients (and substitutions)
3. How to make healthy blueberry bread
4. Arman’s recipe tips
5. Storage instructions
6. More quick bread recipes
7. Healthy Blueberry Bread (Recipe Card)

Key Ingredients (and substitutions)

Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

• White whole wheat flour. I like using this kind of flour because it has the health benefits of wheat flour, but is lighter in color and yields a lighter loaf. Regular all-purpose flour works just fine.
• Sugar. I use regular brown sugar, but any type of sugar will work, like white sugar, coconut sugar, or a sugar-free brown sugar substitute. I would avoid using liquid sweeteners (like honey or maple syrup), as testing honey threw off the ratio of wet and dry ingredients.
• Baking soda. Reacts with the vinegar to mimic eggs and gives rise and stability to the bread. 
• Salt. Brings out the sweetness of the other ingredients. 
• Vinegar. White vinegar is preferred, but apple cider vinegar works well, too. 
• Vegetable oil. Any neutral-flavored oil works.
• Unsweetened applesauce. To balance out the oil to keep the loaf moist. Using applesauce also reduces the amount of oil needed.
• Water. To shape the batter. Unsweetened almond milk or dairy milk can also be used. 
• Blueberries. Both frozen and fresh blueberries will work. If you use frozen blueberries, I recommend thawing them and letting them drain to remove excess moisture.

How to make healthy blueberry bread

Step 1- Make the dough. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Stir in the vinegar, vanilla extract, oil, and water until combined. Fold in the blueberries.

Step 2- Bake. Transfer the batter to the lined loaf pan. Bake the bread for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out mostly clean.

Step 3- Cool and slice. Remove the pan from the oven and let the bread cool completely, then remove it from the pan, slice, and serve!

Arman’s recipe tips

• Avoid overmixing. I stir the batter just until everything is combined. If you overmix it, the bread can turn out dense instead of light and fluffy.
• Adjust the cooking time. Every oven runs a little differently, so if the center still looks underbaked around the 40-minute mark, loosely cover the loaf with foil and keep checking every few minutes.
• Don’t overbake. I like pulling it from the oven once a toothpick comes out mostly clean because the loaf continues cooking as it cools.
• Toss the blueberries in flour. I actually like it when some blueberries sink slightly into the loaf (my batter naturally does this), but if you want them more evenly distributed, toss them in a little flour before folding them into the batter. 

Storage instructions

To store: Keep the bread covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. When I tested storing it at room temperature, the blueberries seeped through the loaf and made it too moist after a couple of days. 

To freeze: Transfer the leftover bread slices into a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the bread thaw overnight in the fridge.

More quick bread recipes

Raspberry Bread

Applesauce Bread

4 Ingredient Banana Bread

Strawberry Banana Bread