This Blueberry Greek Yogurt Bread can be used as a base recipe for all your healthy quick breads! Loaded with whole grains and even a little protein, it makes a wholesome snack.
I make quick breads like this blueberry Greek yogurt bread recipe regularly, and every time I do, guess what happens?
A gremlin sneaks into the kitchen and snatches the whole loaf the second it cools off. Okay, you caught me…I’m the gremlin, I’m the loaf snatcher.
This to say, healthier snacks like this yogurt bread don’t last long under my roof, because I have a remarkable relationship with my sweet tooth, and the fact that it is made with healthy ingredients gives me license to go to pound town.
Inspired by my Oatmeal Blueberry Cottage Cheese Bread, I simply replaced the cottage cheese with plain Greek yogurt and made a couple of other miner changes.
The end result is a lightly sweet loaf that’s nice and fluffy and packed with whole grains and a touch of protein.
Is it the sultriest thing you will ever eat? No, because it is designed to be a mindful option. I do, however, provide options for customization that yield a sweeter muse.
Ingredients for Greek Yogurt Bread:
Quick Oats: I love baking quick bread recipes using oats instead of regular flour because they contain dietary fiber, which inherently makes them a slower burning carbohydrate. This is my preference over all purpose flour.
I use gluten-free sprouted oats, but regular old fashioned oats or rolled oats work great too.
Greek Yogurt: Yogurt adds moisture, protein, and the slightest tangy flavor all while remaining lower in calories. Protein helps to blunt the rise in blood sugar that comes with higher carb goodies.
I love that there is some quality nutrition snuck right into the bread. I use full fat Greek yogurt for the most flavorful option, but nonfat yogurt works too.
Eggs: A couple of eggs help the bread batter rise into a delightful fluffy texture.
Pure Maple Syrup: The sweetener here. A touch of pure maple syrup gives the bread its light sweetness. For a sweeter treat, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, coconut sugar, or sugar-free sweetener.
Fresh Blueberries: Fresh blueberries bring moisture and little pops of berry flavor. I find they add a lot of spunk to the loaf.
Avocado Oil: Here for the richness. Avocado oil is responsible for some of the moisture and adds a little something special to enhance the flavors. Remember: fat is flavor. Olive oil works here too.
Fresh Lemon Zest (optional): To level up the flavor of the bread, zest a lemon and add it in.
Baking Powder: The leavening agent that helps the bread dough rise to its fluffiest potential.
Ground Cinnamon: Here for some warm flavor, ground cinnamon and blueberries are a magical match.
Sea Salt: Don’t skimp on the sea salt, as it helps enhance the flavors of the loaf. If you’re using table salt (iodized salt), decrease the amount to ½ teaspoon.
Use this easy quick bread recipe as a base recipe for other flavors. Swap out the lemon, blueberries, and cinnamon here for any of the options below.
Ways to Customize:
- Cranberry Orange: Mix in 1 tablespoon of orange zest and ½ cup of dried cranberries.
- Chocolate Chip: Add 1 cup of chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
- Lemon Poppy Seed: Zest two to three lemons, add 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds, and 3 tablespoons of your favorite granulated sweetener.
- Cinnamon Raisin: Add ½ cup of raisins and increase the amount of cinnamon to 1 tablespoon.
- Pumpkin Spice: Swap out ½ cup of the yogurt for ½ cup of pumpkin puree, add 2 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger, and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Zucchini Bread: I have a dedicated Yogurt Zucchini Bread recipe waiting for you to try!
The simple ingredients and substitutions are covered, which means it’s time to make Greek yogurt blueberry bread!
How to Make Greek Yogurt Bread:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
Transfer the oats, baking powder, sea salt, and ground cinnamon to a high-powered blender and blend for 60 seconds, or until a flour forms and the dry ingredients are combined.
Mix the Greek yogurt, eggs, pure maple syrup, avocado oil, and pure vanilla extract in a large bowl until the wet ingredients are well combined.
Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture and mix well until a thick batter forms.
Stir in the blueberries and the lemon zest.
Transfer the quick bread batter to the prepared bread pan and spread it into an even layer. If you’d like, sprinkle the top of the bread with extra blueberries. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 50-65 minutes, or until it tests clean.
Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bread to check for doneness. It is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. If you cut the bread while it is still warm, it won’t slice as cleanly.
Enjoy a thick slice heated up with butter and a drizzle of honey for the perfect afternoon snack.
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: Cover the bread pan with plastic wrap and keep on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or a large zip lock bag, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: For longer term storage, slice the remaining loaf into individual slices and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- Reheating Instructions: Microwave a room temperature or refrigerated slice of bread for 20 to 22 seconds. For a frozen slice, microwave for 25 to 30 seconds.
Recipe Tips:
- For sweeter bread, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of a granulated sweetener (not more pure maple syrup).
- For richer flavor and bread that is even more moist, add another 2 tablespoons of avocado oil.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! If you have store-bought oat flour on hand, swap out the oats for 2 cups of oat flour. If you go this route, you won’t need to use a blender to blend the dry ingredients and you can go straight to a large mixing bowl.
Yes! Well, the recipe as written is designed for oats specifically, but I do have a similar recipe that calls for almond flour. Make my Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Bread rather than making a 1:1 swap of almond flour to oat flour in this recipe.
For extra protein, you can definitely add protein powder. To do so, reduce the amount of oats to 1 2/3 cups and add 1/4 cup of your favorite protein powder.
I like unsweetened unflavored protein powders like pure egg white protein powder or goat whey protein powder.
If you love baking quick bread recipes using wholesome ingredients, also try some of these gems.
More Quick Bread Recipes:
- Double Chocolate Sweet Potato Bread
- Oatmeal Gingerbread Loaf
- Apple Cider Donut Bread
- Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Protein Cinnamon Roll Bread
The next time you’re craving something sweet and on the healthier end of the spectrum, bake up a loaf of this yogurt blueberry bread!
Greek Yogurt Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats or rolled oats
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon optional
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt *
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1.5 cups 1 pint fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Transfer the oats, baking powder, sea salt, and ground cinnamon to a high-powered blender and blend for 60 seconds, or until a flour forms and the dry ingredients are combined.
- Mix the Greek yogurt, eggs, pure maple syrup, avocado oil, and pure vanilla extract in a large bowl until the wet ingredients are well combined.
- Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet mixture and mix well until a thick batter forms. Stir in the blueberries and the lemon zest.
- Transfer the quick bread batter to the prepared bread pan and spread it into an even layer. If you’d like, sprinkle the top of the bread with extra blueberries. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 50-65 minutes, or until it tests clean.
- Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bread to check for doneness. It is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. If you cut the bread while it is still warm, it won’t slice as cleanly.
- Enjoy a thick slice heated up with butter and a drizzle of honey for the perfect afternoon snack.
I don’t own a loaf pan and would like to make this today. Could I use an 8” by 8” square pan?
Hi Mary Elizabeth! I think an 8-inch square pan will work just fine! I haven’t tested the exact time myself, but I believe 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes should get you there. I love using the thermometer trick to verify doneness… So near the end of baking (let’s say around 35 minutes), pull it from the oven and stick a thermometer into the center. If it reads 190 degrees F or higher, it’s ready. If it’s lower than that, stick it back in 🙂 I hope you enjoy!