Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Bread (Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free)

Finally, a blueberry bread without lemon! This soft and tender Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Bread is a quick bread topped with a delicious crumble. Made completely gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free, it tastes better than what you'd find at a bakery and it's healthier too!

Why You'll Love This Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Bread

• Allergy friendly: this blueberry crumble bread hits all the marks, it's gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and corn free for an allergy safe treat everyone can enjoy.
• No lemon required: if you're also not a fan of lemon, then this recipe is for you! We are serving pure blueberry flavor, no citrus needed.
• Refined sugar free: made with low glycemic maple syrup, there's zero refined sugar in this recipe!
• Quick bread: no yeast, no waiting, no stress. Who has time to let dough rise these days? Not me, so this blueberry quick bread is for when you want a treat in under an hour.
• Year-round recipe: fresh or frozen blueberries both work in this recipe, but it's absolutely divine with fresh blueberries during the summer months.

Is This Blueberry Streusel Bread Healthy?

• Baked with better-for-you ingredients, this blueberry streusel bread uses allergy friendly and whole food ingredients. My bread and butter is making healthier, allergy friendly versions of recipes so you can trust that even though this bread looks indulgent, it's still better for you than your average bakery loaf.
• Made without refined sugar and half of the sugar in a traditional blueberry bread recipe. Talk about delicious without the sugar crash!
• Antioxidant packed blueberries provide health benefits for the whole body along with fiber for digestive health. So, you're genuinely getting some nutritional value with every slice.

Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Bread Ingredients

Blueberry loaf:

• Gluten free flour: be sure to use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum for best results.
• Tigernut flour or almond flour: tigernut flour is a nut free alternative to almond flour, but they function the same in baking. Both provide grounded, natural sweetness and help balance the texture of a gluten free flour blend alone.
• Olive oil: provides a light, airy texture so this blueberry loaf doesn't end up dense and gummy.
• Maple syrup: be sure to use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
• Eggs: you'll need 2 large eggs to provide lift and structure.
• Dairy free buttermilk: I teach you how to make your own homemade buttermilk in the recipe card.
• Dairy free yogurt: adds some extra fat and moisture so the loaf doesn't dry out.
• Blueberries:​ fresh, juicy blueberries during peak season taste amazing in this blueberry bread, but frozen also work!
• Baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract

Streusel topping:

• Gluten free flour
• Tigernut or almond flour: provides some sweetness without extra sugar.
• Coconut oil: melted coconut oil or butter holds the streusel topping together.
• Maple syrup

How to Make Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Bread ​

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Whisk together the dry ingredients for the crumble topping then add the wet and mix until you have a wet sand texture that clumps together when pinched. Set aside.
• Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, beat together the wet ingredients in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until well combined.
• Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined and a few flour streaks remain.
• Fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan then sprinkle additional blueberries over the batter. 
• Crumble the streusel topping evenly over the top of the loaf.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean with a few crumbs on it.
• Let cool on a cooling rack to room temperature before slicing. 

Substitutions and Variations

• Flours: you can use almond flour instead of tigernut flour.
• Olive oil: melted butter or dairy free butter would also work in this recipe, but will produce a slightly denser loaf.
• Buttermilk: "regular" milk on its own results in a drier loaf, so buttermilk is ideal. You can use any variety of buttermilk (dairy-full or any dairy free milk).
• Yogurt: a couple tablespoons of mashed banana also works in a pinch.
• Maple syrup: agave syrup works. 
• Coconut oil:​ you can swap the coconut oil in the streusel topping or dairy free or regular butter.
• Variations: if you're a lemon fan, you can add a couple teaspoon of lemon zest and lemon juice to the batter. Alternatively, try adding some chocolate chips for a fun blueberry-chocolate loaf! Not a blueberry fan? You can totally use another berry instead. Try raspberries or blackberries or make my Gluten Free Strawberry Bread instead.
• Add a glaze:​ take this blueberry crumble loaf up a notch by adding a glaze. Try the glaze from my Gluten Free Banana Coffee Cake!
• Make it a coffee cake: you can easily turn this gluten-free blueberry bread into a blueberry coffee cake. Scoop half the batter into the loaf pan then sprinkle a mixture of 2 tablespoon coconut sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon onto the loaf. Add the remaining batter, then swirl the cinnamon-sugar in before adding the crumb topping.

Serving and Storage

Slice and serve as is for breakfast with a cup of coffee or for an afternoon snack with some tea. My favorite way, though, is with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some coconut whipped cream for dessert.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you're in a hot climate or it's the peak of summer, I suggest storing this loaf in the fridge as the crumble can get soggy from the moisture of the loaf. Just bring a slice to room temp before eating. You can also freeze this gluten free blueberry crumble bread, just wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. 

Tips for the Best Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Bread

• Measure flour correctly. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup then level off so you don't pack the flour and end up with too much. 
• Make sure all ingredients are room temperature: this  ensures everything mixes together and bakes evenly. This is especially important for the eggs and dairy free buttermilk. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to seize up and bake unevenly.
• Don't over mix the batter. For best results with gluten free baking, you never want to over mix batter. Mix until just combined and in this case, until there are a few flour streaks remaining. The flour will get fully incorporated when you fold in the blueberries.
• Toss blueberries in flour:​ to keep the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf, toss them in 1 tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter.
• Add the streusel correctly: when making the streusel topping, use melted, but not hot, coconut oil and mix until you have a texture that holds together when pinched but isn't a runny mess. If runny, it won't hold its shape and can fall into the loaf instead of sitting on top. When you add the streusel, push it into the batter lightly so that it sticks and doesn't just fall off after baking.
• Don't over bake the loaf. Gluten free baked goods dry out fast. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the loaf, it should come out with a few crumbs on it and when you gently press on the center, it should feel bouncy. It will continue to cook a little as it cools. 
• Let cool before slicing. I know it's hard, but try to be patient. This allows the flavors to meld together and the bread to set so it doesn't fall apart when sliced.

Fresh vs. Frozen Blueberries - Which Should You Use?

This recipe was designed to be made during the summer when blueberries are in season. It tastes divine with fresh, sweet blueberries that are popping with flavor. You can make it with frozen blueberries though. No need to thaw them, just toss in flour and fold into the batter.

Heads up, though, frozen blueberries can bleed color into the batter giving it a purple tint. Totally normal and still totally delicious!

FAQ

More Gluten Free Blueberry Recipes You'll Love

If you're in the mood for cookies, try my Gluten Free Blueberry Crumble Cookies or Gluten Free Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cookies.

My Gluten Free and Dairy Free Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake is an indulgent summer treat!

What's summer without pie? Try my Gluten Free Blueberry Crumble Pie or Blueberry Mint Cobbler.

If you try this recipe, please leave a rating and review below. I'd love to see your photos on social media, so don't forget to tag me!