Right after Sidney was born, Tony and I were on a real baking kick. Actually, I take that back, when aren’t I baking?
Anyway, every week we baked a different bread to have for breakfast. It all started with my almond flour banana bread, which in turn, inspired this gorgeous healthy blueberry bread that tastes just like a blueberry muffin aka BLUEBERRY MUFFIN BREAD. And what’s even better is that it’s made with almond flour to keep it both grain free and gluten free.
Ingredients in healthy blueberry bread
This healthy blueberry bread is simple to make and is gluten free, grain free, dairy free and paleo. Kiddos and adults will love this one! Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Unsweetened applesauce: this keeps the bread super moist without having to add any oil. Be sure to grab the unsweetened kind! I have ONLY tested this bread with applesauce, so I can’t say if any subs will work.
- Eggs: you’ll need 3. I haven’t tested this with an egg substitute but let me know if you give it a try.
- Maple syrup: to naturally sweeten the bread. You’ll only be using 3 tablespoons for the entire loaf.
- Almond extract: for a little extra almond flavor that makes this bread so yummy and unique. If you don’t have any feel free to leave it out or use vanilla extract.
- Almond flour: you’ll want to use a fine blanched almond flour for this recipe. Be sure to pack the almond flour in your measuring cup just like you would with brown sugar!
- Flaxseed meal: not only does flaxseed meal add a nice nutty flavor and texture to this bread, but it also is packed with fiber, high quality plant based protein and omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re out of flaxseed meal, you can try using coconut flour or oat flour as a sub, but please know that these are only suggestions.
- Baking staples: you’ll need baking soda & salt to help the bread rise and bake properly.
- Blueberries: the ultimate mix in to make almond flour blueberry bread! Feel free to use fresh or frozen blueberries.
Add a spring twist
Personally, we love to serve this blueberry bread with a little butter and a drizzle of honey + sprinkle of sea salt, but Tony and I couldn’t’ stop dreaming up the other possibilities for this bread!
- Try adding a little hint of lemon with lemon zest plus the lemon glaze from these cookies on top.
- Mix in some crunchy poppy seeds for an almond poppy seed blueberry bread.
The options are endless. I can’t wait to hear what you guys think!
The best healthy blueberry bread in 4 easy steps
This dairy free and gluten free blueberry bread is SO easy to make and absolutely delicious.
- Mix the wet ingredients. First mix all the wet ingredients in a large bowl: applesauce, eggs, maple syrup and almond extract.
- Add the dry. Next add the dry ingredients to the same bowl: almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda and salt. Carefully fold in the blueberries.
- Bake & cool. Add the batter to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. And bake for 45-60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool the bread for 10 minutes in the pan, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut & enjoy! Cut into 12 slices and spread a little butter on top. Yum!
Storing & freezing tips
- To store: this healthy blueberry bread should be kept well-covered in foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days, then I recommend transferring to the fridge or freezer.
- To freeze: simply wrap in plastic, then tightly in foil and finally place in a reusable bag or freezer friendly bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature once you are ready to eat. You can also freeze individual slices for a quick on the go treat!
Recommended tools
Get all of our go-to kitchen essentials here.
More amazing bread recipes
- Paleo Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Fresh Strawberry Shortcake Bread with Strawberry Glaze
- Nourishing Almond Flour Banana Bread
- Paleo Orange-Kissed Loaf with Dark Chocolate Glaze
- Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Get all of my bread recipes here!
If you make this healthy blueberry bread, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. I’d love to hear from you and it helps encourage others to make the recipe too! xo
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Good Morning Almond Flour Blueberry Muffin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or sub honey)
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups packed fine blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- Optional: 1 tablespoon poppyseeds
- Optional: 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, eggs, pure maple syrup and almond extract until well combined. Add in the almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda and salt. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Fold in the blueberries.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour or until the tester comes out clean in the middle of the bread. Cool bread for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Once cool, cut into 12 slices. Top with butter and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
126 comments
Do you think the blueberries could be substituted with gluten-free mini chocolate chips?
Sure!
I’ve been looking for a replacement for my favorite grain-free muffins I used to be able to find for breakfast. Made a few substitutions and these turned out fantastic! I do plan on trying this recipe with blueberries and applesauce but just used what I had right now.
I didn’t have applesauce (staying home right now) so I did a 1:1 substitute with oil and used gluten free mini dark chocolate chips instead of blueberries. Baked at 325 for 25 minutes – perfect!
Perfect! Glad those swaps worked out well!
I do not have a cup of applesauce. What can I replace it with? I have ripe bananas or oil.
I haven’t tried swapping the applesauce so I’m not sure! Let me know if you give either a try 🙂
Do you think I could replace the eggs with flax eggs to make it vegan?
I haven’t tried it but let me know if you do!
I tried a flax egg and the loaf didn’t rise much and was very dense. How does this compare with the egg version? Perhaps more baking soda or some baking powder would help.
The loaf will be denser as it is made with almond flour, so it’s not like your typical fluffy bread, however using a flax egg would make it much more dense.
Hey, Monique! Is there anything I could use in place of flax meal?
Also, could you sub mashed banana for the apple sauce?
Hi Ainsly! Check out the full blog post for any substitution suggestions 🙂 I haven’t tried these swaps but for flaxseed meal you could try oat or coconut flour. I’ve also only used applesauce before but let me know how the banana works!
Do you have a blog post on substitution suggestions? I couldn’t find it when I searched for substitution suggestions on the website . Can you share the link or title that shows up in a search. Thanks!
Hi Suzanne! I always write specific substitution suggestions within the blog post of that particular recipe. Because all recipes are unique, I rarely suggest the exact ingredient substitutions for all recipes. If it’s not written out, it just means that I haven’t tried so cannot personally suggest it (but you’re welcome to try it out and let me know how it goes!)
Just made this as per the recipe with the lemon zest addition for a gluten free friend who recently had a baby. It turned out great & smells amazing – i hope she loves it & plan to make again for my family.
Hi! I love blueberries and I’d like to know if there’s a difference between almond flour and almond powder for this recipe.
I found another recipe I’d like to try and I was wondering if I really need to buy them both or if I could use the same product for both recipe?
I’m rather money thighs right now, but what a great time to cook new breads ! Thanks for your yummy ideas and I’ll keep you posted on this one.
Hi! I am not sure what almond powder is. I’ve only heard of almond flour and almond meal, which are different because of the texture / consistency. Let me know if you try this one!
Yes! I have all of the ingredients and am so looking forward to making this. I’ll be sure to update my review once I do. Question though…would it be alright to bake these in a muffin/cupcake tin?
Let me know how you like this one! I haven’t tried this as muffins but I think it will work. Just note that they will be more dense and won’t rise as much as regular muffins.
Looks amazing! Love how much Flax is in it!
Packed with nutrients! 🙂
Made these with my pantry staples and they turned out great. I used coconut flour instead of tapioca flour and I think the texture worked out well. Made them muffins – cooked for 25 min at 350!
I’m glad that worked out well! The perfect snack 🙂
Absolutely loved this bread! I added blackberries because I sadly did not have enough blueberries and it came out amazing. For those of you who love a lemony taste I also added a punch of lemon extract. Can’t wait to keep making this and adding my own twists!
Delicious! Great idea to add blackberries 🙂
Hi! Is there anything I can use to replace apple sauce? In quarantine and I won’t be going out for a while! These look so good! Maybe coconut oil? Thank you, love your recipes!!!
Hi! I’ve only tested it with applesauce so I can’t say for sure what will work. Let me know if you try a sub or feel free to take a look at all of my other gluten free breads! https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/gluten-free-bread-recipes/
Made this today and we all LOVE it, including my 2 year old son! He gobbled it up and asked for seconds (and thirds ha!) 😊 Makes me happy knowing he’s eating something so healthy. Thank you!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
Delicious!!! Zest added a great flavour. Husband approves! 👍
Perfect! Glad you both enjoyed!
Loved this recipe! I like Monique’s recipes because if you follow her instructions, it will turn out exactly as pictured! I was curious to make this loaf because I am a huge fan of the healthy blueberry muffins that use oat and almond flour. I’ve had to be gluten free for medical reasons for the last 2 years and I am so grateful that others have perfected the GF baking game so that it’s been easy for me to make tasty treats that my non-GF family and friends enjoy just as much! It was interesting to make this bread – which is just almond flour – in comparison to the oat/almond blend of the muffins. I think I prefer the muffins, but I still like this for a less sweet option and I think in the future I would spruce it up with the lemon zest as suggested!!
Amazing! So happy you loved this one, Trista 🙂
I want to make this but I don’t have the flax seed or the substitution. Can I make it with out and just add an additional cup of the almond flour/
Thanks
I haven’t tried the recipe with anything other than how it is written so I can’t be sure. I think some additional almond flour might work, but again, I’m not 100% positive. Do you have coconut flour or oat flour? Those might be great subs.
Hey Monique, would you ever consider including weight measurements in your baking recipes? Mine never turn out quite the same as your pictures (even though they are delicious regardless!)
Hi Jenn! I don’t typically weigh my ingredients, so my guess would be as good as an online calculator!
I subbed coconut oil for applesauce and coconut flour for flax meal. Used frozen blueberries- it was fab! Bread has a very nutty / coco nutty (from my subs) taste which I love.
This is perfection. It tastes healthy, not like you’re eating dessert for breakfast, but it’s so moist and naturally sweet with the blueberries and apple sauce and maple syrup! I topped mine with just a tiny bit of butter and honey. And promptly ate two slices. So so good.
Absolutely! Love this with butter and honey 🙂
Hi Monique! I love all of your recipes that I’ve tried…which are many! I’m making the Thai Butternut Squash Lentil soup as I type. I struggled with this one, however. I followed the directions to a T. My loaf came out more like a loaf shaped bread pudding. I baked it extra time hoping that would help make it more cake-like but to no avail. I added in lemon zest, too, in case that helps you to assess. Any suggestions? Or, is this loaf just particularly moist and mushy? Thanks! I’d like to try again!
Hi Julie! I’m glad you’re finding recipes here that you love. This bread is not supposed to be mushy that’s for sure. I wish I could troubleshoot for you! It’s supposed to be dense like a bread, not cake, but regardless I’m not sure what could have went wrong unless your applesauce was more watery or if your eggs were extra large
Thanks Monique! I’ll give it another shot! I appreciate you following up. Hope you and your family are doing well.
Do you think chia seeds would work as a replacement for the flaxseed meal since I don’t have either of the substitutions you are suggesting.
No I wouldn’t recommend, but maybe you could try more almond flour?! I haven’t tested it though so can’t be sure.
I don’t have almond extract. Can I omit or replace? Thank you!
Feel free to omit!
Wow, a must-try recipe. but will I get the ingredients in this lockdown who knows, Thanks for this tasty looking recipe.
I hope you get a chance to try it!
Delicious! Came out perfectly. Thanks!
So happy to hear that!
When I took the bread out of the pan, it completely fell apart! Not sure what I did wrong…
Sorry to hear that. Did you let it cool a bit in the pan then remove? And also did you test it to make sure it was completely cooked?
I’ve made your almond flour banana bread more than once and it’s a favourite! Can’t wait to try this!!! (Bonus! I just bought some applesauce too!) Would it be possible to omit the maple syrup, or even just reduce it? What do you think about swirling peanut butter into it instead of the frozen blueberries?
Yes, you can omit the maple syrup! And I haven’t tried a swirl of peanut butter but it sounds delicious – let me know if you give it a try!
Delicious. Moist (but not mushy). Flavorful. Perfectly sweet. This bread will definitely on my repeat baking list! Thanks for another amazing gf recipe
So happy you enjoyed!
so perfect!!!
Glad you loved it!!
Made this yesterday and had it in the oven for extra time and my toothpick came out clean but it’s still so moist and almost under baked tasting. Even though the top was quite golden. Any thoughts? I’ve tried to toast a piece which helps but it fell apart and made a huge mess of my toaster.
It should be moist, but not ‘wet’ if that makes sense. Did you follow the recipe exactly? If so, perhaps your applesauce was extra watery or your eggs were too large? Next time feel free to add in a little more almond flour if necessary!
I made this but it came out a bit wet. One cut and it breaks. Thank So a little disappointed. My thinking is that I shouldn’t have used frozen berries, but I thought that would be okay. Any suggestions?
Hmm yes I wonder if the frozen berries could have contributed to extra moisture. Anytime you use frozen berries, it’s best to coat them in extra flour to help absorb the moisture!
Made the recipe as written and it turned out great! I could resist sampling while it was still a bit warm and I have no regrets. I love that it’s not overly sweet and feels really hearty. This one is a keeper!
Absolutely! Such a great breakfast or snack 🙂
I used fresh currants instead of blueberries and added walnuts, a couple tablespoons of brown sugar, nutmeg and lemon zest. So good!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Hello, I came across your website just last night and I wanted to let you know you have the best recipes ever out there.
I made this Good morning Breakfast Blueberry because I happen to have all the ingredients in my pantry except the maple syrup. I used raw honey and it was OMG, great good.
So easy to make and very healthy for sure. I am for sure going to try all your recipes.
Thank you so much!
Amazing! So happy you loved them (and more recipes on the site!) I hope you keep finding new ones to try 🙂
I didn’t have applesauce so I mashed bananas; 2 bananas yielded 1 cup. And as a note to others, since almond flour is extremely variable in volumetric measurements, I packed 2 1/2 cups, measured the weight, and it was approximately 25 grams. The consistency of the bread turned out similar to what is pictured here so I think if you’re looking for consistency and find that compacting 2 1/2 cups yields a different outcome every time, it would be good to note the weight.
This recipe was easy, and now that I know how it is with minimal changes, I’ll start tweaking it more to match my taste. I was looking for that prominent almond flavor, but I know brand of almond flour is a factor. Next time I think I’ll up the maple syrup and almond extract a bit.
I’m glad I had a big stash of flaxseed so I could use freshly ground flaxseed meal in this recipe. If you’re not used to using flaxseed, it’s good to know that meal goes rancid pretty quickly but both the seeds and meal last a while in the fridge. I find freshly ground tastes way better because the oils in the pre-ground meal taste funky after sitting in a store for months.
Great tips here – thank you for your note! I hope the added almond extract and flaxseed help 🙂
Of course when talking about measurement precision I had to have a typo. It’s 250 grams!
I love in love with baking and this is an amazingly easy to follow recipe on Almond Flour Blueberry Muffin Bread. I’d love to bake this for my friends and would love to give you the credit for this awesome step by step guide. Thanks a ton.
So glad you enjoyed!
loved your recipe.
I’m so glad!
Dying to try this , but can’t have flax seeds . Is there anything I could swap them with ?
Yes, you can do 1/2-3/4 cup oat flour instead that should be fine!
OMG, this is delicious, super moist, low in sugar, vegan and gluten free. I couldn’t ask for more! I make it at least once a week. Lemon zest is a great addition. I use chia instead of flax seeds because of food sensitivities and it comes out great.
So happy you love this one! Perfect snack or breakfast 🙂
5 stars! I love how quick and easy this bread came together. Definitely going to add the optional lemon and poppyseed next time. So yummy!
Absolutely! Glad you loved it 🙂
So good! I added lemon zest and made them as mini muffins (baked at 350° for 20minutes) and they’re delicious.
That sounds amazing!!
Made this for a brunch with my friends and everyone loved it – moist, flavorful, and healthy! Needed 55mins in my 350 degree oven.
Delicious raspberry jam.
Yay, happy everyone loved it!
Added the lemon and poppyseed- so good! Made into muffins (baked about 22 minutes). Came out with the perfect, soft, bouncy texture. Perfect summer treat.
New family favorite! We’ve been making them as muffins (350, 1/4 cup, 22-24 min in our oven). Love them as an easy breakfast or snack for our preschooler.
Nice!! So happy you all love these 🙂
This breakfast bread is excellent. Perfectly moist and not too sweet…just right for a start to the morning or an afternoon snack. We love your recipes, thanks for sharing!! ❤️
Thank you so much for the reviews, Sam! Happy you’re loving this one!
I’ve made this a few times and love it! Today I subbed mashed banana for the applesauce and it turned out great!
Nice!! I’m so glad you loved them!
I followed the recipe exactly. The batter was nothing even close to something I could pour into the pan. The result is super dry and not much flavor. More liquid of some sort seems called for, and a bit more sweetener. I don’t like things overly sweet, but this is really blah. If anyone has ideas that they’ve tried, I’d love to hear them.
So sorry to hear that! You used fine blanched almond flour, not almond meal? The batter will definitely be thick and you’ll need to press it into the pan with your spoon/spatula. But sorry you didn’t love the texture/flavor; really appreciate the feedback 🙂
My absolutely favorite blueberry bread !!! I follow the recipe to a T, except I increase the amount of blueberries by half a cup and use lemon extract, lemon flavor really gives it a nice twist . My husband raves about about the bread , lol . I make it at least every two weeks. How would you adjust baking time if you wanted to make muffins? Thank you 😊
Hi, Tasha! SO happy you love this one. Love the addition of lemon in here!! I haven’t personally tested this recipe as muffins so I can’t be sure, but I’d recommend starting to test them around 20 minutes and take them out of the oven when your tester comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached 🙂
Hi, do you think I could substitute the flaxseed meal with LSA? Here in Australia LSA is ground linseed, sunflower seed and almond meal. Thank you.
Hello! I haven’t personally tried it but it sounds like a great substitute 🙂 Enjoy!
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! I’m already giving it 5 stars because EVERYTHING from this blog is drop dead delicious!!!
Aw thank you, Barbara!! SO excited for you to try it 🙂
Truly delish! I added a lot less almond extract (just cause it’s not my favorite), fresh blueberries, poppy seeds, and lemon zest. SO yummy and moist. Doesn’t even need the frosting.
So happy you made it and that it came out great!! Perfect for the summer, right??
Hi
Can you please tell me how to make apple sauce
Thanks,
Erica
Hello! I actually buy mine pre-made at the store — like this one 🙂
I like the bread however, something is off with the recipe that caused the interior to need 30 extra mins to cook which made the outside burn. Can you help me so I can try this again next time? Maybe eliminate an egg? What would dry out the recipe a bit?
I would not adjust any of the ingredients. I would suggest making sure you are baking it on the middle rack of your oven.
This bread is good but I am wondering why the parchment paper when you also call for oiling the pan. Also, I am thinking of using half wheat flour for the next batch. Anyone try that?
Great bread! The first time I followed the recipe with 3 eggs and took an extra 40 mins to cook through. Of course the tip burnt. This time I cooked it with 2 eggs which was plenty to coat the flour mix and make it the right amount of moist. I did still however need to cook it about 65-70 mins. Top burnt again bc of the extra time needed. Not sure what is still off. But def recommend only 2 eggs. Seems like maybe a little less applesauce too maybe do the trick,
Hi Jill – I would make sure you are baking in the middle rack and not too close to the burner, that could cause the top to burn. Otherwise, I am glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi! If using frozen blueberries, do they need to be thawed?
Nope! They can be frozen. Enjoy!
Similar to other comments, the bread tested done/w/cake tester, I tested in several spots in the center. My issue is that only the end pieces were cooked through. The rest was mushy and undercooked. I followed the recipe exactly. Big waste of ingredients!
So sorry to hear this didn’t work out, how long did you let it sit before cutting into it?
I waited a long time, so That was not the problem. Thanks
Can I use ground flaxseed in place of flax seed meal for the blueberry bread?
Thank you.
It is actually the same thing 🙂 Enjoy!
Hi! In this recipe (and in other baking) se the eggs generally replaceable by egg whites? Thx 🙂
Hi Melina – I am not sure how it would turn out, but you can try and replace 1 egg with 2 egg whites. Let me know how they turn out for you.
I use a scale in baking. What is 2 1/2 packed cups in grams? Any chance you will start adding the metric weights to your recipes in the future? Makes baking & cooking so much more consistent
Hi Irene – My team and I are working on metric conversions for readers! I am not sure what 2 1/2 packed cups are but you can use an online converter and that should help you until we are able to get that up and running for you! Hope you enjoy these muffins!
I love all your recipes I’ve tried but unfortunately this one didn’t turn out for me – it was seemingly like some other reviewers’ experiences here, way too mushy. I baked it for much much longer to try to help the result. If anyone finds themselves in this position, I’m also reheating slices in the oven but something is definitely off.
So sorry to hear this recipe did not turn out for you. Did you change anything about the recipe?
No, and I consider myself a relatively experienced home baker.
This bread is absolutely DELICIOUS. I used fresh blueberries and the zest of one lemon. I only had about 2/3 c of applesauce, so I substituted melted coconut oil for the other 1/3 c and it turned out great! 10/10 recommend this recipe!
Perfect! Glad you loved it!