Blueberry Swirl Bread (Bread Machine Dough + Oven Bake)
Sneak Preview: This soft and buttery Sally Lunn-style bread gets a fruity upgrade with fresh blueberries swirled throughout the loaf. Let your bread machine handle the mixing and kneading, then you shape the swirl by hand and bake it in your oven for hot bread in 3 hours and 30 minutes.
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Imagine a buttery, soft yeast bread marbled with fresh blueberries that melt into the dough as it bakes so that it tastes like the freshes blueberry jelly possible. This Sally Lunn-inspired recipe is sweet and rich (like brioche without so much butter) with the help of a bread machine, making it more accessible for everyday bakers.
Whether you’re sipping morning coffee or hosting brunch, this bread is sure to impress. Let’s bake!
What Is Sally Lunn?
A large sponge cake-like bread, more like a bread than a cake that is either yeast or baking powder based that can be made either into a cake, buns, rolls, or even a loaf of bread.”
What’s Cooking America
How I Use a Bread Machine for Better Bread
I use my bread machine (this is the model I use) to mix and knead the dough using the DOUGH cycle, then shape it by hand and bake it in a conventional oven. This approach takes advantage of the machine’s consistent kneading while giving me full control over shaping, rising, and baking—especially important for rolls, pizza, and other swirled and shaped breads.
My free Bread Machine Crash Course explains this approach in more detail.
Ingredients and Substitutions
BLUEBERRIES: Use fresh for best texture and flavor
HEAVY CREAM: Can substitute half-and-half; no need to warm
EGGS: Large eggs preferred; if using another size, monitor dough hydration
BUTTER: Unsalted only; chop cold and add directly—no softening needed when using a bread machine.
SUGAR: Granulated for the dough; coarse or sanding sugar for the topping (or skip it)
FLOUR: A blend of bread flour and all-purpose for strength and tenderness; all AP works in a pinch
YEAST: Bread machine or instant yeast; increase by ¼ tsp if using active dry
No bread machine? See the recipe notes for how to make this recipe with a stand mixer or by hand.
Step-by-Step: How to Shape and Fill the Swirl Loaf
⬇️ Jump to the recipe below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Tips That Make a Difference
- Avoid overfilling with berries—it can cause gaps or soggy spots
- Don’t skip the oven bake: This bread relies on shaping and oven heat for its tender, flaky crust.
- You can sprinkle the top with granulated sugar, but sparkling sugar looks more impressive.
Blueberry Swirl Bread (Bread Machine Dough + Oven Bake)
Video
Ingredients
Blueberry Prep
- 1 cup (149 g) fresh blueberries (the smallest you can find)
Dough
- 3 tablespoons (40 g) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon water
- 2 large (100 g) eggs
- 2-3 tablespoons (25-38 g) granulated sugar (plus more for sprinkling the berries)
- ¾ teaspoon table or sea salt
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter, chopped into small pieces (cold)
- 1 cup (120 g) bread flour
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (133 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
Glaze
- 1 (18 g) egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon sanding or coarse sugar (for sprinkling on top of the loaf)
Instructions
- Prep the Blueberries: Rinse 1 cup (149 g) fresh blueberries , lay them on a paper towel to dry, and come to room temperature while making the dough.
- Make the Dough: Dump the remaining dough ingredients into the bread pan: 3 tablespoons (40 g) heavy cream, 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon water, 2 large (100 g) eggs, 2-3 tablespoons (25-38 g) granulated sugar , ¾ teaspoon table or sea salt, ¼ cup (57 g) butter, chopped into small pieces, 1 cup (120 g) bread flour, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (133 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour, and 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- Select the DOUGH cycle and start.First check: After a couple of minutes, check the dough to make sure it is coming together into a raggedy ball. If not, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. If you see pancake batter instead of dough, you forgot some flour—just add it slowly until everything pulls together.Second check: Check dough again after about 15 minutes. The dough should stick to the sides of the pan, then pull away cleanly. If too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If too dry and the dough doesn't stick at all, add more liquid. See more details–Surprising Secret for Making Better Bread with a Bread Machine.NOTE: Bread dough is influenced by flour, humidity, and even your kitchen temperature—so use this step to fine-tune the dough for your environment.
- End of DOUGH cycle: The dough should be doubled. If not, give it more rise time until it is. Restart the DOUGH cycle and knead for 5 seconds to deflate the dough. Stop the machine and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a smooth ball, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Shape the Dough: Roll the dough into a 10 x 14-inch rectangle. Scatter blueberries evenly over the dough and press them into the dough without smashing the berries. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Roll the dough like a jelly roll starting from the short end. Seal the seams.Flatten the roll with your palms or a rolling pin into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle. Again, starting with the short end, gently roll up the dough. Seal the seams, and tuck the ends under.
- Second Rise: Place the shaped dough seam-side down in a greased 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan.Cover and let rise until it peeks about 1 inch over the pan’s edge (about 1 hour, depending on room temperature).
- Prepare to Bake: When you see the bread has almost risen enough, preheat your oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
- Glaze: Whisk together 1 (18 g) egg yolk, 1 teaspoon heavy cream, and a Pinch of salt for the glaze in a small bowl. Brush the glaze lightly over the risen loaf and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sanding or coarse sugar.
- Bake at 350˚F (180˚C) for 40-45 minutes. Use a thermometer to ensure the bread’s internal temperature reaches 190-200˚F (88-93˚C).Tip: If the crust browns too quickly, tent with foil halfway through baking.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a rack. For the best texture, wait at least 1 hour before slicing (if you can!).
Notes
- Unbaked dough: Freeze after the DOUGH cycle or after shaping (before final rise). Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- Baked bread: Double-wrap and freeze up to one month. Reheat gently.
- Stand Mixer: Mix until moistened, then knead with a dough hook (speed 2–3) until smooth and elastic (5–10 minutes). Let rise, deflate, and shape as directed.
- By Hand: Mix to a shaggy dough, knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic (10–20 minutes). Let rise, deflate, and shape as directed.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
What Readers Ask Me About This Recipe
- Can I bake this entirely in the bread machine?
- No. This bread relies on shaping and oven baking for its swirl and tender crust.
- Can I use frozen blueberries?
- Yes, but thaw and dry them first to avoid excess moisture.
- Can I reduce the salt?
- Yes, but note that salt balances flavor and supports yeast activity. If you want to cut back (not out), experiment with 1/4 teaspoon less and see how it goes.
Final Thoughts
Blueberries make this Sally Lunn-inspired bread truly special. Pair it with lemon curd, cream fraiche, or try it as French toast for a decadent treat.
— Paula, Home Economist
Homemade Food Worth Sharing
Need help troubleshooting?
Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com — photos help!
The idea for this bread came from a “Fresh Blueberry Brioche” recipe in Huckleberry (paid link), by Zoe Nathan. While delicious, brioche can take two days to make—a challenge for spur-of-the-moment bakers. Instead, I turned to the classic Sally Lunn bread from Bread Machine Magic Book of Helpful Hints (paid link) by Linda Rehberg and Lois Conway, a trusty resource for bread machine enthusiasts.
I was just thinking this morning that I needed to find a way to use the blueberries we have! My husband buys them, but doesn’t eat them, I like them but usually leave them for him, knowing that they are his favorite.
The question I have is in general, but was mentioned in the recipe, can I use half and half for both the water and heavy cream? Since it’s a combination of the two, I thought it might work. I never have cows milk in the house, we only drink non sweetened almond milk, vanilla flavored. But I always have half and half in the fridge, though it’s fat free. Not perfect for breads, considering that they need the fat. I also have non fat dry milk and dry buttermilk. I could see if I can find full fat dry milk, I know a lot of bread recipes call for it.
On another note, I finally tried your salad in a jar method last night! It will make it easier to use it, as I don’t want to forget about it until it’s rotting. Things like spinach I take it out of the clam shell container it came in, and completely line it with paper towels. That has kept my spinach fresh for 2 plus weeks past the best day warranty. I also use the jar method with fruit, like strawberries. That also keeps them fresh for much longer. Good thing I just ordered more quart mason jars, I needed a couple to try my hand at growing micro beans and sprouts. I did this decades ago. I’m also going to try getting myself into sourdough bread. I found myself receiving a lot of equipment to make it. (for reviews) So in order to review it, I have to use it first!
Thanks for all your recipes and advice, I’ve been following you for several years.
Hi Cookie,
It’s great to hear from you. Although I haven’t tried half and half (especially the non-fat kind), I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work. Real cream makes this bread melt-in-your-mouth tender so I can’t imagine this bread without it. I would be hesitant to use buttermilk, but you’re the boss. If you try these things, let me know how it goes for you.
This recipe looks divine! Where can I find the video on how to make this?
Hi Denice,
The video is normally seen inside the recipe card. If you have an ad-blocker on your browser, you will need to deactivate it to see the video. Hope this helps.
Can I substitute coconut milk for heavy cream.
Hi Liz,
I haven’t tested this recipe with coconut milk. Your bread won’t be as rich as using heavy cream but I bet it will still be delicious.
Hi, I made this today. I didn’t have any heavy cream, so I used sour cream. The dough is a wet dough, and I didn’t add any extra flour because it was pulling away from the sides. It was easy to work with and did rise nicely. I covered it after 20 mins because it was getting brown and I’m wondering if next time I would just use an egg white and half n half for the glaze. I watched the video, and it did differ from the recipe. Next time I will sprinkle a mixture of cinnamon sugar over the blueberries. Tomorrow I’m making French toast out of it for a Bkfst treat. Great recipe!
Thank you for the 5-star review. Have fun with the recipe.
i’ve been eyeing this recipe for a couple weeks now.. finally bit the bullet and gave it a go! my dough came out slightly denser or dryer i think just based off of the photos here but it still came out great! this is one of my very first loaves i’ve made so i’m very much a beginner and learned a lot from this one. next time ill keep a closer eye on the dough consistency and put more effort into how i distributed the berries and rolled my dough. over all though, the loaf came out so beautifully! thank you 🙂
Hi Maddie,
I’m so glad to hear your blueberry bread turned out good. That can be a tricky loaf to shape, especially for a beginner. I would love to see a picture. You can always email me: Paula at saladinajar.com.
Just made blue berry bread came out perfect. Followed the receipe delicious.
Can I use frozen blueberries in this recipe?
Hi Brenda,
Yes, you can. But it’s not as easy. Two things: 1. When you wrap the frozen berries into the dough, the cold temperature slows down the rise significantly until the berries thaw and warm up. 2. Freezing seems to make the berries prone to breakage.They tend to break and drop juice into the dough making the whole situation more challenging.
I find that the bread turns out best when the berries are small in size, and room temperature when you roll them into the bread.
I’m going to update my review once I make this but it shouldn’t be called bread machine anything if you’re not baking it start to finish in the bread machine. You’re just using this as a dough starter. I had to look up another recipe that is baked in the bread machine to see what to do.
Hi Kristy,
Thanks for writing. Just so you know, all of my bread recipes are baked in a conventional oven. Bread machines are the best kneading machine in town, but thousands of my readers and myself are very picky about our bread because we often share it and even sell it. The cardboard crust, holes in the bottom, misshapen loaves, and crumbly texture of loaves baked in a bread machine make it an unacceptable option.
But if machine-baked bread is good enough for you (it makes decent toast), I’m not here to change your mind. Suit yourself. That’s your prerogative as a home baker.
p.s. I don’t recommend baking this particular recipe in a bread maker because it must be shaped by hand if you don’t want purple bread.
This recipe is so good! I didn’t get the blueberries distributed very well but even so, it’s a keeper. Thanks!
Glad you liked it, Lisa.
Those darned blueberries look different every time I make this bread. But I love it, anyway.
Froze ‘them’ from fresh!
I have a few gallons of fresh blueberries that I froze in my freezer. Would they work, since I froze the from fresh?
I have actually used frozen blueberries from the store for this and it works. One caveat: The second rise with frozen blueberries will take a LONG time because it makes the dough cold. Haven’t tried it, but if I was doing it again, I would let the berries thaw, then pat them dry so there is no excess liquid around them as you roll them up in the dough. I would love to know how it turns out for you (and help you eat it, too.)
Thank you – I am a fan of making dough in my bread machine and finishing in my oven. It tends to be more sucessful when I am making a bread with add-ins. Have you ever used this same recipe with other fresh fruit (i.e.raspberries or would they be too soft)? I am thinking small apple pieces might work.
Hi Deb,
I’ve thought this same thing about the blueberry recipe but haven’t tried it. I do know the bread is prettier with little blueberries than big ones. So I’m thinking big berries like blackberries or strawberries, and maybe even raspberries would be a little too big. I have another recipe where I use chopped up apples (cooked with some cinnamon/sugar) rolled up in the dough and it works great. So I think your idea is a good one.
I will be trying this! Looks oh-so-good. AND, I love your hair!! Welcome to the club of au-naturelle.
Can you substitute milk or half and half for the heavy cream?
Yes, you can substitute either, but your bread will not be as rich and tender. The same with the glaze. The extra fat in the heavy cream makes the crust very pliant (best word I can think of)–not crispy at all.
I hope it turns out beautifully for you. Just thinking about this recipe makes me want to make it today.
Hi Paula,
This recipe sounds very tasty but I’m just a little bit confused. I wanted to clarify with you, is the egg yolk + heavy cream + sugar/pinch of salt for the glaze before baking? Your instructions just say after freezing the blueberries dump the rest of the ingredients in the machine.
In your list, could you separate out the amount of ingredients for the 3 different components with a spacer bar? There’s the dough, the frozen blueberries + sugar, and then the glaze with sugar correct? Thanks so much!
Hi GP,
Thanks for writing. Good suggestion. I just did it. Hope this clarifies things for you. Wish I could have a piece of your bread when you finish. It is so good.
What size pan for baking is recommended?
Erica, I used an 8 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.
Hi Paula,
I love the looks of this recipe, but I’m confused about step#5.
Ok, I have a cylinder and then I going to flatten that cylinder and reroll it
Into a smaller cylinder?
I wish I could see a video or some pictures of this technique ’cause I’m definitely a
visual learner.
Thanks for your help.
Yes, you’ve got it right. It’s a way to distribute the berries. But you have a good idea. A video would help. Now is a good time to do it since fresh blueberries are plentiful. I’ll work on it.
Well it is outstanding! Very light texture…hoping i have enough left for french toast!
I am confused. Why cant you use frozen berries when youre freezing them anyway.?
Hi Kathy,
If you will look at the average package of frozen blueberries, they usually have extra moisture in the form of frost or icy water crystals. When you freeze them yourself right before you use them, you avoid that.
Well it is outstanding! Very light texture…hoping i have enough left for french toast!
Fantastic Kathy. Good to hear it!
Hi Paula, from good old Bama! Yum! This looks delicious!