AIR FRYER BLUEBERRY BREAD

Equipment

• Air Fryer: Basket or toaster-oven style (minimum 4-quart capacity recommended)
• Loaf Pan: Mini loaf pan (approximately 6×3 inch or 7×3.5 inch) made of metal or silicone that fits comfortably in your air fryer basket with at least 1 inch of clearance on all sides for air circulation
• Parchment Paper: Cut to line the pan for easy removal
• Mixing Bowls: 2 (one medium, one large)
• Whisk & Silicone Spatula
• Aluminum Foil: For tenting if top browns quickly
• Cake Tester or Toothpick

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour: 1 ½ cups (180g), spooned and leveled
• Baking Powder: 1 ½ teaspoons
• Fine Sea Salt: ¼ teaspoon
• Ground Cinnamon: ¼ teaspoon (optional, for subtle warmth)

Wet Ingredients:

• Granulated Sugar: ½ cup (100g)
• Unsalted Butter: ⅓ cup (75g), melted and cooled slightly (or neutral oil like avocado/canola oil)
• Eggs: 1 large egg, room temperature
• Whole Milk: ⅓ cup (80ml), room temperature (or buttermilk/almond milk)
• Pure Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon
• Fresh Lemon Zest: 1 teaspoon (from 1 medium lemon; enhances blueberry flavor)

Fruit Fold-In:

• Blueberries: 1 cup (approx. 150g), fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not thaw)
• Tossing Flour: 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (to prevent berries from sinking)

Optional Lemon Sugar Topping:

• Granulated Sugar: 1 tablespoon
• Lemon Zest: ½ teaspoon

Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Pan & Air Fryer

1. Generously grease your mini loaf pan with nonstick baking spray or melted butter.
2. Line the bottom and long sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a small overhang on both sides to act as “handles” for easy lifting.
3. Preheat your air fryer to 320°F (160°C) for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Intensity Tip: Air fryers circulate heat via convection, which cooks and browns much faster than a conventional oven. Keeping the temperature at 320°F prevents the exterior from burning before the dense center is fully set.

Step 2: Dust the Blueberries

1. Rinse and thoroughly pat fresh blueberries dry with a paper towel. Excess moisture can make the batter gummy.
2. Place the blueberries in a small bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour until evenly coated. This allows the berries to suspend evenly throughout the batter rather than dropping straight to the bottom of the pan.

Step 3: Mix the Dry Ingredients

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ½ cups flour , baking powder , salt , and cinnamon until completely combined and lump-free. Set aside.

Step 4: Blend the Wet Ingredients

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar , melted butter , and egg until smooth, pale, and slightly frothy (about 1 minute).
2. Whisk in the milk , vanilla extract , and fresh lemon zest until thoroughly incorporated.

Step 5: Combine into a Thick Batter

1. Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients.
2. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the batter just until the flour streaks disappear. Do not overmix ; overworking quick bread batter develops gluten, making the final bread dense and tough rather than soft and tender. The batter will be thick.
3. Gently fold in the floured blueberries, reserving a small handful to press onto the top before baking.

Step 6: Fill the Loaf Pan

1. Transfer the batter into the prepared mini loaf pan and smooth the top evenly with your spatula.
2. Scatter the reserved blueberries over the surface and lightly press them into the batter.
3. If using the optional topping, mix 1 tablespoon sugar with ½ teaspoon lemon zest and sprinkle it evenly over the top for a crisp, crackly crust.

Step 7: Air Fry to Perfection

1. Place the loaf pan directly into the center of the air fryer basket.
2. Set the air fryer to 320°F (160°C) and bake for 25 minutes .
3. At the 25-minute mark, open the basket to inspect the top: If the loaf is already deep golden brown, loosely tent the top with a small piece of aluminum foil to shield it (tuck the foil tightly around the rim of the pan so the air circulation doesn’t blow it away).
4. Continue baking for another 7 to 12 minutes (32 to 37 minutes total).
5. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick or wooden skewer into the deepest center of the loaf. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs—no raw, wet batter.

Step 8: Cool & Slice

1. Carefully remove the loaf pan from the air fryer basket using heat-resistant oven mitts.
2. Let the bread rest in the pan on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes .
3. Use the parchment overhang handles to lift the loaf out of the pan. Transfer it directly to the wire rack to cool for another 30 minutes before slicing. Slicing too early can release steam and make the bread appear soggy.

Nutrition

Calories: 225 kcal · Protein: 3.5 g · Fat: 8.8 g · Carbohydrates: 33.5 g – Dietary · Saturated Fat: 5.1 g – Trans · Fiber: 1.4 g – · Sugar: 15.2 g · Sodium: 165 mg