15 of Our Best Blueberry Recipes for Summer | Our State (2024)

Blueberry Cheesecake

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Crust:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small (½-inch) cubes
1 large egg, at room temperature

Blueberry topping:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Filling:
16 ounces ricotta cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup all-purpose flour

For the crust: Add the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder to a food processor. Add the butter and pulse a few times, just until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the egg and continue mixing until it forms a dough ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the topping: Add the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt to a pot and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch and stir until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

For the filling: Place the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat together until smooth. Add the butter and flour and mix on low until well incorporated.

Preheat oven to 325°. To assemble the cheesecake, place the dough into a 9-inch springform pan and, using your hands, spread it out and up the sides of the pan. The dough will be crumbly. Pour the cheesecake filling into the crust.

Wrap foil around the outside of the springform pan and place pan in a water bath of about 2 inches. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes until the top is set or jiggles slightly in the center. Remove cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool thoroughly before removing from the pan. Add the blueberry topping just before serving.

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Blueberry Pound Cake

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 10-12 servings.

1 pound unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
4 cups cake flour
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 300°. Lightly grease a 10-inch tube pan with vegetable oil or butter. Sprinkle a light coating of cake flour over greased surface. Tap to remove any excess flour.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter at medium speed for 2 to 7 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, on medium speed, until fluffy and light in color. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yolks disappear.

Add flour to creamed mixture, a little at a time, alternating with milk and ending with flour. Beat at low speed, just until blended, after each addition. Add extracts and blend for 1 minute. Fold in blueberries with a spatula.

Pour batter into tube pan. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the glaze: Beat confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons butter, and lemon zest together in a bowl until glaze is smooth. Pour about half of the glaze over the cake; let cool. Pour remaining glaze over the cake.

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Blueberry and Corn Salsa

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 4-6 servings.

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups fresh corn, cooked and cut off the cob (5 ears)
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped

In a mixing bowl, combine vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Slowly add canola oil and continue to whisk until dressing thickens. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, add blueberries, corn, jalapeño, cilantro, and onion, and toss to combine. Pour dressing over salsa. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Enjoy as a side dish or with tortilla chips.

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Blueberry Lemon Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe by Kelly Elaine Griffin of Wallace, N.C.

2 cups flour
1 pint fresh blueberries
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1 ½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch diameter cake pans with 1 ½ inch high sides. Butter pans and dust with flour.

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. In a separate bowl, toss blueberries in a bit of the flour. Set remaining flour mixture and blueberries aside.

Stir whole milk, vanilla extract, and grated lemon peel in small bowl. Beat butter in a large bowl until light and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.

Add flour mixture to egg mixture a little at a time, alternating with milk. Fold in blueberries and divide batter equally among pans.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool cakes in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen. Turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely. Layer cakes with frosting spread generously between layers and on top.

For the frosting: Using an electric mixer beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Add vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

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Blueberry Pie

Recipe by Emma Laperruque

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons tapioca
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups fresh blueberries, washed and dried
2 tablespoons butter
2 pie crusts, unbaked

Preheat oven to 400˚. Mix sugar, tapioca, nutmeg, and cinnamon together. Gently toss berries with sugar mixture.

Fill 1 pie crust with berry mixture, and top with second crust. Make a few openings in top crust for steam to escape.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

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Blueberry Mojito

Recipe by Amy Brinkley

Yields: 2 servings.

1 cup blueberries (extra blueberries for garnish, if desired)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
8-10 fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 ounces white rum
Club Soda

Puree blueberries in a blender or food processor until smooth, set aside. Muddle sugar and mint in a co*cktail shaker.

Add lime juice, rum and blueberry puree. Cover co*cktail shaker and shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds.

In 2 tall co*cktail glasses filled with ice, pour about 1/3 full with club soda.

Top with blueberry mixture and stir to combine. Garnish with additional mint and blueberries, if desired.

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Spiked Blueberry Lemonade Punch

Recipe by Julie Ruble

Blueberry Lemonade:

½ cup sugar
1 cup blueberries
½ cup lemon juice
2 ½ cups water, divided

co*cktail Punch:

1 cup vodka
5 cups ginger ale, chilled
1 750-milliliter bottle champagne, chilled
Lemon slices
Superfine sugar for garnishing glass rims
Frozen blueberries as “ice cubes” (optional)

For the blueberry lemonade: In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix 1/2 cup water, blueberries, and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil and wait for berries burst, about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Add lemon juice and remaining 2 cups water. Chill until cold.

For the co*cktail punch: Add vodka to pitcher. Just before serving, stir in ginger ale and frozen blueberries. Run lemon slice along rim of each serving glass. Coat rim with dip with superfine sugar, tapping gently to discard the excess. Fill each glass with equal parts spiked blueberry lemonade and champagne.

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Blueberry Coffee Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ cups fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a tube pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and two cups of sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, then fold in the sour cream and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the salt, baking powder, and flour. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture, stirring just until combined.

In a small bowl, combine remaining two teaspoons of sugar with the nuts and cinnamon.

Pour one third of the cake batter into the prepared pan, followed by one third of the nut mixture, and then one third of the blueberries. Continue alternating these layers until all ingredients are used (ending with blueberries).

Bake for an hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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Baked French Toast with Blueberry Crunch

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 servings.

2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 large loaf French bread, cut into2-inch cubes (day-old preferred)
6 eggs
2 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into cubes

Blueberry Topping

½ cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
½ cup maple syrup
1½ cups crushed corn flakes
¼ cup powdered sugar (for garnish)

Lightly spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, making sure to get all four corners of the pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt.

Place half of the bread cubes in prepared dish. Top with half of the cream cheese cubes. Add remaining bread cubes and top with remaining cream cheese. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes, pressing down so that the bread is completely soaked by the egg mixture.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, add blueberries and maple syrup. Sprinkle sugar and cornstarch over blueberries and toss so they are evenly coated. Spread blueberries evenly over bread mixture. Cover casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil; sprinkle corn flakes over the top. Bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until center is firm and cereal is crispy.

Let cool slightly and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with maple or blueberry syrup.

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Blueberry Goat Cheese Pastry Braid

Recipe by Julie Ruble

Filling:
1½ cups fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt

Braid:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
3 ounces cream cheese, cold and cut into cubes
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon almond extract
8 ounces goat cheese
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of water for egg wash
Sugar for sprinkling
Honey for drizzling

For the blueberry sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring blueberries, lemon juice, water, sugar, cinnamon, and salt to a simmer. Cook until the blueberries break down and the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Allow this to cool. Note: I set mine in the fridge to chill after a few minutes.

For the pastry braid: Preheat the oven to 425°. In the bowl of food processor, mix flour, baking powder, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cream cheese and butter to flour mixture and pulse to cut fat into the flour (about 6 pulses). Add milk and almond extract. Blend until the mixture begins to form a loose dough.

Turn the dough out onto a big sheet of lightly floured parchment paper. Press pieces of dough gently together as needed, being careful not to overwork it. Lightly flour top of the dough and roll dough out to create a 10×12-inch rectangle.

Measure and mark dough lengthwise into thirds: You should now have three long sections marked in your rectangle measuring about 3.3×12-inches each. Fill center section with crumbled goat cheese. Top with the chilled blueberry sauce. Make diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals on each of the two outside sections of dough. Do not cut into the center filling area.

Fold strips over the filling, alternating outside strips. It will now resemble a braid. Use the sheet of parchment paper to carefully transfer your braid to a baking sheet. At this point you can cover and refrigerate the braid overnight, or you can continue to the next step.

Bake the braid: Brush pastry braid with the egg wash mixture. Sprinkle sugar over top of braid. Bake in oven for 17-20 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Don’t worry if some oozes out. Let braid cool for 30 minutes before generously drizzling honey over top, slicing, and serving.

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Blueberry Breakfast Bake

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 servings.

For the mix:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup whole milk
3 cups fresh blueberries

For the topping:
½ cup flour
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

For serving:
Softened butter
Maple syrup

Note: We used 12-ounce aluminum cans. For baking at home, use a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or ramekins.

Prep your clean baking cans or baking dish with cooking spray, oil, or butter. For the mix, add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to a medium-size bowl. Stir to combine. For the topping, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. If camping, the flour mixture and topping can be stored in ziplock bags. (Just be sure to label them.)

Preheat your oven to 350° or prep campfire so wood or coals are grayish white.

For the mix: cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately, mixing until dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix. Fold in the blueberries until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared cans or baking dish.

For the topping: in a medium-size bowl, use a pastry cutter or fork to add the butter to the dry ingredients. Mixture should resemble coarse sand. Sprinkle the topping over the batter.

If at home, bake in a 350° oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and edges are bubbling. If camping, set cans on grate set approximately 6 inches above coals. Bake over coals until cake is golden brown and edges are bubbling. If coals get too hot, use a stick to move and adjust heat.

Serve with softened butter and/or maple syrup.

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Blueberry Biscuits with Almond Glaze

Recipe by Julie Ruble

Blueberry Biscuits:
4 cups flour
½ cup sugar, plus extra for topping
4 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoon salt, plus extra for topping
½ cup cold butter diced into ½-inch cubes, plus extra for topping
2 cups blueberries
1¾ cup cold buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten

Almond Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon almond extract

For the biscuits: Preheat oven to 475°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together until well combined. Remove about ¼ cup of this mixture and place in a medium bowl and toss blueberries into it, coating blueberries well. Add butter to large bowl of dry ingredients and cut it in with a pastry cutter or two knives. Be patient and thorough. The mixture should look like crumbly, damp sand when you’re finished. Make a well in the center and pour in blueberry mixture, buttermilk, and egg. Mix dough until it is just barely combined. Do not over mix. If dough is too dry, add water, one tablespoon at a time, until mixture comes together. If too wet and sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time until it doesn’t stick to your fingers when pressed, but sticks a little when pinched.

Pat dough out onto a well-floured counter until it’s about 1-inch thick. Cut with a floured 3½-inch biscuit cutter. Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet so that they touch each other. Place a pat of butter on top of each biscuit. Sprinkle biscuits with pinch of salt and sugar. Bake for 8 minutes, then turn the oven off. Leave in the oven for about 10 minutes longer, or until they’re golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before topping with the glaze.

For the glaze: Whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over warm biscuits and serve immediately.

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Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 12 muffins.

Streusel topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Blueberry muffins:
1½ cups all-purpose flour + 1 tablespoon
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
⅔ cup sour cream
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 400°. Prep large muffin pan with butter and flour, tapping out any extra flour.

For the streusel: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir with a fork until crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the muffins: In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and eggs until combined. Whisk in sour cream, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.

Place blueberries in a small bowl and dust with 1 tablespoon flour. Toss until all blueberries are coated with a thin layer of flour. Fold them gently into the batter.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling ⅔ of each cup. Sprinkle tops generously with streusel topping.

Place the muffins in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375° and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

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Roasted Blueberry and Gorgonzola Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Recipe by Felice Bogus of Raleigh, N.C.

Yield: 2 sandwiches.

⅔ cup blueberries
½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 slices artisanal bread (preferably walnut)
⅔ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Preheat oven to 425°. Place blueberries in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and toss to coat. Roast, stirring gently once, for about 8 minutes, or until the berries just begin to release juice. Do not overroast. Remove from oven and let cool.

Spread butter over one side of each slice of bread and place bread, butter-side down, on a clean work surface. Place one-quarter of the Gorgonzola on one slice of bread and top with half of the roasted blueberries and another quarter of the cheese. Top with a slice of bread, butter-side out, and press gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make a second sandwich.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet, cover, and cook 1-2 minutes, or until the bread is golden. Flip sandwiches and continue cooking, uncovered, an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the second side is golden.

Serve immediately.

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Roasted Chicken and Blueberry Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 4 servings.

1 roasted chicken, deboned, skin removed

Vinaigrette:
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin
oranges, drained
¼ cup canola oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Salad:
8 cups fresh baby spinach,
stems removed
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
8 fresh mint or basil leaves

Shred or slice roasted chicken and place in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Place vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and mandarin oranges into a blender or food processor. Blend together for 1 minute. Slowly add oil and continue to blend on low speed for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper and blend for 10 seconds. Pour half of the vinaigrette over chicken and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. Save the remaining vinaigrette for salad dressing.

Place spinach leaves in a large serving bowl or on individual salad plates. Top with chicken, blueberries, almonds, and goat cheese. Chop mint or basil leaves just before serving and place atop salad. Drizzle reserved vinaigrette over salad if desired.

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Related: Nothing beats fresh blueberries. This summer, start planning ahead to grow your own with these seven tips.

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