You are going to love this easy blueberry cream cheese bread. Made with from-scratch dough and filled with a blueberry jam cream cheese filling, it's sweet and swirled with flavor.
Dough: – 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour – 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast – 1 1/2 tsp salt – 1 cup warm water 110 F – 3 Tbsp canola oil – 2 Tbsp granulated sugar Filling: – 4 ounces cream cheese softened – 1/4 cup granulated sugar – 1/2 tsp vanilla – 1/4 cup blueberry jam
– Whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
– Add in the water, canola oil, and sugar.
– Stir the dough to combine. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
– Place in a greased bowl and cover. Allow to rise for about an hour or until its doubled in size.
– Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form a large rectangle about 10x12 (or bigger).
– Cream together the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well mixed.
– Spread the filling over the flat bread, leaving an inch of border space along the edges.
– From one end of a long side, roll towards the other side, creating a tight log of rolled dough.
– Pinch the end seam together to hold it in place. This is important to keep the dough from unrolling.
– Using a sharp knife, slice down the center of the log, making two strands and revealing the layers inside. I used a chef knife.
– Braid the two strands together by lifting one piece and placing it over the other and repeating, alternating sides as you go. Once finished pinch the ends of the braid together to hold them in place.
– Pick up your braided dough by the center and lift it into a greased 8x4 bread pan. Place the ends of the braid underneath so that the pretty center can rest at the top.
– Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled (about an hour in a warm place).
– While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
– When the bread has doubled, bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes.
– Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.