Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread – A good old fashioned recipe that can be prepped in 10 minutes! The buttermilk gives this soda bread the perfect flavor. It’s crunchy on the outside and moist and sweet on the inside!

I love to make all types of homemade bread recipes. Bread can definitely sound intimidating to make from scratch, but it doesn’t have to be! And this Irish soda bread is one of the easiest bread recipes to make since it doesn’t require any yeast or rising time. Some of my other favorites are my 90-minute french bread, sweet cornbread, garlic bread and easy bread bowls.

Irish bread

This Irish soda bread is so simple to make and tastes great! There is no yeast in this recipe and there is no rise time, making it super quick.

The outside texture of the Irish bread reminds me of a scone, while the inside is tender and sweet. My kids weren’t sure of the texture at first, but it grew on them. It’s definitely not the same texture as my traditional bread recipe, but so yummy. My husband and I couldn’t stop eating it!

This Irish soda bread tastes great served with butter and a little bit of honey. We absolutely loved it and will be making it again for dinner on Saint Patrick’s Day!

What is Irish soda bread?

According to Wikipedia…”The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. The buttermilk in the dough contains lactic acid, which reacts with the baking soda to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. Other ingredients can be added such as butter, egg, raisins, or nuts. An advantage of quick breads is their ability to be prepared quickly and reliably, without requiring the time-consuming skilled labor and temperature control needed for traditional yeast breads.”

If you’re interested about the history of Irish soda bread, you can read more about it here. It’s fun to learn how the soda bread originated!

How to make Irish soda bread

Scroll down for the printable Irish soda bread recipe.

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Stir in the buttermilk and egg.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed with your hands until the bread forms a ball. At this point you can cut the dough in half to make 2 smaller loaves or 1 large loaf. Press it down and round the edges and then cut an ‘X’ in the top of the loaf.
3. Combine the melted butter and buttermilk in a small bowl and then brush half of it on top of the Irish soda bread loaf.

TIP: For a sweeter version, try making Irish soda bread with raisins. Just mix in 1 cup of raisins (or 1/2 cup into half of the loaf). Next sprinkle with sugar after brushing the butter on top before baking. Then slice it and top with a little more butter and honey. DELISH!!

How long does Irish soda bread last?

This Irish soda bread recipe is best if served the first day, however the bread should keep for about 2 to 3 days. It has a tendency to dry out pretty quickly, so just make sure to wrap it tightly with foil or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

What do you eat with Irish Soda Bread

There are plenty of ways to enjoy this Irish soda bread recipe. Below are a few of our favorites.

Plain: The flavor of this Irish soda bread is so great that you don’t need to top it with much when serving. Try enjoying a slice with a little bit of butter and a drizzle of honey.

Jams or Spreads: Strawberry jam or apple butter are both a great compliment to this Irish soda bread.

Soups and Stews: Serve soda bread with comforting and hearty soups/stews like beef bourguignon, vegetable soup, chicken rice soup and cabbage soup.

Sandwiches: This Irish bread is great for making sandwiches or panini’s! Try making a caprese sandwich with mozzarella, tomatoes and fresh pesto. Yum!

Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Course: bread

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: Irish soda bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 16

Calories: 224

Author: Jamielyn Nye

Irish Soda Bread - A good old fashioned recipe that can be prepped in 10 minutes! The buttermilk gives this soda bread the perfect flavor. It's crunchy on the outside and moist and sweet on the inside!

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Ingredients

Bread:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 Tablespoons Kerrygold Irish Butter (can substitute for butter or margarine, slightly softened)
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 large egg

For Brushing on Top:

• 1/4 cup butter , melted and slightly cooled
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a skillet, pizza stone or baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork. Stir in the buttermilk and egg. 
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and kneed with your hands until the bread forms a ball. At this point you can cut the dough in half to make 2 smaller loaves or 1 large loaf. Press it down and round the edges and then cut an 'X' in the top of the loaf.
• For the brushing on top, combine the melted butter and buttermilk in a small bowl and then brush half of it on top of the loaf. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick comes clean, about 45-55 minutes. Brush remaining butter onto the soda bread while it bakes.
• Cool on baking rack and serve warm. This Irish soda bread is best served the first day.

Notes

This recipe makes 2 small loaves.  

For a sweeter version, mix in 1 cup of raisins (or 1/2 cup into half of the loaf). Then sprinkle with sugar after brushing the butter on top before baking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 143mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6.3% | Calcium: 6.7% | Iron: 8.7%

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This Irish soda bread recipe was adapted from All Recipes.