This Irish soda bread is a light and tender loaf studded with plenty of raisins and baked to golden brown perfection. A super easy quick bread recipe that pairs well with so many different main course options!
When I’m looking for a hearty bread to go alongside a chicken stew or a prime rib roast, I often turn to this simple yet satisfying Irish soda bread. It has the perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors.
Whether it’s St. Patrick’s Day or just any old weeknight during the cold weather months, you can often find me whipping up a loaf of Irish soda bread. I love when it bakes up with that perfect texture that just calls out for butter and jam! There’s no kneading, no yeast, no rising, and you can have fresh, hot bread on your table in no time!
Irish Soda Bread Ingredients
To make Irish soda bread you will need flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, raisins, butter, buttermilk, an egg and cooking spray.
How do you make Irish soda bread?
This recipe starts with flour, sugar, baking soda and salt, which are stirred together with a spoon or a whisk in a large bowl. Cubes of cold butter are cut into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. The next step is to stir in a healthy amount of raisins for a touch of sweetness. Finally, add buttermilk and egg and stir until a stiff dough forms. The dough gets shaped into a round, then goes into a pan or cast iron skillet. Score the top of the bread with a sharp knife, then bake it until it has a golden brown crust. Serve it with butter and jam or enjoy it with hearty soups or stews.
Tips for the perfect loaf
- I use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dough. If you don’t have a pastry blender, two forks will do the job.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own. Combine 2 cups of milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Let the milk sit for about 10 minutes or until the mixture looks curdled, then proceed with the recipe.
- The dough will be sticky and soft. Use flour on your hands and on your work surface as needed to keep the dough from sticking and to form a nicely shaped loaf.
RECIPE FAQS
Soda bread is best the same day you bake it, but it stays fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Freeze the bread in individual slices or as a whole loaf. Let the bread thaw at room temperature, then serve. You can also reheat it in a toaster, an oven or with a few seconds in a microwave to get that fresh baked taste!
Soda bread is a quick bread that always contains four basic ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. Other ingredients are often added to enhance the flavor of the bread, such as sugar, butter, eggs, raisins and citrus. The bread is shaped into a loaf, then scored with an X pattern and baked until golden brown.
Soda bread originally became popular back in the days when baking soda became available for use in home kitchens. Baking soda was relatively inexpensive and had a long shelf life, so many households kept it on hand so that they could make their own bread. Furthermore, buttermilk was a very common ingredient at the time, which is why it is featured in soda bread recipes from today and from years ago.
I prefer Irish soda bread served warm. It is fantastic hot out of the oven, but you can also reheat in a toaster, an oven or in a microwave.
Irish soda bread is a good option for a bread with simple, wholesome ingredients. While it does contain butter and sugar, it is lower fat than some breads and is yeast free.
Flavor variations
- Whole Wheat: For a whole wheat version of the bread, simply use half all purpose flour and half whole wheat flour.
- Citrus: For citrus version of the bread, try adding a tablespoon of grated lemon zest or orange zest.
- Savory: Try a savory soda bread by omitting the raisins and cutting the sugar to 3 tablespoons. You can even add a some chopped rosemary leaves or some caraway seeds.
- Currants: Another common alteration is to swap out the raisins for dried currants.
Whether you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day or simply looking for an easy homemade bread recipe, this soda bread is sure to be a hit!
More St. Patrick’s Day recipes you’ll enjoy
Irish Soda Bread Video
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting the work surface
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups raisins
- 1/4 cup butter cold, cut into small pieces
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 egg
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 inch round pan with cooking spray.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add the butter to the bowl, and use a pastry blender or two forks to cut the butter into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs form.
- Stir the raisins into the flour mixture.
- Add the buttermilk and egg to the flour mixture and stir until a stiff dough forms.
- Place the dough on a floured flat surface. Coat your hands in flour and shape the dough into a ball. The dough will be sticky.
- Transfer the ball of dough to the prepared pan. Use a sharp knife to cut an X into the top of the loaf.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Notes
- I use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dough. If you don’t have a pastry blender, two forks will do the job.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own. Combine 2 cups of milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Let the milk sit for about 10 minutes or until the mixture looks curdled, then proceed with the recipe.
- The dough will be sticky and soft. Use flour on your hands and on your work surface as needed to keep the dough from sticking and to form a nicely shaped loaf.
Great recipe! I’ve used the same old recipe for years but decided to try a new one this season, yours! My kids said it was the best bread I have ever made. Followed recipe exactly. Thanks!
Such an awesome recipe! I loved this bread. The cast iron gave it such a nice crust. Thank you so much!
Such a wonderful bread recipe! And so easy! Will definitely make it again.
I love quick breads but I’ve never made soda bread before! This looks easy and tasty and would go great with coffee or tea – I can’t wait to bake this for my family this week!
Wow! I am not a bread maker this was the best ever. I am a huge fan of this Irish soda bread recipe now.
This looks SO good! Can’t wait to make it for St. Patrick’s day 🙂
My family loved this recipe so I make it all year long! Delicious
Made this Irish Soda Bread for St Patrick’s Day and it was so delicious. I used powdered buttermilk as that’s what I had in the house and adjusted the water that goes with the powdered buttermilk to accomodate for a big duck egg and 2 tablespoons of citrus juices (orange/lemon/lime). Lastly added a splash of vanilla and baked in a cast iron pan. Definitely a huge hit and will be using this recipe from now on! Thank you!
Can this bread be made with Gluten Free Flour? If so, what kind of Gluten Free flour do you recommend using?
I have not tested this recipe with gluten free flour but my guess is that it would work!
Absolutely delicious. So easy to make
Amazing recipe! My family loved it! So easy!!
Really love this! Baking on a sheet pan for 45 min. Quick question, mine comes out very big (which is great!) but I’m wondering how to get the look you have with your scoring. Mine comes out with huge spaces from the scoring. Am I going too deep?
There’s a video above the recipe card which shows how I score it, it’s possible that you’re going to deep! It should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
Can you make the bread a few days before using it?How to store till ready to eat?
I would serve it within 24 hours so it doesn’t get stale, you can store at room temperature in an airtight container!
Went by your recipe! So easy to make. This is the second time I made it.
We love it. Very tasty indeed.
Fantastic recipe, definitely a keeper!! Thanks for sharing! ☺️
Perfect bread as I have no yeast! it came out just perfect.
Just made this loaf- whole lot of delicious! I split the dough in half before adding the milk and egg mix-one half I added choc chips for kids and other half , raisins, for me!!
I ended up not putting in all of the egg buttermilk liquid and instead brushed the remainder on top of both loaves I will be baking it again!