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Home » Baking » Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Published: December 28, 2019 Last Modified: December 28, 2019 By Sara 41 Comments

Irish Soda Bread Recipe

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Irish Soda Bread Recipe #bread #baking #stpatricksday #sidedish #dinneratthezoo

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 stew or a roast, I often turn to this simple yet satisfying Irish soda bread. It has the perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors.

Irish Soda Bread Recipe #bread #baking #stpatricksday #sidedish #dinneratthezoo Irish Soda Bread Recipe #bread #baking #stpatricksday #sidedish #dinneratthezoo

Irish soda bread baked in a cast iron skillet.

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. There’s no kneading, no rising, and you can have fresh, hot, bread on your table in no time!

What is Irish soda bread?

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.

Flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and raisins in a mixing bowl.

Why is soda bread popular in Ireland?

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.

A bowl of buttermilk bread dough.

How do you make Irish soda bread?

This recipe starts with flour, sugar, baking soda and salt, which are stirred together. 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. Score the top of the bread with a sharp knife, then bake it until golden brown.

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.
  • You can omit the raisins if you prefer a soda bread that’s on the savory side. You can also add other ingredients such as lemon zest, orange zest or caraway seeds. Another common alteration is to swap out the raisins for dried currants.
  • 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.

A shaped loaf of soda bread in a skillet.

How long will soda bread stay fresh?

Soda bread 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 microwave your bread for a few seconds to get that fresh from the oven taste.

A slice of Irish soda bread with butter spread on it.

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

  • Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
  • Shamrock Shake
  • Fried Cabbage
  • Irish Nachos
  • Braised Cabbage

Irish Soda Bread Video

Irish soda bread baked in a cast iron skillet.
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5 from 22 votes

Irish Soda Bread

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!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Irish
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12
Calories 273kcal
Author Sara Welch

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
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Filed Under: Baking, Side Dishes, St. Patrick's Day

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    Comments

    1. Amy says

      April 6, 2020 at 12:31 am

      We made this for St Patrick’s Day and the kids loved it! The dough was soooo sticky! We made our own buttermilk, before I use it should I just mix it well and only pour in the called for amount? The recipe for making your own it only by the full cup

      Reply
      • Sara says

        April 6, 2020 at 12:28 pm

        Yes just pour in the amount the recipe calls for!

        Reply
    2. Ashley says

      April 4, 2020 at 9:21 am

      5 stars
      Dough is super sticky. I ended up using a bench scraper to mix into a ball and that helped a lot. Also my loaf took an extra 20 minutes to cook. Otherwise it was great!

      Reply
    3. Antonetta DeGenaro says

      March 26, 2020 at 10:23 am

      Can I use something else instead of buttermilk.

      Reply
      • Sara says

        March 28, 2020 at 12:51 pm

        You can make your own buttermilk by mixing together 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar

        Reply
      • Robyn says

        April 6, 2020 at 6:53 am

        I used greek yogurt and milk it works great

        Reply
    4. Kalin says

      March 15, 2020 at 10:34 am

      It says the dough will be sticky, but nothing about the end consistency one should have before placing it in the oven? Should it stay sticky once it goes in, or do you add flour until it’s not?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        March 15, 2020 at 10:43 am

        You want to be careful not to add too much flour or the bread can come out dry. It should be slightly tacky, but not so sticky that it’s all over your fingers as you shape it. I hope this helps!

        Reply
    5. Andrea says

      March 14, 2020 at 6:59 pm

      Kids don’t like rasins… What about crasins?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        March 14, 2020 at 7:37 pm

        That would be fine!

        Reply
    6. Carolyn says

      March 9, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      5 stars
      Wow as I surprised how good and easy this was to make! I now make it all year long.

      Reply
    7. Jemma says

      March 2, 2020 at 5:44 pm

      Would this still work if I were to make it savoury with say, garlic and rosemary instead of the raisins?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        March 4, 2020 at 10:02 am

        Yes that would work!

        Reply
    8. Julie says

      March 1, 2020 at 11:50 am

      No caraway seeds?????

      Reply
    9. Allyson says

      January 8, 2020 at 10:59 am

      5 stars
      Wow I’m going to try this right away! It looks totally amazing!!!

      Reply
    10. Irina says

      January 7, 2020 at 9:09 pm

      5 stars
      WOW! Your bread looks and sounds amazing. I am in love with raisin-loaded bread loafs. I will make it for sure. Maybe even tomorrow:)

      Reply
    11. Anita says

      January 7, 2020 at 8:24 pm

      5 stars
      Your soda bread looks so delicious. I never tried baking this bread yet, and I think it’s time for me to try. 🙂

      Reply
      • Jennifer Dolby says

        March 19, 2020 at 11:55 am

        It’s delicious! Definitely worth your time to try

        Reply
    12. Jayne says

      January 7, 2020 at 7:32 pm

      5 stars
      I make Irish Soda Bread every St Patty’s day. Everyone loves it. This recipe will be on our table March 17th. Thank you.

      Reply
    13. SHANIKA says

      January 7, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      5 stars
      This Irish Soda Bread looks so amazing! I’ve never tried this, but I’m definitely making it soon!

      Reply
    14. Erin says

      January 7, 2020 at 7:23 pm

      5 stars
      This Irish soda bread looks absolutely delicious! Yummy!

      Reply
    15. Jessica Formicola says

      January 7, 2020 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      I made this bread over the weekend and it was delicious! I can’t wait to make it again for St. Patrick’s Day!

      Reply
    16. Beth says

      January 7, 2020 at 11:03 am

      5 stars
      We tried this soda with the raisins and without! Both are equally delicious! The family can’t get enough!

      Reply
    17. Annie says

      January 7, 2020 at 6:26 am

      5 stars
      We made this last night with tomato soup and it was incredible!

      Reply
    18. Jacque Hastert says

      January 7, 2020 at 5:19 am

      5 stars
      St. Patrick’s Day will be here before we know it and this will be the perfect addition to our day. However, I would eat these all year long.

      Reply
    19. Demeter says

      January 6, 2020 at 5:45 pm

      5 stars
      This looks like the perfect addition to any dinner. Love how easy it is to make!

      Reply
    20. Amanda says

      January 6, 2020 at 4:43 pm

      I have always wanted to try this and your recipe is so easy to follow!

      Reply
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