Irish Soda Bread
Updated
Updated
This Irish Soda Bread recipe could not be easier or more delicious. It’s made like a quick bread without any yeast, kneading, or rising, but it tastes like you labored over it all day. It’s soft and hearty, with a touch of sweetness and almost tastes like a giant biscuit!
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5 STAR REVIEW
Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Even though I adore a good yeast bread, those that don’t require it are definitely easier. Or are at least speedier—no kneading, no rising, no punching down and waiting to rise again. I mean, they can be totally worth it, BUT it’s an all-day thing. Which is why I’m completely obsessed with Irish Soda Bread. I mix the ingredients, barely shape it, plop it in the pan, and into the oven it goes.
I find the buttermilk and raisins are the secret to its deliciousness; it really doesn’t need anything else. But I can never go wrong with a little slab of butter or jam.
Helpful Tips
- Do not over-knead. Do not over-knead the dough, or it will be tough.
- Score the top of the raw dough. This allows heat to get into the center, which helps the bread bake all the way through, so don’t skip this step. (Fun fact! It was also used as a cross to ward off devils and protect the house in the 1800’s.)
- Use a sheet pan. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet. It will flatten out a bit and might take less time to cook.
- For ideal results, don’t skip the buttermilk. Buttermilk creates the most tender, soft, and moist crumb for soda bread. If you don’t want to buy it, you can easily make it. For 1¾ cups of buttermilk, pour 1 tbsp and 2¼ tsp of white vinegar into a measuring cup, and then add whole milk to reach the 1¾ mark.
- Raisins are highly recommended. Plump raisins give the bread a subtle sweetness and balance the slightly tangy dough. If you hate them, sub with currants or another chopped dried fruit like apricots or cherries.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup raisins, (or currants or other chopped dried fruit)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1¾ cups buttermilk, shaken
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 10-inch cast iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Using your hands, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Toss in the raisins.
- Add in the buttermilk and egg and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Dough will be sticky.
- Dust your hands with a little flour and dump the dough onto a well-floured work surface; press it a few times into a round loaf until it just comes together (do not over-work the dough!)
- Transfer to the prepared skillet. Using a serrated knife, score an “X” on the top of the dough about an inch deep.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a long thin skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden. (You can tent loosely with foil toward the end if the top is over-browning.)
- Remove skillet from oven (Be careful—the handle will be hot!) and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice! Enjoy with butter, jam, or on its own. So good!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Irish Soda Bread Step by Step
Preheat the oven and combine the dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 425°F and spray a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, combine 4 cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1½ tsp kosher salt. Use your hands to work in 4 tbsp cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Then toss in 1 cup of raisins.
Add the wet ingredients: Add 1 large beaten egg and 1¾ cups buttermilk. Use a wooden spoon and mix until combined. Note that the dough will be wet and sticky.
Dust your hands with a little flour and transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface. Press the dough together a few times, shaping it into a round loaf, being careful not to overwork the dough.
Transfer to the cast-iron pan and bake: Place the dough in the cast-iron skillet, reshaping into a round if needed, and score it with an X about an inch deep, using a serrated knife.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a long, thin skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden. (If you find the bread is browning too much, tent loosely with foil.)
Remove and rest: Remove the skillet from the oven (careful, the handle will be hot!) and allow the bread to sit for 5-10 minutes.
Slice: Transfer the bread to a cutting board and slice! Enjoy with butter, jam, or on its own. So good!
How To Serve Irish Soda Bread
I love devouring this Irish soda bread warm from the oven with a slab of butter or sweet fig jam, though I’ll also use it as a base to soak up the gooeyness of a jammy egg, as a side to a plate of scrambled eggs for breakfast, and it pairs perfectly with corned beef and cabbage!
How to Store Leftovers
- Counter. This bread is best stored tightly wrapped (or in an airtight container) on the counter in a cool, dry area for about 3 days.
- Freezer. To freeze, bake and cool completely. Then double wrap the loaf, first tightly in plastic wrap, then transfer to a freezer-safe plastic bag. It will keep for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
More Non Yeasted Quick Breads To Try
- This Cheese Bread turns out soft, fluffy, and loaded with cheese.
- Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread is buttery and moist with a hidden layer of cinnamon and pecans, all topped with a silky, sweet glaze.
- Lemon Blueberry Bread is a buttery and moist quick bread dessert or snack cake, with lemon curd and fresh blueberries, that’s topped with a silky sweet glaze.
First time making soda bread and… yummy!
Enjoyed this bread. Made a couple of additions: honey and sugar, more raisins, more butter. Yum! Will make again. Thank you!
Just like my Irish mother in law’s Irish bread ! My husband and all the family love it !
Loved this bread. Made it for 100 at a senior lunch was asked several times for recipe
I love this recipe. Like the other reviews, I have attempted to make homemade Irish Soda Bread and none of them was as good as this one. It was a huge success with family and friends!
Very easy to make and delicious! I liked baking this in a cast iron skillet – made for a very crusty bread. Would make again!
I make soda bread every year, trying different recipes, and most just aren’t that good. Until now. Holy cow – this is, hands down, not only the best soda bread recipe, but one of the best BREAD recipes ever! The taste is SOOO good, beautiful texture, and awesome with just butter! I didn’t have buttermilk, so I just used whole milk w/vinegar. But otherwise followed the recipe. Thank you for this amazing recipe – I will be making it year-round!!
I really want to make this but l do not have a cast iron or a Le Creuset dutch oven. Do you have any other pan suggestions.
Made this it was awesome and moist.
I love adding 1-2 tea. of caraway seeds and raisins or currents. Truly authentic flavor.
So simply and yet so delicious! I have made three loaves now all with great results. The only thing I need to adjust in how deep I cut the cross…it’s not a big deal though because a deeply cut cross can create 1/4 sections that are easy to cut.
Truly easy and delicious, thank you so much for sharing. My family loved it. I made it with currants.
Great recipe! Never tried making ISB myself before & my husband said it was delicious! I did not have buttermilk on hand, so I used milk + vinegar substitute :)
Thanks for the recipe. I had to use 1% buttermilk (it was the only one I could find in the store). I also used crisco shortening for the pan. I turned down the temperature at the 10-15 minute mark to 375 degrees as suggested in the notes, as it was getting too brown on top. Turned out great!
Awesome and easy!
This was so much easier than I ever knew and it tasted wonderful! Didn’t even need any butter.
So easy and delicious. I use craisins in place of currents/ raisins. Yum
I actually thought about doing that … I’m gonna try it next time!
I used craisins too !! Was very good
I bet would be good with the raisins and chocolate chips!
I made this today and it was absolutely delicious! The recipe is so simple and easy to make.
Hi My g’mo, 1928 Irish immigr made SB just ab’t daily, it’s adaptable. She added 1-2 T caraway seed, 1-2 T sugar, no egg, no butter, soured milk, an old pie tin, blessed cross ? HOT frm oven w/butter/Love.
I love this! I have never ever made or eater Irish sode bread before and I am almost 50! I dont have a cast iron skillet so I used me le Creuset dutch oven uncovered and it worked perfectly! I love how the raisins taste in it. It gives it a great sweetness. It is a heave dense bread. I love the yellow hue it has compared to other irish soda breads that look unappitizing. I used kerrygold irish butter in it and on it to! Thank you so much for this recipe. I will definatly be making this again. maybe even for Easter!
I don’t think I would ever use non-stick spray in my cast iron pan. It leaves a sticky residue that builds up & will ruin your pan.
Parchment paper should work instead of non-stick spray.
I have never made or eaten irish soda bread before but I think i have to try this recipe. It looks amazing!
Could it be done with a sweeter (stevia, Splenda) for a sugar free version? My husband is diabetic….
I’m not familiar enough with sugar substitutes to say whether the results would be the same, but you could try it!
I did and it turned out awesome… thank you for the recipe !!
My mom was from Ireland. We had Irish Soda Bread all the time. She skipped the sugar most of the time.
Splenda is meant for baking.
Would it be wrong of me to tell you where you find currants? (I’m assuming they’re dried, like raisins.)
I assume with the other dried fruit. HA. My local market doesn’t carry them. Lame.
Personally I just go to my freezer, they are frommy currant bush , so much better than dried but yes you are correct, with the raisins.
Can I use a 9″ round cake pan instead of a sheet pan which will keep the dough more contained?
Yep! It just might need to bake longer. Test it after 35 minutes and then in 5 minute increments until the skewer comes out clean.