Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe

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This traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe is SO easy to make (no kneading!) and goes perfectly with a heart beef or lamb stew, as well as a wonderful complement to a hearty soup! 

I’ll use any excuse to make this bread, St Patrick’s Day or not! This bread is SO easy and makes a really great addition to any kind of stew or soup. A thick chunk of bread always screams “comfort” to me.

Because it takes no time to rise, you can have this bread made in under an hour. That’s kind of awesome, don’t you think!?

Irish Soda Bread history:

Back in the “old days” when money was tight and ingredients hard to come by, Irish Soda Bread was born out of need. Making bread with available and affordable ingredients was the main motivation. 

Most people had access to “soft” wheat flour (lower in gluten – ie, cake flour), baking soda, salt and soured milk. Soured milk was used because of the high acidity – these days of course, we use buttermilk!

How to make Irish Soda Bread:

(full printable recipe below)

1. Preheat the oven to 400F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the flours, sugar, baking soda and cream of tartar until well blended.
3. Cut the butter in, using a pastry cutter (or 2 knives) until it resembles very coarse breadcrumbs.
4. Pour in the buttermilk and stir very briefly, until it JUST comes together (it will be shaggy, see below).
5. Dump the mixture out onto a floured surface, and pat it into a round shape.
6. Using  a serrated knife, cut a cross into the top (see photo).
7. Bake for  40 minutes, until the bread is golden brown.
8. Remove from the oven and brush with extra melted butter.
9. Allow to cool before cutting into slices or wedges.
10. Devour.

Kylee’s Top Tips for Irish Soda Bread:

Don’t overmix the dough – it needs to be shaggy (see the pics for reference)

Pat it into shape, don’t knead it to make it smooth. Shaggy is GOOD!

Add raisins if you so desire (I don’t but others do)

Add cheddar and bacon bits to the dough – you’ll have a non traditional loaf, but it will be delicious!

Ingredients in Irish Soda Bread:

• Flour  – regular, all purpose flour       
• Cake flour – this is a low gluten flour, available at the grocery store or Amazon!        
• Sugar – plain white sugar     
• Salt – I use kosher salt          
• Baking soda – this is the leavener in the bread, so make sure it’s fresh!
• Cream of tartar – commonly used to stabilize eggwhites, it’s actually an ingredient in baking powder. Don’t skip it!
• Butter – you may use salted or unsalted     
• Buttermilk – don’t sub this for homemade buttermilk using vinegar or lemon juice. This is one of the ingredients that flavors the bread, and gives it the tang!

Why do we cut the top of Irish Soda Bread?

Well,  traditionally – it was because it was believed that the cross on the top would ward off evil and protect the household. 

I do it because it allows the bread to expand in a controlled way, vs the shaggy/jagged tears that occur if you don’t cut it.

I make my Irish Soda Bread round (like those in Southern Ireland) vs how the do it in the north (cut the dough into triangles and cook on a griddle)

WANT MORE EASY BREAD RECIPES? OF COURSE YOU DO! 

Quick Breads:

• Coconut Banana Bread
• Fluffy Golden Skillet Corn Bread
• Guinness Beer Bread (from the Foodie Affair)

Yeasted Breads:

• Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
• Maple Oat Skillet Bread
• Crusty Poppy Seed Braid

WANT TO TRY THIS TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD?
PIN IT TO YOUR ST PATRICK’S DAY, QUICK BREAD, OR BREAD BOARD!
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Traditional Irish Soda Bread

This traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe is SO easy to make (no kneading!) and goes perfectly with a heart beef or lamb stew, as well as a wonderful complement to a hearty soup!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin

Course: Bread, Side

Cuisine: Irish

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 306kcal

Author: Kylee Cooks

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1.5 cups buttermilk

For brushing on the loaf

• 1 Tbs butter melted

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flours, sugar, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar until well blended.
• Cut the butter in, using a pastry cutter (or 2 knives) until it resembles very coarse breadcrumbs.
• Pour in the buttermilk and stir very briefly, until it JUST comes together (it will be shaggy, see below).
• Dump the mixture out onto a floured surface, and pat it into a round shape.
• Using a serrated knife, cut a cross into the top (see photo).
• Bake for 40 minutes, until the bread is golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter.
• Allow to cool before cutting into slices or wedges.
• Devour.

Notes

Kylee's Top Tips for Irish Soda Bread:

Don't overmix the dough - it needs to be shaggy (see the pics for reference)

Pat it into shape, don't knead it to make it smooth. Shaggy is GOOD!

Add raisins if you so desire (I don't but others do)

Add cheddar and bacon bits to the dough - you'll have a non traditional loaf, but it will be delicious!

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 758mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2.3mg

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I always use salted butter in my recipes.

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When a recipe is made in the oven, it should be pre-heated to the temperature in the recipe, unless otherwise noted.