It doesn’t get much easier than this Irish Soda Bread recipe! Made with basic ingredients, it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. It’s like a giant soft, fluffy biscuit!
The first time I tried Irish soda bread, it was a crusty, dry loaf with a tough, almost bitter interior. I didn’t care for it at all!
Fast forward about a decade, and a neighbor brought us a loaf of soda bread from Kneaders. It was perfectly soft and fluffy, and had a slightly sweet flavor. I could have eaten the whole loaf!
When I found the recipe for soda bread in the Kneader’s Bakery Cookbook, I knew I had to try it! I added a bit more sugar. Even though a sweet Irish soda bread recipe may not be 100% authentic, it sure is tasty!
You can add dried currants, raisins, or dried cranberries, but my picky kids like it plain. I’ll eat it either way, especially warm with butter!
What is the secret to moist Irish soda bread?
There are a few ways to ensure that your soda bread isn’t dry. First of all, you can’t add too much flour. The dough should be sticky. Secondly, you can’t overbake your bread. As long as a toothpick comes out without wet batter, the bread is done. Last of all, use real buttermilk instead of a substitute.
How to make a loaf of Irish soda bread:
- PREP – Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- DRY INGREDIENTS – Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and soft butter in a large mixing bowl. Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until there are no lumps.
- WET INGREDIENTS – Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a bowl or liquid measuring cup, then add to the flour mixture. Use a wooden spoon to gently combine the ingredients.
- FORM – Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; press into a round loaf. It will be sticky, but try to use the least amount of flour possible.
- BAKE – Transfer to the cookie sheet. Cut an X on top of the loaf. Bake at 375° for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
We love it served warm with butter. If you have Irish butter, it’s extra tasty!
PRO TIPS:
- Don’t add too much flour. The dough should be quite sticky so you will end up with a moist loaf.
- Baking soda is the only leavening agent used, so make sure yours is fresh. You can test it by mixing it with a bit of white vinegar or lemon juice. If it doesn’t bubble and fizz, it needs to be replaced.
- If you forget to soften your butter, you can grate in the cold butter, then mix it in with your fingers as directed.
- Do not overmix the dough after you add the liquid! Just barely mix it until it comes together.
VARIATIONS:
- You can add nuts or pepitas for some crunch.
- You can replace half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour for more fiber.
- For a softer crust, brush a little butter over the entire loaf when you pull it out of the oven.
- You can add any mix-ins. Currants and raisins are common additions. We like golden raisins and dried cranberries.
MORE QUICK BREAD RECIPES:
- Sweet Cornbread Recipe
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread - Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Pear Zucchini Bread
- Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe
- Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping
- Dutch Apple Bread
- Snickerdoodle Bread
Moist Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Equipment
- Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour (15 ounces)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 Tbsp salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and butter. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until no clumps of butter remain.
- Whisk together the egg and buttermilk in a small bowl. Pour into the flour mixture and stir gently just until there is no dry flour on the bottom of the bowl.
- Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press together until it forms a circle. It will be sticky, but don't add more flour or your loaf will be dry.
- Transfer to the prepared cookie sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut an X on top of the dough.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375° for about 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. A toothpick or bamboo skewer inserted in the center of the bread should come out with no raw dough.
Notes
- I HIGHLY recommend using fresh buttermilk for this recipe. If you don’t have it, you can measure 1 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp of lemon juice or buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup and fill it to the 1 1/4 cup line with milk. Or you can use 1 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of sour cream. But nothing works as well as buttermilk!
- Don’t overmix the dough. It will look shaggy as you form it into a round loaf, but that’s fine. If you try to work it until it’s smooth, your loaf will be tough.
- If desired, you can add 3/4 cup of dried currants, raisins, or craisins.
- Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. It will last longer, but because it’s low in fat, it starts to dry out.
Nutrition
Authentic Irish soda bread is typically served at a St. Patrick’s Day feast alongside Irish stew, but it’s so delicious that you will want to make it all year long!
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