Irish Soda Bread

This Irish soda bread recipe is an easy no yeast bread.

With just a handful of ingredients, simply mix and bake for a delicious warm bread perfect for dipping and dunking!

This Irish soda bread recipe makes homemade bread the easy way! Filled with traditional flavors, it's a treat for your taste buds. With simple ingredients and clear directions, this bread is perfect when accompanied by a generous smear of honey butter. Feel free to customize by adding raisins or currents or trying a whole wheat variation. Versatility meets deliciousness in this easy bread. #spendwithpennies #irishsodabread #irishsodabreadrecipe #easyirishsodabread

Irish Soda Bread Is Easy To Make

Soda bread became popular in Ireland, Scotland, and England when baking soda was introduced. Originally, it was made with Irish wheat flour and baked over an open hearth.

While we often make this for next to Irish Stew, it can be made any time of year.
This soda bread is very quick to make – no yeast required
This recipe makes a free-formed loaf that requires very little kneading or rising time.

Irish soda bread can be eaten plain with butter, served with fried cabbage, or dunked into a thick and hearty bowl of stew.

all purpose flour , salt ,sugar , egg , baking soda , buttermilk , and whole wheat flour with labels to make Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients for Irish Soda Bread

Flour – A combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour produces a traditionally dense texture and delicious flavor. You can use all-white flour if you like.
Buttermilk – The acidity in the buttermilk helps the bread to rise.
Egg – Egg gives this bread just the right texture.
Salt & Sugar – Salt and sugar flavor this loaf.
Variations – Feel free to add a ½ cup of currants or raisins.

Irish Soda Bread dough sliced into four pieces

How to Make Irish Soda Bread

This Irish soda bread recipe is full of traditional flavor and so easy to make!

Mix the ingredients in the recipe below to form a shaggy dough.
Form the dough into a circle and cut a cross shape into the top.
Bake until the loaf is lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped.

Holly’s Tips

Let the bread rest before slicing and serving. The top will be crispy and the interior will be soft and chewy.
Irish soda bread is best served fresh but can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Enjoy as is, or cut into cubes for croutons or process into homemade bread crumbs.

More Quick Bread Recipes

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Quick Irish Soda Bread is deliciously dense quick bread, perfect for dipping in stew or serving with corned beef and cabbage.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
Add the egg and half of the buttermilk to the flour mixture. Stir to combine.
Continue adding the remaining buttermilk a little bit at a time, stirring just until the dough holds together. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it a couple of times.
Form the dough into a 9-inch circle. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross shape ½-inch deep across the top.
Transfer the dough to a parchment paper lined baking pan.
Bake the bread for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned. The bread should sound hollow when tapped.
Allow the bread to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Replace buttermilk by adding 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 3/4 cups of milk and allowing the mixture to stand for 5 minutes.
Soda bread tastes best served fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This bread can be toasted or warmed in the microwave or oven.
Optional add-ins include 1/2 cup of raisins or dried currants.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Irish

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This Irish Soda Bread Recipe has been adapted from The Cross Cookbook, an old church cookbook written with a typewriter. The submission was made by Sr. Ida Mary.

Sources of information for the history of Irish Soda Bread: Irish Central, Wikipedia