Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Craving delicious Irish soda bread for St. Patrick’s Day? Look no further than this easy recipe, complete with raisins and a crispy crust.

This Irish Soda Bread recipe is perfect for st. patrick’s day – or any day you’re in the mood for a delicious, warm slice of bread! Made with raisins for a touch of sweetness, this soda bread is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Irish Soda Bread is a classic quick bread that is perfect for any St. Patrick’s Day celebration. It is a simple, hearty bread that can be made with just a few ingredients. Best of all it requires no yeast, no proofing, and no kneading.

Just follow the simple instructions and you’ll have fresh, homemade soda bread in no time. Serve it warm with butter and jam for a delicious breakfast or snack.

This Irish Soda Bread recipe is so easy to make and only requires a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. The raisins give it a little something extra, but feel free to leave them out if you’re not a fan. The bread comes out nice and moist, with a crispy crust.

What makes this the BEST Irish Soda Bread?

This is the best irish soda bread recipe because:

• Easy soda bread recipe
• No yeast to activate.
• No waiting for the bread to rise.
• It’s tender and moist.
• No kneading!
• Raisins add just a touch of sweetness.
• The butter and egg gives the bread a rich flavour.
• Easily customize-able.
• Made with common pantry items

What is Irish Soda Bread with Raisins?

Irish soda bread with raisins is a quick bread that is traditionally made with flour, baking soda, salt, butter, buttermilk, and raisins. The bread is quick to make and does not require any rising time. This makes it a perfect choice for a busy weeknight or last-minute gathering.

Irish soda bread is thought to have originated in the 1800s. It was created as a quick and easy alternative to yeast breads. The bread gets its name from the use of baking soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate) as a leavening agent.

Baking soda was much cheaper than yeast and allowed poor families to make bread more affordably.

Traditional irish soda bread loaves are made with a cross cut into the top to help ward off evil. It also serves the purpose of getting heat into the centre of the bread for even baking.

Adding raisins to soda bread is a common practice, however, other dried fruits such as currants or chopped apricots can be used as well. If you are not a fan of raisins, feel free to leave them out altogether. The bread will still be delicious.

What Does Irish Soda Bread Taste Like?

Irish soda bread is not sweet like typical American style bread, but the addition of raisins gives it a touch of sweetness. It is like regular bread combined with a scone, the bread is hearty with a crisp textured crust.

Irish soda bread can be served as-is, with butter, honey, or jam, or with a savoury topping.

Irish Soda Bread Variations

Everyone has their favourite mix-ins for Irish Soda Bread. We use raisins here but try these instead:

• Dried currants, golden raisins or other dried fruits.
• Caraway seeds
• Orange zest
• Oats sprinkled over the top of the dough
• Seeds of your choice
• Make a simpler version by omitting the eggs, raisins, and butter.

Tips for Making the BEST Irish Soda Bread

• Make sure you fully combine, or even better, sift, your dry ingredients together. You want to make sure that the baking soda is evenly dispersed throughout.
• Do not over mix or knead this dough, it will end up dense. The dough needs to just come together, and it will be a little shaggy.
• Soak the raisins in hot water before you get started for juicier, more plump raisins.
• The dough should be sticky, you do not want a dry dough like yeast dough forms. Do not add more flour to make it less sticky, you will just end up with a dry, dense loaf.
• You want to form a mound vs. forming a ball like you would with traditional bread. To help with this process you can lightly flour your hands to keep the dough from sticking.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the cross on the top of the loaf.
• Get the bread in the oven immediately after it is prepared.
• The bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped.
• If the top is getting too dark while baking, tent aluminum foil over the bread.
• Enjoy it while still warm, slathered with butter!

How to Store Leftover Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread is best eaten while still warm, fresh out of the oven. Store any leftover soda bread at room temperature in an airtight container.  It does dry quickly so you will want to eat it within two days.

Can Soda Bread be Frozen?

Yes, Irish Soda Bread does store well. Wrap the cooled off bread in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then place it in an airtight freezer bag. It will keep frozen for up to 2 months.

When ready to enjoy, leave it at room temperature overnight to thaw, and then place it in the microwave for a few seconds until just warmed through.

Equipment Needed for Making Irish Soda Bread

Parchment paper – So your bread doesn’t stick to the sheet pan.

Sheet pan – I love Nordic Ware sheet pans, they are sturdy, durable, and will last you a lifetime.

Large bowl – A large mixing bowl, a whisk, and two dinner knives are really all you need to make the dough.

Stand Mixer – A stand mixer with a paddle attachment makes this a lot easier to put together.

Pastry blender – A pastry blender or pastry cutter is another method for cutting the butter into the flour, if you are using butter.

Cast iron skillet – In place of parchment paper and a sheet pan, use a well seasoned cast iron skillet lightly greased with butter.

About the Ingredients for Irish Soda Bread

This easy irish soda bread recipe is an upgrade of the traditional Irish bread, but still using basic ingredients.

All-purpose flour – Spoon and level carefully, or the loaf will end up dense. You can substitute with whole wheat flour for a brown soda bread.

Sugar – Plain old granulated sugar, it doesn’t really sweeten the bread, it just helps provide a more full flavour.

Salt – Brings out all the flavours.

Baking soda – The baking soda is our leavening agent so it is very important that it is fresh and active. Do not substitute with baking powder, the bread will end up very dense.

Butter – Cold butter only. Frozen butter is even better. You can also completely omit the butter for a more authentic soda bread. I find the flavour and texture is better with the butter though.

Raisins – Raisins are only authentic when it comes to American Irish Soda Bread, so feel free to omit completely if you aren’t a fan or substitute with currants. The raisins give the bread a slight sweetness.

Egg – Use room temperature egg for best results. This is another ingredient you can omit completely if you like. It helps give the bread a richer flavour, but it isn’t necessary or used in traditional soda bread.

Buttermilk – Make sure your buttermilk is room temperature before starting. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand make it yourself by adding half a tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1/2 cup milk. The buttermilk activates the baking soda, so real buttermilk is best.

Looking for Another Easy Quick Bread Recipe?

Check out more of my favourite quick and easy bread recipes!

This easy jalapeño cheddar bread recipe is loaded with spice & cheese. It’s a great savoury quick bread with a moist, tender crumb.

This Blueberry Muffin Bread is a favourite blueberry bread recipe in our family that is moist, fluffy and packed full of juicy blueberries.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread Recipe ever! Super moist, soft, and loaded with chocolate chips; it’s a tasty way to use up zucchini.

How to Make Irish Soda Bread

Yields: 1 Loaf | Prep time: 10 Minutes | Bake time: 55 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups All-purpose flour
• 4 Tbsp Granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 4 Tbsp butter, cold
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper – alternatively you can use a cast iron pan.

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.

With two knives or a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is mixed in well.

Stir in the raisins.

Create a well in the mixture and pour in your egg and buttermilk.

Stir the dry ingredients into the liquid slowly with a wooden spoon until it is solid enough to kneed.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and kneed together to form a round loaf, careful not to over-kneed the dough. The dough should remain somewhat shaggy looking. If you are using a sheet pan the more circular the better as the bread will spread out a bit while baking.

Transfer the dough to your sheet pan and use a large knife to cut an X into the dough about 1 inch deep.

Bake in oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. If you are using a cast iron pan it will most likely take 55 minutes as it takes longer to heat up than a baking sheet. The bread should sound hollow when tapped with a golden brown crust.

Remove to a wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

So there you have it – a tried and true Irish Soda Bread recipe that is sure to please. We hope you’ll give this version a try, with or without the raisins. And if you do, be sure to let us know how it turns out in the comments section below!