Gimme Some Oven

Irish Soda Bread

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This weekend I decided to make an Irish feast to practice for St. Patrick’s Day.

But I have to admit — even though I have some Irish in my family, and had a blast traveling there a few years ago to visit my sister when she studied abroad in Dublin, I have only only spent a wee bit o’ time trying out Irish recipes! So for my feast, I decided to defer to some of my friends’ recipes that fall in the more “tried and true” category.

The first recipe for traditional Irish soda bread is from my friend Christin. She and her family have been making it for decades, and she swears this recipe is the best. And more importantly, that this recipe is foolproof (which is good for this girl who only succeeds about half the time with baking homemade breads)!

Sure enough, the dough was super easy to make, and the bread baked up beautifully! Granted, I probably should have cut the “X” a little deeper to make the shape pucker up perfectly. But overall, I was quite pleased, and it tasted delicious!!! It was moist, sweet, and I loved the extra pop of raisins. And as Christin said, it’s “the best when served warm with good butter”. Definitely agreed.

Stay tuned for more fun Irish recipes to follow for your own St. Patrick’s Day feast!

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Irish Soda Bread

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 5 reviews
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

Description

You will love this fresh Irish Soda Bread recipe. It’s fresh, delicious, and easy to prepare!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 cup raisins or dried currants
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a small cookie sheet.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter with a fork (or with your fingers) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins and buttermilk until the dough is evenly moistened.
  3. Turn dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Shape into a 6-inch ball, place on a cookie sheet. With a sharp knife, cut a 1/4-inch deep cross on top of the dough.
  4. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until dough is just cooked through and the top is a light golden brown.

Notes

To save a step, you can also begin making the dough in a food processor.  Just be sure to stir in the raisins and buttermilk by hand.

Recipe from my friend, Christin.

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29 comments on “Irish Soda Bread”

  1. Hi, there!

    Thanks for posting about the Irish Soda Bread recipe. I tried to make this bread once using my Zojirushi BB-HAC10 bread maker, but something went wrong, and it tasted weird. I have to prepare it for St. Patrick’s Day.

    Now I realized that I put too much sugar in it. I saved and printed your recipe. Your instruction is easy to follow. Hope I can make it for the next time.

  2. Perfect! Just in time for St Pattys!

  3. Ok, so I love Irish Soda Bread and I’ve seen a lot of posts recently featuring different takes on it, but I’ve never seen a more perfect color or texture – I just want a slice! Amazing and I am featuring this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), so please let me know if you have any objections. It’s a pleasure following your food…

  4. I’ve been looking for an Irish soda bread recipe for St. Patricks Day!

  5. Hey.
    My daughter and I made this last night. We got a little crazy with the raisins. But it was a super easy recipe to follow and it turned out great! I didn’t use a mixer or a food processor. I just kept it super simple with a wooden spoon and bowl. I was intimidated about making it but it turned out great. Thanks!

  6. While this recipe was delicious and I think you for sharing it, it isn’t really traditionally Irish. Irish-American perhaps, but not traditional Irish “soda bread”. It’s more of a railway cake if I’m to be honest. Sugar, butter, and baking powder all take them out of the “traditional” category. Just a little fun fact for ye. Enjoy your St. Paddy’s Day. Cheers from Cork Co.

  7. Tell Christin it came out great!
    https://instagr.am/p/W-cNsrjAxV/

  8. This was super easy and delicious!! I make this at least once a week. Thank you so much for sharing

  9. Of all the Irish Soda Bread recipes I’ve made, this is the best!  Will not make any other.

  10. Just made this for our St Patrick’s Day dinner.  I made one with currants one without and WOW! It is DELICIOUS! THANK YOU!  

  11. I love this bread!! Super easy and so yummy. I have been making this for over a year now and its perfect each time. This year, I am vegan, so used earth balance and made buttermilk, using almond milk and vinegar. It is still perfect. Thank you so much for such a great recipe!

  12. Love this recipe! I’ve made it two years in a row for St. Paddy’s Day and my husband and I both love it! About 10 minutes before it’s done, I brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle it with turbinado sugar. Delicious! Thank you! 

    • Thanks for sharing Vicki — we’re so glad you and your husband are fans! :)

  13. This is the Irish soda bread I grew up with. My mom was born and raised in Ireland. 

  14. Made two versions of this bread this weekend–one with raisins and one without–for a St. Patty’s party (30 people) and both were a hit! I made them the evening before and stored left them on the kitchen table overnight, both wrapped in plastic wrap. In the morning, I put them in a 300-degree oven until they were warm again.

    I highly recommend this–a very easy and delicious recipe.

  15. Thanks  much for   this   recipe.  My mom passed away in 2015  and of  course when we were growing up she made soda bread all time.   This reminds me much of her.

    • You’re very welcome, Colleen — we’re so glad to know you like this recipe and that it gives you good memories of your mom!

  16. I love the look of this Irish Soda Bread & plan to make for a party I’ll be attending “in honor of St Patrick”!

  17. I made this last year, the 1st one I made i melted butter, the second i just softened it as you stated, what a difference..but both were very tasty, making it this year, hope it turns out just as good or better. I’m not one for baking or cooking lol..but this was soooo easy. Thank u for sharing!






  18. Happy St.Patty’s Day
    I made this recipe this morning and brought it to my son and daughter-in- law for their brisket dinner.
    They loved it and said this recipe is a keeper.My first time baking Irish soda bread.Thank you so much and I enjoy you’re blog.P.S.My son and his wife just had twin daughters we’re going to pass this recipe on.
    Sherri






  19. This recipe was easy and delicious but my bread turned out a little crumbly more like a scone. I noticed other recipes for soda bread add an egg to the mix which may give it a more bread-like texture.






  20. Just made this – SO easy and SO good!!!!






  21. Still in the oven at 37 minutes, the outside is turning darker brown and the inside is still mush. Thoughts? Had a perfect cross in the top and it expanded nicely, but just isn’t cooking inside. Turned the head down and waiting…

  22. I love this recipe and make it every St. Patrick’s day since I found it a couple of years ago. I was wondering if you thought it could be made ahead and frozen? I happen to have buttermilk I’m looking to use up. Thanks again.






  23. Wow. You managed to not only diss the real Irish soda bread by calling it bland and dry (it is not) but instead tell people that this is the classic version. (it’s definitely not).