Irish Soda Bread Recipe

This Irish Soda Bread is a rustic, no-knead bread that’s quick and easy to make in under an hour. It’s tastes delicious slathered with a thick layer of salted butter, jam, or marmalade. My family loves to serve this dense, yet tender bread with soups and stews.   

What makes Irish soda bread different?

Irish soda bread is a yeast-free quick bread that has a golden-brown crusty exterior, with a moist and tender crumb. It’s traditional made with just four ingredients – flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.

The buttermilk contains lactic acid, which reacts when combined with baking soda to help the bread rise instead of using yeast. Soda bread doesn’t require kneading, which can toughen it.

This recipe is not traditional, because I like to add raisins, orange zest, an egg, sugar, and butter. When you add raisins to Irish soda bread, it becomes known as Spotted Dog.

But after testing numerous variations of Irish soda bread, THIS is the recipe that my family finds irresistible!

Irish Soda Bread Ingredients

Raisins: My husbands loves raisins, so I like to add them when making Irish soda bread, especially during the holidays like St. Patrick’s Day or Easter.

You can leave them out or use dried cranberries or currants if you prefer.

Fresh orange juice and zest: I’ve tested this recipe with and without the addition of fresh orange juice and zest. My family absolutely loves the citrus flavor, but you can leave it out if you prefer.

I also find soaking the raisins before adding them to the bread helps them plump up and prevents them from drying out in the dough.

Flour: I use all-purpose flour to make this bread. It makes the bread soft and not heavy.

Sugar: Adding a little sugar helps the bread stay moist. It doesn’t make the bread overly sweet.

Baking soda: This is a leavening agent that helps the bread rise since we’re not using yeast.

Salt: You can use kosher or fine sea salt. This helps enhance the flavor and produce a beautiful golden crust.

Butter: While butter is not used in traditional Irish soda bread, I like to add a little because it improves the flavor and texture of the bread.

Egg: This is an optional ingredient. Using an egg adds richness and structure to the bread. If you want a lighter bread, leave out the egg.

Buttermilk: This is a key ingredient because it reacts with the baking soda to help the bread rise without yeast.

Using real buttermilk gives the bread the best flavor, but if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a homemade version.

In a large measuring cup, add 2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar or lemon juice. Add enough cold milk (whole milk or 2% works best) until you reach the 1¾ cup line on the measuring cup. Whisk together and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

How to make Irish Soda Bread

Place the raisins in a bowl and add the fresh orange zest and orange juice. Set aside for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the raisins to soak up the orange juice and become plump.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can grease a 9-inch cake pan or a 10-inch cast iron skillet. (I use the Nordicware Naturals 9″ Round Aluminum Cake Pan).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers to cut the butter until it looks like pea-sized crumbs.

Drain any excess orange juice from the raisins, then stir the soaked raisins into the flour mixture.

In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the egg (if using) and buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the dry ingredients and gently fold the dough until just combined.

Use your hand or a rubber spatula to gently knead the dough into a ball 3 or 4 times inside the bowl. The dough will be quite sticky. Alternatively, you can sprinkle a little flour on a clean board or kitchen counter and knead the dough a few times to form it into a ball.

Avoid overmixing the dough. It’s okay if the ball is not perfectly smooth and looks a little rustic. You just want to make sure there are no dry spots of flour.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pan or skillet. Use a very sharp, wet knife to score the dough with a deep X across the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 200°F in the center of the bread.

It should have a deep golden-brown crust and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

If the bread is browning too quickly before it finishes cooking in the center, you can loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil.

Remove the bread from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Serve warm, at room temperature, or toasted with your choice of toppings. I like butter and honey. Jam or marmalade is also delicious.

Is Irish soda bread healthier than regular bread?

Irish soda bread is healthier than store-bought bread because it contains minimal ingredients, especially if you’re making it with just flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.

It’s low in sugar and fat but can still be high in carbs. Making Irish soda bread with whole wheat or white whole wheat flour can add more fiber, protein, and nutrients.

What is the myth behind Irish soda bread?

Traditional Irish soda bread is baked as a classic round loaf with a cut cross on the top of the bread. The cross was made because families believed that it would “let the fairies out” or ward off evil and represent a blessing on the home.

Please let me know how you like this Irish Soda Bread recipe in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love this Irish Soda Bread as much as I do.

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