When you’re unsure if you want a sweet or savory bread side, this simple Irish soda bread recipe satisfies both cravings. Its chewy raisins and tangy buttermilk strike the perfect balance of flavors whether you’re slathering it with butter or dipping it into soups.
Weekdays are usually hectic for me so I don’t have a lot of time to cook, much less bake. As far as quick breads go, this toasty Irish soda bread recipe is my favorite so far. It’s yeast-free and there’s no waiting or kneading— that’s exactly why I love it! The combination of its soft, raisin-packed interior and crunchy, golden crust is perfect. Best of all, it makes enjoying fresh homemade loaves possible any day. Effortless doesn’t mean less flavor, so if you want to hop on the quick-rise bandwagon, give my Buttery Beer Bread and Jalapeño Cheddar Bread a go too.
You’ll Love This Traditional Irish Soda Bread
This classic Irish soda bread recipe is an easy, no-fuss way to enjoy a hearty homemade loaf, whether it’s served as an appetizer with spreads or as a comforting dinner side.
- No rising time: No need to let the dough sit for hours— shape the dough and pop it into the oven.
- Made with pantry-staples: You likely already have everything you need in your kitchen. They’re super simple ingredients.
- Versatile: Spread it with butter, fig jam, dip it into soups, or use it to make your favorite sandwiches.
- No fancy equipment: There’s no need for stand-mixers, bannetons, or bread machines. Just use your hands!
- Lots of variations: Swap the raisins for sweet apples, crunchy pecans, savory parmesan, or salty olives depending on what you’re craving.
What You’ll Need
Baking soda and tangy buttermilk are the key ingredients that make the dough rise. The recipe card at the bottom of the post has exact measurements and step-by-step instructions for this Irish soda bread recipe.
- All-purpose flour: Go for whole-wheat all-purpose flour if you prefer.
- Sugar: Feel free to use granulated sugar or dark brown sugar.
- Baking soda: Break up any large clumps with your fingers or sieve them before adding it in.
- Salt: Kosher salt is best. Avoid coarse sea salt because it doesn’t dissolve well.
- Unsalted butter: Skip the salt in the rest of the recipe if you use salted butter.
- Buttermilk: You can make your own by using whole milk and removing 2 tablespoons. Swap them for white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir gently and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- Egg: Make sure it’s at room temperature so it mixes into the dough easily.
- Raisins: Golden raisins or dried cranberries are a good swap.
Want to save this recipe?
Email this recipe to yourself for easy access later!
Tips for Baking the Perfect Loaf
Going from kneading to baking quickly is crucial for this Irish soda bread recipe, but here are all my secrets to help you nail a perfect loaf every time:
- Don’t let it rest: The reaction between buttermilk and baking soda happens fast, so bake it right away. It’s not like a yeast-proofed dough that can rest for hours. The longer this soda bread dough rests, the denser the loaf will turn out.
- Make the crust golden: Brush the shaped dough with buttermilk or melted butter for a nice, golden crust.
- Watch the temperature: Stick an oven thermometer in the middle oven rack to ensure that you’re actually baking at 375F. If it’s off, adjust the temperature dials as needed until it’s accurate. Baking at a different temperature affects the texture.
- Pick the Dutch oven: If you have the option, use a Dutch oven for this recipe because the sides of the pot help shape the loaf and give it a round, bakery-style look. While baking sheets and dishes work too, the dough will spread out more and bake “free-style”.
- Grease the knife: Spraying the knife with cooking spray or rubbing it with butter can help prevent the dough from sticking to it as you score it. A clean score will help you feel extra confident about your baking skills.
- Keep the crust soft: If you prefer softer crusts, stick a baking sheet or baking dish filled with water on the bottom oven rack. It will release steam during the baking process and create a more tender exterior.
Variation Ideas
Skip the raisins and scavenge the pantry for more sweet, salty, and smokey add-ins. There are some of my favorite ingredient combinations in case you want to try one:
- Apple-walnut: Fold 1/2 cup chopped walnuts into the dry ingredients. Knead in 1 cup diced apples just before shaping the dough for some fruity sweetness.
- Pumpkin-pecans: Stir 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin spice and 1 cup roughly chopped pecans into the dry ingredients for a nutty, fall-flavored loaf.
- Parmesan-rosemary: You’ll need 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese and 1 1/2 tablespoons dried rosemary. Mix them into the dry ingredients and bake as usual for a cheesy, herby twist on this Irish soda bread recipe.
- Bacon-garlic: For a smokey loaf, cook 6-7 bacon strips until crispy, crumble them, and mix them into the dough with 4-5 finely chopped garlic cloves before shaping.
- Za’atar-olives: Whisk 3 teaspoons za’atar and 3/4 cup sliced black olives into the dry ingredients. This will give you a Mediterranean-Middle Eastern variation.
- Guinness-chocolate: I love Guinness, but you can use any stout beer. It replaces the buttermilk’s acidity and helps the dough rise, but it also adds a deep toasty flavor. Mix 1 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate into the dry ingredients for an ultra cozy loaf with complex flavors.
Storing and Freezing
You have to let this Irish soda bread recipe cool fully before storing to prevent spoilage.
- Counter: Place it in a paper bag for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Store it in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Let it come down to room temperature before digging in.
- Freezer: Wrap it in plastic wrap twice and transfer it to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Want to Reheat a Slice?
Sprinkle it with 1/4 teaspoon water and microwave it in 10-second increments until warm. You can also use a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or the oven at 300F for 10-15 minutes.
More Easy Bread Recipes to Try
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 ¾ cups cold buttermilk, shaken
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup raisins
Want to save this recipe?
Email this recipe to yourself for easy access later!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line dutch oven (or cast iron skillet) with parchment paper. You can also use a baking dish or cookie sheet.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Place 2 tablespoons of flour mixture in a medium sized bowl. Add raisins and toss to coat raisins well in flour mixture (this well keep them from sinking to the bottom of the bread). Set aside the flour coated raisins.
- Using a pastry blender, fork or food processor to cut in the cold butter into remaining flour mixture.
- In a small bowl, beat buttermilk and egg, with a fork or whisk, until well combined. Using a wooden spoon (or rubber sptaula) add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold raisins into mixture.
- On a heavily floured surface, knead dough. I like to work with half of the dough at a time, it’s just easier that way. You will want to add enough flour so it’s not sticky, but be careful to not add too much flour.
- Form dough into a ball, and place in prepared pan. Using a serrated knife, cut a 1-inch deep X into the top of the bread.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until perfectly golden brown. Serve warm and store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
Storage
- Counter: Place it in a paper bag for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: Store it in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition
Categories:
Post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
What does prepared Dutch oven mean?
Hi Celeste! It means a dutch oven lined with parchment paper.
My mom, 100% Irish, born & raised, has made 1,000’s of loafs of Soda Bread. When she used raisins, she also added caraway seeds. Very good! She has also made it with whole wheat flour. I’m a cook but not a baker, but my hubby likes to bake so might get him to make this for us.
When baking in the Dutch oven do you cover it for a time then uncover at the end?
Hi Patricia! I have not needed to cover it, but if it starts to brown too much for you, you can cover it with foil at anytime to stop it from browning anymore.
Can I use a longlength clay baker or must be round?
As long as the loaf can fit on it, you can use any shape! You can also form the bread into more of an oval, instead of round shape, if needed.
Hi Jessica!
I’m going to try this gluten-free and dairy-free. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Hi Jo! Please share what happens!
This brings back memories. I am Irish and my mammy made soda bread all the time. It was cheeper than shop bought But she flavoured it with all different fruit. We never knew what flavors we would get. And I have carried on the tradition.
There is no yeast?
Hi Charlene, nope, no yeast in Irish Soda Bread. It’s a quick bread and quick breads do not require yeast!
I think this must be American soda bread. Irish soda bread doesn’t have sugar, raisins, or egg in it.
Hi Jack, if you google Irish Soda Bread, you will see almost everyone on the first few pages have raisins and sugar. Some don’t. Most have eggs, but a few don’t. Hopefully you can find one you like. This is how we enjoy it.
Can this be made with gluten free flour? Love this bread, but recently diagnosed with celiac.
Hi Beth! I am not very well versed in gluten free baking, I have a general understanding, but not enough to really guarantee success. I would recommend googling Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread.
Has anyone tried this with wheat flour or 1/2 wheat flour?
First time on this blog, pls help me, what is a cup, I mean how much flour is in one cup?
Hi Marga! My site is in American measurements. Cups and tablespoons are common measurements here in the US. You can google how to convert cups to other measurements depending on what you are used to using. Hope this helps!
Thanks Jessica, will do so and try to make yr Irish Soda bread!
I had never cooked nor eaten Irish Soda bread before but this easy recipe makes a wonderful yummy loaf. Followed recipe as written. So good! I cut the cooled bread into slices, wrap and freeze. Easy to pop a slice in the microwave!
Glad you enjoyed it Lisa! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I saw the recipe for bread with dried apricots and pecans.. I was wondering do you think I could substitute dried pineapple and shredded coconut … I would like to try it for my husband…
Sure! It won’t be Irish Soda Bread, but I think it will still be very tasty! Just a different flavor!
I am making it today and I was curious about that as well, so I did put the lid on my Dutch oven and checked it after 45 mins since it wasn’t brown on top I left the lid off for about 5 mins and it turned out great. Hopefully this helps til you get a reply from the Novice Chef 🙂
Can you use a 5 qt Corning ware casserole dish
Yes!
I am going to try making this with 1to 1 gluten free all purpose flour, will I need to make any other adjustments?
Hi Diana! I apologize, but I have not personally tried it with gluten free flour. Please share how your results turn out!
Can you use almond or coconut flour ? Something gluten-free.
Hi Phyllis, I apologize, however I have not tried this with any alternative flour. If you do, please share how it turns out!
Any suggestions for baking several smaller loaves at one time? Might aluminum pans work?
Hi! Yes you could use smaller pans for smaller loaves!
What size Dutch oven?
I used a 5 quart! Anything that size or larger should work just fine!
I need to make this a day ahead or morning of to go with a stew. Do I reheat it wrapped in foil and for how long and what temp. I don’t want to bake it further and am not sure.
Can a crock pot which can be used in an oven be used for baking the bread?
You will need to guarantee that your crockpot insert is oven safe before using it in the oven, but if it is oven safe, then yes it could be used.
400°F for 7 to 10 minutes should warm it without cooking it!
I despise raisins,, can I just leave them out?
Yes!
I like using currents in place of raisons!