Irish Soda Bread
Irish Soda Bread is a classic bread recipe that feels like it should be on the recipe card from a Grandma, stained with flour and buttermilk. It’s an incredibly delicious bread that uses no yeast and comes together pretty easily with simple ingredients like Hiland Dairy Buttermilk. This bread is often really popular around St. Patrick’s Day and is so good paired with a hearty stew or layered in lots of butter.
What is Irish Soda Bread?
Irish Soda Bread uses no yeast which means no rising time for this bread recipe either. The Buttermilk and the baking soda come together to make a natural leavening for this bread. The texture is dense but super moist and soft. It develops a hard, crusty outer layer surrounding the soft bread inside. A layer of butter on top of a warm slice is instantly soaked up for the perfect bite.
What are the Ingredients in Irish Soda Bread?
The ingredients in this Irish Soda Bread recipe are super simple and you likely have them in your kitchen already.
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Hiland Dairy Buttermilk
- Hiland Dairy Butter
- Egg
Buttermilk is really the star in this Irish Soda Bread Recipe. The buttermilk reacts with the baking soda and acts as a leavening agent which gives the bread the dense texture. The buttermilk keeps this bread super moist and soft plus gives a really rich flavor. Perfect combination of textures and flavors.
How to Make this Easy Irish Soda Bread?
Making this Irish Soda Bread Recipe is simple. Not many ingredients and comes together in about 10-15 minutes.
- Dry Ingredients- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt) and then whisk together.
- Wet Ingredients- In the same bowl, add the Hiland Buttermilk, butter, and egg.
- You can use a hand mixer or a wooden spoon to mix the dry and wet ingredients together. * I like to use a hand mixer to get it started and then move to a wooden spoon
- Once the dough is mostly combined, move it to a floured surface and knead it with your hands for about 8 minutes.
- On a Sheet Pan with parchment paper, place the dough and shape into a ball or loaf. Use a knife to score a large X into the top.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. While it’s baking, mix melted butter and buttermilk together.
- After the first 15 minutes of baking, brush the butter/buttermilk mixture over top. Bake again for 15 minutes.
- Once again, brush the butter/buttermilk mixture over top. Bake again for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve with lots of butter.
Options for other additions to Irish Soda Bread?
Irish Soda Bread is a classic bread that is great for adding flavors or ingredients to make it even more delicious and fun. Here are some fun additions to try in your own Irish Soda Bread.
- Dried Cranberries
- Raisins
- Chocolate Chips
- Rosemary
- Cranberry Orange
Quick Tips for Making Perfect Irish Soda Bread
There are a few things that can help make this Irish Soda Bread recipe come out perfect every time.
- Be sure not to overwork the dough- you want to mix the ingredients together just until they form the dough. Then knead it for about 8 minutes after that.
- Score the top with an X- The big X on the top of the bread helps the inner dough to cook evenly and allows the bread to expand while baking.
- Place parchment paper on the sheet pan- place the paper under the dough while baking. This helps the bread not to burn on the underside.
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1¼ cups Hiland Dairy Buttermilk
- 1 stick Hiland Dairy Butter cut in 1 inch pieces
- 1 egg
Glaze
- ¼ cup Hiland Dairy Butter melted
- ¼ cup Hiland Dairy Buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together.
- In the same bowl, add the Hiland Dairy Buttermilk, Butter pieces, and egg. Using a hand mixer on low speed to mix the ingredients together. You can use a wooden spoon as well.
- Once dough is almost all combined (careful not to overmix) transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough with your hands for about 8 minutes.
- Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. You can also use a baking dish or an oven safe skillet. Place dough on the pan and form into a loaf shape.
- Use a knife to score the top of the dough with a large X. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
- While the bread is baking, combine the melted butter and the buttermilk in a small bowl.
- Remove the bread from the oven and brush the buttermilk/butter mixture over top of the bread. Bake again for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven again and brush the buttermilk/butter mixture over the top of the bread again. Bake one more time for 10 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
- Slice and serve with lots of butter or with a hearty soup.
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