I make this Simple Irish Soda Bread every week and it keeps winning blue ribbons so you’ll want a slice with your St. Patrick’s Day breakfast or a hearty Guinness stew.

Jump to Recipe

I’m obsessed with this Blue Ribbon Irish Soda Bread because it tastes like home but better. I love the crunchy crust and the tender crumb that soaks up butter and jam without falling apart.

This is my Simple Irish Soda Bread, rustic, fast, and reliable for weekend mornings or last-minute guests. I adore this Easy Irish Soda Bread With Raisins, the little pockets of sweetness and the tang of buttermilk that makes every slice sing.

Winners in contests, and my family asks for it every week. Golden and honest.

Bring it to brunch. Don’t skip it.

Seriously, you’ll thank me.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Basically the backbone; gives structure and tender, slightly chewy crumb.
Baking soda gives lift fast; reacts with buttermilk for a light crumb.
Salt wakes the flavors up and keeps the loaf from tasting flat.
Plus a little sweetness and nicer browning without making it dessert-y.
Cold butter makes tiny pockets of richness and a slightly flaky texture.
Buttermilk adds tang and tenderizes while feeding the soda for lift.
Basically an optional boost, more richness and a glossy golden crust.
Plus chewy little sweet bites; classic, comforting, and kid-friendly.
Caraway gives a mild licorice note if you’re into that twang.

Ingredient Quantities

4 cups (about 480 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 teaspoon baking soda, well measured

1 teaspoon fine salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional, but we like a touch of sweet)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

1 3/4 cups buttermilk, plus a bit more if dough seems too dry

1 large egg, beaten, optional for a richer loaf

1 cup raisins or currants, rinsed and drained, optional but traditional

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional if you like that flavor

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly flour a cast iron skillet; have a rack ready to cool the loaf.

2. Whisk together 4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine salt and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl so everything is evenly distributed.

3. Cut 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter into small pieces and work it into the dry mix with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits of butter left.

4. If using raisins or currants, rinse and drain them, then toss with a tablespoon of flour so they don’t all sink to the bottom while baking.

5. Make a well in the center and pour in 1 3/4 cups buttermilk and the beaten egg if you choose to use it; stir gently with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, adding a splash more buttermilk only if it seems too dry.

6. Fold in the raisins/currants and 1 teaspoon caraway seeds if using, but do not overmix; the dough should be sticky and rough, not smooth and elastic.

7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape it quickly into a round loaf by folding the edges under to create surface tension, then place it on the prepared sheet or skillet; dust the top with a little flour.

8. Using a sharp knife score a deep cross on top about 1/2 inch deep; this helps it bake evenly and is traditional.

9. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or the internal temp is about 200 F; if the top browns too fast tent it loosely with foil.

10. Brush the hot loaf with a little extra butter if you like, cool on a rack at least 20 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets, then serve warm with butter, jam, or with your Irish breakfast.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheated to 425 F)
2. Baking sheet or cast iron skillet
3. Parchment paper or flour for skillet
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Whisk (for dry ingredients)
6. Pastry cutter or fingertips (to cut in butter)
7. Wooden spoon (for mixing dough)
8. Sharp knife (to score the top)
9. Cooling rack and pastry brush (for brushing butter)

FAQ

What if my dough is too sticky or too dry? If it is sticky add small pinches of flour while shaping, if too dry add 1 tablespoon of buttermilk at a time until it holds together. You want a shaggy, slightly sticky dough.

Can I skip the raisins or caraway seeds? Yes, absolutely. They are traditional but optional. Plain soda bread is great with butter and cheese.

How do I know when the bread is done? It should be golden brown, sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, and a skewer will come out clean. Internal temp around 200 F is a good check if you use a thermometer.

Can I freeze this bread? Yes, slice and wrap tightly, then freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp and refresh in a 350 F oven for 10 minutes to crisp the crust.

Why did my loaf come out dense? Likely overmixing or not enough baking soda action. Measure the baking soda carefully, mix just until combined, and make sure your buttermilk is fresh.

Can I make smaller rolls instead of one loaf? Sure, divide the dough into 8 to 10 portions, shape into rounds and bake 12 to 18 minutes depending on size. Keep an eye on them so they dont overbake.

Blue Ribbon Irish Soda Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour:
- Whole wheat pastry flour — use 1:1 for a nuttier, slightly denser loaf; may brown faster so watch baking time
- Bread flour — 1:1 for a chewier, taller crumb; good if you like more structure
- Gluten free 1-to-1 blend — use cup for cup, but add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend lacks it
Buttermilk:
- Milk + vinegar or lemon juice: 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon acid, let sit 5 minutes; use same amount as buttermilk
- Plain yogurt thin with water: whisk 3/4 cup yogurt with 1/4 cup water for 1 cup buttermilk substitute
- Sour cream thinned the same way as yogurt; gives rich flavor but can make loaf slightly denser
Unsalted butter:
- Cold vegetable shortening — use same amount, gives a tender crumb but less flavor
- Coconut oil (solid) — 1:1, gives slight coconut note and golden crust; best if you like that flavor
- Salted butter — use same amount but reduce added salt in recipe by about 1/4 teaspoon
Raisins or currants:
- Dried cranberries or cherries — same amount, they add a brighter, tangy sweetness
- Chopped dried apricots or figs — use slightly less by volume cause they’re chunkier
- No fruit — omit entirely for plain soda bread, or add 1/2 cup chopped nuts for texture
- Zest of orange plus 2 tablespoons sugar — if you want citrusy lift instead of dried fruit

Pro Tips

1. Keep the butter cold and don’t overwork it. Little pea sized bits of butter are your friends, they give the loaf flaky bits. If you mash everything together it’ll turn dense, so stop mixing as soon as the dough holds.

2. Toss the raisins or currants in a tablespoon of flour and pat them dry. That keeps them from sinking to the bottom while baking. Also don’t overload the dough with fruit or it won’t rise as well.

3. Score the top deeply, like 1/2 inch, and put the loaf in a very hot oven. The high heat gives a good oven spring and a crunchy crust. If the top is getting too dark, loosely cover it with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Let it cool at least 20 minutes before you slice, even if you’re dying to eat it. Slicing too soon makes the crumb gummy. If you want extra shine and flavor, brush warm butter on top right out of the oven.

Blue Ribbon Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Recipe by Tessa Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I make this Simple Irish Soda Bread every week and it keeps winning blue ribbons so you’ll want a slice with your St. Patrick’s Day breakfast or a hearty Guinness stew.

Servings

servings

Calories

231

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheated to 425 F)
2. Baking sheet or cast iron skillet
3. Parchment paper or flour for skillet
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Whisk (for dry ingredients)
6. Pastry cutter or fingertips (to cut in butter)
7. Wooden spoon (for mixing dough)
8. Sharp knife (to score the top)
9. Cooling rack and pastry brush (for brushing butter)

Ingredients

4 cups (about 480 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda, well measured
1 teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional, but we like a touch of sweet)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1 3/4 cups buttermilk, plus a bit more if dough seems too dry
1 large egg, beaten, optional for a richer loaf
1 cup raisins or currants, rinsed and drained, optional but traditional
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional if you like that flavor

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly flour a cast iron skillet; have a rack ready to cool the loaf.
Whisk together 4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine salt and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl so everything is evenly distributed.
Cut 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter into small pieces and work it into the dry mix with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits of butter left.
If using raisins or currants, rinse and drain them, then toss with a tablespoon of flour so they don’t all sink to the bottom while baking.
Make a well in the center and pour in 1 3/4 cups buttermilk and the beaten egg if you choose to use it; stir gently with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, adding a splash more buttermilk only if it seems too dry.
Fold in the raisins/currants and 1 teaspoon caraway seeds if using, but do not overmix; the dough should be sticky and rough, not smooth and elastic.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape it quickly into a round loaf by folding the edges under to create surface tension, then place it on the prepared sheet or skillet; dust the top with a little flour.
Using a sharp knife score a deep cross on top about 1/2 inch deep; this helps it bake evenly and is traditional.
Bake 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or the internal temp is about 200 F; if the top browns too fast tent it loosely with foil.
Brush the hot loaf with a little extra butter if you like, cool on a rack at least 20 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets, then serve warm with butter, jam, or with your Irish breakfast.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.