Easy Irish Soda Bread

Easy Irish Soda Bread — A FAST, EASY, and foolproof recipe for classic Irish soda bread with an optional but fabulous twist of Irish whiskey-soaked raisins! A lightly sweetened crunchy crust with a soft interior, you’ll want to make this quick bread recipe year round and not just for Saint Patrick’s Day!

Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Saint Patrick’s Day is sneaking up on us and that always makes me crave Irish soda bread.

But trust me, you don’t need to wait for St. Patrick’s Day to make this incredible quick bread recipe.

The Irish soda bread has a thick, crunchy, buttery sweet crust and the interior of the bread is soft and substantial, without being overly dense nor dry.

It’s not an overly sweet bread even though the crust has a touch of sweetness because of an optional sprinkling of turbinado sugar. There’s only 1/4-cup of sugar used in the dough which is practically nothing compared to most dessert or baking recipes.

For this reason, it’s a great breakfast, brunch, or late morning snack option when you don’t want anything overly sweet and sugary.

I include raisins soaked in Irish whiskey (Jameson) in my bread and they’re so soft, plump, juicy, and they just perfume the soda bread with the most incredible flavor. And no, the bread doesn’t taste boozy at all. Although this is optional.

This is a fast and easy bread recipe because there’s no yeast and no need to knead any dough. Simply combine a handful of common wet and dry ingredients and you can stir it by hand. No mixer required!

Ingredients in Irish Soda Bread with Raisins

Irish soda bread is one of the more rare baking recipes where you don’t need a ton of ingredients!

In fact, there’s only a handful of very common and easy to find fridge and pantry ingredients including the following:

• Raisins, optional
• Irish whiskey (or apple juice), optional
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Buttermilk
• Large eggs
• Melted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Turbinado sugar, optional

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

How to Make Irish Soda Bread

Making Irish soda bread is easy and since there’s no yeast in this quickbread recipe, it’s fast, too.

Follow my straightforward directions for a fantastic and foolproof soda bread:

Step 1: Optionally, if you want to use and soak raisins in Jameson or Irish whiskey, now is the time to do it. Soaking softens and plumps them, and adds flavor, but it’s up to you.

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Step 3: Add the wet ingredients in a separate mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Step 4: Add the wet to the dry flour mixture ingredients, and mix until just combined.

Step 5: If you’re using soaked raisins, drain the soaking liquid, and add the raisins now and fold them in gently to incorporate.

Step 6: Place the dough onto a greased baking sheet.

Step 7: Score the top with a sharp knife.

Step 8: Brush with melted butter and the optional turbinado sugar – or use regular sugar, or nothing.

Step 9: Bake until golden browned and allow to cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Do I Have to Use Buttermilk in Soda Bread?

Because there’s no yeast in this quickbread recipe, you need something to help allow the bread to rise and act as a leavening agent.

In this case, buttermilk (an acid) is going to react with baking soda (a base) to create carbon dioxide bubbles during the baking process. And this is what is going to leaven, or lift, the loaf so it’s not a dense hockey puck!

Therefore, you do need to use buttermilk.

Can I Use Homemade Buttermilk?

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand and want to make a version of it using regular milk and lemon juice or white vinegar, you can.

1. Measure out 1 3/4 cups milk into a large glass measuring cup. I suggest 2% milk. Skim is a little too thin, and whole is a little too thick. You can probably use almond or cashew milk if you’d like.
2. Dip a one-tablespoon measuring spoon into the milk and remove 2 tablespoons of the milk.
3. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best) or white vinegar (not apple cider).
4. Let the mixture stand 5 minutes before using it in the recipe. You’ll know it’s “ready” when the milk appears a bit curdled and “fluffy”. That’s the milk proteins that have become coagulated. Five minutes should do the trick but I always do a quick visual texture check to make sure.

Can I Use Yogurt?

You could potentially thin out yogurt or Greek yogurt with enough milk to get it to be the consistency of buttermilk.

However, this isn’t a method I personally opt for.

It’s just easier and a guarantee to use buttermilk than start doctoring up various combinations of yogurt + milk and wondering if or how it will work.

What to Serve with Irish Soda Bread

Of course you can enjoy your Irish soda bread simply sliced thinly with a cup of coffee or tea. If it’s warm from the oven, you’re going to be in for a real treat.

However, soda bread is amazing when toasted for a crispy exterior in contrast with the softness of the interior of the bread. Spread some butter on top of your toast for added awesomeness!

As for what dishes pair well with Irish soda bread, here are some suggestions:

• Slow Cooker Beef Stew
• Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
• Slow Cooker Cabbage Soup
• Homemade Vegetable Soup

Storage Instructions

Irish soda bread will keep airtight at room temp for up to 4 days. However, as with most baked goods, fresh is best and it’s at its peak when it’s the freshest.

I do not recommend storing it in the fridge.

You can freeze a fully cooled loaf airtight for up to 3 months although it’s a bulky loaf to try to find freezer space for. But if you’ve got the space, bread freezes well generally-speaking, and your soda bread will be fine.

Tips for the Best Irish Soda Bread

Making Irish soda bread is easy, fast, and practically foolproof! Here are a few final parting tips and tricks to make sure your soda bread recipe turns out perfectly!

Raisin Soaking

As I mentioned already, soaking the raisins isn’t obligatory. I like to do it so they’re softer and plumper, and the extra rich flavor the Irish whiskey imparts is wonderful.

However, another option is to use white rum, or a spiced rum like Captain Morgan. I realize not very “Irish” but I like to provide ideas and options based on what people may have on hand already.

Apple juice or white grape juice are also good soaking liquids.

Don’t Overmix

The cardinal rule in almost all baking recipes where there’s dough involved is to not overmix it.

Overmixing muffin or cupcake batter for example causes tough, dense muffins or cupcakes and the same can be said for the Irish soda bread dough.

Sticky is Fine

It’s fine if it’s a shaggy, moist, tacky, sticky dough. Just get it into a mound on your baking sheet or in your skillet, score it, and bake it off.

Turbinado Sugar

I like to brush the dough with a bit of melted butter and sprinkle the it with turbinado sugar for a bit of a crunchy sweet texture to the crust, although it’s optional. You can also use granulated sugar instead.

Baking Tips

1. Rotate the baking sheet or skillet once midway through cooking to ensure even browning and cooking.
2. You can use parchment paper, but I just spray a baking sheet very well with cooking spray.
3. Bake on the middle oven rack.
4. Because all ovens, climates, and ingredients vary, baking times will too. Therefore, check early to make sure your bread isn’t burning (doubtful) but keep an eye on it. If your bread needs longer than 60 minutes to bake, that’s fine.
5. Better to make sure it’s done than pull it out too early because you can’t correct for underbaked bread after it’s cooled.
6. It may cook quicker in cast iron than on a sheet pan so if you’re baking it in a skillet, check early.

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4.72 from 7 votes

Easy Irish Soda Bread

By Averie Sunshine

A FAST, EASY, and foolproof recipe for classic Irish soda bread with an optional but fabulous twist of Irish whiskey-soaked raisins! A lightly sweetened crunchy crust with a soft interior, you'll want to make this quick bread recipe year round and not just for Saint Patrick's Day!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

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Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 ¾ cups raisins, or currants, optional*
• ▢ ⅔ cup Irish whiskey such as Jameson, or apple juice or white grape juice, optional
• ▢ 4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 ¾ cups buttermilk*
• ▢ 2 large eggs + 2 yolks, use the extra whites for an omelette or scrambled eggs
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; divided
• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, optional (granulated sugar may be substituted)

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Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350F and spray a nonstick baking sheet very well with cooking spray; set aside. Tip – Alternatively, you can use a 9-inch cast iron skillet for baking the soda bread. If you're doing so, place it in the oven now to preheat it while the oven is preheating and before you add the dough, grease the skillet very well with butter.
• Optionally, if you're soaking the raisins, now is the time to add them to a medium bowl, pour the soaking liquid (Irish whiskey or juice) over the raisins, and let stand while you carry on with the rest of the recipe.
• To a large bowl, add the dry ingredients including the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and whisk to combine; set aside.
• To a separate large medium bowl, add the buttermilk, eggs plus yolks, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and whisk well to combine.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir to combine using a wooden spoon or spatula; do not overmix.
• If you're using raisins (or currants), drain the soaking liquid from the raisins and add the raisins to the dough. Tip – Using a slotted spoon is another option rather than using a seive and draining that way.
• Gently fold the raisins into the dough using a spatula; do not overmix.
• Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet (or using hot mitts, get the cast iron skillet out of the oven and grease it well with butter now), and pat it into a round loaf. Tip – The dough may be sticky, tacky, and shaggy; this is normal and okay.
• Using a large knife, score the dough by making an large X on top, going down about 1/2-inch deep into the dough with your knife.
• Brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter evenly over the surface of the dough.
• Optionally (but recommended because it gives a wonderful light sweentess and bit of crunch to the crust), evenly sprinkle with tht turbinado (or granulated) sugar.
• Bake for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until the loaf is golden browned on the outside and cooked through in the middle. Tips – Rotate the baking sheet or skillet once midway through cooking to ensure even browning and cooking. Bake on the middle oven rack. Because all ovens, climates, and ingredients vary, baking times will too. Therefore, check early to make sure your bread isn't burning (doubtful) but keep an eye on it. If your bread needs longer than 60 minutes to bake, that's fine. Better to make sure it's done than pull it out too early because you can't correct for underbaked bread after it's cooled. It may cook quicker in cast iron than on a sheet pan so if you're baking it in a skillet, check early.
• Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing and serving. I like to serve it with a pat of butter. Bread will keep airtight at room temp for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months, however fresh is best with this recipe.

Notes

*Raisins and Soaking

You can also use raisins (or currants) without soaking them. Just fold them in as-is after you’ve mixed up the batter.

Or you can use apple juice if you don’t want to use whiskey.

Or don’t add any raisins at all.

Lots of options – all up to you!

**Buttermilk

It is necessary although you can make a homemade version of buttermilk by doing the following:

1. Measure out 1 3/4 cups milk into a large glass measuring cup. I suggest 2% milk. Skim is a little too thin, and whole is a little too thick. You can probably use almond or cashew milk if you’d like.
2. Dip a one-tablespoon measuring spoon into the milk and remove 2 tablespoons of the milk.
3. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best) or white vinegar (not apple cider).
4. Let the mixture stand 5 minutes before using it in the recipe. You’ll know it’s “ready” when the milk appears a bit curdled and “fluffy”. That’s the milk proteins that have become coagulated. Five minutes should do the trick but I always do a quick visual texture check to make sure.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 415kcal, Carbohydrates: 72g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 579mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 26g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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