Irish Soda Bread isn’t just for St. Patrick’s Day: We love this quick and easy bread without yeast year round!
I’m usually quite snobbish about traditional recipes – raisins and egg in soda bread?? No way! But then I tried altering my “normal” soda bread recipe… and actually, yes way.
I now make this version all the time – because I love a good raisin bread, and a good homemade bread… And am mostly terrible at planning ahead far enough for a yeasted bread these days 🙈😉 So, here’s my new favorite bread recipe!
📹 Full Recipe Video
🥣 Step by Step
1 Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2 Rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients until you have a bowl filled with tiny crumbs.
3 Add raisins to the bowl and stir in well. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a separate measuring jug, then pour into the bowl with the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon just until no more dry flour is visible.
4 Tip the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead 3-4 times. Shape into a ball and place on a lined, lightly floured baking sheet. Lightly dust the top of the bread with flour, then cut a deep cross across the bread (cut almost completely through the bread!), then bake. Done!
The most important parts of any traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe are definitely to not overwork the dough, and to make those cuts deep enough. Don’t worry about cutting the bread apart entirely! That wouldn’t even break the recipe – it’s way worse to cut into the bread too little.
And finally… Definitely try a slice while the bread is still a bit warm 😉🍀
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups white flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold butter
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Prep: Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment or a silicone mat. Lightly flour.
- Combine dry ingredients and butter: Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles sand.
- Add raisins and wet ingredients: Stir raisins into flour mixture. Whisk egg and buttermilk together in a separate measuring jug. Pour over flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined.
- Shape bread: Tip dough on a lightly floured work surface, knead 2-3 times (do not overwork!), then shape into a ball.
- Cut bread and bake: Place bread on the prepared baking sheet. Slice crosswise, deeply, almost cutting through the entire bread. Bake 30-35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bread is golden-brown. Cool on a cooling rack.
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