Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Irish Soda Bread is the easiest bread you’ll make – no proofing or kneading required and the dough comes together in 5 minutes. Soda bread has a soft and tender crumb with a Biscuit-like texture.

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We love freshly baked bread, from Banana Bread to Homemade Focaccia. If you are a fan of easy bread recipes, this Irish Soda Bread is a must-try!
You’ll Love this Soda Bread!
I fell in love with Soda Bread the first time I tried it. Its lightly sweet crumb reminded me of our Paska Easter Bread and Hot Cross Buns, but it’s amazing how fast and easy it was to make a traditional Soda Bread.
What is Irish Soda Bread?
This Irish-American Soda Bread is traditionally baked for St. Patrick’s Day. It is a quick bread that uses Baking Soda (a.k.a. Sodium Bicarbonate) as the leavening to make it rise. Unlike traditional yeast bread, there is no proofing or rising time. Once the dough comes together, you score the top and bake right away.

Ingredients
We love adding raisins for the holidays, but the raisins are optional. If you want to make it without buttermilk, then kefir works just as well to activate the baking soda.
- Flour – all-purpose flour works best
- Sugar – 1/4 cup makes it a lightly sweet bread
- Salt – every good bread needs a fair amount
- Baking soda – leavening which makes the bread rise
- Butter – gives the bread a scone-like texture (use cold, unsalted)
- Buttermilk – activates the soda (use cold, low-fat)
- Egg – for a finer, richer crumb
- Raisins – optional and can be substituted for dried cranberries

Tips for the Best Soda Bread
- Do not over-mix – as with scones, the dough really just has to come together before baking.
- Sticky dough – the dough will feel sticky. Dust your work surface and hands with just enough flour to handle the dough.
- Cold ingredients – there’s no reason to bring ingredients to room temperature. Keep buttermilk, egg, and butter chilled.
- Generously grease the pan – buttering your cast-iron skillet before baking allows the bread to rise without sticking to the pan.
- Cool on a rack – Once out of the oven, transfer the soda bread to a rack to cool so it doesn’t steam and soften on the bottom.

How to Make Soda Bread
You’ll be amazed how fast and easy it is to form a loaf of this Irish-American Soda Bread.
- Prep – Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 10″ cast-iron pan with butter.
- Whisk dry ingredients – in a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
- Add butter and raisins – cut butter into dice then work it into the flour mixture with clean dry fingertips until crumbs form. Stir in raisins.
- Buttermilk – In a large measuring cup, beat together buttermilk and 1 egg and pour into dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until moistened and the dough starts to come together.
- Form the loaf – transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, dust hands with flour, and form dough into a round loaf. If too sticky to handle, dust with flour.
- Bake – transfer dough to the buttered pan and score the top with a deep “X”. Bake at 375˚F for 50-55 minutes.

How to know when Soda Bread is done baking? We bake for 50-55 minutes. When you tap the loaf it should sound hollow inside.
Common Questions:
You can omit the raisins, or even substitute them for dried cranberries or other bits of dried fruit like chopped apricots.
The buttermilk activates the baking soda, making the bread rise. You can substitute the buttermilk with a low fat plain Kefir.
It tastes similar to scones or biscuits but is very lightly sweet.
We love to serve soda bread is delicious served as a side with Irish butter and honey, or jam. It’s a lightly sweet bread so it pairs well with coffee or tea.
Scoring the top gives it extra surface area to brown and crisp.
Over-mixing or over-kneading the dough can make it tough. The less you handle it, the softer the bread will be.
Soda bread freezes really well. If you freeze it the day it’s baked (be sure it’s cooled to room temperature first), it will taste great thawed and toasted.

This Irish Soda Bread recipe is sure to become a holiday favorite for you. It’s so easy and you’ll impress everyone.
More St Patrick’s Day Recipes
If you love this Soda Bread, then you won’t want to miss these St. Patrick’s Day-inspired recipes.
- Green Smoothie Bowl – perfect for a St. Patty’s breakfast
- Zeppole – a special treat loved by all
- Spinach Artichoke Dip – your new favorite dip
- Guacamole Stuffed Deviled Eggs – you’ll love the green
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts – crispy with bacon
- Broccoli Apple Salad – with creamy dressing
Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup more for dusting
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, plus 1/2 Tbsp to grease pan
- 1 3/4 cups cold lowfat buttermilk or kefir
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 375˚F. Generously grease a 10” cast-iron skillet with 1/2 Tbsp butter.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Cut butter into small pieces and use your fingers to work the butter into the flour until crumbs form stir in the raisins, breaking up any clumps of raisins. Make a well in the center.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and egg then add this mixture into the flour mixture. Use a wooden spoon and mix just until lightly moistened and dough barely starts to come together.
- Transfer to a floured surface and use floured hands to shape the dough just until it forms into a round loaf. It should be shaggy. If it’s too sticky to handle, dust lightly with flour. Do not over-mix or bread will be tough.
- Transfer to the buttered pan, use a knife to score the top with a large and deep “X”. Bake in the center of your preheated oven at 375 for 50-55min. When you tap on the bread, it should sound hollow inside. Transfer bread to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy within 2 days of making it and refrigerate leftovers up to a week.
Fantastic bread especially toasted. A little extra milk might be needed depending on the flour. Thank you. Your recipes are great to work with.
Thanks for sharing and I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try from us.
I have made this recipe over and over, and it is always a crowd pleaser. For those of you wondering if you can replace the egg, you can just leave it out. I’ve tried it with and without, and personally, I think the dough is easier to work with and rises better without the egg. I love using zante currants in this (which are a type of tiny raisin). They have a great flavor! I do think real buttermilk works best in this recipe. I’ve tried the DIY version where you add some vinegar to milk, but if you can get it, real buttermilk has a richer flavor. One small addition I make to the recipe is that I add a sprinkle of coarse sugar crystals to the top of the loaf before baking since I’ve seen a lot of bakeries do this. It gives the crust a sweet crunch to it!
Thanks a lot for sharing that with us, Cassie. That is helpful, we appreciate your comments and feedback!
I often half the recipe as there are only two of us. Cooks in 35-40 minutes roughly.
Also, I’ve baked it in a loaf pan for more of a sandwich bread shape at times.
All the suggestions for adding more sugar (if you like your doda bread sweeter) snd more raisins work (if it states 1 cup, I cram as many raisins into that one cup as i can!)
I work in a supermarket bakery and this was so much better than what me make.
Thank you Natasha
I’m so glad you loved this more than your bakery brea, Roberta! Thank you for your awesome review!
Such a tasty soda bread! It did come out of the oven lopsided, however. Could that be because I didn’t score it deeply enough?
It could be that or not spreading the dough evenly into the pan.
I have made this so many times. It’s the only thing that everyone asks me to bring when we get together for food. It is excellent.
I’m so glad it’s a hit! Thank you for sharing, Nancy.
Hi Natasha, can I use yogurt instead of buttermilk or kefir?
Hi Ina, I honestly haven’t tested that substitution to advise.
This Irish Soda Bread recipe is so delicious! And it couldn’t be any easier to make. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed it.
I had the same problem with the wet dough- I just scooped it all up and reshaped what I could in the skillet. The bread still came out with a great taste and texture- the outside of the loaf was smooth and more the shape of a biscotti though. I am going to try this again. When I measured the flour, I used the half cup scoop because it’s easier to maneuver in the flour container…it’s possible I may have miscounted- even if I measured correctly, I probably could have just added an additional 1/4 cup to the wet dough to firm things up a little (?).
I added the heaping cup of raisins suggested by another reader and then a little extra sugar- I’m sure I’ll nail this on my next try. I love a recipe that you can make a mistake and it’s not a total loss. Thanks Natasha.
Hi Patrick! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
Made this wonderful bread for late St Paddy’s Day Dinner for friends. Every one raved about it and it was so easy. Used Kefir and it had a great flavor and moisture. My husband says the best ever – delicious.
That’s wonderful, Linda! I’m glad it was hit!
Great recipe my husband even loves it 😊. I didn’t include the raisin as I’m not a fan. But I’m making it again this weekend one with and without raisins, for a fundraising basket auction at the VFW, the theme of the basket is Irish, so plenty to be added there. Thanks for the great and easy recipe.
You’re very welcome, Machelle! I’m so glad you love the recipe. 🙂
Just made this bread for the first time. It is delicious and I will be making it again soon!
That’s great to hear, Teri! Thanks for sharing.
This was delicious! I substituted 1.5 cups of the flour with whole wheat flour, and it turned out fine. I also used cranberries. Will definitely add this to my recipe book!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Sierra! I’m so glad you loved this recipe!
Hi. Thank you for posting this recipe. I have tried making several versions of Irish Soda Bread and this is the absolute best! I used golden raisins and made it as instructed. Perfect!
Hi Cathy! I’m so glad to hear that. You’re very welcome. Thank you for the feedback,
It came out delicious, following everything exactly as instructed. I added a heaping cup of raisins and 2 tablespoons of toasted caraway seeds. Served the bread warm with lots of Irish butter and honey. I left off one star because it came out a little dry at 50 minutes, and I feel like I should have given it 45. Thoughts?
Hi Linda, it could be the size of the pan or the temperature of the oven (not all ovens are created equal). Also, make sure you are using a regular baking setting and not convection. I”m glad you enjoyed the Soda bread!
Easy and delicious. This is by far the best and tastiest recipe I have tried. Made it exactly according to the recipe. Will be making more for sure.
Thank you for sharing this gem
It’s my pleasure, Heather. So glad that you love this recipe a lot!
This was a great recipe and a hit for St. Patrick’s Day! We used the cranberry option. I was nervous because I am not good with bread recipes but I followed your instructions about not over mixing it. I turned the dough over to a piece of parchment paper which helped shape the bread. Thank you for sharing the recipes with others!
Hi Gracie! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing your results. 🙂
I have made Irish Soda Bread before. But we weren’t totally thrilled with it. But I wanted to try again this year. I sent ahead and made it. It is wonderful. I will definitely be making it again. I sprinkled the top with sugar to add a bit more sweetness. We all loved it.
Hi Sand, that’s amazing! I’m glad it was a hit!
This is way better than any other Irish Soda Bread I’ve ever made!
I’m glad you love it, Stacy! 🙂
At the end, the flavor and texture were very good. But the dough to start with was super wet and unmanageable even with flouring my hands and the working surface. Overall the bread over browned as well. I would probably make a few tweaks if I retry this recipe.
Made it today and it turned out great. I did the sour cream and milk sub for buttermilk and it worked fine. Great recipe, moist not dry and crumbly like others I have made. THANKS
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Nettie!
We’ve always bought our Irish Soda Bread for St Patty’s, but our one local baker that made it closed down. It’s my daughters favorite part of St Patty’s Day dinner, so I decided to make it. OMG! It’s insanely delicious and so much better than what our bakery made! Plus it made my house smell like heaven, and my granddaughter who’s a picky eater said it’s the best thing she ever tasted and to cover it up before she ate the whole thing. THANK YOU SO MUCH for keeping St Patty’s tradition alive in our family! ☘️☘️☘️
I’m so glad this was a hit, Linda! Thank you so much for your excellent review!
After searching for different recipes, I decided to try this one, because of all the great reviews. I followed the recipe exactly, but used a 9″ round nonstick cake pan. The soda bread came out perfectly. There were a few comments about it not being sweet enough, and I toyed with the urge to add more sugar. But I did not, and it was plenty sweet. There is nothing you can do to make this soda bread any better. It is absolutely perfect the way it is.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Valerie!
I made this last night for St Patricks Day. My kitchen smelled like heavenI usually like caraway but had none so I added 2 Tbs of orange zest and did craisins and raisins the flavor was wonderful! It was a VERY sticky batter but baked fine in 55minutes will make this again. BTW ITS ALL GONE!🍀
It sounds like it was a hit, Arlene! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
It was my first time making it and it came out PERFECT!! Definitely saving this easy recipe!
Hi Tara! I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for sharing.
How would you adjust for a 12″ cast iron? I unfortunately don’t have a 10″ on me. Does it matter after all?
Hi Joe, it should work in a 12″ but it might be wider and flatter versus putting it into a 10″ skillet and the bake time would probably be less since it won’t be as thick so keep an eye on that.
Can I bake the Irish soda bread in a 9 inch round cake pan instead of a skillet?
Hi Mary! I have not tested it. One of my readers did report making this in a cake pan, but I am not sure what size they used.
I just looked back through the comments and found her post.
She said she used a 9″ nonstick cake pan.
I just finished slicing my beautiful loaf of fresh soda bread after it had time to cool down and it came out absolutely perfect and so delicious!!! 😋 I didn’t have any buttermilk, so I used lemon and milk as a substitute and it worked perfectly!!
Thank you so much for another incredible recipe, Nat! 😀
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! 🍀
You’re very welcome, Kara. Happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
This recipe is great. —-so easy
and comes out perfectly moist!
I think I would only add another
1/4 c of sugar to add a tad more
sweetness!
Thank you, Natasha, for this
recipe! 🌻
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Deborah! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha,
I am a big fan of your blog.
Can I make this recipe with egg replacement? Making it for St patty’s day and one of my guests is allergic to egg.
Thank you for your reply.
Hi Farrah, thank you for your support. I honestly haven’t tried any substitution for the egg to advise. If you do an experiment, we’d love to know how it turns out!
Hello,can I use a mixer or food processor to make this bread?
Hi Liza, I haven’t tested that to advise, but one of my readers mentioned she “Easy to put together, used craisins, and food processor to combine dry ingredients and cut in butter.” If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi,so I used food processor the mixture was really sticky.Its a little messy shaping the dough ,I just put it as is in the pan and it turn out well and its really a yummy bread.Thank you!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Liza!
Hi Natasha! I love all your recipes and they have never failed me!! Your recipe is similar to one I tried to make last night with gluten free flour (Bobs 1 to 1). It was a “gluten free” recipe. I’m going to make this one with regular flour. I’m wondering if you know or have tried to make it with gluten free flour? I’m not sure if it would produce the same results? Any suggestions or tips? Thanks so much!!
Hi Lilli! Thank you, I’m glad you love my recipes. I have not tested this recipe with GF flour and to be honest, I don’t have experience with using GF flour to advise. One of my readers left this comment, “I loved this recipe! I did use gluten free all purpose flour though and instead of buttermilk I did ~300ml oat milk and ~25ml white wine vinegar and it was still moist and amazing!” I hope that helps.
That does help! The soda bread is finished and cooling now. I’ll take a pic and hashtag you!!
Since I cant have any gluten due to Celiac disease, I can’t, but my husband sure can haha.
Thank you again!!!!
You’re welcome! I look forward to seeing a picture! 🙂
The bread is delicious! This will be my go-to recipe. I used raisins and powdered buttermilk. The bread baked in a round on parchment paper using a half-sheet pan.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Kathleen!
I am so impressed with this recipe. I never made Soda Bread before. My husband said he didn’t like it Soda Bread…guess what…he likes it now! This recipe is so different from the dry stuff you get at the store. My co-workers LOVED it too! I’m visiting a sick relative tomorrow and taking 2 loaves since it turned out so well! Just an add on…a friend of mine who make biscuits alot told me a little trick about GRATING cold butter into the flour. It blends so easily!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Mary!
Whenever I cook or bake something new (which is often), the first thing I do is Google your name and recipe for whatever I’m making. It’s never served me wrong.
That’s so awesome! Thank you for sharing that thoughtful feedback with me, Harold!
Not my favorite recipe for Irish soda bread. I felt like it was lacking flavor (which is surprising considering all of the butter that is in the recipe). I felt like it needed either more salt or more sugar.
Hi Kate, this is a pretty typical flavor profile for soda bread as it’s not intended to be a dessert bread as much as something like banana bread.
Hi question about the milk in Irish soda bread. Is it 3/4 of a cup or 1 & 3/4 cups ? Love your recipes! I have a lot of favorites.
Hi Lucy, we use 1 & 3/4 cups of cold buttermilk. I hope that helps.
Thanks I will try baking it today.looks easy enough. but I usually mess things up.
Looking forward to trying the recipe.
Is it necessary for the buttermilk to be low fat?
Hi Teresa! That should be fine. 🙂
best sweet bread EVER !!!!!!!!!!!
easy instructions to follow. my wife and I ate half the loaf in one sitting,thank you for sharing your PASSION, could we add chopped wallnuts with dried fruit combined to fill 1/2 cup?
Thanks
Hi Diane! Thank you so much for the feedback. I’m happy to hear that. I haven’t tested adding fried fruits or nuts, but I think it would work just fine. Let us know if you experiment. 🙂
Hi, Natasha. I just made your soda bread recipe this morning to have with our breakfast. This isn’t my usual recipe, but I decided I’d give it a try, and I’m so glad I did! I was a little nervous at first, as the dough was wetter and stickier than my other recipe, but I just made sure my hands and my board were floured well. The result was a tender, perfect crumb that was very scone-like. I put some butter and jam on mine, and it was heavenly. This will definitely be my go-to recipe from now on!
Yay! Love it, thank you for sharing. So glad you found your new favorite recipe.
Hi Natasha! I’m making your Irish soda bread. I only have an 8 inch cast iron pot. Can I use that or something else.
I Karen, I haven’t tested it in that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi natasha! I don’t have the cast-iron pan is it okay to use the baking pan? Thanks
Hi Anabella! You can use a baking sheet or baking pan if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet.
Thanks and i did used the baking sheet it indeed great and so yummy 😋
Good to know that you liked it!
Hi, I just tried this as I was so in the mood for good bread but didn’t have all the ingredients for many other recipes. This called for one egg and, I found I had powdered buttermilk. I followed the instructions carefully. Was hoping the bread would rise correctly etc. Well, the house is full of a delicious bread smell. I added slightly more sugar and sightly less baking time since the loaf was looking pretty brown. I tapped the top, and it’s sounded hollow. So, I took it out, a bit challenging for me to flip the heavy hot pan over. But, i did it. The first small piece I had with nothing else. The flavor was great. The next had some butter. It’s very satisfying smell wise, taste wise and accomplishment wise. Thanks for the well explained and very good recipe.
Hi Christa! That is so great to hear. I’m happy it worked out and happy you enjoyed this recipe.
Hi, Christa, I have a cheat for you. We never have buttermilk on hand, add 1 tsp. of vinegar to a cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes – great buttermilk substitute.
You can use lemon juice also instead of vinegar, making this this week for a late St. Patrick’s day get together.
I made this recipe in April. A little late for St. Patrick’s Day, but still welcome at my house. My wife (a baker’s daughter) said, “This is the best Irish Soda Bread I have ever had! My Dad would have been proud.”
I made it with a combination of dried cranberries and raisins, used powdered buttermilk instead of fresh and adjusted the baking time a little because I baked it in a Dutch oven.
Thank you, Natasha
Love it, thank you for sharing that with us! I hope your family will love every recipe that you will try for them.
Natasha we love your soda.bread recipe My mom made it when I was growing up in Ireland . I gave some to my friends they loved it wanted your recipe. Also loved your chicken Kiev.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Mary!
Hi, I’ve tried this recipe 2x. 1st time it was not properly cooked inside. I read comments & suggestions & retried it. I was super careful about measurements and not overworking the dough. I lowered the temp.of.my oven to 360 and I made the cuts almost all the way through. Still a little heavy for my taste. Any reccomendations? Has anyone tried making 2 smaller loaves?
Hi Janine, you might check that your baking soda is fresh and not expired. I had a sad instance recently with an old container of yeast that ruined my baking project.
Made this for a celebration gathering and it was a HUGE hit! Made it exactly as written. Great tasting, good texture, and easy to do.
Thank you for the awesome review, Krista!
Hello! Is sea salt a must in this recipe or can I use another salt? Iodized or kosher? Thanks!
Hi Brooke, that should be fine. I would research what the conversion would be if you are using a finer salt. You may need to use less.
Came out after 55 minutes absolutely perfect. Cannot wait to taste!
Sounds great! Please update us on how you liked the recipe.
Disappointed, I measured exactly as recipe called for, too wet and sticky. Had to add a lot more flour to work/ knead it and it still was too wet, I stopped adding flour as I was afraid of it getting too tough and just threw it in the pan. It spread some in the pan, didn’t rise much, the flavor was ok, but will go back to Taste of Home version I’ve used before
Hi Chris, check out this post on how we measure ingredients for baking which should help. It sounds like the proportion of wet to dry ingredients might have been off.
I am trying this recipe today. I am both excited and nervous. I am generally terrible at making dough and any dough related items. However, I have been making your No Knead Dough for years and it always turns out perfect every time.
I also got the ingredients for the Borsch recipe as well, so I will try that tomorrow. My mom used to make this when I was a child.
I hope you love this recipe, Kate! These recipes are so special and you’re going to do great!
Made this and it was fantastic, easy and crowd pleasing. Lasted 1 day!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Judy!
I didn’t have buttermilk so I substituted milk with lemon juice. The dough was very sticky and I baked it in a double cake pan. But it was incredibly good. A lot of soda bread recipes are dry, this one was soft and just right. Very good flavor. I omitted the raisins because I don’t care for them. I will definitely make this again
Thank you for sharing, Diane. Please do try again. It’s worth it!
What would be another pan to bake the Irish soda bread? I don’t have a cast iron skillet.
Hi Peg, I can’t say for sure without testing it myself, but you can also bake it on a baking sheet without a cast iron pan, and it will work, but it will be slightly more flat.
Needed to bring Irish soda bread to dinner gathering and the stores were out. I made yours and it was a hit. From now on I’ll be making this recipe. Thanks for saving the day. Love your videos.
Hi Pam, that’s great! I’m glad that you tried homemade, it is so much better than storebought and much more rewarding!
Easy to put together, used craisins, and food processor to combine dry ingredients and cut in butter. Finished in a mixing bowl. Great toasted with butter and jam. Leftovers made great french toast!
Hello Robin, thank you for your good comments and feedback. Glad to know that you enjoyed making this recipe!
This bread came out great! I actually used a hand held grater for the butter, which made it much easier to mix it in with the dry ingredients. I used dried cranberries. It was moist and delicious. A real keeper! Thanks so much for sharing.
I’m so happy to hear it’s a keeper, Cathy! That’s just awesome!
Made this exactly, except it turned out I only had 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk, so topped it to 1 3/4 with light cream. Delicious with such a tender, light texture! Will definitely keep this recipe! Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Lisa!
I loved this recipe! I did use gluten free all purpose flour though and instead of buttermilk I did ~300ml oat milk and ~25ml white wine vinegar and it was still moist and amazing!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
About to dive in to this amazing looking, smelling goodness. I did it without raisins(family consent😉) If it tastes as good as it looks…then, Wow!!😁😋
I hope you love it! Enjoy!
Hi Natasha. Praying for Ukraine! 🇺🇦 I have a question about the Irish Soda bread. Can I use full fat buttermilk. That’s what I have on hand.
Hi Sherry, thank you for continuing to pray for Ukraine. Regarding the bread, that should work fine.
Excited to try this recipe – can the flour be split 2 c all purpose, 2 c whole wheat? Or do you maybe have an Irish brown bread recipe I could try?
Hi Shannon, I haven’t tried that with both to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
My mom used to make Irish bread every March. I don’t have her recipe, but I knew I could trust yours. It’s so delicious, and easy too. I just added some caraway seeds to the dough, like my mom used to do. And I sprinkled some turbinado sugar on top because I like that extra bit of sweetness and crunch.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
My recipe is very similar to this one. I add 2 tsp caraway seeds and 1/4 tsp of anise seeds to the dough. Try adding them, you might like it.
Thank you for sharing!
Is it really 13/4 cups buttermilk? Dough was so wet. Came out very flat but taste was good.
Hi Jackie, the measurements written are correct. Also, the dough should not be wet and if it’s too sticky to handle, dust with flour. Make sure you are measuring the ingredients correctly without any substitutions. It sounds like maybe not enough flour was used.
This was my first time ever making Irish soda bread. Your recipe is spot on. It is so tasty . Thank you so much for sharing it. I will definitely be making this again. 😊
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jenn! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha I made the soda bread this morning. Cast iron pan definitely made the bread so much better tasting.especially the crust . Thank u for all your great recipes.
You’re welcome, Mary! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
This turned out delicious! Thanks for the recipe. It was gone in one day.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Elaine!
I made this exactly as the recipe says, but next time I will add more sugar…I’d double the sugar and a little more salt. It is a great base for soda bread.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I use baking powder and milk for my Irish soda bread, from my Mother-in-law Pat, how does your bread rise without baking powder?
Hi Mary, we list in the ingredients we use 1 tsp of baking soda to help it rise. I hope that helps!
I have a question a have another soda bread recipe and it makes two loaves and uses less flour is the amount correct 4 cups
Hi Mary Ann, yes, we make the recipe as written. I hope you try it soon!
Absolutely scrumptious. The only thing I did differently was that I soaked the raisins & I used a pyrex pie plate to bake it because I don’t have a cast iron skillet. I brought 2 to a club coffee hour and they both disappeared. I like the basic recipe so much that I’m looking forward to experimenting with it – maybe adding cheeses, veggies, etc.
That’s wonderful! I’m so happy you enjoy this recipe. Thank you for the review and I would love it if you come back and share your experiments!
Hi Natasha, this recipe is almost identical to the one I make. I got the recipe from an Irish friend many years ago. Everyone loves it and remarks on how moist it is. I soak the raisins in warm water for 30 minutes and drain well. Mine has 1 tsp soda, salt, and baking powder, slightly more flour and sugar. Those are the only differences. I cannot use cast iron due to arthritis. Any replacement suggestions?
Kathy
Hi Kathy! I can’t say for sure without testing it myself, but you can also bake it on a baking sheet without a cast iron pan, and it will work, but it will be slightly more flat.
I would like to make individual breads. I have a 6″ cast iron pan. Would I cut the recipe in 1/4 ‘s.
HI Jo, I honestly haven’t tested that so I’m not sure how it would bake up or how long it would take to bake as 1/4 of the recipe. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Your Irish Soda Bread is 100% right on and delicious! I’ve been trying to find a good recipe for years, and yours is it. I’ve been to Ireland over a dozen times and could never get it right! Everything you do is amazing!
Thank you very much!
Hello Marie, that is so inspiring for me. Thank you so much for your kind words and good feedback, glad to hear that you found your new go-to recipe!
The reason you score the bread with a cross is to let the nasty little spirits out! Like most things Irish, soda bread has it’s own fables.
Needs Caraway seeds. Those are in traditional Irish Soda Bread!
Hello Natasha,
I was wondering which brand of kefir do you use?
Hi Lina, the one that is usually available in my local grocery stores is Lifeway. I love when I can find a Lifeway organic kefir.
I made the entire recipe and it was delicious, but a bit too large for just two of us. Can this recipe be halved?
Hi Kathy, I haven’t tried that yet but I imagine that will work. If you click on the serving size in the recipe card, you can slide it up or down to scale the recipe ingredient lists. I hope that helps!
Wonderful recipe, however could you print ingredients then directions at beginning instead of after comments? Took too long to scroll down!
Hi Ann, We have a Jump to Recipe button at the top of the post to take you straight to the printable recipe card. I hope that helps.
Just have to tell you how much I enjoy watching your videos and I have made a lot of your recipes, most recent Strawberry Cake, delicious! I do have one slight problem, when watching the videos I’m trying to watch and write the amounts and ingredients and wind up replaying the video 10 times. LOL. Would be helpful to have a list of ingredients and quantities at the end of the video. Keep up the good work, and your upbeat personality, so enlightening at this time of COVID.
Thanks for your good feedback, Gail. You can see every recipe on my website, you can also click Jump to recipe and click print to save it as pdf. I hope that helps!
Hi, Love Irish Soda Bread and look forward to trying your recipe. Going to try it in my cast iron Dutch oven, minus the lid of course. It is a bit smaller in diameter but hoping it will work out. Thanks for all the many hours of enjoyment making your wonderful recipes.
Have a great Day!
Ruth
You’re welcome! I hope you love this recipe!
I made mine in a 3 1/2 quart Dutch oven and it came out perfect. No lid.
Can this recipe be made by putting the loaf shaped dough on parchment paper, place in a heavy covered pot in the oven?
Hi Judy, I haven’t tried baking this in a dutch oven, although it may work like our dutch oven bread. I can’t say for sure without testing it through. You can also just bake it on a baking sheet without a cast iron pan and it will work, but it will be slightly more flat.
Thank you for this recipe!
I can’t wait to try it!!
I hope you enjoy it soon!
True Irish soda bread does
NOT have any sugar or indeed raisins in it.
You can of course add things that you want but it is not actually then real Irish soda bread. Try it without the sugar please so much nicer (and healthier)
I have added onions and chorizo for a different and absolutely yummy taste but NO SUGAR😁)
Hi Bron, this can definitely be a savory bread, but we enjoy it as a lightly sweet bread. This is the Irish American version of soda bread.
I made this yesterday (St. Patrick’s day) ..it was delicious. It did taste like a biscuit or a scone, but it was amazing warm with jam and butter! Next time, I’ll add cheddar or maybe jalapenos chopped up and cheddar. The variables on this bread are endless!
Sounds like a great plan and that is so true. That’s what makes this recipe amazing!
Does it have to be made in a cast iron? Can I bake in a regular cake pan?
Hi Smitha, you can use a baking sheet or baking pan if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet.
Hi, I made this using a Pyrex pie dish and it came out perfectly!
Hi, Natasha.
I’m so excited to make this bread:) I’m almost 9 months pregnant and craving raisins so bad! I saw your new recipe and it made my day. I have two quick questions before I bake it – can I use whole milk buttermilk? Also, can I bake it in Dutch oven with no lead? Thank you in advance 🙂
Hi Julia, congratulations! I hope the last stretch of pregnancy is blessed and beautiful for you. Whole buttermilk should work great for Irish soda bread.
Thank you so much, Natasha 🙂
I appreciate your quick response. What about baking it in the Dutch oven with no lead? Do you think it should work ok?
I haven’t tried it in a dutch oven like that to advise, if it’s oven-safe and has a thick bottom, I don’t see why not.
Thank you, Natasha 🙂
Mine came out great in a Dutch Oven with no lid. I lined it with parchment paper or you can grease the pan.
Outstanding Soda bread.
1st time making this style bread. My Irish husband couldn’t stop eating, says it the best he’s ever had!
Thank You for sharing!
I’m a hugh fan!
Awesome! I’m very happy to have read your comments and feedback. Thanks, Annie, for giving this recipe a great review.
Sooo good! I actually used it for strawberry shortcake! Perfect sweetness and texture. I didn’t add raisins. So it was yummy as a biscuit with dinner also. Then I made one with raisins. Made a delicious toast with butter and cinnamon sugar! I’ll do it again!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Delicious! I used dried cranberries instead of raisins and added in some orange rind and a bit of freshly squeezed orange juice to the mixture. Yum!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Andrea!
Hi Natasha, can I use almond milk (mixed with vinegar) for buttermilk instead of the real buttermilk? I don’t want to get a whole quart and not use it all but I do have vinegar and almond milk always. Thanks!
Hi Andrea, I have not tested this but if you do try it please share and let me know how it turns out.
I look forward to making this with cranberries and raisins!
By the way, Are you working on you’re own APP?
Just asking.
I’m always looking here.
Super
I hope you totally love the soda bread. We don’t have any plans for the app at this time.
Hi natasha..please make a vedio of this recipe Irish soda bread and upload it on your YouTube channel…..its makes more easy to understand on YouTube and watching you explaining is a TREAT….stay blessed
Hi Saima, thank you for that wonderful suggestion. I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipe videos.
My dough was very wet. I put it on a cookie sheet and ended up spreading it into the whole sheet. I’ll probably just cut it into squares. Wish me luck!!!
HI Debbie, if it feels too wet, you can dust it with more flour until you can form it into a ball. Check out our post on how we measure ingredients which may help to get that balance of wet to dry ingredients just right.
Hi Natasha, my kids love to help make dinner when I make one of your recipes. Everything is always delicious. Can I substitute milk for the Buttermilk in the Irish sofa bread recipe?
Hi Jackeline, plain kefir will also work well instead of buttermilk. You can also make your own buttermilk at a ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle then stir and use.
I made your soda bread today. So easy and it turned out beautifully.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi! I was wondering if I can just make the buttermilk if I don’t have buttermilk on hand. Will it turn out the same? Also can I use whole milk?
Hi Shirley, plain kefir will also work well instead of buttermilk. You can also make your own buttermilk at a 1 cup whole milk ratio to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle, then stir and use.
Hi Natasha, do you think your cookbook will be ready by the end of this year?
Hi there, I cannot really tell when it will be ready. It is a long process but hopefully, it will be ready that time. Thank you for patiently waiting!
Another lovely way to enjoy the bread:
Leave out the fruit.
Bake the bread and be ready to eat when it comes from the oven.
Serve with lots of garlic butter and a good portion of fresh mussels.
Wash it down with a glass of dark beer!
Awesome.
BTW- I’m a resident of Dublin Ireland, so this suggestion is authentically Irish!!!
Hi Jim, thank you for sharing some tips with us. So useful!
Hi Natashia, I would love to make this but would you know how many grams are in 6 tbsp of butter. I always click on the metric measurements being in the UK but not got a clue about measuring tbsp of butter. Thanks in advance
Hi Christine, this Ingredient Weight Chart can be useful.
Hi Christine, I updated the recipe card. I didn’t realize the metric wasn’t showing on the butter. It’s about 85 grams of butter.
Do I have to use cast iron skillet can I just use a round cake pan
Hi Dorothy, you can use a baking sheet or baking pan if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet.
Can I add chopped nuts?
Hi Sue, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi!
What if I do not have an iron skillet? Could I use any other type of pan or a pyrex?
Thank you!
Hi Valeria, you can use a baking sheet or baking pan if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet.
Can you substitute milk that is soured with vinegar for the buttermilk?
Hi Janet, plain kefir will also work well instead of buttermilk. You can also make your own buttermilk at a ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle then stir and use.
I was born in Northern Ireland and I can tell You SODA BREAD DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THAT IT IS FLAT AND DOES NOT HAVE ANY IN IT. What you show in the pictures is more like a banick
Ran out of milk; I used 1/2&1/2 watered down and added a Tbs of vinegar to make buttermilk.
Worked great. Very good.
Can this be baked in a glass pan?
Hi Judy, I haven’t tried it in a glass plan to see how the heat conduction affects it, but it works well on a baking sheet or baking pan.
Can I substitute for the cast iron skillet?
Hi Leta, you can use a baking sheet or baking pan if you don’t have a cast iron skillet.
Hi can you use a cake tin ??
Thanks
Hi Jenny, you can use a baking sheet or baking pan if you don’t have a cast-iron skillet.
This bread is delicious and so easy! I left raisins out but other than that followed the recipe as written. Success!
Great to hear that it was a success! Thank you for your great review, Julia.
Love your recipe’s, you have taught me so much and still learning!
I’m very happy to hear that, Alvin!
I loved making this recipe in an iron skillet. It worked so well and the bread is absolutely delicious.
Great to hear that, Ginny. Glad it was a success!
Can this be made with oat flour
Hello Sharon, I honestly haven’t tried using oat flour yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us too how it goes.
Looks so good! Can’t wait to try this one.
Sounds good, I hope you love it!