Go Back

Irish Soda Bread

This Irish Soda Bread is perfect for a side dish, to eat with soup or just to eat with some butter and jam. 
5 from 28 votes
Print Pin
Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: Irish soda bread, Irish soda bread recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooling time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Author: Rachel

Ingredients

Irish Soda Bread Ingredients

  • 4 cups of flour
  • 1 and 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • 4 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup softened butter (one stick) I use salted butter.
  • 1 egg

Glaze

  • 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Mix together the dry ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use a whisk to make sure it is well combined. 
  • Add in the wet ingredients: buttermilk, butter, egg and use a hand mixer to help combine everything. 
  • Turn out the dough on a floured surface and kneed it for about 10 minutes. Dust it with flour as needed. It's done when it is about the consistency of Playdough. 
  • Form dough into a loaf and put it on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. The parchment paper is going to be important to keep the bottom of the bread from over cooking. 
  • Cut a large X in to the top of the dough. This is very important to help the dough cook through. 
  • Add the dough to the oven for 15 minutes. 
  • While the bread is cooking, make the glaze by melting butter (microwave or stovetop) over a low flame and let it rest for a few minutes. Continue to mix it on the stove top to keep it from burning. 
  • Add the buttermilk to the butter and mix well. Continue to mix occasionally. 
  • When the 15 minutes are done, take the bread out of the oven and and brush the glaze over the top of it. Then put it back into the oven for another 15 minutes. 
  • When that 15 minutes is done, take the bread out of the oven and glaze it again. Then put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes. 
  • When that 15 minutes is up, use a tooth pick and check the middle of your bread. If it comes out clean it is done. If it doesn't, glaze it again and put it back in for a final 10 minutes. 
  • When done, let the bread rest for 20 minutes. Then serve with butter, jam or with a stew or soup.