How to Make This Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Every year for St. Patrick’s Day, Bob asks me for soda bread or scones. For a long time I’d point him to someone else’s Irish soda bread recipe — but this year I decided to make my own. I’m so glad I did.
This Irish soda bread recipe is simple, honest baking at its best. No yeast, no waiting for dough to rise, no complicated techniques. Just cold butter worked into flour, cold buttermilk, a fresh egg, and a few touches from my kitchen — orange zest for brightness, dried currants for texture, and a honey butter glaze brushed on the moment it comes out of the oven.
People sometimes assume that because I cook Portuguese food, that’s all I make at home. Not true! My kitchen has always welcomed recipes from all over the world, and this Irish soda bread recipe is a perfect example. The technique is actually very similar to making scones or a good pie crust — cold butter, minimal handling, and trust the process.
Tips for the Best Irish Soda Bread
One question I get asked a lot is whether you can make soda bread without buttermilk. You can — just add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1¾ cups of regular milk, stir, and let it sit for 5 minutes. It curdles slightly and works exactly the same way. The acid is what reacts with the baking soda to make the bread rise, so don’t skip that step.
A few things that make this recipe work every time: use cold butter, don’t overwork the dough, and bake it in a cast iron skillet if you have one. The skillet gives you a beautiful, even crust that a baking sheet just can’t match.
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- Category: Baked Goods
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
Don’t let the number of ingredients in this easy Irish soda bread intimidate you!
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for your hands and surface
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup dried currants (or raisins if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, cold
- 1 large egg
For the honey butter wash at the end
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
1. Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet — either works beautifully. Set one of your oven racks to the middle, this bread doesn’t bake well at the top or bottom of the oven.
2. Mix wet ingredients: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, cold and 1 large egg. Set aside.
3. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for your hands and surface, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt.
4. Cut in the butter: Add the cold cubed 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Don’t overwork it — those little butter pockets are what give you a tender crumb. This is exactly the same technique as making scones or pie crust.
5. Add currants and orange zest: Stir in the 1 cup dried currants (or raisins if you prefer) and 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange). The orange zest is my addition — it adds a subtle brightness that I really love with the currants.
6. Bring the dough together: Pour the buttermilk-egg mixture over the flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, stir until just combined. The dough will be shaggy and sticky — that is exactly what you want. Do not overmix.
7. Shape the loaf: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, gently bring it together and shape it into a round loaf about 8 inches across. It doesn’t need to be perfect — a rustic look is part of its charm. Transfer to your prepared pan. Using a sharp knife, score a deep X across the top, going about 1 inch deep. This helps the bread bake through the center.
8. Bake: Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when you tap the bottom. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil after the 30-minute mark.
9. Honey butter finish: While the bread bakes, mix together 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and 1 tablespoon honey until smooth. The moment the bread comes out of the oven, brush the top generously with the honey butter. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing — I know it’s hard to wait!
10. Serve: Slice and serve warm with extra butter, a good jam, or simply as-is. This bread is best the day it’s baked, but wraps well and keeps at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
The key to this bread is cold butter and not overworking the dough — both are non-negotiable. Note: sometimes I freeze the butter first for 10 -15 minutes. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1¾ cups of regular milk, stir, and let it sit for 5 minutes. It works! The orange zest is optional but I really encourage you to try it — it lifts the whole loaf. Currants are traditional in Irish baking and a bit smaller and less sweet than raisins, but either one is delicious here.
