• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hungry Enough To Eat Six
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Nancy Mock Food Writing, including Marry Me Chicken
  • Hungry For Vermont
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Spring
  • Drinks
  • Recipe Index
  • My Writing
  • Delectable Destinations
  • Hungry For Vermont
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Breads

    Traditional Irish Soda Bread

    By Nancy Mock March 1, 2022 Updated January 23, 2023 5 Comments

    • Share392
    • Tweet
    Raisin-filled soda bread sliced on a board.
    Sliced soda bred with raisins.

    A scrumptious quick bread perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any day. This traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe with raisins and buttermilk is easy to make. It's a Reilly/Riley family recipe.

    Slices of soda bread spread with butter.
    → Jump to Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclaimer here.

    There's a reason why traditional Irish Soda Bread has been a favorite part of breakfasts and tea time for so long. It's a quick and easy bread to pull together and has just a few ingredients.

    Hands holding and slicing a loaf of soda bread.

    Though Irish Soda Bread doesn't have a long shelf life, that won't be a problem because

    • a) your hungry fans will eat it up fast, and
    • b) it's good any time of day: for breakfast, afternoon snack, or as a side with dinner

    This recipe gets a lot of attention in March, specifically for St. Patrick's Day and I love that! My hope is that after you make this yummy Irish Soda Bread, you'll want to bake it year-round.

    What is soda bread?

    Soda bread is a type of quick bread—because it contains no yeast, it doesn't require the rising time or lengthy kneading of other bread recipes. Baking soda, baking powder, or a combination of the two are what make soda bread rise.

    Buttermilk is the traditional liquid used, and its acidity is perfect to active these leaveners.

    Apron printed with old recipe card images.
    Our family recipes, include Aunt Lizzie's Irish Soda Bread, printed on an apron.

    The history of Irish soda bread

    For the working class and poor in Ireland in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, soda bread was an inexpensive and nutritious food that households could rely upon to help feed their families. The simplest soda breads contained only flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, and buttermilk.

    The type of wheat grown in Ireland at this time, a soft wheat with low protein content, was also a factor in the reliance upon soda bread. Bread made with this type of wheat flour doesn't rise well with yeast, but it does work very well with baking soda as a leavener.

    Irish soda bread has a couple of other names, too: When we attended a class at the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork, Ireland, they made this loaf and called it a Spotted Dog. It's also called white soda bread, American Irish soda bread, or fruit soda bread.

    What does soda bread taste like?

    Soda bread is a rustic loaf with a soft, dense crumb. It's heavier and a little more crumbly than yeast breads.

    Brown soda bread, like my Irish Brown Bread recipe, has a nutty wheat flavor. White soda bread like this one, however, has a simpler flavor—and that's what makes it great to pair with mix-ins like raisins, spices, citrus zest, and even savory ingredients like cheese.

    Slices of soda bread are delicious as is or toasted and spread with butter or jam.

    Hands holding a round loaf of soda bread.

    Here's why you'll love this recipe

    Old-fashioned, seeded soda bread is simple to pull together. Dry ingredients are blended with buttermilk, and the dough gets just a few kneads before baking. This bread is made without eggs, butter, or yeast. It's so easy you could make several loaves a week!

    The original recipe from my great-great-Aunt Lizzie Reilly called for only a half cup of raisins—but in my version, there are lots of raisins. I just love how sweet the bread is with this fruit. You can adjust the amount to suit your taste—or try golden raisins or dried currants instead.

    The result is a lovely, scented soft bread. The caraway seed gives the bread a distinctive, savory flavor.

    Ingredients: flour, raisins, sugar, baking soda, and milk.

    🔪How to make Traditional Irish Soda Bread With Raisins

    Ingredients for soda bread:

    • All-Purpose Flour: My go-to brand is King Arthur's unbleached
    • Granulated Sugar: For just a little sweetness
    • Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These will leaven the bread and make it light
    • Caraway Seed: They lend a mild flavor to the loaf
    • Raisins: The sweet fruits add so much sweetness and moisture to the slices
    • Buttermilk: This liquid activates the leaveners

    Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients

    Flour and seeds in mixing bowl with wood spoon.

    Blend together the flour and spice in a large bowl.

    Step 2: Add the raisins

    Raisins and flour in a mixing bowl with wood spoon.

    Toss the raisins in and stir them through the dry mixture.

    Step 3: Add the buttermilk

    Soda bread dough with raisins in bowl with wood spoon.

    Stir the buttermilk through the dry mixture, until you have a soft and sticky dough.

    Step 4: Bring the dough together

    Round bread dough on floured board.

    Knead the dough just a few times to bring the dough together and form it into a round loaf. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross in the top, and poke holes in each corner to let the fairies out.

    Step 5: Bake the loaf

    Baked round loaf of raisin soda bread.

    Bake the soda bread in a round pan, cast iron pan, Dutch oven, or on a baking sheet for just under an hour. The finished loaf will be browned and sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Let it cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

    Sliced raisin soda bread on white cloth.

    FAQs

    Why does Irish soda bread have a cross cut into the center?

    While one possibility is that cutting a cross into the dough bestows a blessing on the bread as it goes in to bake, there's a practical reason, too. Slashing the dough helps the bread expand and bake through evenly.

    Why is soda bread made with buttermilk?

    Buttermilk is naturally acidic, and it activates the baking soda in the dough to help the bread rise during baking. It also lends a tangy flavor to the bread. Buttermilk is a traditional ingredient in this traditional bread, an ingredient leftover from butter making that was plentiful in Irish households and inexpensive.

    How long does Irish soda bread last?

    It's best to eat your soda bread within three to four days of baking it. Any longer than this and it may start to get dry or spoil.

    How should Irish soda bread be stored?

    Once the loaf is cool, seal it inside a plastic bag and keep it on the counter at room temperature, away from heat sources.

    Can you freeze Irish soda bread?

    You can freeze soda bread for one to two months: Seal it inside a freezer-proof bag with all the air pressed out. However, this bread is so easy to make, it's worth just making a fresh loaf in the morning or the night before.

    What's the best way to eat Irish soda bread?

    The slices are delicious simply spread with butter, jam, or marmalade. This bread can be toasted, too. Soda bread can be paired with any meal of the day. You can even bake it without the raisins to make a loaf to serve with savory dishes like soup, meat dishes, or to use for sandwiches.

    What can I do with leftover soda bread?

    Use leftover soda bread to make a delicious bread pudding. Cut the bread into pieces and let them dry out, so they can soak up the batter in recipes like Mango Blueberry Bread Pudding or Maple Blueberry French Toast Bake.

    Tips:

    • Caraway seeds and raisins are the ingredients in my family recipe. Other options you can consider include cinnamon, citrus zest, or dried currants.
    • This bread has a short shelf-life, so it's meant to be enjoyed quickly. Serve this bread with lots of butter or jam, and it's great for toasting, too. It'll be gobbled up by your hungry fans.
    Sliced loaf of soda bread on a wood board.

    My authentic, best-ever Irish Soda Bread recipe is below. If you're looking for Irish dishes to celebrate St. Patrick's Day or enjoy any old time, here are some tasty ones!

    • Mashed potato colcannon with beef and gravy.
      Slow Cooker Guinness Pot Roast with Colcannon
    • Cream and sprinkles-topped green milkshakes.
      Green Milkshakes for St. Patrick's Day
    • Fruit cake slice on a black plate
      Irish Apple and Blackberry Cake with Vanilla Hard Sauce
    • Scone with cream, chocolate, and berries.
      Baileys Irish Cream Scones with Whiskey-Chocolate Sauce

    💬 Have you made this Irish soda bread? Leave a comment below. Sláinte!

    Round loaf of soda bread in hands and on green cloth.

    Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe

    Nancy Mock
    A scrumptious quick bread perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any day. This traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe with raisins and buttermilk is easy to make.
    4.25 from 8 votes. Tap stars to vote
    Print it! Pin This Recipe
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 50 mins
    Cooling Time 20 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 35 mins
    Course Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Holidays, St. Patrick's Day
    Servings 12 servings

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, plus extra for dusting a work surface
    • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon caraway seed
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup raisins
    • 1 cup buttermilk

    Instructions
     

    Combine the dry ingredients:

    • Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line an 8-inch round baking pan, cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, caraway seed, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.
    • Add in the raisins and toss to mix them into the flour mixture.

    Add buttermilk to make the dough:

    • Start with about ¾ cup of buttermilk and stir it into the dry mixture. If the mixture still seems dry and crumbly, add more buttermilk until it comes together into a soft and sticky dough.
    • Sprinkle a work surface with flour. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto the floured surface. With floured hands, knead just a few times until the stickiness is gone and the dough is smooth.
    • Shape the dough into a rounded loaf. Place the loaf into the baking pan, cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or on the baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to slash the top of the dough with a cross shape. And poke a hole into each corner, to let the fairies out.
    • If you have any buttermilk left, you can brush some over the top of the bread.

    Bake:

    • Bake the loaf for 10 minutes. THEN, then reduce the heat to 350° F.
    • Continue to bake the loaf for 35-40 minutes more. The finished loaf will be browned and sound hollow when tapped.
    • Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Let it cool for about 20 minutes before slicing.
    • This bread is the most delicious served on the day it is baked. Spread slices with Irish butter or with jam.
    • The cooled bread can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for 3-4 additional days.

    Notes

    Tips:

    • Caraway seeds and raisins are traditional ingredients, and part of my family recipe. Other options you can consider include cinnamon, citrus zest, or dried currants.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1sliceCalories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 199mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 33IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment, tell me what you think!

    More Bread Recipes

    • Hands holding round loaf of baked brown bread.
      Irish Brown Bread
    • Muffin in holiday wrapper
      Easy Christmas Muffins
    • Baked pan of scones
      Orange Cardamom Scones with Maple Glaze
    • Five fried bread dough pieces stacked on a plate
      Best County Fair Fried Dough (Using Yeast)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Ask Me Anything! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Anonymous

      March 19, 2023 at 1:11 am

      So easy and so good everyone loved it, I will make this again and again. Thank you Aunt Lizzie!

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        March 19, 2023 at 11:49 am

        That's wonderful to hear, I'm so happy you liked Aunt Lizzie's soda bread. Thank you for trying the recipe! Sláinte!

        Reply
    2. Faye Laterza Ricci

      March 17, 2016 at 12:49 pm

      Try it it only comes along once a year

      Reply
      • Nancy Mock

        March 17, 2016 at 8:58 pm

        Exactly! Though we really should bring it out more often. It's a tasty little bread ????????

        Reply
    3. Jo

      March 16, 2014 at 10:11 pm

      Way to go, never tried it and wouldn't make it because I would eat too much. My hips can't afford it.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Woman smiling and standing next to rack with baking equipment.
    Hungry Enough To Eat Six.com

    Hi-ya! I'm Nancy Mock and I live in beautiful northern Vermont with my family.

    Hungry Enough To Eat Six is comfort food and baking inspiration!

    Find a recipe now - head to the Recipe Index.

    Pies for Pi Day

    • Slice of chocolate and whipped cream pie on plate.
      Baileys Chocolate Irish Cream Pie
    • Whipped cream topped slice of berry pi on a white plate.
      The Best Fruits of the Forest Pie Recipe
    • Slice of cream topped cinnamon pie
      Cinnamon Pie
    • Slice of chocolate cream pie
      Salted Caramel Chocolate Cream Pie

    St. Patrick's Day Recipes

    • apple blackberry crumble with cream
      Blackberry and Apple Crumble & Dingle, Ireland
    • Corned beef sandwiches with slaw on rolls.
      Cold Corned Beef and Cabbage Sandwiches
    • Gray plate with slice of apple pie.
      Vanilla Apple Pie & Inishmore, Ireland
    • Bowl of chopped peppers and onion relish.
      Homemade Chilli Sauce & Donegal, Ireland

    Spring Recipes

    • Frosted lemon roll on a plate.
      Iced Lemon Rolls With Cardamom
    • Small glass mason jar holding whipped cream with purple lilacs in background.
      Lilac Infused Whipped Cream
    • Baked pan of scones
      Orange Cardamom Scones with Maple Glaze
    • White plate with slice of orange carrot quiche.
      Cheddar Quiche with Roasted Carrots and Onion

    Trending Recipes

    • Slice of chocolate cream pie
      Salted Caramel Chocolate Cream Pie

    • Cheesy Cheddar Kielbasa Rice

    • row of baked peanut butter cookies
      Peanut Butter Caramel Cookies

    • Two small glasses of lemon drink
      The Best Lemon Margarita

    As seen on:

    Logos for various websites
    Chocolate pie in dish and slice on a plate.
    Tap Here To See The Stories

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest

    About Me

    • ABOUT ME
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • DISCLAIMER
    • WEBSITE TERMS OF USE

    Newsletter

    • SIGN UP! for my newsletter

    Contact

    • CONTACT ME

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Banner with website logos

    © 2013-2023 Nancy Mock, Hungry Enough To Eat Six: Unauthorized use and/or duplication of content from this site without express and written permission is strictly prohibited. Contact Nancy Mock through the About Me page for permissions.

    ©2023 Foodie Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme