Indulge in my Chocolate Irish Soda Bread made with dark Guinness Stout! Soda bread made with simple ingredients is a New England favorite. This version with cocoa powder, chocolate chunks, and an Irish whiskey glaze is perfect for dessert or coffee time.
This post contains 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.
I love making Irish soda bread this time of the year, but this loaf is nothing like the raisin-filled ones I've made in the past! Say hello to Chocolate Irish Soda Bread, made with a generous pour of Guinness Extra Stout.
This bread is sweet and rich, with chunks of chocolate melting inside the cocoa interior. Guinness stout, plus a little coffee and brown sugar make the chocolate flavor especially deep and sultry.
Top the bread with a simple, sweet Irish whiskey glaze. It's a delectable dessert to make for St. Patrick's Day, or to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee on a chilly afternoon.
In a nutshell... 🐿️
- What this is: A sweet, indulgent quick bread! A chocolate Guinness loaf marries the rustic tradition of Irish soda bread with deep, malty flavor of Guinness stout plus chopped chocolate. Bring it to the dessert table as part of a New England St. Patrick's Day celebration!
- You'll love this part: It's a straightforward bread to make with no yeast, kneading, or rise times. Chocolate stout soda bread is also topped with a sweet Irish whiskey glaze.
- How it's made: Stir the dry ingredients, chocolate, and wet ingredients including Guinness beer and buttermilk together in a bowl. Shape it into a round, slash the top, then bake. Finish with the glaze.
Jump to:
Notes from fellow cooks:
"This delightful treat is wonderfully tender with just the right rustic texture you expect from a soda bread. Each bite is moist and satisfying with chocolate throughout, especially good warm with a little butter. A flavorful twist on classic soda bread." — C.M.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What is soda bread?
A type of quick bread, soda bread is made with leaveners like baking soda and baking powder, instead of yeast. Because soda breads don't rely on yeast, there is no kneading required to develop gluten, and no long rising times either. That's why they're quick!
Many of your favorite treats fall under the quick bread category, including pancakes, scones, biscuits, and muffins. I love a good soda bread though, for it's rustic texture and because the slices are so delicious plain or toasted and spread with butter.
My soda bread is made with white flour, plus cocoa powder and Guinness stout to create a dark-as-midnight loaf that's sweet and rich.
History of Irish soda bread
At its simplest, Irish soda bread is just flour, salt, buttermilk, and baking soda. A simple, rustic loaf that provided nutrition and could be cooked up quickly over a fire in the hearth, Irish home cooks in the late 18th and early 19th centuries relied on soda bread as low-cost way to feed their families.
Although the American version of Irish soda bread is made with white flour, Chef Darina Allen, co-founder of Ireland's Ballymaloe Cookery School shares in her book, Irish Traditional Cooking, that in those olden days, white flour was a rare and expensive luxury. Soda breads were more often made with coarse whole wheat flour, cornmeal, oatmeal, or potato.
In the U.S., the most familiar soda bread is made around St. Patrick's Day and is loaded with raisins and caraway seeds. In Ireland, a white soda bread with raisins is called a spotted dog. Soda breads are also made there with seeds, bacon, and herbs.
Brown soda breads, made with a coarse wheat flour such as Odlums, are a very traditional soda bread, one that can be found in restaurants and inns across the country served as a side with hearty meals and with breakfast.
Try this soda bread!
Irish Brown Soda Bread
This traditional loaf is made with coarse, Irish wholemeal flour, which gives it a hearty and nutty flavor.
Why you'll love Chocolate Irish Soda Bread made with Guinness Stout
This sweet Irish soda bread with chocolate recipe combines the easy-peasy method of Irish soda bread with the deep, sweet, rich flavor of chocolate and Guinness Extra Stout beer!
It comes together in the same way as regular Irish soda bread: combine dry ingredients, including the leaveners and the chocolate, then add the liquids—in this case, the Guinness stout and some buttermilk. Stir until you have a dough, shape it into a round, then slash and bake it.
I use a semisweet chocolate bar chopped into chunks, which makes this bread more chocolaty than it would be with chocolate chips. That's because it has irregular-sized pieces that create pockets of chocolate in the bread. It also melts more smoothly than chocolate chips (which have stabilizers to help them keep their shape.) Chopping chocolate also creates crumbs and tiny shards that scatter throughout the loaf.
The flavor of Guinness Extra Stout—bitter, roasted, caramelized, malty, sweet—deepens the flavor of the bread, a brilliant pairing with chocolate. I also add a little instant espresso to the mix, because also makes chocolate taste more intense and alive.
The top the Guinness chocolate bread has a simple glaze made with sugar, butter, and Irish whiskey. With notes of vanilla and wood, I love how the warmth of Irish whiskey tastes with the Guinness and chocolate in my soda bread.
This Guinness Irish soda bread is one you can make to have with afternoon coffee. (I'm always talking about afternoon coffee, aren't I? Well, that's because I love a cuppa in the midday, together with a little sweet something to perk up for the rest of daylight hours.)
Or, enjoy slices of Guinness chocolate bread for dessert, spread with a little salted Kerrygold butter or topped with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
A savory Guinness bread!
Guinness Cheddar Bread
This is another quick bread that's loaded with cheese, onion, and stout.
🔪 How to make easy Chocolate Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients:
- Guinness Extra Stout: Pick up a bottle of this inky black Guinness beer; you'll pour some into the bread mixture and the rest is for you!
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour in this bread, and my go-to brand is always Vermont's own King Arthur Baking.
- Cocoa powder: There are two sources of chocolate in this bread, and the first is cocoa powder. I like this Triple Cocoa Blend from King Arthur Baking, but you can also use a grocery store cocoa such as Hershey's.
- Buttermilk: Not only does this acidic liquid help activate the baking soda, it creates a tender bread and adds a little bit of tang. I use Kate's brand of buttermilk, which is made in Maine. If you don't use buttermilk very often, look for dried buttermilk powder in the baking aisle, and keep it in your pantry. Blend it with water or milk to use in this recipe.
- Semisweet chocolate: Skip the chocolate chips; I prefer to chop up a semisweet chocolate bar into chunks for better texture and melting in the bread. Pick up a good quality chocolate such as Ghirardelli, Callebaut, or Guittard. (My store stocks Ghirardelli chocolate bars in the baking aisle.)
- Brown sugar: This is another layer of flavor behind the chocolate and Guinness. Brown sugar sweetens the loaf and adds notes of molasses and caramel.
- Baking soda: This is the "soda" in the breads name! Baking soda is activated by acidic ingredients like buttermilk, beer, and brown sugar to lighten the texture of the bread.
- Baking powder: Another leavening agent, baking powder is activated twice: first by wet ingredients and again by the heat of the oven. In combination with the baking soda, it helps give the bread a light and tender crumb.
- Instant espresso: Keep a jar of instant espresso in your baking cupboard, even if you don't drink coffee! It dissolves quickly and helps enhance the rich flavor of the chocolate in baking recipes.
- Extracts: I add a little vanilla extract to the bread (Nielsen-Massey is my preferred brand) as well as a little rum extract, just enough to play with caramelized flavors of the brown sugar and Guinness stout.
- Salt: Make all of the ingredients in the bread pop and improve the flavor of the whole loaf.
SAVE THIS RECIPE OR POST!
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Mix the ingredients
Stir the dry ingredients like flour, baking soda, cocoa, and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Add in the chopped chocolate chunks. Pour the Guinness Extra Stour and extracts into the bowl with the dry ingredients, then add in most of the buttermilk. Stir everything together until a wet dough forms; add more buttermilk as needed to bring the dough together.
Shape and slash the bread
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Fold it a few times to make a cohesive dough, then shape it into a round. Place the loaf into a Dutch oven lined with a sheet of parchment paper. Use a paring knife to cut a cross into the top and to poke a hole into each of the corners to let the fairies out. Brush the top of the loaf with buttermilk.
Bake
Slide the pot into the oven and bake the bread for 10 minutes at 375°F, then 30 minutes longer at 350°F. Move the bread to a cooling rack.
Add the glaze
Once the bread is cool, whisk together melted butter, confectioners' sugar, and Irish whiskey to make a glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the chocolate soda bread, or over slices of the bread. Or, use a pastry brush to spread it over the bread.
Another Guinness recipe!
Guinness Pot Roast with Colcannon
A slow cooker recipe where Guinness stout creates a tender and flavorful dish.
Chocolate Irish Soda Bread FAQs
Whether an Irish soda bread is sweet or not depends on the variety. An American Irish soda bread, such as my Aunt Lizzie's recipe, has sweetness from sugar and raisins. The brown soda bread that's eaten all over Ireland typically does not container sugar, and so is not very sweet. (Although I do add sugar to my Irish brown bread!) This recipe for chocolate chunk Irish Soda Bread is definitely sweet, from ingredients like chocolate, brown sugar, and Guinness stout.
Since Irish soda bread has no yeast, it depends entirely on the baking soda and baking powder to rise. Before making the soda bread, check the dates on your baking powder and baking soda. If they're expire, they won't have the chemical reactions necessary to leaven the bread. You can also test baking soda and baking powder with water: baking powder stirred into hot water should fizz; baking soda stirred into a mixture of water and vinegar should fizz.
Once the dough is mixed and shaped, get it into the oven as soon as possible; the baking soda and baking powder are already beginning to activate, so you don't want to lose any of that rising.
No, traditionally, Irish soda bread recipes do not call for eggs. There are no eggs in my recipe for Chocolate Irish Soda Bread with cocoa powder.
No, Irish soda bread doesn't need to be refrigerated. It can be stored at room temperature. Irish soda bread typically lasts for just a few days before it begins to get dry, and storing it in the fridge will make it dry out faster. Instead, wrap it well in food wrap and keep it on the counter.
The version of soda bread that makes an appearance in the United States every St. Patrick's Day, with raisins and caraway seeds, is not as common in Ireland. My Chocolate Guinness Irish Soda Bread isn't a traditional bread of Ireland either, but is Irish-inspired.
However, folks in Ireland do enjoy homemade soda bread with their breakfasts, soups, and suppers. The true soda bread of Ireland is brown bread, or brown soda bread, a hearty variety made with coarse whole grain wheat flour and buttermilk. The Irish also enjoy white soda breads made with cheese, herbs, bacon, and seeds.
☘️ St. Patrick's Day Recipes
Celebrate St. Paddy's Day with Irish soda bread, shamrock milkshakes, and more!
Tips:
- You may not need all the buttermilk, and the amount of humidity in the air can affect this. Add about ½ cup to start, then add in more as you need it during mixing.
- Brushing the loaf with buttermilk before baking gives it a lovely sheen, and also dissolves traces of flour that can make a chocolate bread look dusty.
- If you don't have a 2-½ to 3-quart Dutch oven or oven-proof pot, the bread can also be baked in a larger pot or on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The loaf will spread more and be a little flatter.
- Because it's such a dark, chocolaty loaf, it can be a bit tricky checking for doneness. Pull the bread from the oven after 30 to 35 minutes at 350°. The top and sides should be set and sturdy. The internal temperature on the finished chocolate soda bread should be around 185°F on a digital thermometer.
Ready to bake up an entirely different kind of Irish soda bread, one that's sweet and so chocolatey? For St. Patrick's Day or for whenever a chocolate craving strikes? Me too!
The Guinness Chocolate Irish Soda Bread recipe is below. Here are a few more chocolaty and spirited sweets to try!
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Irish Soda Bread with Guinness Stout
SAVE THIS RECIPE OR POST!
I'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- ½ cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 5 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
- ¾ cup Guinness Extra Stout beer
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon rum extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk plus extra for brushing
For the glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey
Instructions
Make the bread dough:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Have a 2½ to 3-quart Dutch oven or oven-proof pot ready. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom, long enough that it comes most of the way up the sides.
- Note: If you don't have a Dutch oven or pot this size, the bread can also be baked in a larger pot or on a parchment-lined baking sheet. The bread will spread a little more and be a little flatter.
- Stir together the 3 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, sifted, 5 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, 2¼ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking soda in a large bowl.
- Use a sharp knife to coarsely chop the 6 ounces semisweet chocolate. Stir the chocolate into the dry mixture.
- Pour the ¾ cup Guinness Extra Stout beer, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon rum extract into the dry mixture. Then, pour *most* of the buttermilk into the bowl (roughly ½ cup). Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until a dough forms; add more buttermilk as needed if the mixture is too dry.
Shape and slash the dough:
- Turn the dough mixture out onto a lightly floured surface, and sprinkle a little flour over the dough.
- Fold the dough over just a few times until the dough is cohesive and holding together. Shape it into a round.
- Place the dough into the lined Dutch oven. Use a paring knife to cut a cross into the top. Then, poke a hole into each of the four corners of the dough. (To let the fairies out.)
Bake:
- Place the pot in the oven and bake the bread for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes longer.
- Note: It can be tricky to tell when it's done because the bread is so dark. It's ready when the top and sides are set. A digital thermometer inserted in the center should read about 185°F.
- Turn the bread out onto a cooling rack; use the edges of the parchment paper to help lift the bread out. Let the bread cool.
Add the glaze:
- Whisk together the 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey in a small bowl. It should be loose enough to drizzle.
- Drizzle the glaze decoratively over the top of the chocolate soda bread. Or, slice the bread and drizzle the glaze over the slices.
- Another option is to warm the glaze briefly in the microwave until it's loose enough to brush. Then, use a pastry crush to brush the whiskey glaze over the entire top of the bread.
Serve:
- Let the bread cool most of the way before you slice and serve it. I like there to still be a little warmth in the soda bread; that way the chocolate inside is nice and melty.
- Serve slices of chocolate soda bread plain, or spread them with salted butter. Or, serve the slices with dollops of whipped cream.
Store:
- Allow the chocolate soda bread to cool completely, then tightly wrap in in plastic wrap. Store it at room temperature for up to three days.
To reheat:
- While the bread can be served at room temperature, I think it's especially delicious when warmed up. To do this, remove the plastic wrap and wrap the loaf in foil. Place it in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes. Then slice and serve it.
Notes
- You may not need all the buttermilk, and the amount of humidity in the air can affect this. Add about ½ cup to start, then add in more as you need it during mixing.
- Because it's such a dark, chocolaty loaf, it can be a bit tricky checking for doneness. Pull the bread from the oven after 30 to 35 minutes at 350°. The top and sides should be set and sturdy. The internal temperature on my chocolate soda bread was at about 185°F on a digital thermometer.
Nutrition
C.M. says
This delightful treat is wonderfully tender with just the right rustic texture you expect from a soda bread. Each bite is moist and satisfying with chocolate throughout, especially good warm with a little butter. A flavorful twist on classic soda bread.