Half the Sugar Baker
Soda bread is NOT dry or bland. A good soda bread is moist and soft, and when you take a bite, it’s like getting a warm hug. It’s perfect with dinner, or slathered with butter for breakfast. This recipe uses whole wheat flour for a rich flavor and it makes a smaller soda bread than most recipes. It’s perfect to finish in one night, if you don’t want leftovers, or if you don’t need to serve a large group. Although soda bread is commonly made for St. Patty’s Day, it’s great anytime!
Irish soda bread might be one of the easiest breads to bake. Actually, it might be one of the easiest things to bake, period. With just a handful of ingredients and no waiting time, you can have a delicious loaf of warm bread.
To be really honest, I spent a long time thinking that soda bread was just a dry, crumbly brick. Finally, I couldn’t resist my curiosity and I decided to make a loaf. It completely surprised me! The soda bread was actually super moist and flavorful, especially with some small adjustments I made. It’s especially addictive when it’s warm with a nice smear of butter. If you’ve been hesitant or doubtful of soda bread, just try it! I think you’ll be surprised, like me.
Ingredient notes:
Whole wheat flour: This recipe calls for a blend of whole wheat and all purpose flour. I like using whole wheat flour because it adds a more complex and rich flavor. Plus, it adds some extra whole grains.
Baking soda: This bread gets its name from baking soda, because it is one of the main rising agents. There is no yeast in this bread! It reacts with the buttermilk to give a really tall rise. I find that I get the best results when I use a mix of both baking soda and baking powder.
Baking powder: Although many traditional recipes only use baking soda, I find that my bread comes out better when I use a mix of both baking soda and baking powder.
Ground cinnamon: Although this is non-traditional, I like to add just a little bit of ground cinnamon because it adds a nice subtle flavor. It pairs especially well with the raisins.
Unsalted butter: It’s important to keep the butter cold. It’s also much easier to incorporate into the flour if it is cut into small cubes.
Raisins: I really like to use some raisins in the soda bread to add little pockets of juicy sweetness. Many traditional recipes call for currants instead, but you can use either. If you don’t like them, feel free to just skip them completely! One thing I love about soda bread is how versatile it is. You can add whatever you would like! Some suggestions are pecans, walnuts, cheese, bacon, chives, chocolate chips, or caraway seeds.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk is essential to soda bread because it reacts with the baking soda to give the bread its rise. If you don’t have any buttermilk, it’s really easy to make a substitute. Simply add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup. Then add milk until you have 1 cup total.
Technique notes:
Baking options: You have many options for baking this bread, which is another benefit. You can use a dutch oven, baking sheet, baking dish, or 8×8 inch pan. If you use a dutch oven, there is no need to use a lid. You do not need to preheat the pan for any of these methods. For any of these options, it’s important to line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Adding the butter: The butter is cut into the flour for this recipe, like a scone or biscuit. Since there is a lot of flour compared to the butter, don’t worry too much about incorporating the butter evenly. I like the back of a fork to smush the butter into the flour, but you could use a potato masher, pastry cutter, or your fingers. Just try your best to get the butter into pea sized crumbs.
Mixing the dough: Since this is a drier dough, mix the dough in the bowl until it forms a shaggy ball and then dump onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle some more flour on top of the dough to prevent sticking and knead briefly until all of the dough is evenly moistened. There is no need to knead more than that, and it might actually develop too much gluten.
Forming the loaf: Once you are done kneading, form the dough into a bowl and transfer into the parchment lined baking dish. Then use a very sharp knife or lame to cut a large X into the top. It should be around 1/2 inch deep.
Baking: Bake the dough for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. The bread should have expanded while baking. If you have a food thermometer, the most reliable way to test for doneness is to check the internal temp. It should be around 190ºF.
Finishing: Once done baking, I recommend immediately brushing it with butter. There’s no need to even melt it! I just stick one tablespoon of butter on to the tip of a fork and smear it over the bread. The hot bread should melt it as you go. After 10 minutes, transfer the bread to a wire rack to prevent a soggy bottom. Serve the bread warm with extra toppings like butter and jam.
If you liked this Small Batch Irish Soda Bread, you might also like…
- Small batch soft pretzels
- Healthier blueberry scones
- Healthier walnut maple scones
- Dinner rolls
- Healthy Morning Glory Muffins
Small Batch Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour or sub all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup raisins optional
- 1 cup buttermilk see notes for alternatives
- 1 tablespoon salted or unsalted butter for melting on top of bread after baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 390ºF. Line a baking sheet or dutch oven with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Then add the cubed butter and cut into the flour using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers. There is a lot of flour compared to butter, so don't worry if it's not perfect. The butter should be around pea sized pieces. Stir in the raisins until evenly distributed. Then add the buttermilk and stir/fold the mixture until it forms a cohesive ball.
- Pour the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough and knead until all of the dough is evenly moistened.
- Transfer the dough ball to the prepared baking sheet or dutch oven. Use a very sharp knife to cut an X into the top of the dough ball, around 1/2 inch deep. If baking with a dutch oven, do not use a lid. Transfer to oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. The internal temperature should be around 190ºF.
- Once done baking, remove from oven and immediately spread one tablespoon butter on top. Allow to rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve bread warm with butter and any desired toppings. Enjoy!
This recipe was tasty and easy to make for a nice breakfast for four people. I was out of raisins so substituted chopped dates and cranberries. I might try a tablespoon less flour since a few areas were a little dry.
Hi Julianna, thank you for the feedback about the flour! I’m so glad you enjoyed the soda bread. Your substitutions sound so delicious!