My Mother-in-Law apparently makes the best Irish Soda Bread. My son Brooks spends weekends sometimes with his grandparents and comes home raving about his Grammy’s homemade bread. Wouldn’t you think he’d like Mom-the-Recipe-Girl’s recipes for soda bread the best? Nope- Grammy has always had his heart won on hers. The funny thing is- I don’t even think she follows a recipe! I’ve never seen one written, but I suppose I’ll have to do some heavy investigating. In the meantime, I messed with Bon Appetit’s recipe for Brown Butter Soda Bread to create my own twist on this bread.
BA’s version was a savory sort. I took the savory out of it and turned it into sweet instead. The bread itself isn’t sweet, but I didn’t want rosemary or other spices mixing flavors with the dried currants that I wanted to add. The most difficult part of this recipe is browning the butter, which takes all of 4 minutes on the stove and is super easy to do. Take the time to brown the butter- it has magical flavors!
The dough is super easy to work with- I mixed in a little whole wheat flour to my recipe. No yeast is involved, and it just pats together into two small loaves.
Cut (score) an X into the tops of the loaves. The “X” allows the bread to expand properly while cooking (and let steam escape). It also provides for a visually appealing look to the surface of the bread. Thanks to The Fresh Loaf for their awesome bread-scoring tutorial!
Brush with a little bit of egg white wash.
And bake until golden and crispy on the outside.
While my bread was baking, I assembled a sweet butter to go with it. Mix softened butter with a good drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
And you’ll see how amazing this is when spread onto warm soda bread. It’s a must, really.
Ready for eating. I suggest just tearing off a warm chunk of bread and having a go at it. My family of three plowed through 1 1/2 of these small loaves during our dinner where salad was our main dish. It was very easy to eat, and the honey butter was so good that I had to make more!
I think Grammy might have some competition here. Brooks really, really enjoyed this soda bread. Did he like it better than Grammy’s? Well… when I asked him, he wouldn’t respond. So either he didn’t want to hurt my feelings or he didn’t want to hurt Grammy’s. I think he was kinda smart to keep those thoughts to himself 🙂
Check out Jessica’s version of this recipe on How Sweet it Is for a savory version of Brown Butter Soda Bread.
The brown butter makes this soda bread extra special. We love it served with honey butter.
Recipe Details
Prep Time: 25 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: brown butter, soda bread
Servings: 12 servings (2 small loaves)
Calories: 214kcal
Author: RecipeGirl.com (adapted from Bon Appetit)
Instructions
SODA BREAD
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted and golden brown (stirring often and keeping a close eye), 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and set it aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the brown butter and buttermilk until the flour mixture is moistened and comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a well floured work surface. Sprinkle the currants on top and knead them gently into the dough until the dough comes together, about 7 turns. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into ball, and lightly flatten each into 6-inch round. Place the rounds on ungreased baking sheet, spacing 5 inches apart. Use a knife to cut a ½ inch deep "X" in the top of each round of dough. Brush the tops with the egg wash.
Bake the loaves until they turn deep golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool breads on rack at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
HONEY BUTTER
If you'd like to make the honey butter, just mix the butter with honey and cinnamon in a small bowl until blended. Serve with the bread.
Notes
- Tip from Bon Appetit: You'll get the most tender soda bread by kneading the dough gently and briefly, just until it comes together, so the gluten is minimally developed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 214kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 401mg, Potassium: 185mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 187IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 96mg, Iron: 2mg
FAQs
If you really want to get technical, brown bread is a form of soda bread since it uses baking soda as the leavening agent. However, the two loaves differ pretty significantly from there. Irish brown bread has a deep, nutty flavor because of its wheat flour and wheat bran while soda bread uses only white flour.
Why don't you knead soda bread? ›
Because soda bread is not yeasted bread, kneading it just makes it dense and hard. To develop its trademark soft crumb, you touch the dough as little as possible while shaping it. If you prefer a chewier kneaded bread texture but don't want to put in all that work, try our easy No-Knead Bread recipe.
How do Irish people eat soda bread? ›
This versatile bread works for any meal, but Irish soda bread is a natural for breakfast, whether simply spread with (Irish) butter and jam or alongside that hearty fry-up known as a full Irish breakfast. It's also wonderful with a cup of tea in the afternoon or as a late-night snack.
Why is cream of tartar used in soda bread? ›
When combined with baking soda, it becomes a leavening agent (the stuff that makes baked goods puff up in the oven) by producing carbon dioxide gas. If you ever run out of baking powder, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar for 1 teaspoon baking powder.
Which is healthier soda bread or sourdough bread? ›
Both types of bread use flour and contain refined carbohydrates. Sourdough bread would be considered healthier in the fact that it is a fermented food with lower gluten levels, making it easier to digest.
Which is healthier soda bread or yeast bread? ›
Healthy bread for yeast-free diets: Soda bread
This traditional Irish bread is made with wholemeal or white flour and buttermilk and baking powder rather than yeast, so ideal for people on yeast-free diets. Wholemeal varieties are healthiest. It's also super easy to make from home, try this simple soda bread recipe.
Is soda bread bad for you? ›
Is Whole-Wheat Soda Bread Good for You? Whole-wheat soda bread is a healthy addition to your plate! One serving—a 1/2-inch-thick slice—provides complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.
What can go wrong with soda bread? ›
If your bread tastes soapy, salty, or bitter or if the crust is too dark: You might have added too much baking soda or baking powder or used self-rising flour. If your bread's texture is dry: You might have added too much baking soda, too little liquid or not baked it at high enough temperature.
Why is soda bread healthier? ›
Soda bread is quick to prepare and is a low-fat, yeast-free option. It may help alleviate symptoms of bloating and discomfort. If you're new to baking or short on time, our seeded soda bread is an ideal loaf to bake at home.
Why do you put a cross in Irish soda bread? ›
The Southern Irish regions bake their loaves in a classic round fashion and cut a cross on top of the bread. This was done for superstitious reasons, as families believed a cross on top of the bread would let the fairies out or ward off evil and protect the household.
A traditional full Irish breakfast comprises bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, beans, soda bread or toast, tomatoes, mushrooms, and white or black pudding. For those wondering, black pudding coagulates the pig's blood into a sausage form. The white pudding is simply a pork sausage, usually flat.
What is soda bread called in Ireland? ›
In Ulster, the wholemeal variety is usually known as wheaten bread and is normally sweetened, while the term "soda bread" is restricted to the white savoury form. In the southern provinces of Ireland, the wholemeal variety is usually known as brown bread and is almost identical to the Ulster wheaten.
Should soda bread dough be sticky? ›
Note that the dough will be a little sticky, and quite shaggy (a little like a shortcake biscuit dough). You want to work it just enough so the flour is just moistened and the dough just barely comes together. Shaggy is good. If you over-work the dough the bread will end up tough.
Can you leave soda bread dough overnight? ›
You don't have to wait hours or overnight for a rise, either. In fact, you don't even need to wait at all: Dough for Irish soda bread can go right into the oven after making.
How do you know when soda bread is done? ›
The most traditional doneness test calls for thumping the hot bread in the center to hear if it's hollow-sounding. A more foolproof indication is temperature; the loaf will register 200°F to 205°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted in the center of the bread.
What makes soda bread different? ›
The unique texture of soda bread is a result of the reaction between the acidic sour milk and baking soda, which formed small bubbles of carbon dioxide in the dough. The shape of soda bread is also steeped in tradition.
Is brown soda bread better than white bread? ›
Most people believe brown bread, otherwise known as wholemeal or whole-wheat bread, is better for our health than white. And according to most nutritionists, you'd be correct. Wholegrain products contain more fibre and nutrients than their white counterparts.
Why is soda bread different to normal bread? ›
What is soda bread? Soda bread is a type of quick bread which takes its name from the baking soda (or, sodium bicarbonate) that is used as a leavening agent instead of the traditional yeast. Traditionally, soda bread is made using flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.
Why is soda bread different? ›
Soda bread is a variety of quick bread made in many cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as "baking soda", or in Ireland, "bread soda") is used as a leavening agent instead of yeast. The basic ingredients of soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.
