Our Best Irish Soda Bread Recipe combines basic ingredients in one bowl for a sweet and delicious bread. This soda bread is made with milk, making it a recipe using basic kitchen ingredients you have on hand.
Best Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Thirty years ago, yes, a very long time ago, I came across what would become my absolute favorite Irish soda bread recipe when the oldest of my four sons ventured off to nursery school.
St. Paul’s Nursery School in Montvale, New Jersey, compiled simple recipes in a little cookbook that the three year olds would make together at school with their teacher.
This is where I came across this delicious recipe that is so easy even a three year old could make it, with a bit of supervision, of course!
I have been making this easy Irish soda bread ever since, with some variations every now and then. It tastes delicious warm or at room temperature, with butter or cream cheese.
Our soda bread is especially delicious the next day, toasted, with a cup of Irish tea for breakfast. Makes me so happy to be Irish!
Recipe is adapted from St. Paul's Nursery School "We like to cook" cookbook.
I still have the original St. Paul's Nursery School "We like to cook" cookbook from thirty years ago!
As you can clearly see, this sweet little cookbook has spent a lot of time in my kitchen over the years!
Irish Soda Bread FAQ’s
Soda bread made with milk
Most Irish soda breads are made with buttermilk but this recipe uses milk so you won’t have to run out to buy buttermilk or make homemade buttermilk. I love that you will most likely have all of these ingredients on hand in your kitchen.
What is Irish soda bread?
Traditionally, Irish soda bread is an unleavened bread that is typically dense. Ingredients include buttermilk, flour, salt, sugar and baking soda instead of yeast.
What can I substitute for raisins?
Don’t have raisins? Feel free to substitute any other dried fruit that you have in your pantry, such as:
- currants
- dates, chopped
- dried apricots, chopped
- dried cherries, chopped
- dried cranberries
- dried mango, chopped
- ditted prunes, chopped
How to make the best Irish soda bread recipe
- Preheat your oven to 325F and spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
- Combine flour, sugar, raisins, baking powder, caraway seeds, salt and baking soda.
- Add milk and egg stirring until a dough forms.
- Wet hand with cold water or coat them with cooking spray, then shape dough into round loaf.
- Transfer dough to prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes.
- Using serrated knife, cut 1/2-inch deep “X” into top of bread. Brush top with melted butter.
- Bake until loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about an additional 30 minutes.
- Cool on baking rack. Serve at room temperature, warm or toasted.
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- This bread freezes well. Just be sure to double wrap it in plastic wrap and then in foil.
- Add your favorite dried fruit in place of the raisins
- Chopped crystallized ginger would be a delicious addition to this bread
Ingredients you will need to make this recipe
- flour
- granulated sugar
- raisins
- baking powder
- caraway seeds, optional
- kosher salt
- baking soda
- milk
- egg
- butter
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Our Best Irish Soda Bread recipe combines basic ingredients in one bowl for a sweet and delicious bread. This soda bread is made with milk, making it a recipe using basic kitchen ingredients you have on hand.
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup raisins , dark and/or golden raisins
- 1 Tbs. + 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 Tbs. caraway seeds , optional
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 egg , lightly beaten
- 2 Tbs. butter , melted
-
Preheat oven to 325F. Coat 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
-
In large bowl combine flour, sugar, raisins, baking powder, caraway seeds, salt and baking soda.
-
Stir in milk and egg until a dough forms.
-
To prevent dough from sticking to your hands, either wet them with cold water or coat them with cooking spray, then shape dough into round loaf.
-
Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes.
-
Using serrated knife, cut 1/2-inch deep “X” into top of bread. Brush with melted butter.
-
Bake additional 30 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
-
Cool on baking rack. Serve warm, at room temperature or toasted.
Recipe adapted from St. Paul’s Nursery School “We like to cook” cookbook.
First Published: March 16, 2013... Last Updated: February 23, 2021
