This Irish soda bread is simple to make (no yeast required!) with just a few ingredients you probably have in your kitchen. It’s soft, tender and full of delicious buttery cheesy flavor.
Have you tried Irish soda bread yet? If not, today is the day you should fix that! You’ll love that slices are crisp on the edges and tender on the inside. It makes a great accompaniment to almost any meal, but it’s also fabulous all on its own, slathered generously with butter, honey, and/or jam.
Irish soda bread is extremely adaptable (suggestions below), but I have to confess that this version full of cheddar cheese and a little black pepper is my favorite.
This is a very modern, American version of a very old traditional Irish recipe. You can learn all about Irish soda bread and its history here!
Table of Contents
Ingredients you’ll need
It doesn’t get any simpler than this ingredient list! (Find the full recipe below.)
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Buttermilk
- Cheddar cheese
- Egg
- Baking soda
- Salt and pepper
baking tip:Substitutes for buttermilk
Buttermilk is one of my favorite ingredients for baking and it’s always in my fridge, but I get it, not everyone’s like me! Don’t worry, you can make your own buttermilk in a pinch.
- Milk and lemon juice or vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white distilled vinegar to a liquid measuring glass. Fill with 2% milk to make 1 cup. Wait 5 minutes, then stir and use.
- Plain yogurt or sour cream and water. Whisk together 1/2 cup full-fat plain yogurt or sour cream and 1/2 cup water. Use immedately.
How to make Irish soda bread
- Combine dry ingredients, cut in cold butter and add cheese. Stir together all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt and pepper into a bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into small pieces, then stir in the shredded cheese.
- Stir in buttermilk and egg. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, whisk together the buttermilk and egg, and pour it into the bowl. Stir to make a shaggy dough, using your hands if needed to bring it all together.
- Shape into a ball and score with an “x”. It’s okay if the dough isn’t smooth, roughly pat it into a 6-7 inch disk and use a sharp knife to cut a large “x” into the top. This is so the center bakes through all the way, and so it’ll rise during baking without splitting.
- Bake. Place in a cast iron pan, on a sheet pan or in another baking dish and bake in a 400°F oven for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
- Enjoy! Serve slices warm or at room temperature, and store in an airtight container for a day days. Though the Irish soda bread is most delicious and fresh the day its baked, but it’s also great toasted the next day.
Variations
- Add other cheeses like Parmesan, gruyere, or gouda. Any hard, shred-able cheese will work, avoid soft cheeses.
- Add herbs like rosemary, thyme, and chives.
- Substitute whole wheat flour for half of the all-purpose flour.
- Make it sweet and add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and mix-ins like cinnamon chips, raisins, dried cherries or cranberries.
Recipe tips and FAQs
- Keep butter, buttermilk and egg cold. Similar to biscuits and scones, a lot of the texture and rise for Irish soda bread comes from bits of butter hitting the hot oven and turning to steam. If the dairy and egg are too warm, the butter will meld into the dough as we lose that boost. Learn more about why ingredients need to stay cold here.
- Don’t overwork the dough. It’s supposed to look a little rough, dry and shaggy. I promise the baked bread will be soft and perfect! If you work the dough too much to bring it together, you develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in a tougher end result.
- Choose your own baking pan, but I like cast iron. You really can bake this in whatever pan you like— cake pan, pie dish, sheet pan, etc. I like using a cast iron skillet because it helps the crust get a nice crusty color. Don’t forget to grease your pan or line with parchment paper!
- How to make it ahead: For tastiest results, this bread should be served the day it’s baked. However, it can be frozen while it’s still fresh and reheated in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes, covered in foil.
Get the recipe
Cheesy Irish Soda Bread
This Irish soda bread is cheesy, super simple, and full of so much flavor!
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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In large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper and soda. Use a pastry blender or a fork to blend the butter into the dry ingredients. Stir in the cheddar cheese.
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Whisk the buttermilk and egg together and pour it over the flour and butter mixture.
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Use a spoon and then your hands to bring the dough together into a ball. Dough should be very shaggy and slightly sticky.
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Shape into a ball, flatten slightly with your hands, and score a big “x” on top.
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Transfer dough to a cast iron skillet or a sheet pan lined with parchment. Bake until top is golden brown, 40-45 minutes.
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Serve warm with butter. Bread is even better toasted the next day!
- Variations:
- Add other cheeses like Parmesan, gruyere, or gouda. Any hard, shred-able cheese will work, avoid soft cheeses.
- Add herbs like rosemary, thyme, and chives.
- Substitute whole wheat flour for half of the all-purpose flour.
- Make it sweet and add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and mix-ins like cinnamon chips, raisins, dried cherries or cranberries.
- For best rise and texture, butter, buttermilk and egg need to be cold straight from the fridge.
- To make a buttermilk substitute:
- Milk and lemon juice or vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white distilled vinegar to a liquid measuring glass. Fill with 2% milk to make 1 cup. Wait 5 minutes, then stir and use.
- Plain yogurt or sour cream and water. Whisk together 1/2 cup full-fat plain yogurt or sour cream and 1/2 cup water. Use immediately.
Calories: 2971kcal, Carbohydrates: 402g, Protein: 97g, Fat: 105g, Saturated Fat: 62g, Cholesterol: 444mg, Sodium: 4579mg, Potassium: 1192mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 3382IU, Calcium: 1342mg, Iron: 25mg
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