Soda Bread Irish Butter

The winter our radiator broke and the kitchen was the only warm room in the apartment, I started baking bread at 6am just to generate heat. Soda bread became my go-to, no yeast necessary, and somehow those cold mornings made the first warm slice taste like absolute luxury. My roommate would stumble in, bleary-eyed, and wed both stand there watching the oven door like it was television.

My grandmother never measured anything, she just knew by feel when the dough was right, but she taught me that soda bread forgives everything except overworking. She made it every morning until she was 92, and I still cant get my crust quite as golden as hers was, though the smell always brings her kitchen rushing back.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: Four cups give this bread structure without being too dense, and keeping some flour on your hands prevents the sticky dough from clinging to everything
• Baking soda: One teaspoon is all you need for the chemical reaction that makes this bread rise, and make sure its fresh for the best lift
• Fine sea salt: Enhances the flavor and helps balance the tang of buttermilk, plus I like the little crunch of sea salt throughout the crumb
• Buttermilk: One and three-quarters cups provide both moisture and acidity to activate the baking soda, and shaking the carton well redistributes any settled solids

Instructions

Heat your oven:

Preheat to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper while you work, because once that dough is mixed, it wants to go into the oven immediately.

Whisk the dry ingredients:

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, making sure the baking soda is evenly distributed so you dont get bitter spots.

Bring it together:

Pour the buttermilk into the center and mix gently until a shaggy dough forms, remembering that a few streaks of flour are better than an overworked, tough bread.

Shape and score:

Turn the dough onto a floured surface, knead just until it holds together, shape into a round loaf, and cut a deep cross in the top about half an inch deep.

Bake until golden:

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the crust is deeply golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, then cool for at least 30 minutes because cutting it too soon makes the interior gummy.

Save

The morning I made this for a friends fathers wake, people kept asking where I bought it, and when I said Id thrown it together an hour before leaving, his mother looked at me and said, Thats exactly how he would have wanted it. Simple, warm, and unpretentious.

Making It Your Own

Half a cup of raisins or currants turns this into a slightly sweet tea bread that my Irish neighbors insist is the proper way to serve it, but I love it plain. You can swap in whole wheat flour for up to half the all-purpose flour, though the bread will be denser and you might need a splash more buttermilk.

Serving Suggestions

Soda bread needs to be eaten the day its baked for the best texture, though it makes excellent toast the next day if you have leftovers. Serve it warm with salted Irish butter and maybe some honey, or use it to soak up the broth from a hearty stew.

Storage Tips

Wrap the cooled loaf in a clean kitchen towel rather than plastic, which keeps the crust from getting soft while maintaining enough moisture. If it does go slightly stale, dont throw it away, just slice and toast it, or cube and toast it for croutons that are actually better than fresh bread.

• Freeze slices in a sealed bag for up to three months and toast directly from frozen
• Never store it in the refrigerator unless you want it to stale faster
• If you only need half the loaf, freeze the other half immediately rather than letting it sit out

Save

Theres something profoundly satisfying about bread that requires no patience, no proving, no waiting, just straightforward transformation from humble ingredients to something warm and sustaining on the table in under an hour.

Recipe FAQs

→ What makes soda bread different from yeast bread?

Soda bread uses baking soda as a leavening agent instead of yeast, which allows for quicker preparation and a distinct texture.

→ Why is a cross cut on top of the bread?

The cross helps the bread cook evenly and is a traditional marking associated with Irish soda bread.

→ Can this bread be made with whole wheat flour?

Yes, substituting half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat adds a nuttier flavor and hearty texture.

→ How should the dough be handled for best results?

Mix gently until just combined to avoid overworking, which helps maintain a tender crumb.

→ What is the best way to serve this bread?

It’s delicious served warm or at room temperature with generous slabs of Irish butter for a soft, creamy contrast.