St Patricks Irish Soda Bread (Printable version)

Golden-crusted Irish soda bread, soft inside and dotted with raisins, ideal for St Patricks celebrations.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

→ Add-ins

05 - 1 cup raisins or currants

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar until well combined.
03 - Stir in raisins or currants until evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture.
04 - Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour in buttermilk and melted butter. Mix gently with a wooden spoon or hands until shaggy dough forms; avoid overmixing.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead just until it comes together, approximately 30 seconds.
06 - Shape dough into a round loaf approximately 7 inches across. Place on prepared baking sheet.
07 - Using a sharp knife, cut a deep X across the top about ½ inch deep to allow proper expansion during baking.
08 - Bake for 35-40 minutes until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
09 - Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The golden crust gives way to the most tender, slightly sweet interior that demands to be eaten warm
  • From bowl to oven in under twenty minutes—no proofing, no waiting, just pure kitchen magic
  • The ritual of cutting that deep X before baking connects you to generations of Irish bakers
02 -
  • The dough should feel shaggy and slightly sticky—adding more flour seems tempting but results in a dense, dry loaf
  • Work quickly once you add the buttermilk, as the baking soda starts reacting immediately and you want those bubbles trapped in the dough
  • That hollow sound when tapping the bottom is your doneness indicator—underbaked soda bread tastes disappointingly doughy
03 -
  • Cut the X deeper than you think necessary—about half an inch—because it seals back up during baking
  • Use a serrated knife to slice, pressing down gently rather than sawing back and forth

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