Irish Soda Bread with a Buttery Crust
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Shaggy dough, plump raisins, and a cross cut into the top. Brush the warm loaf with butter and tear off a corner while the table is still being set.
The short version
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir in plumped raisins, then buttermilk, an egg and melted butter just until combined. Shape a round, slash an X, and bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Brush with butter.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
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Plump the raisins in hot water. Ten minutes in hot water keeps raisins from pulling moisture out of the dough, so the crumb stays tender and the fruit stays juicy.
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Melt the butter into the dough. No cutting in cold butter, no mess. Melted butter gives the same soft crumb in a single bowl.
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Brush the warm loaf with butter. It softens the crust just enough to slice cleanly and adds a rich finish.
What you need
the usual suspects
- All-purpose flour2 cups
- Sugar2 tablespoons
- Buttermilk⅔ cup
- Egg1 large
- Unsalted butter2 tablespoons
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
deep breath. you’ve got this.
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Plump the raisins
Cover the raisins with hot water in a small bowl and let them sit 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375°F and grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Whisk the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until evenly mixed. Stir in the raisins and caraway seeds, if using.
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Mix the wet ingredients
In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg and 2 tablespoons melted butter until blended.
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Stir until just combined
Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir with a spatula just until no dry flour is left. The dough will be stiff, sticky and shaggy, and that's right.
Resist kneading. Handling it too much makes a tough, dense loaf.
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Shape and slash
Scrape the dough onto the baking sheet. With floured hands, pat it into a mound 6 to 7 inches across. Use a sharp knife to cut a deep X, about ½ inch down, across the top.
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Bake until golden
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. The bottom should sound hollow when tapped.
If the top browns too fast, tent the loaf loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
About 27 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Butter and cool
Brush the hot loaf with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter. Cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing; it finishes setting as it cools.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- No buttermilk? Stir 2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar into ⅔ cup milk and let it sit 5 minutes before using.
- This is a sweet-leaning, raisin-style loaf. For a plain version, leave out the raisins and caraway and reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon.
- For a tea-style loaf, bake in a greased 9×5-inch pan at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, using 1 cup of buttermilk and ⅓ cup of sugar.
- Storage. Wrapped at room temperature, 2 days; best the day it's baked. Freeze wrapped wedges up to 2 months and toast them.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Why is my Irish soda bread dense or tough?
It was handled too much or baked too cold. Mix just until the flour disappears, shape it quickly, and check your oven temperature with a thermometer.
Why does soda bread need buttermilk?
Buttermilk's acid reacts with the baking soda to make the bread rise. Without the acid, the loaf stays flat and tastes soapy.
Why do you cut a cross in soda bread?
The deep cut lets heat reach the center so the middle bakes through. It also gives the loaf its traditional look.
How do I know when Irish soda bread is done?
The crust is deep golden, a toothpick in the center comes out clean, and the bottom sounds hollow when you tap it.
Can I make soda bread without raisins?
Yes. Leave them out, or swap in currants, dried cranberries or an extra teaspoon of caraway seeds.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
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Published October 29, 2026.