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overhead view of Irish soda bread with raisins on wooden board with one quarter removed
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5 from 6 votes

Irish Soda Bread with Raisins

This sweet Irish soda bread with raisins is soft, lightly sweet, and easy to make—no yeast or rise time needed! It’s the perfect cozy bake for St. Patrick’s Day brunch or anytime you’re craving warm, homemade bread.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Baking
Cuisine: American, Irish-American
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 371kcal
Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

  • 3 ¼ cups white flour
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter
  • ¾ cup raisins
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup buttermilk

Instructions

  • Prep: Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment or a silicone mat. Lightly flour.
  • Combine dry ingredients and butter: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut cold butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles wet sand.
    3 ¼ cups white flour, ½ cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons cold butter
    overhead view of flour in bowl with fork, with butter cut in
  • Add raisins: Stir raisins into flour mixture until coated and evenly distributed.
    ¾ cup raisins
    overhead view of dry ingredients for Irish soda bread with raisins in glass bowl
  • Add wet ingredients: Whisk egg and buttermilk together in a separate measuring jug. Pour over flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined.
    1 large egg, ¾ cup buttermilk
    overhead view of batter for soda bread with raisins in glass bowl
  • Shape bread: Tip dough on a lightly floured work surface, knead 2-3 times (do not overwork!), then shape into a ball. Place bread on the prepared baking sheet. Slice crosswise, deeply, almost cutting through the entire bread.
    overhead view of shaped Irish soda bread on lined baking sheet with cross cut
  • Bake bread: Bake 30-35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bread is golden-brown. Cool on a cooling rack.
    overhead view of freshly baked soda bread with raisins on lined baking sheet

Video

Notes

  • Buttermilk substitute: ¾ cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar, or ¼ cup yogurt + ½ cup milk.
  • Butter: Use cold butter for the right texture.
  • Raisins: Swap with dried cranberries or chopped apricots.
  • Mixing tip: Don’t overmix or knead—just bring the dough together.
  • Cutting tip: Slash a deep cross—almost to the bottom—so the bread bakes evenly.
Soda bread is definitely best eating shortly after it comes out of the oven, at least on the same day it is baked. If you have leftovers, keep them wrapped in a clean kitchen towel on the counter for up to an additional day.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 329IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg