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This Mini Irish Soda Bread recipe yields a small loaf made without yeast, perfect for a few servings. With a tender crumb, golden crust, and subtle hint of sweetness, it’s a scaled-down version of traditional Irish soda bread.
Serve this small loaf of Irish Soda Bread with a bowl of Irish Stew or Colcannon or enjoy it with your morning tea or coffee topped with a dollop of homemade jam.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No Yeast Needed: Simple to make with easy-to-follow instructions.
- Quick to Prepare: Enjoy fresh bread without hours of prep.
- Versatile: Pairs well with soups, stews, or just a spread of butter.
- Customizable: Add currants, caraway seeds, or adjust the sweetness to your liking.
- Traditional Touch: Brings a taste of Irish heritage to your table.
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Ingredients And Substitutions
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small Irish soda bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the base of the bread, providing the ideal balance of softness and structure. If needed, you can substitute with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to the bread. For a less sweet loaf, reduce or omit the sugar.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor of the bread and balances the other ingredients.
- Baking Soda: Works with the acidity of buttermilk to help the bread rise. Be sure your baking soda is fresh for the best results.
- Cold Salted Butter: Adds moisture and richness, while the cold butter creates a tender crumb. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
- Raisins, Currants, or Caraway Seeds (Optional): Raisins or currants add a sweet, chewy element, while caraway seeds provide a slightly spicy flavor. Leave these out if you prefer, or use up leftover raisins in Hermit Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies or Cream Scones.
- Egg Yolk: Contributes richness and gives the bread a golden color. Save the leftover egg white for egg white recipes like Meringues or a Mini Texas Sheet Cake.
- Buttermilk: Essential for its acidity, which reacts with baking soda to help the bread rise. No buttermilk? Mix ½ cup (112 milliliters) of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Leftover buttermilk can be used in recipes like Buttermilk Pie, Butter Swim Biscuits, or a small batch of Chicken Nuggets.
Recipe Variations
Looking to mix things up? Here are some tasty soda bread variations:
- Fruit-Filled Soda Bread: Add raisins, currants, or your favorite dried fruit for a touch of sweetness.
- Herb-Infused Soda Bread: Mix in chopped fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme for a fragrant, savory loaf.
- Seed-Topped Soda Bread: Sprinkle sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds on top before baking for added texture and flavor.
- Cheesy Soda Bread: Fold shredded cheese, such as cheddar or Parmesan, into the dough for a savory twist.
How To Make Irish Soda Bread
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small loaf of Irish Soda Bread. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda. This step ensures the dry ingredients are evenly blended for a well-risen, flavorful bread.
- Incorporate Butter: Cut the cold salted butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. This step is key to creating a tender texture. If using raisins, stir them in after the butter is incorporated.
- Mix Egg Yolk and Buttermilk: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and buttermilk. This mixture adds richness and moisture to the bread. Pour it into the dry ingredients once combined.
- Form the Dough: Gently mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to bring it together. Shape the dough into a small, round loaf. Avoid over-kneading to keep the bread tender.
- Score the Dough: Place the loaf onto a baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to score a ½-inch-deep “X” across the top. This helps the bread bake evenly and gives it a traditional look.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes. The bread is ready when it’s golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Expert Tips
- Mix Thoroughly: Make sure the dry ingredients are well mixed before adding the buttermilk for even flavor and texture.
- Handle Gently: Avoid overworking the dough—it should look shaggy, not smooth. Minimal handling keeps the bread tender.
- Score the Top: Cut a deep “X” on top of the dough. This traditional step ensures even baking by allowing heat to reach the center.
- Check Early: Ovens can vary, so start checking the bread a few minutes before the baking time is up.
Serving Suggestions
Here are a few ways to enjoy your Mini Irish Soda Bread:
- With Soup: Pair it with a bowl of Tomato Soup or Chicken Stew for a hearty meal.
- Breakfast Toast: Toast slices and add butter and jam or make Avocado Toast with sliced avocado and tomatoes.
- Cheese Plate: Serve alongside your favorite cheeses for a simple snack.
- Sandwich Base: Use it as the bread for a Reuben sandwich.
- With Tea: Enjoy a slice with a warm cup of tea for a relaxing afternoon treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Irish Soda Bread is a traditional Irish quick bread made without yeast. It relies on baking soda and buttermilk for leavening, creating a tender and flavorful loaf.
Yes, you can substitute buttermilk by mixing ½ cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes before using.
You can leave them out or replace them with other dried fruits like cranberries or chopped apricots, or even omit them for a plain loaf.
Yes, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Store leftover bread in an airtight container or wrap it in foil and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Yes, you can double the ingredients, but the baking time may need to be adjusted. Keep an eye on the bread and check for doneness with a tap on the bottom—it should sound hollow.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this Irish soda bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
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Mini Irish Soda Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cold salted butter
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
- Incorporate Butter: Cut the butter into small pieces. Use your fingers or a fork to work it into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the raisins.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and buttermilk together. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until just combined.
- Form the Dough: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead gently and shape it into a 4-inch circle. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Avoid over-kneading to keep the bread tender.
- Score the Dough: Use a serrated knife to score the top of the dough in an "X" shape about 1 ½ inches deep.
- Bake: Place the dough on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil.
- Serve: Let the bread cool slightly, then serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Just made this today for St Patrick’s Day. I made colcannon too for the first time. They were both very good. Thanks for the recipe
3/17/24
Happy St Paddy’s Day, I made this today! Turned out great, the only change I made was I added a quarter of a teaspoon of baking powder. Thank you for the recipe!☘️🍀🇮🇪❤️
I was very excited to try this recipe for my St. Patrick’s Day dinner. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but my dough was more like a batter. I followed the instructions and measured the ingredients exactly to the recipe. The dough in the bowl was very wet, not resembling shaggy dough. I had to add a bit more flour to stiffen it enough to form it. It appears to have baked nicely, the bottom is a tad moist and somewhat cake like. Any suggestions would be great as I’m going to give this another go.
Baking can sometimes be a bit unpredictable, but let’s see if we can troubleshoot.
Your dough turning out more like batter instead of being thick could be because of a few simple things. First, check the flour you’re using. Different kinds of flour soak up liquids in different ways. If the flour isn’t exactly what the recipe asks for, it might change how the dough turns out.
Your local weather or how high above sea level you are can also affect your baking. If it’s really humid or you’re in a high place, you might need to tweak how much liquid or flour you use.
Since you mentioned the dough was very wet, it’s possible that there was a bit too much liquid in the mixture. When you try the recipe again, you might want to add the liquid gradually and stop when the dough reaches the desired consistency.
The way you measure ingredients is super important too. For flour, make sure you’re gently spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off. If you scoop directly from the bag, you might end up with too much.
Finally, check your oven’s heat. If the bread is a bit moist at the bottom, it might need to bake longer, or the oven might not be hot enough. An oven thermometer can help you make sure the temperature is just right.
Delicious and easy. Followed recipe and did add a tiny bit more flour. Crumb is tender and light.
I made today, As Written, Only thing I did different was sprinkle with Sugar, Absolutely Delicious, and Perfect size.
For your Soda Bread I do not have Buttermilk so what should I use instead of Buttermilk.
Will greatly appreciate your suggestion.
Thank you for a quick reply.
Buttermilk is essential for its reaction with baking soda, which helps the bread rise. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can create a homemade version by combining ½ cup (112 milliliters) of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before using.
Love your mini recipes. There’s just me so they’re perfect. Eager to give the colcannon and Irish soda bread a try. Keep it up.
As a huge fan of Irish Soda Bread, yours is a hit! I love that this is a small size recipe and adding the egg yolk for tenderness is genius. I read the tiny tweaks of others and added 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar to help a bit with the rise and lowered the cooking temperature to 375 degrees. I pulled it when the interior reached 180 degrees, and it only took about 25 minutes; however, my toaster oven runs hot.
Mini Irish Soda bread
You did not include caraway seeds. I want to include them. How many seeds should I put in this small bread?
If you’d like to make Irish Soda Bread with caraway seeds, I would add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (depending on your preference) of the seeds.
I’ve tested a few dozen soda bread recipes over the years and the best ones have had baking powder, as well as baking soda, in the dough. This one doesn’t. The bread rose beautifully, the crust was nice and craggy without being hard, but the crumb, despite being soft and moist, was a bit bready/dense. I followed the recipe, using 120 grams flour, and the dough wasn’t sticky. My baked bread looked just like the one pictured with the recipe. It was golden brown and tested done in 28 minutes. My oven is accurate. I keep 2 oven thermometers in it to keep an eye on the temperature. The next time I make this I’ll add some baking powder to see if it lightens the crumb.