Easy Traditional And Gluten-Free Soda Bread Recipe (2024)

I have to admit that for the longest time, I wasn’t much of a cook. During my college years, I could survive by eating ramen noodles for days, until a friend of mine introduced me to her gluten-free soda bread recipe!

​Now, to be perfectly clear, I am not allergic to gluten – in fact I’m blessed with a stomach that can take most foods pretty well – but even I had to admit that her gluten-free Irish soda bread was absolutely delicious.

This opened my eyes to the joys of baking and, ultimately, cooking.

Ever since then I’ve been experimenting in my kitchen with varying degrees of success – but the Irish soda bread is guaranteed to go down well with the entire family. (I also make the most amazing lemon cookies with just three ingredients!)

Trust me, at the speed it disappears, you would think I lived with football players!

I’ve decided to share both my favorite gluten-free soda bread recipe as well as a traditional soda bread recipe, so you can pick the one that works best for your family.

Gluten-free soda bread recipe

Easy Traditional And Gluten-Free Soda Bread Recipe (1)

Before you start baking, make sure you have the following ingredients:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 and a half cups buttermilk
  • 3 cups gluten-free flour blend
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

Even though Irish soda bread is meant to be simple, you can also add some raisins, currants, cranberries, or even caraway seeds to the mix.

If you’re making this recipe for the first time, though, I would definitely suggest keeping it as simple as possible.

Later, when you’ve had more practice, you can start adding in extra ingredients and maybe even come up with your own version!

Once you’ve got all your ingredients laid out, first preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

You can either use an iron skillet or a baking sheet that’s been covered with parchment paper to bake the bread on, so make sure you have that ready as well.

Get a large mixing bowl (any large bowl will do) and mix the egg, 3 tablespoons of butter that has been melted, and the buttermilk using a whisk.

You will need the extra tablespoon of butter later if you decide to use an iron skillet.

Mix the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour in a separate bowl.

Create a small well in the middle of the flour mixture where you will slowly begin adding the already-mixed egg, butter, and buttermilk.

Gently mix the ingredients together until they form a lump of dough, using your hands or a spatula.

If you’re using an iron skillet, take the remaining melted butter and coat the bottom and the sides of the skillet, and then place the dough inside the skillet.

If you’re using a baking sheet, place the dough onto the sheet that you’ve already covered with parchment paper. Use your hands to make the dough nice and round.

Finally, get a sharp knife and cut an X or a cross on the dough – this is an important step, as it ensures the bread will be evenly cooked, so don’t skip it!

Pop it in the oven and let it bake for around 40 minutes but make sure to keep checking if the bread has turned light brown.

If it has, gently press the top of the bread, and if it feels hard, then the bread is done!

You can also get a toothpick, stick it into the bread and if it comes out clean, this means that the bread is cooked.

Depending on your oven, sometimes the outside of the bread will appear cooked but the inside isn’t.

In this case, you can reduce the heat to about 350 degrees F and put the bread back in for another 10-15 minutes.

Alternatively, if you’re afraid that the crust will burn, just cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil.

Once you take the bread out of the oven, let it cool on a wire rack before serving.

This easy gluten-free recipe is especially great if someone in your family is suffering from Celiac disease, where they can’t eat gluten at all.

Traditional Irish soda bread recipe

Easy Traditional And Gluten-Free Soda Bread Recipe (2)

Gluten-free bread might not be everyone’s cup of tea, so here is a super quick bread recipe that uses whole wheat flour instead. You will need only a handful of ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups whole wheat flour (you can substitute with all-purpose flour as well)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

In this recipe, you’re going to need to preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Use a large mixing bowl to combine all the dry ingredients (baking soda, salt, and flour) then make a small well in the middle of the mixture where you will pour the buttermilk.

Gently mix the ingredients until you create a lump of dough, and round it using your hands.

Remember not to knead the dough too much! Place it either in an iron skillet (make sure to butter it beforehand) or on a parchment-covered baking sheet.

Before popping it in the oven, make an X on the top with a knife so that the bread cooks evenly.

Bake it for at least a half an hour to 40 minutes, or until you notice that the outside has turned a nice golden brown.

When it’s done, leave it out to cool to room temperature before serving.

The total time you need to bake this bread is around an hour, depending on how skilled of a baker you are!

Serving tips for Irish soda bread

Easy Traditional And Gluten-Free Soda Bread Recipe (3)

Regardless of whether you’re making a traditional or a GF Irish soda bread, it’s always helpful to find new ways of incorporating it into your meals!

While it’s a staple of St. Patrick’s Day festivities, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t make Irish soda bread anytime you feel like it.

First off, the final step to a traditional or gluten-free soda bread recipe is to serve it warm because that’s when it’s most delicious.

Get some butter, spread it on a fresh slice, and watch it melt to perfection!

Just make sure to cut the bread into thick slices – this will help with the crumbs, especially when you’re dealing with kids who manage to get crumbs everywhere.

Apart from butter, jam works really well on a warm slice and it goes down really well with kids, too.

As a super special treat, offer them a bit of Nutella, although be prepared – that’s going to be the only thing they will want to eat for days!

Even when the bread is no longer fresh out of the oven, there are many different ways you can serve it, such as using it to make grilled cheese sandwiches!

Simply grab any kind of cheese you have in the fridge, cover one slice, and top it off with another slice of bread.

Butter both sides and slowly toast the sandwich until the cheese is perfectly melted.

To give your sandwich an extra kick, you can add ham as well.

And if you don’t mind spending several hours in the kitchen cooking one meal, you can make beef and barley stew, which is the traditional stew that’s served with Irish soda bread.

But even a chicken stew recipe, for instance, will pair perfectly well with a warm slice of bread, too!

How to store all that deliciousness

If you still have some bread left over after your delicious meal, it’s good to know how to properly store it so you can enjoy it for as long as possible.

At room temperature, Irish soda bread can keep for up to 3 days and it’s best to store it in a bread container that will prevent it from getting dried out by the air.

You can also pop it in the freezer where it can stay for as long as 3 months! To defrost it, first, let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Then, heat your oven to about 350 degrees F and put the bread in for a couple of minutes until it’s completely warm.

To wrap up

Whether you’ve opted for a gluten-free soda bread recipe or a traditional one, baking can be such a fun family activity! Just be prepared to deal with a huge mess, afterward.

But I think it’s totally worth it as it creates wonderful memories for the kids to look back on!

Plus, it’s a great way to bond and learn some new skills so your kids will be able to cook much more than frozen pizza rolls when they hit their teenage years.

If you’re new to baking, it helps to remember that there’s a lot of trial and error involved, especially when we talk about baking bread. So, give yourself time and room to make mistakes (such as completely burning the crust).

I’m sure you’ll perfect your gluten-free soda bread recipe in no time!

Like this post? Please share or pin it for later. You can also stay in the loop and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Easy Traditional And Gluten-Free Soda Bread Recipe (4)

This post contains affiliate links. Please see our full disclosure for more info.

Easy Traditional And Gluten-Free Soda Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to making good gluten-free bread? ›

Tips and Techniques to make better Gluten Free Bread
  1. Use psyllium husk powder.
  2. Let the dough rest (not exactly the same as a bulk proof)
  3. Mix or knead thoroughly.
  4. Use less yeast.
  5. Bake in a tin with tall sides.
  6. Bake for longer, often at a lower temperature.
  7. Create steam in the oven.
  8. Use the tangzhong or scalded flour method.

How was soda bread traditionally made? ›

The original recipe, dating back to 1836, featured four simple ingredients: Flour, salt, (an acid to interact with the Soda), and Bicarbonate of Soda. The acid element initially involved dilute hydrochloric acid, but practicality led to the adoption of sour milk or buttermilk left from butter-making.

What went wrong with my soda bread? ›

If you've ever tried Irish soda bread and not liked it, don't go running off yet! Chances are good that the bread you ate suffered from one of three common problems: improper amount of baking soda (a gross, salty-bitter taste), over cooking (a dry, chalky texture), or undercooking (a soggy, doughy center).

What is the biggest challenge of making gluten-free bread? ›

Lack of Structure and Rise: Gluten contributes to the structure and rise of bread by trapping air bubbles during fermentation and baking. In gluten-free bread dough, without the gluten network, achieving a light and airy texture can be more challenging.

What flour is best for gluten-free bread? ›

Rice flour(s): A combination of brown rice flour and white rice flour, with their ideal balance of protein and starch, provide bulk and mildly sweet, neutral flavor. The rice flours are finely ground so they absorb liquid quickly and evenly.

Why do you cut a cross in soda bread? ›

The Southern Irish regions bake their loaves in a classic round fashion and cut a cross on top of the bread. This was done for superstitious reasons, as families believed a cross on top of the bread would let the fairies out or ward off evil and protect the household.

Why is cream of tartar used in soda bread? ›

Acidity – The traditional recipe relies on buttermilk reacting with baking soda to create the leavener. This recipe boosts it with the addition of cream of tartar.

Why don't you knead soda bread? ›

Because soda bread is not yeasted bread, kneading it just makes it dense and hard. To develop its trademark soft crumb, you touch the dough as little as possible while shaping it. If you prefer a chewier kneaded bread texture but don't want to put in all that work, try our easy No-Knead Bread recipe.

Is soda bread good for your stomach? ›

Soda bread is quick to prepare and is a low-fat, yeast-free option. It may help alleviate symptoms of bloating and discomfort. If you're new to baking or short on time, our seeded soda bread is an ideal loaf to bake at home.

Why do Irish people eat soda bread? ›

Irish soda bread was first created in the 1830s, when baking soda was first introduced to the UK. At the time, Ireland was facing financial hardship and lack of resources, so they turned to soda bread out of neccessity, it was inexpensive and required few ingredients.

Why does my homemade soda bread fall apart when I slice it? ›

Why is it Crumbly? Using too much flour and too little buttermilk can cause your traditional soda bread to turn out more crumbly than it should be. Make sure to spoon and level the flour when measuring it.

Is it better to use oil or butter for bread? ›

The spongy texture and moist flavor that oil creates can be a boon to certain recipes. Not to mention oil is cheaper and easier to work with. Butter will always provide superior flavor and that melt-in-your-mouth texture. In many recipes, combining the two gives the best of both worlds.

What do bakeries put in bread to keep it soft? ›

Commercial bakeries use two types of ingredients to slow spoilage — emulsifiers and enzymes. Emulsifiers keep bread from going stale by preventing oil and water from separating.

How can I make my bread fluffier instead of dense? ›

To make fluffy and light bread, high-protein flour is a must. Its low-protein counterpart, otherwise, is too weak to form consistent gluten networks and, as such, weakens the dough's texture. I always remind myself to check the protein content before buying flour from any supermarket or grocery store.

Why is it so challenging to make good gluten-free bread? ›

Gluten free bread takes much longer than a regular loaf to bake and therefore a sticky crumb is generally the result of under baking. It is easy to see why this can happen, gluten free bread dough needs more moisture and is often difficult to knead with conventional methods.

Is there a trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

Why is my homemade gluten-free bread so dense? ›

You may need to add extra liquid or combine different flours to achieve the proper hydration level for your dough. Incorrect Flour Ratios: Different gluten-free flours have varying levels of protein and starch, which can affect the texture of your bread. Using the wrong flour ratio can result in a dense and gummy loaf.

Why do you put vinegar in gluten-free bread? ›

Apple cider vinegar or another acid lightens up the dough. You can add up to 4 Tbsp of acid for 500 g gluten-free flour. Don't worry, you won't be able to taste it afterwards. To lighten up a yeast dough even more, you can add a packet of baking powder or cream of tartar baking powder to 500 g flour.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Geoffrey Lueilwitz

Last Updated:

Views: 5705

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Geoffrey Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1997-03-23

Address: 74183 Thomas Course, Port Micheal, OK 55446-1529

Phone: +13408645881558

Job: Global Representative

Hobby: Sailing, Vehicle restoration, Rowing, Ghost hunting, Scrapbooking, Rugby, Board sports

Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.