Servings
Font
Back
Irish Cheddar Soda Bread
5 from 2 votes

Irish Cheddar Soda Bread

Irish Cheddar Soda Bread ~ no yeast, no waiting, just a golden, craggy loaf with melty pockets of sharp cheddar. Enjoy warm with sage butter!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 16
Calories: 148 kcal
Course: Bread

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt coarse
  • 2 Tbsp butter cold, cut into small cubes
  • 1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese use a mature Irish cheddar for fabulous flavor, shredded sharp
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk cold, cultured, shaken
sage butter (optional)
  • 1/2 cup butter salted, at room temperature
  • sage fresh leaves, to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Cut in the cold cubes of butter with a pastry cutter or with your hands, until the mixture resembles coarse sand and there are no more large clumps of butter. Note: you can do this by pulsing in a food processor if you like but transfer to a bowl for the next steps.
  4. Add the cheddar cheese and toss to combine.
  5. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the buttermilk. Starting from the outside of the bowl stir the flour into the center, until everything is moistened. If your dough is dry, drizzle in more buttermilk. If it is too wet, add a bit more flour. You want a rough dough that comes together in a craggy lump, not too wet, but without lots of dry flour either.
  6. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and bring together with your hands. Pat into a flattened round, about 2 inches thick. Note: the less you work the bread the better.
  7. Transfer to your lined baking sheet. Slice a deep "X" into the top of the dough.** I slice almost completely down to the pan.
  8. Bake in your preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.***
  9. Let your bread cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes before enjoying.
to make sage butter (optional)
  1. In a small food processor (or in a bowl with wooden spoon) process together the softened butter with the chopped sage leaves. Start with about 6 leaves and add more to your taste. I like to process long eough for the butter to take on a pale green color ~ it will have small specks of sage. This ensures that the flavor has been fully extracted from the herbs. Serve the butter right away or chill until needed. Use within a week.

Notes

  • *This bread is somewhat salty because the cheese add extra, which I like. But if you prefer you can reduce the salt here.
  • **Scoring that big X on top of soda bread isn’t just for looks ~ it’s the secret to getting a beautifully baked loaf. It helps the dough expand evenly in the oven, so you don’t end up with a lumpy, cracked crust or a dense center. Without it, soda bread can bake up a little wild, and we want that craggy, rustic look without the chaos. Of course, the Irish have their own take on it, saying the cross lets the fairies out ~ which, honestly, seems like reason enough to keep the tradition alive. Superstition or not, it’s a step you don’t want to skip!
  • ***How to tell when your soda bread is done: it's tricky, and I've undercooked my share of soda breads. Your bread will look  nice and golden before it is actually done throughout.
  • First check gently press on the top of the loaf. If it's wobbly or looks very wet in the cracks, it needs more oven time.
  • Once you've jumped that hurdle, do the thump test: a completely baked soda bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  • For a foolproof method, use a thermometer: the center should reach 200 ~ 205°F
  • Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Soda bread finishes setting as it cools.

Nutrition Information

Calories 148kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g (2%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g (5%) Trans Fat 0.1g (5%) Cholesterol 15mg (5%) Sodium 305mg (13%) Potassium 63mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 169IU (3%) Calcium 92mg (9%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 148

% Daily Value*

Calories 148kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 305mg 13%
Potassium 63mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 169IU 3%
Calcium 92mg 9%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.