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Grandma Foley’s Irish Soda Bread

A warm slice of Irish soda bread, filled with whiskey-soaked raisins and glistening with salted Irish butter

5 from 5 reviews

Whiskey-soaked raisins dot this classic Irish soda bread. Enjoy it warm with a schmear of salted Irish butter — there’s really no better way.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 1/2 cup raisins (I use golden raisins)
  • 1/2 cup Irish whiskey
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus up to 1/2 cup more if needed
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
  • 1 3/4 cups buttermilk*
  • 2 large eggs
  • Turbinado sugar, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large cast-iron skillet or baking sheet and set aside.
  2. Combine the raisins and whiskey in a small bowl and set aside to soak.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour (start with 3 cups), granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Create a well in the center of the mixture.
  4. Whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and 2 tablespoons of butter in a measuring cup, then pour them into the well in the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix the flour gradually into the wet ingredients until the mixture is too stiff to stir.
  5. By this time, the raisins should have absorbed most of the whiskey. Drain off any excess, then add the raisins to the dough.
  6. Using lightly floured hands, finish combining the dough until the raisins are evenly distributed throughout and no dry flour patches remain. The dough should be a bit sticky, but if it’s too wet, add up to 1/2 cup more flour. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and shape into a round loaf. Don’t worry if it looks a little shaggy; you want it to just come together, so don’t overwork it.
  7. Transfer the loaf to the skillet or baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, score the top of the loaf with a large X shape, about 1/2 inch deep. This helps the bread cook evenly all the way through.
  8. Use a pastry brush to brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter all over the top of the loaf. Sprinkle the loaf with turbinado sugar, if desired.
  9. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the bread is golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. You can check for doneness by inserting a butter knife into the center of the loaf; if it comes out clean, the loaf is done.
  10. Allow the loaf to cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Or, if you’re like me, slice into it while it’s still a little warm and serve it topped with a schmear of salted butter. So, so good.

Keywords: Irish soda bread recipe, soda bread recipe, soda bread with raisins, no yeast bread, easy bread recipe, quick bread recipe