Cheddar Soda Bread
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Transform humble Irish soda bread into a deliciously rich loaf with a crisp, golden exterior and a soft, cheesy interior. This comforting bread is sure to please!
Irish soda bread is a quick and easy table bread made with baking soda instead of yeast. Traditionally it’s made with the most basic pantry ingredients, but this version takes things up a notch. Modestly adapted from Cabot Creamery, it’s loaded with extra-sharp cheddar, giving the loaf a golden, crisp crust and a soft, cheesy interior. Warm from the oven, it’s incredibly satisfying—somewhere between a savory scone and a grilled cheese sandwich.
Prep is a breeze: just 10 minutes and it’s ready for the oven, soon filling your kitchen with the most inviting cheesy aroma. Serve it warm alongside a steaming bowl of tomato soup, a comforting lamb stew, corned beef and cabbage, or a hearty chili con carne for a truly delicious meal.
“Made this to complement your roasted corn beef and cabbage recipe…So easy, so good. The crowd loved it.”
What You’ll Need To Make Cheddar Soda Bread
- All-purpose flour: Provides the structure and base for the bread.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Act as leavening agents instead of yeast, helping the bread rise and become fluffy.
- Butter: Adds richness and flakiness to the bread; using it cold helps create pockets of steam that contribute to the bread’s texture.
- Extra-sharp Cheddar cheese: Gives the bread a strong, cheesy flavor and creates a melty, rich texture.
- Buttermilk: Moistens the dough, adds a slight tang, and activates the baking soda for leavening. If you don’t have any on hand or would rather not purchase a whole carton, see how to make buttermilk using milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and contributes to the bread’s structure and richness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by whisking the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter.
Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers, “cut” the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly, with a few pea-size clumps of butter within, then mix in the cheese.
Whisk together the egg and buttermilk, then add it to the dry ingredients.
Stir until all of the flour is absorbed. Do not overmix.
Transfer the dough to a greased 8-inch square pan. Dust your hands with flour and spread the dough to the edges of the pan.
Bake for about 35 minutes, until golden brown and set, and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about five minutes, then gently turn it onto a rack to cool. Slice and serve warm.
Soda bread can be made up to two days ahead of time or frozen for longer storage. For the best texture and flavor, reheat it in the oven at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
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Cheddar Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-in (13-mm) chunks, plus more for greasing the pan
- 8 oz extra sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1¼ cups low fat buttermilk (see note)
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8-in (20-cm) square pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Toss in the cold butter. Using a pastry cutter, two butter knives, or your fingers, cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is crumbly, with some pea-size clumps of butter within. Mix in the cheese.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the egg. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is just moistened. Do not overmix.
- Transfer the sticky dough to the prepared pan. Dust your hands with flour and press the dough to the edges of the pan. Bake the bread for about 35 minutes, until golden brown, set, and a cake tester comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool. Cut into squares and serve warm.
Notes
- If you don't have any on hand, check out how to make your own buttermilk.
- Freezing Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap it securely in plastic wrap and place in the freezer. To reheat, wrap the bread in aluminum foil and warm it in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Absolutely amazing! I used a crunchy Red Leicester cheddar and a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast for flavour and colour. So soft and fluffy with so much savoury flavour! As an Irish person I very much approve of this recipe.
Roughly how much is 4 tablespoons of butter in weight? I find it difficult to measure cold butter in tablespoons. And would it be utterly disastrous to skip the egg (egg allergy!) ?
Hi Jo, you’ll need 56 g/2 oz of butter. And I wouldn’t omit the egg, but you could use an egg substitute. Two of the best options I’ve heard about (I haven’t tried either of them) are a combination of water, oil, and baking powder, and carbonated water. The Kitchn website has a great article that details a variety of substitutes they tried. For more information about their favorites, take a peek at that. Once you’re on The Kitchn site, search for “The Best Egg Substitutes for Any Recipe.” I would assume this would also work with some kind of store-bought egg substitute. Hope that helps!
Is it ok to use greek yogurt instead of buttermilk ?
I love your recipes by the way
Yes, but I’d thin it out with a bit of milk. I think you’ll get the right texture if you use about 1/4 cup of milk and Greek yogurt for the rest. Enjoy!
Can I use whole milk instead?
Hi Debby, you really need buttermilk for this recipe. If you don’t want to buy it, you can make your own.
After years of preparing your amazing Corned Beef w Roasted Vegetables for St Patrick’s Day, I finally prepared this delicious Irish Cheddar Soda Bread, sort-of. As I was gathering the ingredients & such, I could not find my round cake pans (I am not a cake baker) but I had a disposable 8″ square cake pan that I greased and lined with greased parchment paper. Then I realized I did not have enough flour for the recipe but I had Bisquick. Armed with the 8″ square cake pan & the Bisquick, I followed the rest of the ingredients/process pretty much per my saved recipe from March 2022. It rose beautifully; it was light & airy; and it was so delicious. (Better still a couple days later thick-sliced, toasted brown & crispy, slathered with sweet cream butter and drizzled with Hot Honey!).
As I signed online today to post a comment, I see that the recipe has been updated for a 8″ square glass baking dish! Note To Self: Check for recipe updates! Thank you Chef Jenn for such wonderful recipes!
Jenn this bread looks delicious. I noticed you baked in a glass dish. Did you lower the baking temperature?
Thanks
Chris
Hi Chris, those pictures were shot a long time ago so I don’t remember 100% but I likely kept the temperature at 375°F. If you plan to use glass, just keep an eye on it and reduce the heat by 25°F if it looks like it’s starting to brown around the edges. Enjoy!
Easy and delicious !!! We took it to the next level by slicing and griddling until golden and crispy in butter or bacon grease… WOW… absolutely amazing !!!
Wondering if you use gluten free flour?
Hi Jill, I haven’t made these with gluten-free flour, but a few readers have commented that they have successfully. Hope you enjoy if you make them!
Super easy to make and turned out perfectly! I made it for a crowd of 12 and worried it wouldn’t be enough, but it totally was. It’s filling and was the perfect compliment to Irish stew!
Made this tonight to go with my corned beef dinner. It was absolutely delicious! Even better with honey and butter! My husband and kids loved it