Irish Brown Bread

Irish brown bread is a hearty Irish soda bread sweetened with brown sugar and molasses. It’s so easy to throw together. No rising is involved so you can bake up a fresh loaf of bread in no time.

The easy bread recipe is the perfect accompaniment for hearty soups like; Split Pea and Ham or Black Bean with Ham.

This Irish brown bread recipe is easy to make, tender, and full of hearty flavor. This is a great recipe for any St.Patrick’s day meal, but it’s just as good slathered with fresh butter and served with a hearty weeknight dinner.

Ingredients For Irish Brown Soda Bread

• whole wheat flour
• white flour
• rolled oats
• brown sugar
• baking soda
• salt
• buttermilk
• molasses

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C)
2. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
3. Combine the dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and sugar, in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
4. Combine the molasses and the buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the flour and mix using a large wooden spoon or spatula.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough about 8 times. It will be a slightly sticky dough.
6. Shape the dough into one or two rounds and transfer them to your prepared baking sheet.
7. Top with oats. Sprinkle the dough with a few tablespoons of oats if desired.
8. Cut a large X in the dough. Cut through the dough using a sharp knife or a pastry cutter, and cut a large deep cross over the top of the loaf. This step allows steam to escape during the cooking process.
9. Bake the bread for 20 minutes at 425°F (220°C).
10. Check for doneness. When the dough is done, the loaves will have a hollow sound. The internal temp will be 200℉
11. Cool. Allow the loaves to cool on a wire rack.

Check For Doneness

• For two small loaves: Check for doneness: The internal temperature of the bread should be about 200°F (93°C). If the loaves need a bit more time, reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and continue to bake for another few minutes. Most of the time, my small loaves only need 20 minutes.
• For one large loaf: Check for doneness: The internal temperature of the bread should be about 200°F (93°C). If the loaf needs more time, reduce the temperature to 350°F (180°C) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the soda bread from the oven and let it cool completely (about 30 minutes) before slicing and serving.

Expert Tips

Flour selection 

• Soda bread is traditionally made with soft wheat flour. Soft wheat flour is low in gluten protein and produces a very tender crumb.
• I chose to use cake flour and pastry flour in this recipe because it is also low in gluten.
• All-purpose flour is also fine to use in the recipe.
• Wholemeal flour adds flavor and texture to this hearty bread. You can adjust the amount to your taste.
• Make sure to keep the total amount of flour equal to 2 ¾ cups. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Hungry For More Bread Recipes?

If you love making homemade bread, here are a few more recipes to try.

• Irish Soda Bread (the original)
• Cinnamon Swirl Bread
• Homemade French Bread