Cheddar Irish Soda Bread

This cheddar Irish Soda bread recipe couldn’t be simpler! Made with real, wholesome ingredients, and an easy to shape loaf I just know you are going to love it. This cheesy version of Irish soda bread is perfect for a hearty St. Patrick’s dinner.

I can’t say I grew up on Irish Soda bread. But if I did I think I’d pick this version every time. Because, well cheese, duh. I’ve been on a bit of a Irish soda bread making kick lately. 

I start with the classic Irish soda bread recipe made with raisins but didn’t stop there. I knew I wanted a savory version. And so I came up with cheddar Irish soda bread version with fresh chives and a hint of freshly cracked pepper. 

Let’s just say it was a major win in the house. You’re gonna wanna get the butter out of for this bread friend…

Is Irish Soda Bread Really Irish?

Turns out soda bread did not originate from Ireland, but it is most closely associated with coming from there because it was adopted due to increased poverty and hunger during the potato famine

And traditional Irish Soda bread would not include any add ins like I used such as raisins, caraway seeds, and orange zest. It is very simple – flour, leavening agent, salt, and buttermilk.

Then there is the cross cut on top. Some source say the cross is made in the top to ward off the Devil and protect the household. (source: Abigail’s bakery). Others say it’s so that the bread can be divided easily. It’s practical magic if there ever was if you ask me!

Cheddar Irish Soda Bread Ingredients

Ingredients Needed

• Unsalted butter – I used unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter than you want to reduce the salt in the recipe. Make sure it’s softened so it incorporated into the dough easily. You can read more here about Unsalted Butter Vs. Salted Butter In Baking.
• Buttermilk – I love the flavor that buttermilk gives to the bread! You can always make your own How To Make Homemade Buttermilk. It won’t have quite the same results but will do just fine. However, regular milk won’t as it won’t react the same with the baking soda.
• Cheddar – I love adding shredded cheddar cheese to the classic recipe for a savory version but you can add another cheese if you prefer, such as parmesan or gruyere (or swiss). 
• Chives – You can use another herb if you prefer like dill or rosemary!

How To Make This Cheddar and Chive Irish Soda Bread

Making Irish soda bread is really no hard than making any quick bread recipe really. Like banana bread. It’s all about using a leavening agent. And of course not overmixing. 

Start by pre-heating your oven to 375°F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

And you can make this bread in your stand mixer all in one bowl. Go ahead and measure all your dry ingredients into the bowl.

You want to add softened butter to the dry ingredients. I cut mine up into tablespoons so it mixes in easier. You want the butter to be broken down into pea-sized amounts.

Pro Tip: If you forgot to take the butter out early (I do this all the time, so I hear ya) then here are 3 fast ways to soften your butter.

Once your butter has been incorporated, then add in your buttermilk and egg. Buttermilk has to give the bread such great flavor and moisture. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, then you can make your own buttermilk at home.

Time for the best part – the cheese and the chives! Go ahead and stir those in. Just make sure to stop mixing once they are. 

And that’s it. You just need to simply pat the dough into a round onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper or into a cast iron skillet. The cast iron skillet method will cause the bread to spread a little less. 

With a serrated knife, cut an “x” into the top of the bread. And then I sprinkle on additional cheddar cheese, because…wait I don’t think I need to explain why do I? Yea, I didn’t think so.

Recipe Tips

• Soften your butter. Make sure your butter is softened so that it can be easily incorporated into the dough. You can let the butter sit on the counter for 3o minutes to an hour, cubed, for it to soften quickly. Here are 3 more ways to soften your butter quickly.
• Careful Measuring. Be sure to measure your flour correctly. Too much flour will result in a dense bread. I recommend first by stirring the flour before you start to measure. Then scoop the flour into your cup with a spoon and level off with a flat edge.
• Do not overmix. Because this is essentially a quick bread, meaning it’s leavened with baking soda and baking powder too much mixing can result in too much gluten being formed. And too much gluten will result in an overly chewy bread.

Recipe FAQ’s

More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

• Cheddar Cornmeal Biscuits
• Irish Soda Bread
• Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread Recipe
• Sourdough Cheddar Dill Bread
• Chocolate Irish Cream Pie

If you want to become a better baker, then enroll in my Ultimate Baking Bootcamp class! Enroll here!

Cheddar Irish Soda Bread

A cheddar Irish soda bread made with fresh chives, and a hint of freshly cracked pepper!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Main Course

Cuisine: Irish

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 8 slices (1 loaf)

Calories: 416kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 cups (480 grams) all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter softened, cut into tablespoons
• ▢ 1 cup (240 mL) buttermilk room temperature
• ▢ 1 large egg room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus more for sprinkling on top
• ▢ 1-2 Tablespoons chopped chives

Instructions

• Pre-heat oven to 375oF degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Or you can bake this in a 10- inch cast iron skillet (which will cause the bread to spread less.) Or an 8 or 9 inch cake pan would also work.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt. Stir to combine. Add in the butter and stir to combine. Add the buttermilk and egg and stir to combine.
• Add in the cheddar cheese and chives. You may need to stir this in by hand with a spatula.
• Turn the dough onto your cookie sheet and shape into a ball. Pat down slightly into about a 8-9 inch circle. Sprinkle on more cheese. Using a serrated knife, cut an "X" across the top of the bread. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature of 190oF. Cool on a cooling rack.

Notes

• Tools: Stand Mixer | Spatula | Cookie Sheet | Silicone baking mat 
• Storage: Irish soda bread can dry out quickly. So unless you are eating right away (which is what I recommend! With a bit of butter) then you want to wrap it up in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It will stay fresh this way for 3-4 days. The bread can also be frozen for 2-3 months.
• Sweet/classic version: If a want a sweeter, more classic version then try this traditional Irish soda bread recipe instead.
• Buttermilk substitution: You can make a DIY buttermilk that will work for this bread.
• Whole wheat flour substitution:  I always recommend substituting only 1/2 of the AP flour for whole wheat flour for best texture. I have made a whole wheat version of this bread to make a bit heartier. You can check out the Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread Recipe.
• Cheese substitution: Try another hard cheese, such as swiss or parmesan.
• Chives substitution: Try adding a different herb such as rosemary, dill, or thyme instead. 
• Want to improve your baking skills? If you want to become a better baker, then enroll in my Ultimate Baking Bootcamp class! Enroll here!

Nutrition

Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 414mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 596IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 219mg | Iron: 3mg

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