Irish Soda Bread with Guinness Butter Recipe – St. Patrick's Day 2026
Golden, crackling crust on the outside, tender and tangy crumb on the inside - classic Irish soda bread needs just four ingredients and zero yeast. Pair it with homemade Guinness butter (stout reduced with honey, whipped into salted butter) and you have the St. Patrick's Day side that steals the entire table.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- all-purpose flour 3.5 cups
- bread flour 0.5 cups
- baking soda 1 tsp
- buttermilk 1.75 cups
Seasonings/Sauce
- fine salt 1 tsp
- Irish salted butter, cold 4 tbsp
- Guinness Extra Stout 0.5 cups
- honey 1 tbsp
Nutrition summary
Carbohydrates
32 g
61%
Protein
5 g
10%
Fat
7 g
29%
Cooking steps
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1
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This ensures the bread bakes up with a crisp bottom and doesn't stick.
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2
In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, bread flour, baking soda, and fine salt. Cut the cold Irish butter into the dry ingredients using your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Keeping the butter cold helps create a tender, almost flaky crumb.
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3
Pour in the buttermilk all at once and use a fork to quickly mix until the dough just comes together. Avoid over-mixing—this ensures a tender bread; overworking develops too much gluten, leading to a dense loaf.
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4
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape into a round about 2 inches tall. Do not knead. Transfer to your prepared sheet and use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross on top—this helps heat penetrate to the center for even baking.
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5
Bake for 35–40 minutes, until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the underside. Cool on a rack at least 20 minutes before slicing to set the crumb.
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6
While the bread cools, make the Guinness butter: In a small saucepan, combine Guinness and honey. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to 2–3 tablespoons, thick and syrupy (about 8–10 minutes). Cool completely.
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7
Beat the softened Irish salted butter in a bowl. Slowly whip in the cooled Guinness reduction until fully incorporated and fluffy. The reduction adds pronounced stout flavor without excess bitterness or liquid.
Personalized Q&A
Q. Will this actually taste like proper Irish soda bread?
Yes! This recipe uses the classic method: baking soda activated by tangy buttermilk, with a touch of cold Irish butter for tenderness. Avoid over-mixing so the crumb stays soft—just like the best loaves in Ireland.
Q. Why did my soda bread turn out dense instead of tender?
Dense soda bread is usually from overworking the dough. In step 3, mix until just combined and do not knead. Too much gluten forms if you mix vigorously, resulting in a heavy, tough loaf.
Q. Can I substitute regular milk for buttermilk?
For the best texture and flavor, stick with buttermilk. If you don’t have any, mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 and 3/4 cups whole milk, let it sit 5 minutes, and use as buttermilk.
Q. How many calories are in each slice of this bread with Guinness butter?
Each serving (about 75g with a generous smear of Guinness butter) has roughly 210 calories, with 32g carbohydrates, 5g protein, and 7g fat.
Q. Can I make this ahead or store leftovers?
Absolutely! Soda bread is best the day it’s baked, but wrap leftovers tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. The Guinness butter can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days—bring it to room temp before spreading.
