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, a beloved quick and easy table bread made with baking soda instead of yeast, is traditionally made with the most basic and cost-effective ingredients. This version maintains the bread’s simplicity but is anything but basic. Modestly adapted from Cabot Creamery, this soda bread is rich with extra sharp cheddar, yielding a crust that’s golden and crisp, with an irresistibly soft, cheesy middle. It’s comfort food at its best, tasting reminiscent of a cheesy scone or a toasty grilled cheese sandwich.
Prep is a breeze—just 10 minutes and it’s oven-ready, 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.
Table of Contents
“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.
Toss in the cheese.
Whisk together the egg and buttermilk.
Add 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can prepare this soda bread ahead of time. Once baked and cooled, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep it at room temperature for up to two days. For the best texture and flavor, reheat it in the oven at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Absolutely! Once the bread has cooled completely, wrap it securely in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil or place it in a freezer-safe bag. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature or gently reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Yes, you can substitute the cheddar with an equal amount of another type of cheese. Try varieties like Gruyère, Swiss, or Pepper Jack for a different flavor profile. Just ensure the cheese you choose has good melting properties and complements the bread’s flavors.
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Cheddar Soda Bread
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!
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch chunks, plus more for greasing the pan
- 8 ounces 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. Grease an 8-inch 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.
- Note: If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
- Freezer-Friendly 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 oven until hot.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 square
- Calories: 221
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Sugar: 1g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Sodium: 510mg
- Cholesterol: 47mg
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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Hi Jenn:
Can I use regular full fat buttermilk?
Yep that’s fine 🙂
Has anyone tried this with gluten free flour?? Any recommendations?
Hi Sandra, It looks like one reader commented that she used gluten-free flour successfully. King Arthur flour has a gluten-free flour that a lot of people have commented they’ve had good luck with. Hope that helps!
I made Jenn’s recipe “Irish American Soda Bread” gluten free using King Arthur Flour’s Measure for Measure….it worked well for me.
I don’t like the taste of baking powder and always use a cream of tartar/baking soda substitute. Do you think that would work here? Also, to reheat, would you wrap the bread or muffins in foil and at what temperature?
Thanks!
Hi Carol, I didn’t know about that combination as a potential substitute for baking powder but I looked it up and it sounds like it will work. Please keep in mind that I’ve never tried it this way. And the bread can be reheated at 350°F. Hope you enjoy!
Use Rumford Baking Powder, doesn’t have that nasty ingredient that tastes so awful…can’t remember the name of the ingredient, think it is aluminum something or other. ith Rumford, I can safely use whatever amount the recipe calls for.
Delicious bread! I used 1 cup cheddar and 1 cup mozzarella since that’s what I had in the fridge. I grated frozen butter and mixed it into the flour since I didn’t have my pastry cutter. I added garlic powder, dried minced onion and black pepper. It was amazing! This recipe is a keeper.
So easy, so GOOD! Took this to the grandchildren’s for dinner tonight and we couldn’t wait to cut into it. Even good with our wine. The little ones, not quite three, were walking around with pieces in both hands. I’m thinking of all the add ins that would be fun to use. This is a real winner Jenn. Once again, you’ve hit it out of the ballpark.
On the second day my bread had started to turn dark on top.
Should this be refrigerated?
Hi Oetzi, Strange that the bread is turning dark on top — not sure why that is, but it’s fine to the store it on your counter.
Just baked this today. Absolutely delicious, and so easy. So good that it doesn’t even need butter.
Yummy! Thanks for another great recipe🙂
Hi Jenn:
I don’t have buttermilk so could do the old milk and vinegar trivk, but wondering if Kefir would work as well.
Thanks!
Sure, Connie – as long as it is unsweetened and unflavored.
Made this once and it was fantastic! I’ve been reading recipes on other soda breads and some mentioned using bread flour to make it lighter. has anyone tried that?
Hi Mary, I don’t recommend bread flour; I actually think it will make it heavier.
Thank you!