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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Comments
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Great recipe! I decided to view the link you provided for “Cabot Creamery via KingArthurFlour.com.” That was very helpful as I didn’t want to have to purchase buttermilk for this recipe alone. This provided me the opportunity to substitute Plain Whole Milk Yogurt and Milk instead of using Buttermilk. It came out great, although instead of baking it for 45 min., I’ll try doing only 40 min. Thanks Jenn!
I am going to make this for a dinner party. Since my kitchen will be clean, is there any way I can assemble ahead of time and then just put it n the oven when guests arrive ? I’m afraid if I make it a day ahead it won’t be as good.
Hi Sherri, I actually think you can get away with baking this a few hours ahead. If you want to serve it warm just reheat it per the freezer-friendly reheating instructions. I would not fully assemble it, but you could put all of the dry ingredients in a bowl, cut in the butter, and add the cheese, put the buttermilk and egg in a separate bowl, and then combine and put into the oven right before company comes. Hope that helps!
How would you make this into cheesey brown bread. Thanks
Hi Sarah, I think you’d need to make too many modifications to the recipe to get what you’re looking for. Instead, I’d encourage you to look for a recipe specific to that. Sorry!
Hi, I am going to make the soda bread, I only have a nine inch cake pan will this be ok to use.
Sure, Deborah, it should work but will likely take a little less time to bake so keep a close eye on it. Enjoy!
This was great! Added some green onions just to experiment and the taste was good, actually just wish I’d added more herbs. I used a sour cream / whole milk sub for buttermilk, and my rise wasn’t as high as yours but did not affect taste! Will make again with more experimentation of flavors!
Question: Can plain yogurt be substituted for the buttermilk? P.S. I’ve tried many of your other recipes, and every one has been great.
Hi James, that should work but you may need to thin it slightly with some milk. Please LMK how it turns out!
Thanks for the tip. I used, in lieu of the buttermilk (which we haven’t had in the house for probably a decade), 1 cup of a rather thin but good quality plain yogurt plus 1/4 cup whole milk. The bread turned out excellent–the whole family raved. I’ve never made soda bread before, but will definitely add this to my repertoire.
So glad it came out nicely — thanks for reporting back!
This was great! Thank you for another great recipe Jenn. I added onion powder, chopped sun dried tomatoes, oregano and toasted almond slices. It was delicious and went well with beef stew!
This was so good and really easy to make!! The second time I made it I added chopped fresh rosemary from my garden. Everyone loved it.
I recommend not using baking powder that contains aluminum.
Hi Jenn, I love your recipes (and so does my family!). I’d love to make this recipe with metric measurements but they don’t seem to be working? Thanks so much in advance and for all your amazing recipes!
So glad you like the recipes, Rachel! 🙂 Sorry about the issue with the metric measurements – I just fixed it so you should be good to go. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you so much, Jenn! I made this today and it is SO delicious! Moist and very satisfying.
And really easy to make. Thank you!
I love quick and easy breads and this one is DELICIOUS! And seriously so simple to make. Everyone loved it. Thank you!