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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Thanks so much for this recipe! It turned out perfectly and it was delicious!
I used sharp white cheddar and added some fresh thyme leaves. Super easy and incredibly delicious
This was delicious. I served it with corned beef and cabbage and enjoyed leftovers for breakfast with tea.
Jenn, why weren’t you my Home Ec teacher when I was in school? 🙂 The bread was delicious. Grating the butter was brilliant. The bread was simple to make and will be done again in the winter with soup. Thank you for the recipe.
I am confused by ‘grated’ cheese and ‘shredded’ cheese. I understood grated to be grated on the fine side of the box grater and shredded is much larger shreds which appear in your photos. Can you explain please if grated and shredded are actually the same thing? Does one weigh more than the other? Thank you.
Hi Edie, I’m sorry for any confusion. You’re correct — grated and shredded cheese is different. I’m going to change the wording there to “shredded.” Hope that clarifies!
Hello
I plan to make this bread to go with a soup dinner. Would like to clarify is it 2 cups of cheese or 8 ounces which is one cup?
All your recipes look great I will be making lots of them.
Thank you!
Hi Jacqueline, 2 cups is the volume you’ll need and it’s the equivalent of 8 ounces if you were to weigh it on a kitchen scale. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy!
Thanks Jenn, I did figure it out after writing to you! I made this bread and served along with our homemade turkey soup from Canadian Thanksgiving dinner. It is so easy and delicious. Delivered half the pan to my daughter with some soup and polished off the rest with our lunch today, oh and had some toasted with breakfast. It was well used up!
Thanks for the recipe. I will be trying more of your selections.
Happy cooking.
We’d never tried soda bread before, but it was kind of like a cross between a southern biscuit and corn bread. Very delicious! Thanks for another great recipe Jenn!
I made this recipe as muffins and they are DELISH!! They have a moist, tender inside with a crispy exterior. And they reheat beautifully!
How long did you bake them for?
Amanda, I’m probably too late with my answer for you but I don’t remember exactly. Probably started checking at 30 mts to see how they were browning. Before taking out, check with a toothpick to be certain they’re done.
Soda bread is such an easy win, and this is a really delicious one – so moist because of all the cheese. I made the bread to eat with soup last night and it was fabulous.
Comparing your recipe to the KA version, I see that you changed the pan size as well, without changing baking time range. Using an 8″ round pan (vs. 8″ square or 9″ round, which have a 27% larger surface area than 8″ round) I think should require an increased baking time to compensate for thicker dough. There’s also the chance of the bread overtopping a shallow 8″ pan.
I went with the KA recipe, using a 2″ deep 9″ round pan, and the outside edge of the bread rose to the top edge of the pan. 40 minute bake was perfect. My rating is for the KA recipe, but could apply to yours as well, with adjusted baking time and using a deep 8″ pan.
Greetings from VA,
I’m an old girl and have been a foodie since before there were foodies. Your recipes are either top on my list or at the very least a reference. Thank you !!! Now, I was hoping to make your soda bread in my small 9″ cast iron pan. Do you think that will work at the same cooking time and temp. without burning? Thank you in advance, and thank you for all your hard work that makes us look like geniuses.
~jane~
Hi Jane, I think you could make this in a 9-inch cast-iron pan, but it will be pretty thin (also it will take less time to bake so keep a close eye on it). Please LMK how it turns out!