Guinness Irish Soda Bread

A loaf of Irish soda bread with a wedge removed.

Guinness Irish Soda Bread recipe is perfectly crusty on the outside and wonderfully soft on the inside. It's an ideal companion for your St. Patrick's Day feast, stews, soups, or warm with a little butter.

Course Bread

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Cooling Time 15

Servings

Calories 318kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup rolled oats or quick oats (not instant) more for top
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons butter melted
1 cup buttermilk icy cold
⅔ cup Guinness extra stout cold
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Spray a cast iron skillet with no-stick spray.
In a large mixing bowl, add dry ingredients, whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Melt the butter and stir into the buttermilk. Small globules of butter will form- this is what we want.
Stir in the Guinness. Set aside.
In a small bowl whisk the eggs until the yolks and whites are completely mixed.
Stir in the buttermilk mixture.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
Add the egg-buttermilk mixture into the well of the dry ingredients.
Stir gently to combine the ingredients.
Gently roll out the dough onto a floured surface and knead the dough gently for a few minutes.
Shape into a round loaf and place in the cast iron skillet.
Slash the top into the shape of a cross.
Poke each quarter of the dough with a sharp knife to 'let the fairies out'.
Mix the egg yolk and water.
Brush the top with egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with a tablespoon or so of the oats.
Bake for 40-45 minutes.
Check to see if the bread is done by placing an instant read thermometer into the center of the loaf. It will read 200F when done.
Let cool completely before slicing or it will be crumbly.

Video

Notes

Storage:

Like any homemade bread, Irish Guinness brown bread is best eaten fresh the same day it’s made.

Wrap leftover bread in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for a day or two. It freezes well, too.

Tips:

No buttermilk? Mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with 1 cup milk and let it sit for a few minutes.
Don't overmix the dough.
Irish Guinness bread is finished baking when the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.

Nutrition