The World’s Best Irish Soda Bread

This Irish soda bread recipe is different than others I’ve tried. It’s easy to make, and moist inside with a crunchy exterior.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cornmeal, or as needed
• 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup butter, cut into pieces
• 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sprinkle cornmeal onto a baking sheet or spray with cooking spray.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir buttermilk into flour mixture using a fork just until dough is blended; knead 5 times in the bowl. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead dough using floured hands 8 to 10 times; shape into a 6- to 8-inch loaf.
4. Place loaf on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle about 1 teaspoon flour over loaf. Cut a long ‘x’ over the top of the loaf using a serrated knife.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until bread is golden, sounds hollow when top is tapped, and internal temperature is 190 degrees F (88 degrees C), 45 to 50 minutes.