Irish Brown Bread

A crusty and satisfying Irish brown bread.

This traditional Irish brown bread recipe makes a crusty, homey loaf of traditional soda bread, perfect with soup or a hot cup of tea.

What’s the Difference Between Irish Brown Bread and Soda Bread?

I always assumed that Irish soda bread was the white flour and raisin variety. This is spotted dog. But a trip to Ireland with my mother a few years ago revealed a different picture of Irish soda bread. Both spotted dog and Irish brown bread are soda breads, since each is leavened with baking soda.

Brown bread is the soda bread you’ll see in Ireland most

But brown soda bread was ubiquitous in Ireland — served at breakfast, restaurant bread baskets, and bakeries. But rather than a sweet, white flour loaf, we encountered a deliciously rustic whole wheat soda bread, an Irish brown bread baked in a loaf pan, and sliced thick.

Irish brown bread is moist, hearty, and versatile enough to be served on its own with butter, or as a sandwich bread or side for soup. Learn more and get the recipe, below.

How to make this Irish brown bread recipe

This loaf takes minor liberties from the super-plain original; it incorporates flax meal, oats, millet, and raisins. Any of these is optional, but the combination results in a hearty brown loaf that tastes a little more nutty, interesting and sweet than standard brown soda bread. It still retains, however, the traditional thick crust and dense (but not heavy) crumb.

What type of flour to use for your traditional brown soda bread

If you want to go all out, I highly recommend ordering Irish-style wholemeal flour from King Arthur. It has a little less gluten than regular whole wheat, and a more coarse and interesting texture. Regular whole wheat flour will work fine, though — just make sure to include the oatmeal and flax meal to compensate for the texture.

Ingredients

• Whole wheat flour, preferably Irish-style
• All-purpose flour
• Rolled oats
• Flax meal
• Baking soda
• Kosher salt
• Brown sugar, light or dark
• Egg
• Millet (optional)
• Buttermilk
• Golden raisins

Recipe Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and lightly grease a loaf pan. Soak the raisins in warm water while you mix the dough, then drain well.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt, flax meal, oats, millet, and brown sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk.
3. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients bowl. Add the raisins, egg, and buttermilk mixture to the center. Mix the dough together with your fingers. The dough should look mostly sticky and combined, but shaggy and in clumps. Turn the dough out into the loaf pan. Lightly press the dough until it is even in the loaf pan. Brush the top with a little buttermilk.
4. Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F, then lower the temperature to 400°F and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the bottom sounds very hollow when tapped, and the loaf is nicely browned. Let cool a bit before eating.

I hope you enjoy this traditional Irish brown bread, a hearty Irish favorite — now yours.

If you like this recipe for Irish brown bread, you’ll also like:

• Spotted Dog (Irish Soda Bread With Raisins)
• 9 Irish Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day

This recipe was originally published on March 8, 2023, and updated on March 9, 2025.

Irish Brown Bread

Author: Lisa Ruland

A hearty, homey whole wheat soda bread, perfect for everyday. Serve warm with butter, or as a hearty sandwich bread or side for soup or tea.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Servings: 1 loaf

Calories: 2469kcal

Print Pin Save Saved!

Ingredients

• ▢ 3/4 cup golden raisins
• ▢ 2 cups whole wheat flour
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1/3 cup rolled oats
• ▢ 2 tablespoons flax meal
• ▢ 1/4 cup millet (optional)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar, light or dark
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F and lightly grease a loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
• In a small mixing bowl, pour warm water over the raisins. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes while you mix the dough, then drain well.

  PRO TIP: Dried fruit will always seek rehydration. Softening raisins with warm water prevents them from pulling moisture from the dough as it bakes.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the two flours, baking soda, salt, oats, flax meal, millet, and brown sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk.
• Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients bowl. Add the raisins and the egg and buttermilk mixture to the center. Draw the flour into the center with your fingers and mix the dough together. Do not overmix; the dough should look mostly sticky and combined, but shaggy and in clumps.
• Sprinkle a little flour on your hands and the top of the dough, then turn the dough out into the loaf pan. Lightly press the dough until it is even in the loaf pan. Brush the top with a little buttermilk.

  PRO TIP: Hand sticky and full of dough? The best way to remove it is to put a generous amount of flour on your hands and rub them together. Then wash.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 425°F, then lower the temperature to 400°F and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the bottom sounds very hollow when tapped, and the loaf is nicely browned. Let cool a bit before eating.

Nutrition

Calories: 2469kcal | Carbohydrates: 470g | Protein: 79g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 210mg | Sodium: 3952mg | Potassium: 2754mg | Fiber: 44g | Sugar: 123g | Vitamin A: 952IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 721mg | Iron: 21mg

Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.