Best Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread
The absolute best gluten free Irish soda bread you'll ever have. It's light, pillowy, slightly sweet with a sprinkling of raisins and has a crunchy top that you're going to love. It's the perfect gluten free recipe to enjoy St. Patrick's Day!
One of the most challenging things about having celiac disease is missing out on all of the traditional foods and desserts that I’ve enjoyed year after year throughout my life. Every holiday and milestone throughout the year brings thoughts of: what am I going to eat? I can’t eat what I’ve always eaten. Is it going to be as festive without my favorite foods? Can I buy something similar somewhere? No? I guess I’ll have to try making it myself.
For years, I’ve made my friend Kristen’s family recipe for Irish Soda Bread. A recipe passed down from her mother, it is the best Irish soda bread I’d ever eaten. Prior to that, I’d never been that interested…it was always too dry, too crumbly and I didn’t get the hype. But once I tried Kathy’s Irish Soda Bread, I was hooked. It was a bummer to realize that approaching another ‘first holiday’ with celiac disease meant no Irish soda bread for me…something that my family is always excited about eating when I bake it. There’s something special about having this bread one time a year, and, during these bleak winter months, it’s like a treat that signifies spring is on its way. A lot to ask of a bread, isn’t it?
So, as I’ve done since I was diagnosed in August, I thought of how I could recreate our beloved Irish soda bread but with a gluten free twist. I’m not going to lie…I didn’t have high hopes for this one. There is just so much…flour. And gluten free flour, while it serves a purposed, also has its faults. It can be gritty, crumbly and leave behind an odd texture in the mouth. So I did a lot of research on how to adapt our favorite recipe to not only be gluten free, but be so absolutely delicious that my family wouldn’t even miss the original.
And friends…I did it.
The secret ingredient to this gluten free Irish soda bread is an egg. I know that’s not typically how Irish soda bread is made, but in gluten free baking, we do what we have to do. And in this instance, we have to add an egg.
To make gluten free Irish soda bread, I also reduced the amount of flour from the original recipe. It requires a little rebalancing of ingredients, and this trial and error delivered. I’m so pleased with how this turned out. To quote Penelope, “Mom, are you sure this is gluten free?”
Guys, I wanted to cry happy tears.
My goal is to make gluten free goodies that just happen to be gluten free, but still taste amazing. This gluten free Irish soda bread delivers!
What You’ll Need to Make Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread:
King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. I haven’t tried any other gluten free flour blends, and so I cannot say if any others will work as well. I recommend buying this specific item. I found it at Target.
Granulated sugar. It adds just enough sweetness without making this a ‘sweet’ bread.
Baking soda. It is soda bread, after all! Add some to get a little rise.
Kosher salt. Every baked good needs some salt, and this is no exception
Butter. Unsalted. You can use Irish butter if ya like, but I used a plain old stick of unsalted butter. Every year, I forget that the butter needs to be softened and this year was no exception. I ended up microwaving it for 7 seconds to soften quickly.
Buttermilk. This is what makes the bread so soft and lovely.
Egg. The secret ingredient that holds the bread together and helps to remove that ‘grit’ from the gluten free flour blend.
Raisins. For me, raisins are a must in Irish soda bread. Omit them if you don’t want them, but they are really what makes the bread sing, if you know what I mean.
How to Make Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and get your pan prepared. You can use any pan you want for this. I skipped the loaf pan and chose a 9x9 glass baking dish for even baking.
Whish together your dry ingredients. Make sure the flour is not tightly packed.
Next, cube up the softened butter. Dump it into the flour mixture and cut it in. I finally invested in a pastry cutter, basically to use it one time a year for this bread, but it’s worth it. If you don’t have one, use 2 knives and ultimately, get in there with your (clean) hands.
Pour in the buttermilk. With a rubber spatula, mix until mostly combined. It will get sticky and tough to work with. You’ll probably need to use your hands. I hate doing this, but take one for the team to get it done. There may be some dry flour patches - add a teaspoon of buttermilk as needed until it all comes together.
Add the lightly beaten egg to the dough. Mix until completely combined.
Fold in the raisins until evenly distributed. You can use more or less than this recipe calls for.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, moving the dough all the way to the edges. It will be annoying and not want to spread, but do the best you can.
Make an X from corner to corner on top of the dough. Place in the oven to bake. 45 minutes was enough for the bread to set and the edges browned. Cut into slices, add some butter (if you want) and serve! The bread will keep for up to 3 days if kept airtight. I kept in my glass dish, covered tightly with plastic wrap.
Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
Instructions
The absolute best gluten free Irish soda bread you'll ever have. It's light, pillowy, slightly sweet with a sprinkling of raisins and has a crunchy top that you're going to love. It's the perfect gluten free recipe to enjoy St. Patrick's Day!