Irish Soda Bread with Apricots and Orange Zest

This Irish soda bread is crusty on the outside and tender on the inside, with sweet dried apricots and orange zest for a sunny twist on the classic! It’s an easy quick bread made without yeast, and it comes together in minutes with just a few simple ingredients like buttermilk, flour, and baking soda. Whether you’re making it for St. Patrick’s Day or for weekend brunch, this homemade soda bread is guaranteed to impress!

It doesn’t get much better than a fresh baked loaf of homemade bread, especially when it’s incredibly easy to make at home.

My rosemary focaccia bread comes together in one hour, and while it’s super simple to whip up, sometimes I just don’t want to deal with yeast.

This Apricot Orange Irish Soda Bread is crusty on the outside, tender in the middle, and there’s no yeast necessary.

Irish soda bread is an easy quick bread recipe that anyone can master. Traditionally, it’s made with just flour, buttermilk, salt, and baking soda (hence the name “soda bread”).

This recipe is very similar to my Irish brown bread recipe except that it is not made completely with whole grain flour, and it is mildly sweet and fruity with the addition of sweet, dried apricots and orange zest.

Enjoy this orange-infused Irish soda bread with butter and orange marmalade for breakfast, or dunk it into a bowl of soup or stew. It’s especially perfect for St. Patrick’s Day and pairs nicely with dishes like corned beef and cabbage.

You can’t go wrong no matter how you serve it, because homemade bread is always a winner, isn’t it?

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This fruity Irish soda bread is rustic, crusty and studded with chunks of sweet dried apricots and the bright flavor of orange zest.
• It’s a quick and easy recipe that takes just 20 minutes of hands-on prep work and there’s no yeast required!
• It’s perfect alongside St. Patty’s Day dishes like corned beef and cabbage, but is equally delicious served with soups and stews all winter long.

Recipe ingredients

This is a super simple recipe that calls for ingredients you likely have on hand. It’s also easy to customize, and I’ve shared acceptable ingredient substitutes below.

• Flour. I like to use a blend of all-purpose flour and white whole wheat flour to create a hearty but light texture, but you may use just all-purpose flour if desired.
• Granulated sugar. Just a few tablespoons adds subtle sweetness.
• Baking soda. Reacts with the acidic buttermilk to create carbon dioxide bubbles in the dough to make the bread rise.
• Salt. 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt enhances the flavors of the bread.
• Unsalted butter. Keep the butter in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Cold butter makes for a less sticky dough. If you are using salted butter, omit the added salt.
• Buttermilk. Use cold buttermilk, either regular or low-fat. No buttermilk? Place 1 3/4 cups of your favorite dairy or non-dairy milk in a measuring cup and stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice or vinegar. Let stand for 10 minutes until soured for homemade buttermilk!
• Egg. Provides structure and makes for a slightly denser loaf.
• Dried apricots. May be substituted with raisins, golden raisins, or currants, or omit the fruit entirely if desired.
• Orange zest. One large orange or two small oranges should yield 2 tablespoons of zest.

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to make Irish soda bread without raisins

There’s no yeast in this recipe, so the bread dough can go straight from the mixing bowl to the oven. No proofing, no kneading, and minimal shaping required!

Pro tip: If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand, combine 1 3/4 cups of milk (dairy or non-dairy) with 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let sit for 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

1. Combine the dry ingredients. Add the flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
2. Add the butter. Cube the cold butter before adding it to the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. I suggest mixing together the egg, buttermilk, and orange zest in a measuring cup before pouring into the dry ingredients. Toss the apricots with a bit flour then mix them into the dough. Be sure to mix the dough just until incorporated as overworking the dough will result in tough bread.
4. Shape the loaf. Turn the (very wet) dough onto a floured surface and form into a round loaf.
5. Score the loaf. Cut an “X” in the center using a serrated knife, then place in a lightly greased cast iron skillet or on a parchment lined baking sheet.
6. Bake. You’ll know the orange zest Irish soda bread is done baking when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Recipe FAQs

Serving suggestions

Pair slices of this moist Irish soda bread with your favorite St. Patrick’s day dishes for a full Irish-inspired feast. It’s also great with soups, chilis, and stews.

• Keep your meal traditional by serving it with corned beef and cabbage.
• Dunk into a steaming bowl of Guinness chili or Guinness beef stew.
• Serve alongside soups like pumpkin apple soup or lemony chicken vegetable soup.
• Slather your slice with butter and / or apricot jam.

Recipe notes

• Irish soda bread is intended to be slightly dense and moist on the inside, with a firm crust on the outside.
• Be sure that the butter and buttermilk are cold, as this ensures that the texture of the bread will be nice and light.
• I make my Irish soda bread without raisins, but you’re welcome to replace the dried apricots with them if desired.
• Use a microplane zester to zest the orange, and be sure to use only the orange-colored skin and not the bitter white pith underneath.

More no-yeast bread recipes you’ll love

• Honey cornbread muffins
• Skillet cornbread
• Sweet potato biscuits
• Maple beer bread

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

Irish Soda Bread with Apricots and Orange Zest

Servings: 12 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Additional Time: 0 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Irish soda bread with apricots and orange zest is crusty on the outside, and moist and tangy on the inside. It's studded with chopped apricots and orange zest for a sunny twist on the classic recipe, and there's no yeast necessary!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

3

reviews
Leave a Review »

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon to toss with the dried apricots
• 2 cups whole wheat white flour or sub with more all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2" dice; see note 2
• 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk shaken; see note 1
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease a cast iron skillet.
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use your handheld electric mixer. Mix the dry ingredients on low speed.
  2 cups all purpose flour, 2 cups whole wheat white flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Add the cold butter cubes and mix on low speed until the butter is completely mixed into the dry ingredients. Use your fingers if necessary to work any large chunks of butter into the flour.
  4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• Using a fork, beat the egg, buttermilk, and zest in a measuring cup. Turn the mixer on low speed, and slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be sure not to over mix as overworking the dough develops gluten and makes the bread tough.
  1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons orange zest
• Toss the dried apricots with the reserved tablespoon of flour (this will keep the apricots from sinking), then mix into the dough on low speed just until combined. The dough will be VERY wet!
  1 cup chopped dried apricots
• Pour the dough out onto a well floured surface and sprinkle with flour. Flour your hands, and knead a few times just until it's in the shape of a round loaf. Place on the prepared baking sheet or skillet.
• Using a serrated knife, score the bread by cutting an "X" into the center, about 1/2 – 3/4" deep. This ensures that the bread bakes evenly and that steam can escape.
• Bake 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!

Notes

1. Pro tip: If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand, combine 1 3/4 cups of milk (dairy or non-dairy) with 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let sit for 10 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
2. If using salted butter, omit the added salt from the dry ingredients.
3. This bread is delicious with butter or orange marmalade for breakfast, or as a side dish with your corned beef and cabbage!
4. Store cooled Irish soda bread wrapped in clean kitchen towel in an air tight container for up to 2 days. Do not refrigerate as the crust will become soggy. 
5. Freeze soda bread wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, followed by foil. Store in a zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 231kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 459mg, Potassium: 229mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 550IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Breads

Cuisine: Irish

Author: Marcie

All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

Sharing is caring!