Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread

4.95

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This Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread is a delicious version of the traditional Irish bread. The brown sugar gives this bread a delicious caramel flavor. Serve it with softened butter.

Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread

I’m going to be completely honest and say that St. Patrick’s Day is one of those holidays that I don’t celebrate. I never have. I don’t drink green beer, I don’t eat Irish food, I don’t pinch people (please don’t touch me ever lol) and I always forget to wear green. But I do love bread. And I love Irish soda bread, along with homemade irish cream.

What Is Irish Soda Bread?

Irish soda bread has the most humblest of beginnings. It was made during time when it was difficult to access high-quality ingredients. It was simple: low-protein flour, “soda” aka baking soda (for leavening), soured milk and…umm…that’s it!

This is what I like to call reworked Irish soda bread. It has a bit of cold grated butter, some rolled oats for texture. And instead of raisins, I added chocolate chips because I love myself.

This loaf was a hot mess the first go around because I was silly enough to forget the baking soda. Like, I had a literal blank moment where I thought I added it but when it didn’t rise or brown or anything after 45 minutes of baking, I knew something was majorly wrong.

I made it again and made sure to add the baking soda first. Problem solved.

I added a bit of honey butter onto a warm slice and it tasted like heaven.

Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread

How to Make Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread

  1. Mix the dry ingredients together. There’s all-purpose, dark brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
  2. Grate the cold butter. And then mix it into the flour mixture. As a result, the butter is going to give this soda bread a nice flaky quality and texture.
  3. Add the rolled oats and chocolate chips.
  4. Pour in the buttermilk. I love using buttermilk because it gives a nice tang.
  5. Form the dough into a ball.
  6. Score the top.
  7. And then bake the Irish Soda bread. 

Mix up some honey butter and serve it alongside the slightly cooled Irish Soda Bread.

4.95 from 18 votes

Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 8
This Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread has been modernized to taste delicious. The chocolate chips give it a nice, indulgent quality.

Ingredients 

Irish Soda Bread:

  • 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, shaken
  • 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash (optional)

Salted Honey Butter:

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons honey

Instructions 

To Make the Soda Bread:

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment; set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Using a box grater, grate the butter into the dry ingredients and mix quickly, being sure the butter is broken up into pea-sized bits. Next, add the rolled oats and chocolate chips; toss them gently in the flour mixture so they are evenly distributed.
  • Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Using a wooden spoon, mix it together until it forms a shaggy ball. Drop the soda bread dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead a few times, being sure to not over handle it, which will result in tough bread. Form the soda bread into a 1 1/2-inch thick disc. Using a knife, score the top, forming an X, and brush it with the egg wash OR you could always use buttermilk.
  • Transfer the soda bread to the baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, and until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm with plenty of honey butter.

To Make the Honey Butter:

  • Mix together the butter, salt and honey. Mix until smooth. Serve alongside soda bread.

Notes

To Make Ahead: 
You can make this irish bread dough, form it into a round and then freeze it on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Transfer to a freezer-safe plastic bag and then bake from the freezer. You might need to add about 5 to 7 minutes to the baking time. 
Equipment: 
Box Cheese Grater | Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls | Pairing Knife | Silicon Spatula | Baking Sheets

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 414mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 495IU | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine: American, Irish
Like this Recipe? Please Rate & comment below!

If you make this Chocolate Irish Soda Bread, let me know on Instagram! 

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Hi! I'm Adrianna and this is my cozy space on the internet that is super-charged by butter, flour and copious amounts of pasta. Stay awhile, will you!

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15 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    The basic recipe itself is fine, but the stated oven temperature of 425F was way too high for my oven. I had to pull it out 15 minutes early and it was already almost burnt. I’m going to try again with a reduced temperature. For anyone else with an older GE oven, beware that your 425F may be too powerful and drop this down a notch to 375 or 400!

  2. 5 stars
    This is delicious!
    I made it just as the recipe shows (don’t understand why some people talked about raisins) but added 1/2 cup Heaths Toffee Bits also.
    A definite do again!

  3. Adrianna, I am a baking novice, senior citizen. Please advise with regard to Chocolate Chip Irish Soda Bread recipe. Does it call for 3.25 cups of flour or three .25 cups (3/4)

    Thanks, Kevin