Soda Bread with Guinness Stout is my modern update to a Traditional recipe for Irish Soda Bread. This one adds a slight twist by adding a little sugar, caraway seeds, and Guinness Stout to the normal 4 ingredients of flour, baking soda, buttermilk, and salt.
While I love traditional Irish Soda Bread, I also like adding my special signature to our traditional recipes and having a little fun. These bread recipes are so easy I normally don’t mind making a few of them for everyone to enjoy. Traditionalists can enjoy the traditional recipe or have a little fun if they desire, It’s all good.
Soda bread (Irish: arán sóide, Scots: fardel) is a variety of bread made with sodium bicarbonate aka baking soda, it is used as a leavening agent instead of the more common yeast. The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, bread soda, salt, and buttermilk. The buttermilk in the dough contains lactic acid, which reacts with the baking soda to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide.
Below you will find a simple and easy twist to the Traditional Soda Bread with Guinness Stout to enjoy with your family and friends.
Soda Bread with Guinness Stout
- Five and 1/4 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
- Two tablespoons of sugar
- Two tablespoons of caraway seeds
- One and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
- One and 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- Sixteen ounces of Buttermilk
- Two ounces Guinness Stout
- 1/2 cup flour-reserved, cutting board

Soda Bread with Guinness Stout
Ingredients
- 5¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds
- 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 16 ounces Buttermilk
- 2 ounces Guinness Stout
- 1/2 cup flour-reserved cutting board
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Before you start preparing the dough, 1st grease a Dutch oven and preheat it in a 425-degree oven for about 10 minutes
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, caraway seeds, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and slowly pour in the buttermilk, and Guinness stout, incorporating it into the dry ingredients with a heavy wooden spoon. You will want to do this a little at a time.
- Once all ingredients have been mixed together to form a sticky dough place it out on a floured cutting board and knead lightly. Only Knead a short time!
- Form the dough into a ball and flatten slightly into a disc shape. Place a sharp knife in flour, so the dough will not stick to it and make a cross on the top of your bread dough.
- Place the dough into the preheated Dutch oven and cover with the lid – bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and bake another 15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Other great Irish Recipes to try
- Irish Dublin Coddle, aka Dublin Dish, is a masterpiece of the Capitol of Ireland. It could well be considered comfort food to the people of Ireland, very inexpensive to make, as well as easy to prepare. Coddle is often eaten in the winter months.
- Dublin Lawyer is a wonderfully rich and flavorful Lobster recipe that our family considers amazingly decadent. Dublin Lawyer combines butter-sauteed lobster meat with Irish Whiskey and rich, heavy cream.
- Champ (brúitín in Irish) or Poundies by a few, is an Irish dish, made by combining mashed potatoes and chopped scallions or spring onions with butter and cream, salt and pepper. It is a simple and inexpensive recipe to make.
Use the Pin and Print Options to Save the Recipe for later!
19 Comments
Aimee
September 4, 2019 at 3:00 pmHi Heidy, I have a question. I believe you “forgot” to mention when you add the Guinness in the batter .Should it be right after the butermilk or when? Thanks.
hmccallum
September 5, 2019 at 7:02 amGood morning, Aimee, you add it with the buttermilk. I apologize if that was unclear in the recipe.
Have a great day,
Sarah's Attic of Treasures
March 14, 2017 at 5:26 amReblogged this on Sarah's Attic Of Treasures and commented:
I can’t wait to make this. We are getting a late start on my Irish meals. Happy St.Paddy’s Day
CC
March 8, 2016 at 12:14 amLooks fabulous, Heidy! Great with some Irish Stew on St. Patrick’s Day! Sharing on my FB page! 🙂
Heidy L. McCallum
March 8, 2016 at 11:32 amThank you, Christina, I really appreciate the share!
Thanks again
<3
Heidy
Salty Sweet Life
March 1, 2015 at 1:44 amWhat a beautiful loaf! I love your additions, too! I’ll bet the Guinness gave it a really lovely toasty flavor!
hmccallum
September 5, 2019 at 7:17 amThank you, yes it really does a great job to flavor the recipe.
joylovefood
February 27, 2015 at 7:29 amThis looks delicious! Guinness sounds like a great addition, pinning to try.
hmccallum
September 5, 2019 at 7:16 amThank you, the Guinness really adds such a wonderful flavor.
homemadefoodjunkie
February 26, 2015 at 10:53 pmI’m so in love with homemade bread. This Irish Soda Bread looks divine! I’m going to have to make some.
hmccallum
September 5, 2019 at 7:16 amThank you, so much! It’s so easy to make.
Jodee
February 26, 2015 at 9:57 pmThis bread looks beyond awesome! There’s nothing better than a good homemade bread…thanks for sharing!
hmccallum
September 5, 2019 at 7:15 amThank you, Jodee, I can’t wait until it cools down here in Florida to make it again!
KC Kahn the Kitchen Chopper
February 25, 2015 at 11:06 amI can smell your soda bread clear over here in SoCal. I’d love a piece right now! 🙂
hmccallum
September 5, 2019 at 7:14 amThank you, KC, so glad that you stopped by to share your thoughts.
Culinary Flavors
February 25, 2015 at 9:52 amYour soda bread looks stunning Heidy! Send me some please!
hmccallum
September 5, 2019 at 7:23 amHa Ha, next time I make it I will airmail it to you in Greece!
Nicky
February 25, 2015 at 1:03 amI like the additions you added here. I have been on a chocolate stout in breads and cupcakes kick. I would think that would be really good in this too mixed with the caraway.
hmccallum
September 5, 2019 at 7:23 amThank you, Nicky!