Irish Brown Bread

Name: Irish Brown Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 300g coarse wholemeal flour; 100g plain white flour; 1 tsp bread soda (bicarbonate of soda); 1 tsp salt; 1 tbsp treacle or molasses; 400ml buttermilk; 1 egg, beaten; 30g butter, melted; 2 tbsp porridge oats for topping

Arán Donn (ah-RAWN DUNN)

Irish Wholemeal Bread

⏱ Prep Time 10 min

📈 Difficulty Easy

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 196 kcal

A nutty, wholesome loaf made from stone-ground wholemeal flour, buttermilk, and treacle — no yeast, no kneading, ready in under an hour.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 6.0g

Carbs 34.0g

Fat 4.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

vegetarian nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ gluten ⚠ dairy

Equipment Needed

mixing bowl loaf tin or baking sheet wooden spoon

Presentation Guide

Vessel: wooden board

Garnishes: butter, oat topping

Accompaniments: smoked salmon, soup

Ingredients

300g coarse wholemeal flour
100g plain white flour
1 tsp bread soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp treacle or molasses
400ml buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
30g butter, melted
2 tbsp porridge oats for topping

Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Grease a 900g loaf tin.
2
Mix both flours, bread soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3
Whisk buttermilk, treacle, egg, and melted butter together.
4
Pour wet into dry and stir quickly until just combined. Do not overmix.
5
Pour into tin, scatter oats on top, and bake 40-45 min until the base sounds hollow when tapped.
6
Cool on a wire rack. Slice thickly and serve with butter.

💡

Did You Know?

Irish brown bread relies on buttermilk reacting with bread soda, which means the dough must go into the oven immediately — delay and the rise is lost.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

mixing bowl
loaf tin or baking sheet
wooden spoon

Garnishing

butter, oat topping

Accompaniments

smoked salmon, soup

The Story Behind Irish Brown Bread

When commercial baking soda became available in the 1840s, it revolutionized Irish home baking. Brown bread became a daily staple because it required no yeast proofing and used the affordable wholemeal flour milled from local wheat and oats.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed any meal 📜 Origins: 19th century

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