These Soda Bread Muffins are airy and light with crisp edges, the perfect muffin top and delicious Irish cheddar in every bite.
Soda Bread is a classic quick bread that we tend to enjoy around this time of year, specifically for St. Patrick’s Day. While I love the classic bread I thought it was time to give it an update and decided on muffins which have a lighter texture but all the flavor you already love (plus more!).
Last Updated on 01/10/2020
For this recipe you will need: Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, egg, buttermilk, butter and Irish cheddar.

soda bread muffins make SENSE
While I can’t argue that a traditional soda bread loaf is delicious, I do have to say that I favor mine in this muffin form! I can’t wait to enjoy them with my corned beef in just a couple of weeks.
I think I am a pretty fair judge of the Irish flavors if I do say so myself… after all, my families roots date back to Irish blood for decades. I even have the porcelain skin, freckles and auburn hair to prove it 🙂
Anyways, back to these scrumptious muffins! No kneading, half the cook time, shredded Irish cheddar, and individual portions are just a few of the reasons why they make more sense than the traditional soda bread.

Irish Soda Bread muffins faq
There are a few simple questions you might have before getting started so I wanted to address them quickly before we dive into the recipe.
do you serve irish soda bread warm?
Yes, yes, yes! When you make these muffins they are best served warm from the pan (let them cool for 5 minutes so you don’t burn yourself). The cheese is ooey and the edges of the muffin are crisp. Every bite takes your taste buds to another universe…Irish legend says if you close your eyes while enjoying one of these muffins you may just find yourself in the countryside with sheep running along side you…okay I made that up, but we can imagine right?!
*Side note, you can totally make them ahead of time. Wrap them in a towel and put in your microwave for 30 seconds before serving.
what do you eat soda bread with?
This my friends is totally up to your tastes but I have a few of my favorite suggestions for you below:
- Corned Beef – a must have for us on St. Patrick’s Day! Slice it thin and you can make little beef-muffin sandwiches.
- Slice up some of your leftover cheddar and put on your warm muffin with a spread of butter for a delicious treat.
- Sauteed cabbage – ooooh trust me, the butter from your cabbage will soak into these muffins perfectly.
- Along side a big bowl of Guinness Stew.
how long does soda bread last?
These muffins do well if packed in a sealed container for up to 1 week. They will get a little denser as they sit so keep that in mind and be sure to give them a quick heat before eating to get that just baked flavor.
You can easily freeze them so you have them for later as well, just be sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then place within a container to keep them fresh.

You May Need…
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To ensure my muffins came out uniform in size I used my cookie scoop, it also really helped since it is such a thick and sticky batter. You can get them in a variety of sizes and they are great for making muffins, cookies, scooping ice cream and more!
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soda bread muffin recipe
Soda Bread Muffins with Cheddar

A delicious muffin version of traditional Irish Soda Bread made better with cheese!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 2 tbsp Sugar granulated
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 cup Butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 1 cup Irish Cheddar shredded
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 F and grease a muffin tin, set aside.
Notes
If you don’t have buttermilk don’t worry!! Simply use 1 cup regular milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Add the lemon juice to the milk and allow to sit for 5 minutes before stirring. Then use as you would the buttermilk.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12 muffinsServing Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 170Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g
*Please note that nutritional values are not always 100% accurate and are to be used as a guide.
you may also like…
- Chicken n Dumpling Stew
- Kale Soup with Sweet Potatoes
- Irish Stew Recipe – Taste of Home
- Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Muffins
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Linda G.
Saturday 20th of February 2021
Do you think I could exchange the cheddar for a cup of dried cranberries?
Oliv Blogger
Monday 22nd of February 2021
Hi Linda! You could for sure add cranberries instead of the cheese - the only thing to watch is the dryness of your batter as the cranberries (if dried and not like the craisins which are a little more wet) will need to soak some of that up to get plump while baking! You may need an additional 1/4 of milk. Let me know how they turn out!!
Vanessa
Monday 23rd of March 2020
Thanks of sharing! Do they keep long?
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Wednesday 26th of February 2020
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April
Thursday 21st of February 2019
Super delicious muffins that are so light! Perfect dish for this weekend - thank you so much for sharing! :-)
oliveblogger
Friday 22nd of February 2019
<3 glad you enjoy them!! Happy weekend!