Enjoy the warm, comforting aroma of freshly baked bread with these Irish Soda Bread Rolls. Experience the crisp golden crust, the tender crumb, and the rich, savory flavor from tangy Irish cheese. Skip the wait for yeast to rise and bring these rolls together in minutes. Serve them alongside a hearty Guinness Beef stew, Dublin Coddle, or enjoy them as a snack with butter. Savor a simple yet satisfying taste of Ireland with every bite!
Serve these quick and easy rolls with heart recipes like my Cabbage Roll Casserole or even my Dutch Oven Ribs. If you have more time and are looking for yeasted bread rolls, I recommend trying my Snowflake Dinner Rolls, Soft Onion Rolls, or Einkorn Dinner Rolls recipes.
Ingredients
Find below the list of ingredients used in these Irish Soda Bread Rolls.
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Buttermilk
- Dubliner Cheese (scroll down to see substitutions)
See recipe card for quantities.
Making the Dough
Start by preheating your oven to 400F and line a baking tray with parchment.
- Combine in a large bowl, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the ingredients until well combined.
- Add the grated cheese to the dry ingredients and fold it in to incorporate.
- Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Pour all of the buttermilk in the well of the dry ingredients. Gently start stirring the dough, making sure it is still very shaggy, without over mixing.
Shaping the Rolls
- Transfer the shaggy dough to a clean kitchen counter or surface. Use a bench scraper and/or your hands to press and fold the dough (knead) until it comes together.
- Shape the dough into a large flat circle. Cut the disk into 6 even pieces.
- Take each piece of dough and use your hand to shape them into a tight roll.
- Transfer the Irish Soda Bread Rolls to the prepared baking tray. Use a sharp bread knife score a ¼ inch deep cross on top of each roll.
Bake the Soda Bread Rolls in the preheated oven for an initial 15 minutes. Turn the pan around and bake for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. If you tap the bottom of a roll and it sounds hollow, they are ready. Let them cool for 10 minutes on the tray or on a cooling rack before serving.
Substitution and Variation
- Buttermilk - Make a quick buttermilk substitute in just minutes with two simple ingredients! Mix 1 cup of milk (whole or low-fat) with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it curdles slightly. Use immediately in your recipe as a perfect replacement for buttermilk. For a dairy-free option, swap the milk for unsweetened almond or soy milk and follow the same process.
- Cheese - Use an Irish cheese like the Dubliner by Kerrygold (external link). Substitute that cheese with a sharp cheddar cheese or Gouda cheese for similar flavor.
- Sweet Variation - Replace the cheese with ¾ cup of dried currants and add 2 tablespoon of granulated sugar to the dough, before adding the buttermilk.
Storage
Store your Irish Soda Bread Rolls in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in a clean kitchen towel. Keep them at room temperature for up to two days to maintain freshness. Freeze the rolls in a sealed freezer bag or airtight container for up to three months if storing longer. Reheat them in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5–10 minutes or toast them for a quick refresh. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry out the bread faster.
Recipe
Irish Soda Bread Rolls
Ingredients
- 3½ cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Grated Cheese see notes
- 1¾ cup Buttermilk
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 400F and line a baking tray with parchment.
- Combine in a large bowl, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the ingredients until well combined.3½ cups All Purpose Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Baking Powder , ¾ teaspoon Salt
- Add the grated cheese to the dry ingredients and fold it in to incorporate.1 cup Grated Cheese
- Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Pour all of the buttermilk in the well of the dry ingredients. Gently start stirring the dough, making sure it is still very shaggy, without over mixing.1¾ cup Buttermilk
- Transfer the shaggy dough to a clean kitchen counter or surface. Use a bench scraper and/or your hands to press and fold the dough (knead) until it comes together.
- Shape the dough into a large flat circle. Cut the disk into 6 even pieces.
- Take each piece of dough and use your hand to shape them into a tight roll.
- Transfer the rolls to the prepared baking tray. Use a sharp bread knife score a ¼ inch deep cross on top of each roll.
- Bake in the preheated oven for an initial 15 minutes. Turn the pan around and bake for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. If you tap the bottom of a roll and it sounds hollow, they are ready. Let them cool for 10 minutes on the tray or on a cooling rack before serving.
Video
Notes
- For this recipe I used an Irish cheese called Dubliner by the brand Kerrygold. You can substitute this cheese with grated Sharp Cheddar or Gouda Cheese.
- Make a quick buttermilk substitute in just minutes with two simple ingredients! Mix 1 cup of milk (whole or low-fat) with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it curdles slightly. Use immediately in your recipe as a perfect replacement for buttermilk. For a dairy-free option, swap the milk for unsweetened almond or soy milk and follow the same process.
- Replace the cheese with ¾ cup of dried currants and add 2 tablespoon of granulated sugar to the dough, before adding the buttermilk.
