Description
These Skillet Irish Soda Bread Minis are a delightful twist on traditional Irish soda bread, baked in a cast iron skillet for a crisp crust and soft center. Infused with fragrant fennel and caraway seeds and enriched with creamy buttermilk, these mini breads are perfect for snacking or serving alongside meals. They are quick to prepare, require no yeast, and are brushed with melted butter for extra flavor and moisture.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons crushed fennel and caraway seeds
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons butter (divided: 1 tablespoon for skillet, 2 tablespoons for brushing)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Skillet. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet thoroughly with 1 tablespoon of butter to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and crushed fennel and caraway seeds. Stir these dry ingredients together to distribute evenly.
- Add Buttermilk and Form Dough. Make a shallow well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk. Use a wooden spoon to stir, incorporating the flour gradually into the buttermilk. If the dough feels too dry, add additional buttermilk one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overwork the dough to keep the bread tender.
- Knead and Shape the Dough. Turn the dough onto a clean counter surface. It will be somewhat sticky and uneven. Wet your hands to prevent sticking and quickly knead the dough into a flattened disk. Divide the dough evenly into 5 or 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.
- Arrange Dough in Skillet. Place the dough balls into the buttered cast iron skillet, spacing them slightly apart to allow for expansion but without overcrowding.
- Bake Partially and Brush with Butter. Bake the skillet bread minis for 15 minutes until the tops start to brown. While baking, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pot. After 15 minutes, remove the skillet from the oven and brush each roll generously with the melted butter to add richness and aid browning.
- Finish Baking. Return the skillet to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until the minis are golden brown with browned peaks and a crisp crust.
- Cool and Serve. Remove from the oven and let the bread minis rest until they are cool enough to handle but still warm. Split them open and spread with more butter. Enjoy the fresh baked aroma and delicious taste of your Irish soda bread minis.
Notes
- Use cold buttermilk straight from the fridge to avoid over-activating the baking soda prematurely.
- Do not over-knead the dough; overworking soda bread can result in tough texture.
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, a heavy oven-safe pan will work but cast iron helps create a better crust.
- Crushed fennel and caraway seeds add traditional Irish flavor, but you can omit or substitute as desired.
- Brush with butter immediately after baking to keep the crust soft and add flavor.
- For extra chewiness, allow dough balls to rest for 10 minutes before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bread mini (about 70g)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
