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Mary Berry Soda Bread Recipe

This Mary Berry Soda Bread recipe is a quick and easy way to enjoy homemade bread without any yeast or long rising time. Made with simple ingredients like flour, baking soda, salt, butter, and buttermilk, it comes together in under an hour. The crust bakes up beautifully golden, while the inside stays soft and flavorful. It’s perfect with butter, jam, soup, or cheese. Whether you’re new to baking or just want something fast and wholesome, this soda bread delivers every time. I made it myself and loved how simple and delicious it turned out—it’s truly a recipe worth trying.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Side Dish / Snack
Cuisine: Irish / British
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 450  g about 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1  tsp baking soda
  • 1  tsp salt
  • 55  g 4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced
  • 300  ml buttermilk or milk soured with 1 Tbsp lemon juice/vinegar.

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Pastry cutter or fingertips
  • Sharp knife or bread lame
  • Baking tray (lined or lightly floured)
  • Wire rack for cooling

Method
 

Mix dry ingredients:
  1. Sift or whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Incorporate butter:
  1. Rub in the cold butter with fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Add buttermilk:
  1. Make a well in the centre, pour in most of the buttermilk, and stir gently with a round-blade knife until a shaggy dough forms. Add more liquid only if it’s too dry.
Shape the dough:
  1. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead very lightly—only a few turns. Shape into an 18–20 cm round.
Score the top:
  1. Place dough on the prepared tray. Use a floured sharp knife to cut a deep cross on top—this helps even baking and gives it charm.
Bake:
  1. Preheat oven to 425 °F (220 °C; 375 °F fan). Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden, then tap the base—it should sound hollow.
Cool:
  1. Let the loaf rest on a wire rack. Slice while warm or at room temp.

Notes

Loaf is best eaten the day it’s baked, when crust and crumb are at their best. It lasts 2–3 days toasted and freezes well up to 3 months—toast directly from frozen.