Dubliner-Dill Skillet Irish Soda Bread

I’m about to reveal something pretty controversial, so hold on to your seat belts.

…I think raisins RUIN perfectly good soda bread.

It’s true. I like my crumbly, dense, delicious soda bread to be savory and buttery and definitely not filled with little sugar-bombs of wrinkly, dried grapes. Alas, every option I’ve seen at the grocery store thus far has been chock full of those little guys, so this year I decided to make my own. For good measure, I loaded it up with aged Irish cheese and a hefty hand of herbs. (Yes, it’s as tasty as it sounds.)

Guys, meet Dubliner-Dill Skillet Irish Soda Bread.

If you’ve never heard of Dubliner before, keep an eye out for it. It is an Irish cheese that is the flavor love-child of sharp cheddar cheese and buttery, nutty fresh parmesan. Especially as St. Patrick’s Day approaches, you should have no problem finding it at your local grocer, but if by some sad twist of fate you cannot, simply sub in cheddar and parm instead– or another cheese of your choice. It’s your soda bread and you can do what you want with it. Yea!

Instead of making one big loaf, I decided to split my Dubliner-Dill Skillet Irish Soda Bread into 12 pieces, so that they formed sections that could easily be pulled or cut out for serving. They’re almost like little Irish biscuits. I think they’d be perfect to serve alongside some corned beef, don’t you?

In fact, I think they’d be perfect to serve alongside pretty much any dinner. They’ve got that Red Lobster drop biscuit kind of appeal. I’d make these year-round, for sure.

The first best thing about Dubliner-Dill Skillet Irish Soda Bread is definitely the flavor, but a close second is the fact that they’re so easy to make. There’s no yeast to bother with, no letting the dough sit to rise, no bread machine necessary. All you have to do is mix everything together, divide it up, brush it with a buttermilk-butter mixture, and bake until it’s golden brown, and begging to be served warm with a pat (or brush, or both) of butter.

You can absolutely make these. Give them a go and don’t forget to tag #hostthetoast on Instagram or Twitter to show ’em off!

Dubliner-Dill Skillet Irish Soda Bread

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• Author: Morgan
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

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Description

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

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Ingredients

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk, divided
• 1 large egg
• 6 ounces dubliner cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped, plus more to garnish
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted, divided

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a cast iron skillet.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix in the softened butter.
3. Add in 1 cup of the buttermilk, and then add in the egg. Stir until the dough is shaggy and coming together.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough slightly. Work in the cheese and dill to the dough, folding it in with the kneads, until completely combined.
5. Divide the dough into 12 evenly-sized balls. Place the dough balls in the greased cast iron skillet.
6. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the melted butter with the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk. Brush the tops of the dough balls with the buttermilk mixture. Cut a small x into the top of each dough ball.
7. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 30-40 minutes. Brush with butter and top with additional dill, to serve.