Irish Soda Bread Muffins (Printable Version)

Tender muffins with oats and raisins inspired by traditional Irish soda bread.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, plus extra for topping
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Fruit

07 - 3/4 cup raisins

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - Stir in raisins until evenly distributed throughout the dry mixture.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and melted butter until well combined.
05 - Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined; avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle a few extra oats on top for garnish.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together faster than you'd think, ready to bake in barely fifteen minutes of actual work.
  • The texture walks that perfect line between muffin and quick bread, tender enough to tear but substantial enough to fill you up.
  • Unlike traditional soda bread, these won't sit in your pantry untouched because they stay moist and approachable for days.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the silent killer here—I learned this the hard way when my first batch came out tough and gummy despite perfect ingredients, and it was because I stirred it like I was making cookie dough instead of treating it gently like a quick bread.
  • Buttermilk temperature matters because cold buttermilk mixed with warm melted butter can cause the batter to break and separate, creating an oil slick on top during baking.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and create better texture—pull your egg and buttermilk out of the fridge fifteen minutes before you start if you have the time.
  • The oat topping should go on immediately after you fill the cups because the batter dries slightly as it sits, and oats won't stick as well to a surface that's already begun to set.
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