Breads & Doughs

5-Minute Authentic Irish Brown Bread

4.62 from 47 votes
My 5-Minute Authentic Irish Brown Bread recipe is both fast and gives you the perfect hearty and dense bread!
Irish Brown Bread sliced and sitting next to a bowl of soup.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

My 5-Minute Authentic Irish Brown Bread recipe gives you the ultimate rustic Irish quick bread! Made in minutes and jam-packed with flavor and texture, this loaf combines mixed seeds, wheat bran, and wheat germ.

This classic quick bread is hearty, dense, and chewy in all the right ways. Delicious when dipped into soup, fabulous when made into grilled cheese sandwiches, it’s so versatile!

Irish brown bread recipe, cut to show texture.

How Is Irish Brown Bread Different Than Irish Soda Bread?

Irish Soda Bread is defined by the use of baking soda to leaven it. While this lovely brown bread is similar in that it is a “quick bread” it is made with milk and baking powder as opposed to buttermilk and baking soda.

If you’re looking for an Irish Brown Soda Bread recipe that’ll knock your socks off, please try the traditional recipe that was passed down to me by my mum. Its savory, wheat flavor is a must-have for St. Patrick’s Day.

The result is a super hearty stick-to-your-ribs loaf of bread that can be made in no time at all.

Is Irish Brown Bread Healthy?

This bread is filled with flavor, but also added fiber and healthy fat thanks to the mixed nuts, seed, wheat bran, and wheat germ, which makes this both a wheat germ bread and a wheat bran bread. All of these ingredients are great for your digestive health and keep you feeling full and satisfied, curbing those naughty snack attacks.

5-Minute Authentic Irish Brown Bread recipe is almost like a meal in itself, it really fills you up. I love it toasted up, slathered with butter, and a cup of hot Irish tea.

What You’ll Need To Make Irish Brown Bread

How To Make Irish Brown Bread

This great recipe is not only tasty but only involves a few quick steps (and don’t forget the full written recipe, with measurements, down below).

  1. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Add treacle and milk into a bowl, and whisk until the mixture is sloppy.
  3. Pour in an oiled loaf pan.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake for 20 minutes.
  5. Run a knife around the tin. If it doesn’t sound hollow when tapped, back for another 10 to 15 minutes.
  6. Cool the bread on the wire rack.

What Kind Of Seeds Do I Use?

You can use any mix of nuts or seeds you have on hand. I used a mix of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia, and sesame seeds, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.

The goal with the seeds is to add some extra texture, toasty flavor, and nutrition. From additional protein to healthy fat, the seeds are about more than just flavor and crunch, they make this a really well-rounded snack.

How To Store Irish Brown Bread

Since this bread is so hearty, it can keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep it fresh I cover it nice and tight with cling wrap. It can also be frozen for up to 4 weeks. To use from frozen just thaw at room temperature, toast, and enjoy!

A top-down view of this Irish quick bread recipe.

Tips and Tricks to Making Irish Brown Bread

  • Use a mix of white and wheat flour for a slightly lighter bread
  • Add dried raisins or fruit to the topping for a sweeter bread
  • Pre-slice and freeze the brown bread
  • To thaw the brown bread, just allow it to sit at room temperature until soft

Try These Irish Recipes!

Don’t miss even more of my Irish recipes.

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!

Full (and printable) recipe below!

5-Minute Authentic Irish Brown Bread Recipe

4.62 from 47 votes
My 5-Minute Authentic Irish Brown Bread recipe is both fast and gives you the perfect hearty and dense bread!
Servings: 8 people
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
My 5-Minute Authentic Irish Brown Bread recipe is both fast and gives you the perfect hearty and dense bread!
Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (10oz/284g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz/216g) whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup (3oz/85g) mixed seeds (sunflower, sesame, linseed, pumpkin)
  • 3 tablespoons bran
  • 2 tablespoons wheat germ
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon molasses (treacle or honey)
  • 3 1/3 cups (27floz/750ml) milk

Instructions

  • Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
  • Add the treacle and stir in enough of the milk to give a wet, almost sloppy mixture.
  • Pour into a well oiled large loaf tin and bake in an oven preheated 400°F (200°C) for 20 mins until risen.
  • Reduce the heat to 325°F (170°C) and bake for a further hour.
  • Run a knife around the tin and ease the bread out. If it sounds hollow when tapped at the bottom it is cooked, if not, return it to the oven for 10-15 mins. 
  • Cool the bread on a cooling rack. Enjoy fresh with butter. Store covered at room temperature for 3-4 days. 

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Facts
5-Minute Authentic Irish Brown Bread Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 220 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 250mg11%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 7g14%
Calcium 90mg9%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Shorty
Shorty
4 years ago

YUM!!

My son has a culture project die next week & making this was incredibly easy & fun ( we have an Irish background as well). I had added a picture of the outcome..hope it showed up ????

M.D. Donnatien
M.D. Donnatien
4 years ago

Hi Gemma!

If I replace the nuts with flour, will this come out ok?

Thanks~ Michelle

Robin
Robin
4 years ago

Thanks Gemma…my husband and I visited Ireland a few years ago and fell in love with the brown bread, ate it every day! I am now going to make it for St Patrick’s day. My Husband is of Irish decent.

Vidya Chinoy
Vidya Chinoy
2 years ago

What can I add instead of wheatgerm and bran? Can I just add whole wheat flour as a substitute?

Upma Dhingra
Upma Dhingra
3 years ago

Even after taking out of the oven and checking for the hollow sound it can be put back in for further baking?

Lynda
Lynda
3 years ago

I love all your recipes but found the instructions for this one lacking in detail. I was unsure as to the consistency needed when adding milk and ended up with what I now think was too runny a batter. Would like to try again but I will try using less liquid

Gurdish Kaur
Gurdish Kaur
4 years ago

Sorry but I need to add that I have just cut thr bread and the middle does not have the bread texture and still looks unbaked eventhough there’s a hollow sound after tapping it. I have put back the bread in the oven to further bake it until the middle looks baked. Will update you soon.

Mita
Mita
4 years ago

I thought it was way too much milk for the dough
Didn’t have a video to see how you do it. I didn’t know that I should use only 3/4th milk to start with (I read that in a comment just now). It became a pouring consistency batter. Baked it for an hour and 40 minutes, the skewer came out almost clean but when I sliced the bread, the inside seems soft, like banana bread, not that soft but it’s certainly not a bready texture. I make bread at home every week, so I know something seems off.

Melanie
Melanie
4 years ago

Sadly this one didn’t work for me, it looked part though. I only added 600ml of the milk as it was getting very sloppy but even after 1 hour 40 minutes it was still wet in the middle even though it sounded hollow when tapped. I did still have a little taste though with home made butter and flavour was delicious. Any suggestions welcomed as I refuse to be defeated 🙂

Helen
Helen
1 year ago

I would love to make this for my vegan Irish friend. Do you think I could substitute almond milk?

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About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

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