Irish Soda Bread Muffins (Printer View)

Tender muffins with sweet raisins and oats, inspired by classic Irish soda bread.

# What you'll need:

→ 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

# Method:

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; do not overmix.
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 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're ready in under 40 minutes, which means you can wake up craving warm muffins and actually have them before your coffee gets cold.
  • The buttermilk gives them a tender, almost pillowy crumb that feels indulgent but tastes honest and wholesome.
  • Unlike dense soda bread, these are light enough to eat two or three without feeling weighed down, yet hearty enough to actually keep you full.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the enemy here more than anywhere else—when you see that last streak of flour disappear, stop immediately even if it feels like you're not mixing enough, because the batter will continue to blend as you fill the tins.
  • Room temperature buttermilk makes a real difference; cold buttermilk can shock the batter and give you uneven texture, so pull it out of the fridge 10 minutes before you start.
  • If you don't have buttermilk, make a quick substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into 1 1/4 cups of regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes until it curdles slightly.
03 -
  • Let your muffins cool completely before storing them; putting warm muffins in a container traps steam and makes them soggy by morning.
  • If your muffins sink in the middle, your oven might be running cool or you might be opening the door too early during baking—resist the urge to peek until the last few minutes.
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