When March rolls around, my mom makes a few loaves of Irish Soda Bread: One for the family, two or three for the neighbors and friends.
Last year, I finally learned her recipe. I made this Irish Soda Bread French Toast with it, but I never posted it because we ate it all too fast.
This year, I knew what I wanted to share once the Irish Soda Bread was in the oven.
How To Make Irish Soda Break French Toast?
Are you ready for the best way to make Irish Soda Bread?
Once you’ve made your Irish Soda Bread, you start by slicing the loaf with a sharp knife into 2-inch slices.
Next, you’ll want to make sure that you’re grabbing a large bowl and mixing together your milk and egg mixture (a few large eggs and milk usually do the trick!) You don’t need a stand mixer to do this, just a fork will do just fine!
Once you have your mixture in place, you’ll want to heat a large skillet over medium heat and dip your slices of Irish soda bread into your large mixing bowl. This will coat the slices in your mixture. Then you can add them to your skillet and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
Should you add Raisins to Irish Soda Bread?
My answer to this might be surprising to some people, but yes! I think raisins belong in Irish Soda Bread.
Some people might think that this isn’t a traditional recipe as it has raisins and lacks caraway seeds. That’s fine. You can omit the raisins and add those caraway seeds if you’d like!
If you’re a raisin fan like I am, you can absolutely swap golden raisins in, if you’re feeling fancy.
What to eat with Irish Soda Bread French Toast?
Breakfast casseroles would be a good place to start! If you’re looking for one you can click over to this Sausage Egg Skillet.
You might also enjoy a quick bread recipe (maybe this Banana Bread) or this Fruit and Oatmeal Smoothie to make sure you’re using up some fresh fruit!
If you’re feeling very Irish, don’t forget your green beer!
What Should I Put on Top of French Toast?
French toast is perfect for a variety of toppings. Most notably, fresh whipped cream, and maple syrup. Have you ever heard of whiskey syrup? You might want to make sure you’re putting that on your french toast, along with some Irish whiskey in your coffee!
This may be a wild idea, but what about adding some caramel sauce to the top?
Whatever you do, don’t you dare forget the fresh berries!
French Toast is my favorite breakfast food and this traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe is my favorite St. Patrick’s day treat.
So naturally, I paired them together. I like to think that I can bring cultures together in one single meal. After all, isn’t that what food is partly about? Togetherness?
And what better way to bring people together than to share breakfast on Saint Patrick’s Day?
Didn’t the act of cooking completely civilize the Human Race? When we began to cook, we also started to sit down together and eat our meals.
It taught us manners and it taught us about family and how to be together. (Yes, I’ve been reading Michael Pollan’s latest book: Cooked.)
Food connects us and I’d like to start using it as a catalyst for conversation.
Irish Soda Bread French Toast
You can use any type of bread with this recipe but I promise that Irish Soda Bread is fabulous! Top with whatever toppings you'd like and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Irish Soda Bread
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Slice the Irish Soda Bread loaf into thick or thin slices, depending on your preference. Set aside.
- Heat a griddle on low-medium and lightly grease with butter.
- If you don't have a griddle, you may use a large skillet.
- Crack the eggs and whisk together to break the yolks.
- While whisking, add the milk, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Dip both sides of the Irish Soda Bread slices into the milk, egg and spice mixture.
- Transfer dipped bread onto top of the greased griddle or skillet.
- Keep on for 3-5 minutes and then flip the slice onto the other side.
- The top should be golden brown. If it is not, you may want to flip the slice back over until that side is fully cooked.
- Repeat for each slice.
- Once done, serve with powdered sugar, raisins, fruit and maple syrup.
Notes
For toppings I used powdered sugar, maple syrup, raisins, blueberries or your choice of fruit.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 198Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 286mgSodium: 205mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 12g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate. You may want to spot check this information.
Looking for more? Try our other weekend breakfast treats!
Looking for more? Try our perfect dessert after brunch!
Looking for more? Try our savory breakfast options!
Why Irish Soda Bread Makes the Best French Toast
Irish soda bread is incredibly dense and sturdy, which means it holds up beautifully to soaking in an egg custard without falling apart or becoming mushy like lighter breads might. The natural sweetness and subtle tang from the buttermilk in traditional soda bread pairs wonderfully with cinnamon and vanilla in your French toast custard, creating layers of flavor you won’t get with regular white bread. Plus, the slight crumb of soda bread creates a wonderfully crispy exterior when it hits the skillet while staying tender inside—basically the holy grail of French toast texture. If your soda bread includes raisins (like mine does), you get little pockets of sweetness throughout each bite that make this breakfast feel fancy enough for weekend brunch but simple enough for a weeknight treat.
How to Store Leftover Soda Bread
Irish soda bread keeps well for a couple of days wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature—this is actually ideal for French toast since day-old bread has the perfect texture for soaking up that egg mixture without falling apart. If you want to store it longer, wrap individual slices in foil and freeze them for up to three weeks; just thaw them on the counter before using. Avoid refrigerating your soda bread, as the cold will dry it out faster than leaving it on the counter. If your loaf does start to go stale, that’s when it becomes pure gold for French toast, so don’t toss it!
Make-Ahead French Toast Tips
The best part about making French toast with Irish soda bread is that you can prep it the night before—just soak your bread slices in the egg mixture, layer them in a buttered baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, you’ll have golden, custardy slices that cook up beautifully with minimal effort. If you’re not making the soda bread yourself, you can use store-bought, though homemade really does make a difference with its tender crumb and subtle sweetness. For extra decadence, add a splash of vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon to your egg mixture, which complements the bread’s slight tanginess perfectly. Serve with maple syrup, butter, and maybe a dollop of whipped cream to make this St. Patrick’s Day breakfast (or any morning) feel special.
Best Toppings for This French Toast
The beauty of this Irish Soda Bread French Toast is that it’s delicious on its own, but toppings take it to the next level. A classic combination of whipped cream and fresh berries lets the bread’s subtle sweetness shine, especially if you’ve used raisins in your loaf. For something more indulgent, try a drizzle of salted caramel or a generous dollop of Irish butter with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar—it echoes the warmth of traditional Irish baking. If you want to keep things simple, a dusting of powdered sugar and a pour of pure maple syrup is hard to beat, and it’s what I reach for on busy weekend mornings.
Troubleshooting Dense French Toast
If your French toast turns out dense and heavy instead of custardy and light, the culprit is usually over-soaking—soda bread is more delicate than regular sandwich bread, so a quick dip is all you need, not a long soak. Another common issue is cooking temperature; medium heat is your sweet spot because high heat will burn the outside before the custard mixture sets in the middle. If you’re using day-old soda bread, it’ll hold up better than fresh-from-the-oven loaves, which can get mushy and fall apart on you. Finally, make sure you’re using a proper egg-to-milk ratio (roughly 1 egg per ¼ cup milk) so the coating is rich but not so thick it doesn’t absorb into the bread evenly.
