Try Oatmeal Soda Bread with Apricots for a change from the typical raisin soda bread. This healthy and hearty soda bread is made with rolled oats and dried apricots.

If you’re looking for a more traditional Soda Bread or Brown Bread, go ahead and link through to one of those recipes. But I urge you to try this new version too.

If you keep a sourdough starter, you can make Sourdough Irish Soda Bread or Sourdough Irish Brown Bread with your discard.

Recipe Ingredients

All purpose flour
Old fashioned rolled oats
Baking powder
Salt
Baking soda
Butter
Dried apricots
Buttermilk
Egg
Honey

Tips for making Oatmeal Soda Bread

This dough is so easy to make you don’t need a mixer. Mixing by hand helps ensure that you won’t over work and toughen the dough.
The dough can be a little sticky. If your hands get coated with the sticky dough don’t try to wash it off with water, it’ll just get stickier and leave a mess in the sink. Dip your hands into the flour bin to coat them. Holding your hands over the trash can, rub them together vigorously and the sticky dough will come off easily.
Cutting a deep X in the top of the loaf before it goes in the oven ensures that it will rise evenly without splitting in random places.
If the apricots on the surface of the dough burn in the oven, just pick them off (careful, they’re hot) when the bread comes out of the oven.

Oatmeal Soda Bread with Apricots is so easy to make. The dough comes together so quickly it should be enjoyed year-round, not only for St. Patrick’s day.

Looking for more Irish inspired recipes?

If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.

Print Recipe

4.55 from 20 reviews

Oatmeal Soda Bread with Apricots

By: Eileen Gray

Try Oatmeal Soda Bread with Apricots for a change from the typical raisin soda bread. This healthy and hearty soda bread is made with rolled oats and dried apricots.

Prep Time30

Bake Time50

Total Time1 20

24 servings

Ingredients

15 ounces all purpose flour (3 cups)
12 ounces old fashioned rolled oats (2 cups)
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 ounces unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)
20 dried apricots ( diced into ½" bits)
12 ounces buttermilk (1 ½ cups)
1 large egg
1 ½ ounces honey (2 tablespoons)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 °F. Line a ½ sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Combine the all purpose flour, oats, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Work the butter into the flour with your fingers until there are no lumps larger than a pea. Toss the apricot bits into the dry ingredients to disperse.
15 ounces all purpose flour, 12 ounces old fashioned rolled oats, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 ounces unsalted butter, 20 dried apricots
Combine the buttermilk, egg and honey and whisk to combine. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the buttermilk into the well and mix with a wooden spoon until almost all the dry ingredients are absorbed.
12 ounces buttermilk, 1 large egg, 1 ½ ounces honey
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead about 15-20 times until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a large ball and place it on the prepared sheet pan. Cut a ½-¾" deep X onto the top of the loaf. Brush the loaf with some more buttermilk.
Bake 45-50 minutes. The loaf is done when you tap the bottom of the loaf and it sounds hollow and the surface is golden brown Internal temperature should be about 200 °F.

Equipment

My Book

Half Sheet Pans

Parchment Sheets

Bowl Scraper

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!