Healthy Irish Soda Bread Muffins Recipe

Healthy Irish Soda Bread muffin on a black plate with a shamrock butter on the plate and a knife as well

Healthy Irish Soda Bread Muffins Recipe

These Healthy Irish Soda Bread Muffins are a moist and tender twist on the traditional "Spotted Dog" loaf. By using Greek yogurt and light buttermilk, this no-knead recipe ensures a soft, cake-like crumb that never turns out dry or dense. They are egg-free, ready in just 30 minutes, and perfectly Weight Watchers friendly at only 4 points per muffin. It’s the ultimate easy shortcut for a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast or a savory side dish!

Course breakast, snacks

Cuisine Irish

Keyword Irish, soda bread

Special Diet egg-free, Vegetarian, weight watchers

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings muffins

Calories 147kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Ingredients

1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Butter cold
½ cup Plain non-fat Greek yogurt (0%)
1 cup 1% milk +1-2 tbsps
1 teaspoon Vinegar
½ cup Raisins or Currants

US Customary - Metric

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick spray.
Add vinegar to milk and set aside.
1 cup 1% milk +1-2 tbsps, 1 teaspoon Vinegar
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, raisins or currants, and sugar.
1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 cup Whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Salt, 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar, ½ cup Raisins or Currants
Grate in the 2 tablespoons of cold butter. Use a fork or pastry cutter to smash it into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs. I use a cheese grater to great frozen butter into the mix.
2 tablespoons Butter
Stir in the Greek yogurt.
½ cup Plain non-fat Greek yogurt (0%)
Then slowly pour in the milk mixed with vinegar and stir until just combined.
* I used 2 tbsps of milk in addition to the cup, as I live in a very dry climate. You many only need 1 additional tbsp. You will know by looking at the photos how it should look. It should feel a little sticky.
Use a wooden spoon to fold the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix! The dough should be thick and slightly lumpy.
Divide the batter into the 12 prepared muffin cups.
The "Fairy" Hack: Dip a sharp knife in flour and cut a small "X" into the top of each muffin.
Bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and a tester or toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

Expert Recipe Tips:

The "Shaggy Dough" Rule: The most important secret to a tender soda bread muffin is to avoid over-mixing. Stir the wet and dry ingredients until the flour is just moistened. The dough should look lumpy and "shaggy." If you stir until the batter is smooth, the muffins will turn out tough and dense.
The Frozen Butter Hack: For a flaky, biscuit-like texture, grate your butter while it is frozen using a box grater. This allows the small bits of fat to be distributed evenly throughout the flour without overworking the dough with a pastry cutter or your hands.
Check Your Baking Soda: Since this recipe doesn't use yeast or eggs, it relies entirely on the reaction between the baking soda and the acid in the buttermilk/vinegar to rise. To ensure a good lift, make sure your baking soda is fresh. (Test it by dropping a pinch into a little vinegar—if it doesn't fizz instantly, it's time for a new box!)
The "Fairy" Technique: Traditionally, a cross is cut into the top of Irish Soda Bread to "let the fairies out." For muffins, use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to snip a small "X" into the top of each unbaked muffin. This doesn't just look authentic; it actually allows steam to escape, helping the muffins expand and cook evenly in the center.
Uniform Scooping: Use a large triggered ice cream scoop to divide the batter into the muffin tin. This ensures every muffin is the same size and cooks at the same rate, preventing some from being overbaked while others are still doughy.
The Sift Trick: If you find your muffins have small bitter spots, it means the baking soda wasn't mixed well enough. Sift or whisk your dry ingredients thoroughly before adding the liquids to ensure the leavening agent is perfectly distributed.
The Best Way to Serve: Soda bread is unique because it has a crusty exterior and a soft interior. These are best served warm, just a few minutes out of the oven, with a small amount of high-quality butter or a touch of honey

Storage:

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Freezing: These muffins freeze beautifully for up to 3 months in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag.
Reheating: For the best "freshly baked" texture, reheat frozen muffins in the Air Fryer at 350°F for 3 minutes. This crisps the crust while keeping the inside moist.

🔢WW Points

This Irish Soda Bread Muffin recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 4 WW points. You can lower the points even further by using light butter and replacing the sugar with monk fruit (but you'll only need 1 tablespoon of monk fruit).

Shamrock Butter

To make Shamrock Butter: Cut slices of cold butter into ½- inch thick pieces. Cut the butter with a small Shamrock cookie cutter and place a currant or caraway seed in the middle. You can buy this cookie cutter in a nested set HERE: (affiliate link)

Nutrition