Ina Garten Irish Guinness Brown Bread

Ina Garten Irish Guinness brown bread is an easy quick bread made with whole wheat flour, oats and Guinness stout, ready in 1 hour 5 minutes. This make-ahead homemade bread fits Sunday dinner, St. Patrick's Day, cozy fall brunch and potluck tables, and it needs no yeast or kneading.

Stir the batter just until the dry flour disappears, because the wet mix should look more like cake batter than bread dough. Overmix it and the loaf turns dense and tough instead of tender.

Ina Garten fell for the brown bread served everywhere on a week-long trip to Ireland with Jeffrey, then went home and researched it. Her version uses beer and buttermilk instead of yeast, so it comes together like a cake and skips the rising time entirely.

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Irish Guinness Brown Bread

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Side DishCuisine: American, IrishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

230

kcal

A hearty, tender loaf with a deep malty flavor and a crisp, oat-dusted crust. It stirs together in one bowl by hand, then bakes in a hot oven that drops to a steady heat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant), such as McCann's, plus extra for sprinkling
  

• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, such as Heckers
  

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
  

• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  

• 1 (11- to 12-ounce) bottle Guinness extra stout beer, at room temperature
  

• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
  

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for brushing the pan
  

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

• Salted butter, such as Irish Kerrygold
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. You'll turn it down the moment the bread goes in, so the first blast of heat gives the loaf a good rise.
• Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine 1 cup quick-cooking oats, 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar. Add 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 2 teaspoons kosher salt, then stir until everything is evenly distributed.
• Whisk the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together one 11- to 12-ounce bottle of room temperature Guinness and 1 cup shaken buttermilk. Add 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and keep the beer at room temperature so the butter doesn't clump.
• Make the batter: Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into it. Then stir with your fingers from the middle of the bowl to the outside until it's well mixed, and expect a batter that looks like cake batter.
• Prepare the pan: Brush a 9 x 5 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan with melted butter. Pour the batter in and sprinkle the top with a handful of extra oats.
• Bake the bread: Put the bread in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 400 degrees. Bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool and serve: Turn the bread out onto a baking rack and let it cool completely. Then slice it and serve with salted butter, such as Irish Kerrygold.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, USA Pan 1-pound loaf pan, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make this bread without Guinness?

Any dark stout works in the same amount, since it's the malty depth you're after. If you'd rather skip alcohol, use more buttermilk or a non-alcoholic stout, though the flavor will be a little milder.

How do I store Irish brown bread?

Let the loaf cool all the way, then wrap it snugly in plastic wrap. Leave it on the counter if you'll eat it within a day, or tuck it in the fridge, where it lasts up to 5 days.

Can I make this bread ahead for a party?

Yes, it's a great make-ahead bread because it holds well once wrapped. Bake it a day or two early, then slice and serve with salted butter.

Do I need a stand mixer or a bread machine?

No, you only need two bowls and your hands. There's no yeast and no kneading, so stirring the batter with your fingers is all it takes.

Why did my brown bread turn out dense?

Overmixing is the most common cause, because working the batter too much makes the loaf tough. Stir just until it's well combined, and check that your baking soda and baking powder are fresh so the loaf rises.