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This easy Irish Freckle Bread is similar to French Brioche with a sweet dough that's enriched with potato water, butter and eggs. The fun difference? Freckles of delicious dried fruit!
Okay, I have to be honest. I fell in love with the charming name, Irish Freckle Bread, before I ever took my first bite. I saw a recipe for freckle bread in one of my newsfeeds and knew I HAD to discover more about it. I did a little research and came up with my own recipe. Let's just say that the first bite did NOT disappoint!
Always more to learn
Scott and I spent a month in Ireland several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the beautiful Emerald Isle from north to south! We stayed at inns, guesthouses, hotels and castles and dined in pubs, cafés, eating houses, cottages, seafood bars, hole-in-the-wall "watering holes" and fine dining establishments.
I also spent a delightful week at the Ballymaloe School of Cookery on that trip where we were taught authentic Irish cuisine and each morning enjoyed a feast of traditional Irish fare. I was pretty sure we sampled every type of Irish bread imaginable; scones, soda bread, brown bread, oatcakes (and came home with five eight extra pounds to prove it!).
But I was wrong! As I mentioned above, this Irish Freckle Bread is a new discovery and I'm excited to share the recipe with you!
What is Irish Freckle Bread?
Irish Freckle Bread is a sweet, tender bread, enriched with potatoes (or potato water), eggs and butter and it's "freckled" with dried fruit, usually currants or raisins but dried cranberries, dates and other dried fruits are also acceptable.
Although there are lots of recipes for freckle bread, the history is a little more difficult to ascertain as there's not much information available. The addition of potatoes makes sense considering spuds have been a staple in Irish cuisine ever since the Great Famine in the mid-1800s.
Not to be confused with classic Irish soda bread (a quick bread that is leavened with baking soda) freckle bread is a yeast-based dough. Another difference is that soda bread is a wet batter that's mixed up in a bowl and can be sweet or savory. As mentioned above, Irish Freckle Bread is a sweet yeast dough and most of the recipes I found require a lengthy knead. Being a little lazy, I created this recipe to need minimal kneading - less than 2 minutes!
Bread or rolls
Although freckle bread is often made in a traditional loaf shape, there are other options. I've seen it made into pull-apart rolls and baked in a round pan and also formed into 2 side by side slender cylinders and baked in a classic bread pan.
I like to make my Irish Freckle Bread dough into 2 free-form round loaves or individual rolls and bake them on sheet pans.
An easier way!
Instead of going through the trouble of making mashed potatoes from one small potato (as most Irish Freckle Bread recipes instruct), I decided to go the quick, easy way and use instant potato flakes. This idea worked like a dream in my Easy, No-Knead Potato Rolls so I was pretty sure that would also work here.
I tried it both ways, making mashed potatoes from scratch and the easy sub of potato flakes. There wasn't a noticeable difference, so I was happy to take the easy way out and make life easier for you (and me!).
How and when to serve this Irish bread
I love that this Irish Freckle Bread works well any time of day.
We love it for breakfast served warm with butter and a drizzle of honey or a slather of cinnamon honey butter (pictured below). See the Café Tips below for how to make the easy, delicious cinnamon honey butter.
It also makes wonderful sandwiches using either the sliced bread or small rolls. Our favorite is smoked turkey breast and a slice of Havarti or Provolone and a little smear of honey mustard.
And for dinner, pop the bread (or rolls) in the oven and serve in the bread basket. Wait for delighted expressions when your guests see the golden freckled bread.
Our oldest granddaughter Annie (pictured below), was with us when I was developing and testing this recipe for Irish Freckle Bread. I call her sweet Annie - can you see why? We didn't have to twist her arm to be a taste-tester!
And the look on her face with the first bite... well it's way better than a whole post of me trying to explain how delicious this Irish specialty bread is. Try it, you'll have happy taste testers too!
Cafe Tips for making this Irish Freckle Bread
- If you open your dried currants or raisins and they feel dry and look shriveled, it's best to "plump" them up a bit before adding them to the flour mixture. To do this, simply put them in a bowl or measuring cup and cover them with boiling water. Let them sit for 5 minutes then drain well in a strainer. Push on them with the back of a spoon to remove excess water then you're ready to roll!
- Yeast dough likes a warm, cozy place to hang out. If your house is chilly, there are a few things you can do to create a nice warm yeast-friendly place.
- Some ovens have a "proof" heating option. That will keep a steady temperature of right around 100˚F which is perfected for bread dough.
- If you don't have the "proof" option, turn your oven to 350˚F for 2 minutes then turn the oven off. Leave the light on and place your dough in the oven.
- Vigorously boil a cup of water in the microwave for 4-5 minutes. This will create a lot of nice, warm steam. Place the dough in the microwave and close the door.
- Set the bowl in the sink in a larger bowl of hot water.
- If you have a load of laundry drying, set the covered bowl on top of the dryer. Make sure you have it on a towel, or it might “wander” off the top of your dryer - that would be really sad!
- Place the bowl on a heating pad.
- This Irish Freckle Bread recipe calls for bread flour or all-purpose flour. I like to use bread flour as it has a higher protein content which makes the dough a little more stable and yields a slightly higher rise. That being said, I've also used all-purpose flour for these rolls with good success.
- You need instant yeast for this recipe. Instant yeast is available at most grocery stores. It's sometimes called rapid-rise yeast, quick-rise yeast or bread machine yeast.
- I like to buy my instant yeast in bulk as it's infinitely cheaper than purchasing the little packets. It will keep for months in the refrigerator and indefinitely in the freezer. I keep a small jar in the refrigerator at all times and the rest in the freezer. I refill my little jar as needed.
- For the potato flakes I like Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes (available at most grocery stores) and Bob's Red Mill Potatoes. They're both made with genuine russet potatoes. Once opened, potato flakes have an average shelf life of 6 to 12 months. They come in small, inexpensive packages but if you have leftovers, just keep them in a ziplock bag or airtight storage container until you're ready to make the next batch of this delicious bread (or rolls).
- Don't be afraid to generously flour your work surface when kneading and shaping these dinner rolls. For years, I had trouble making bread and would get so frustrated because the dough would stick to the counter or my hands and everything would be a big mess. I finally learned that I just wasn't using enough flour. Don't overdo the flour but use enough so that the dough isn't sticky.
- This Irish Freckle Bread dough is thick. I like to use a heavy-duty spatula with a wooden handle to mix it up or a Danish whisk. A Danish whisk is wonderful for mixing up all kinds of batters.
- If your baked rolls seem to get too brown on the underside, your oven may run a little hot near the bottom. To remedy this, use a second sheet pan underneath the parchment-lined pan.
- We love to serve both the rolls and the bread for breakfast with a little bowl of cinnamon honey butter. To make the compound butter, simply combine 1 stick of soft butter with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of honey. Stir it all together and serve it with this Irish Freckle Bread (pretend you're a fancy chef - because everyone will think so!).
Thought for the day:
Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from Him.
Psalm 62:1
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
- 6 tablespoons butter I use salted butter
- ¾ cup tap water
- ¼ cup instant potato flakes
- 4 cups all-purpose or bread flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt I use Morton - you'll need a bit more if you use Diamond
- ¾ ounce instant yeast 2¼ teaspoons or 1 packet
- 1 cup currants raisins or other dried fruit
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
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Line a sheet pan with parchment paper for 2 larger loaves.
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For the individual rolls, line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
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Place the butter and water in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl or cup and cook on high power for 2 minutes or until the butter is melted. Stir in the potato flakes. Set aside while you prep the dry ingredients.
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Combine flour, salt, yeast, and sugar in a medium-large bowl. Stir well to combine.
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Add the “freckles” (dried fruit) and stir. Run your fingers through the dough, rubbing them together to break apart any clumps of dried fruit
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Add the milk to the butter/water mixture and stir with a fork to combine. Add the eggs and stir again with the fork until incorporated.
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Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the egg/milk mixture. Stir, from the bottom up, until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass.
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The dough will be thick. Keep scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl until every last bit of flour is incorporated.
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Sprinkle a work surface with 2 tablespoons of flour. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface and use a baking scraper or spatula to turn the dough to coat with flour.
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Knead for 1-2 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
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Place the dough in the bowl and drizzle with a little oil (I use olive oil but any oil will do). Use your hand to rub the dough to coat it with oil.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place it in a warm, cozy place to rise. (see Café Tips above in the post for how to create a perfect rising spot) for 1 ½ hours or until the dough is doubled in size.
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Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour onto a work surface. Scrape the dough onto the floured surface. Turn the dough with a dough scraper or spatula until it’s thoroughly coated with flour.
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Divide the dough in half for 2 loaves OR into 18-20 smaller portions for rolls. I make my smaller rolls about 2-2 ½ ounces (or 50-70g). (I like to use a kitchen scale for this but you can also just eyeball it.)
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Roll both balls of dough in the flour to coat.
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For the 2 larger loaves, form each one into a ball by tucking the edges under all the way around and then pinching the dough together tightly underneath. If the dough seems sticky, roll it in the flour again.
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Place the balls of dough on the counter and use your hands to cup each one into a nicely shaped ball. Transfer the 2 dough balls to the prepared sheet pan and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
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Place the pan in a warm spot to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. During the last 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 350˚F.
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Combine the egg and the water and stir vigorously with a fork until well combined. Brush the loaves with the egg wash, being careful to keep the egg from dripping onto the parchment.
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Bake for 25 minutes then cover the loaves lightly with foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown. (If you want to check for doneness, you can use an instant thermometer which will read 185-195˚F. when the bread is done.)
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Roll each ball of dough in the flour to coat.
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Form each portion into a ball by tucking the edges under all the way around then pinching the dough together underneath. If the dough seems sticky, roll it in the flour again.
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Place the balls of dough on the counter and use your hands to cup each one into a nicely shaped ball. Transfer the dough balls to the prepared sheet pans and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
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Place the pans in a warm spot to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. During the last 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 350˚F.
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Combine the egg and the water and stir vigorously with a fork until well combined. Brush the rolls with the egg wash, being careful to keep the egg from dripping onto the parchment.
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Place the rolls in the oven on two racks near the center of the oven. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the pans halfway through.
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Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or cool completely before storing.
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When completely cooled the loaves and/or rolls can be transferred to an airtight container or ziplock bag. They can also be frozen. Warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn't have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.
Kristin says
Very similar recipe to Hot Cross Buns but with potato flakes. I will be trying this very soon! Thanks for the recipe
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Enjoy, Kristin!
Ghislaine says
I cannot find potato flakes where I live so can i use mashed potatoes instead? If so, what quantity please?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ghislaine, yes that will also work! Use ⅓ cup or 110g of mashed potatoes.
Linna Merth says
Chris...What a happy photo! You are blessed! Same question as Leslie...I happen to have left over mashed potatoes and would like to know how much to use as well as kg as I weigh my ingredients...I just end up with a consistent result by weighing...Thank you so much for providing us with the joy of sharing.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Linna! We are blessed and thankful! Annie is a sweetheart.
Regarding you question, I would use 1/3 cup (110g) of mashed potatoes.
Leslie says
I'm excited to try this recipe. Your granddaughter is lovely
I have two questions.
1. If using mashed potatoes is the amount still 1/4 cup?
2. If I want to make the two loaves in a loaf pan would I use an 8 1.2"x4 1/2" pan or a 9x5" pan?
Thanks for all you do and your fantastic recipes.
Thom Harris says
Have you tried this recipe to make it gluten free?
My wife can tolerated sourdough but that’s it in the bread category.
Any suggestions because this sounds fabulous!T
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Thom, I am not an expert at GF baking so I haven't tried to convert it. My nephew, Steve, has a great website that features fabulous GF baked goods. It's called Cake and Coriander. I think you would enjoy it!
Maryellen Reimers says
How much less Diamond salt would I use? Thank you
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Maryellen, Thanks for asking that question. Diamond kosher salt is not available in the grocery stores I shop at so I always use Morton. I did a little research and different authorities have different answers to the substitution ration. Morton salt is a little saltier because of the shape of the crystals so you would need a little more Diamond salt (not less). I think it would be safe to use 2½-3 teaspoons of Diamond for this amount of flour.