Bannock Bread

Bannock

Be the first to rate & review!

This hearty, nutty, 30-minute skillet bread is irresistible when slathered with high-quality butter.

Nicole Hopper

Published on April 8, 2024

Tested by

Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman

Bannock — Photo:
Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

30 mins

Yield:

4 servings

This hearty, nutty, and slightly chewy skillet bread is a tasty canvas for high-quality butter or other toppings. The dense, chewy crumb — like a cross between soda bread and a scone — boasts subtle nutty notes from oat flour and a slight tang from buttermilk. Serve buttered with a bowl of soup or stew, with slices of sharp cheese, or simply slathered with cultured salted butter and flaky sea salt. This 30-minute, no-knead bread also makes a great companion to a steaming cup of tea or coffee.

Frequently asked questions

What is bannock?

Bannock is a hearty bread that is common in Scotland and many Indigenous North American nations. Some versions are baked in the oven, some are deep-fried, and some are cooked in a heated cast-iron skillet or griddle, as with this one. Though bannock was originally unleavened, many modern recipes call for baking soda or baking powder to give them a little rise.

What is cultured butter?

Cultured butter is made with cream that has fermented slightly, adding nice tangy notes. However, you can use any salted butter you have on hand.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Be sure to dust off the excess flour on both the top and bottom of the round before transferring it to the skillet, as too much flour will result in dry, tough bread. The easiest way to pick up the round when you’re transferring it to the skillet is to lift it with two bench scrapers or metal spatulas. Keep the heat low when cooking the bannock. If the heat is too high, the bread will develop a thick crust that is unpleasant to eat. Cook until it’s lightly golden on both sides.

This recipe is intended to be served with butter, as it will come across as quite dry on its own.

Make ahead

Bannock is best served and eaten immediately, as it hardens after some time.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (about 5 7/8 ounces) oat flour, plus more for work surface
3/4 cup (about 3 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup whole buttermilk
Salted cultured butter

Directions

Whisk together oat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in center of flour mixture, and add buttermilk; stir together using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Sprinkle top of dough with additional oat flour, and gently pat into a 7-inch round (about 3/4-inch thick).
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over low. Gently brush off excess flour from top and bottom of dough round, and carefully add dough round to skillet. Lightly score top of dough round into quarters using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cutting about 1/8 inch deep. Cook, undisturbed, until bottom is light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Carefully flip, and cook until light golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.
Cut Bannock into quarters along scored lines. Serve hot with butter.