Tutorial Preview
Bite Sized
Here’s a short promotional video showing some of the key moments.
Highlights
Short of time? Here are the key learning moments from this tutorial.
1. Mixing the ingredients
Paul starts be explaining the ingredients in this uniquely Scottish sweed treat!
2. Balling up
Paul now weighs out the dough and prepares for the bake.
3. Baking the cookies
Paul now bakes the cookies off at 160C for 21 minutes.
4. Making the Irn Bru icing
Paul now mixes up the Irn Bru icing using some of the soft drink to flavour. However, you can flavour the icing, and the cookie, in any way you like.
5. Icing the cookies
All there is left to do now is to add the icing and some additional decorations to finish.
6. Pro Lesson
Paul shares costing and his suggested retail price.
Discover how to bake the ultimate Scottish treat — Scottish Irn Bru Cookies — in this fun, step-by-step tutorial with award-winning cake artist Paul Bradford. Bursting with that unmistakable fizzy-orange flavour, these cookies are a bold twist on a classic favourite! 🍪🇬🇧 Learn how to mix, bake, and decorate them like a pro while picking up insider tips straight from the Scottish Highlands. Whether you’re a home baker, cookie fanatic, or proud Scot looking for something uniquely delicious, this Irn Bru cookie recipe will have you craving more.
🥤 The History of Irn-Bru
1️⃣ The Beginning — 1901 in Falkirk
Irn-Bru was first created in 1901 by A.G. Barr & Co., a soft drink manufacturer founded by Robert Barr in Falkirk, Scotland.
Originally, it was sold under the name “Iron Brew”, referencing its high iron content and the energy-boosting image popular at the time.
The drink became famous for its bright orange colour and unique, tangy flavour — a secret blend of 32 ingredients that’s still closely guarded today.
2️⃣ The Name Change — 1946
In 1946, British food labelling laws required that products with “brew” in their name had to be fermented — and since Irn-Bru wasn’t actually brewed, A.G. Barr had to tweak the spelling.
Thus, “Iron Brew” became “IRN-BRU”, a clever workaround that’s now instantly recognisable worldwide.
3️⃣ The Taste of Scotland
Over the decades, Irn-Bru became woven into Scottish culture. It was:
-
The go-to hangover cure (“Made in Scotland — from girders!” as the ads famously said)
-
A nostalgic staple of childhood and corner shops
-
The one drink that could outsell Coca-Cola in Scotland — a rare feat anywhere in the world
Its flavour is hard to describe — somewhere between orange, bubblegum, and cream soda — but unmistakably Irn-Bru.
4️⃣ Advertising Legend
Irn-Bru is famous not just for its taste but for its witty, cheeky adverts.
From the 1970s onwards, their marketing campaigns became Scottish pop culture — often controversial, always funny, and proudly irreverent.
Memorable slogans include:
-
“Made in Scotland — from girders!”
-
“You can’t beat the feeling!”
-
“It’s phenomenal!”
5️⃣ Modern Day
Today, Irn-Bru is still produced by A.G. Barr at their headquarters near Cumbernauld, just outside Glasgow.
The drink is exported to countries with large Scottish communities, from Canada to Australia — though Scots abroad often insist “it never tastes quite the same as it does at home.”
In 2018, the formula was slightly changed to reduce sugar content — sparking national debate (and even petitions to bring back the original!).
🧡 Fun Facts
-
Each 330ml can contains a trace of iron — just enough to justify the name.
-
It’s one of the few soft drinks in the world that outsells Coca-Cola in its home country.
-
There’s even Irn-Bru-flavoured ice cream, fudge, and vodka.
-
The recipe is known by only three people at A.G. Barr.
Don’t forget to share your interpretations of this wonderful cake with Paul and the rest of the CakeFlix community on our Facebook group.
View hundreds of more world-class tutorials only at www.cakeflix.com.
