Discover the secret to making light, fluffy, and authentically delicious Irish Scones right in your own kitchen. This traditional Irish scone recipe, passed down from my mother, is a perfect treat for breakfast, afternoon tea, or to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Growing up in Ireland, scones were more than just a treat; they were a part of every significant family gathering, a comforting snack during rainy afternoons, and a must-have at tea time. This recipe is inspired by the scones my mother used to make and pairs wonderfully with my Orange Butter, slathered over the warm scones.
Why This Recipe Works
This authentic Irish scone recipe captures the essence of the Emerald Isle with its simple ingredients and method. Using Irish butter and buttermilk, it achieves a perfect balance between a tender crumb and a rich, buttery flavor. The addition of an egg wash gives these scones a beautifully golden finish, making them irresistible.
Ingredients
The key to these traditional Irish scones lies in the quality of the ingredients:
Irish Butter: Provides a richer, creamier taste.
Buttermilk: Reacts with the baking powder for a light and fluffy texture.
Self-Raising Flour: Ensures the scones rise perfectly, but you can use purpose flour with a raising agent if needed.
Variations
Feel free to adapt the recipe to your liking:
For a healthier option, substitute white flour with whole wheat.
Add dried currants or sultanas for a sweet version, or sharp cheddar and herbs for a savory twist.
Instructions
Prep Your Ingredients: Measure out all ingredients and preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. This creates the perfect base for your scones.
Incorporate Butter: Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, rub the Irish butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add Wet Ingredients: Make a well in the center of your flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk, combining gently until a soft dough forms. The dough may seem dry at first, but eventually it will come together.
Shape and Bake: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently roll out to about 1 inch thick, and cut with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 -15 minutes or until the tops are golden.
Hint: For an extra golden crust, brush the tops of the scones with a mixture of egg and a splash of milk before baking.
Storage
To keep scones fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 6 months, then thawed at room temperature or gently warmed in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk? Yes, you can just regular milk. The buttermilk creates a softer crumb, but they are still delicious without it.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
This traditional Irish scones recipe is more than just a way to bake; it’s a journey to the heart of Irish culinary tradition, inviting warmth, comfort, and the simple pleasure of sharing good food. Whether you’re celebrating your heritage or simply seeking the perfect scone, this recipe delivers delicious results every time…plus it’s SO quick to make!
This recipe for traditional Irish scones was passed down from my mother. Served for breakfast or afternoon tea and accompanied with jam and clotted cream or simply with butter, these authentic scones are simple to make but absolutely delicious!
10tbspsalted buttercold – I prefer to use Kerrygold Irish Butter
½cupbuttermilkcold
1tablespoonbaking powder
1largeegg
generous pinch of salt
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F.Sieve flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Stir in sugar.
With your hands, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles course breadcrumbs.
In another bowl, mix the egg into the buttermilk.
Create a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Slowly add the buttermilk and egg until you have a soft dough. It should just come together and you should be able to handle it without it being really sticky.
Place the dough on a floured surface and knead a couple of times just to remove any cracks. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour.
Roll out to around 1 inch thick and cut with a cutter or glass dipped in flour.
Place on a floured/buttered baking sheet (or use parchment paper). You should get about 8 scones.
Brush each scone with milk to help brown the tops when baked.
Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until the scones are golden.
Best served immediately but can be warmed the following day or eaten cold.
While quite similar, what distinguishes Irish scones from English scones is that they typically contain a bit less sugar. They're also made with less leavener, so they're slightly flatter and smaller. It's important to note that no two Irish families make their scones the same way.
We recommend using all-purpose flour. There is some debate as to what flour one should use to go around achieving the perfect scone. This is because within different flours comes different levels of protein. Typically, if there is a higher protein level within a flour, the more dense the scone would come out.
What makes a scone Irish? Irish scones are always round and always made with butter. The biggest difference between American scones and Irish scones is the amount of butter used. Irish Scones are made with quite a bit less (as well as less sugar).
Its exclusivity extends beyond England, however, as clotted cream is technically illegal in America. Why? True clotted cream is made with unpasteurized milk, and the FDA officially banned the distribution of any milk or milk products that haven't been pasteurized in America in 1987.
You could use buttermilk instead of heavy cream in this recipe if you prefer. Its acid reacts with the baking powder to keep the dough tender. But since we use heavy cream and an egg, this dough is richer than traditional biscuit dough and doesn't need much tenderizing.
Recipes for scones sometimes provide a make-ahead option that involves refrigerating the dough overnight so it can simply be shaped and then popped into the oven the next day. But now we've found that resting the dough overnight has another benefit: It makes for more symmetrical and attractive pastries.
Not chilling the dough before baking: to really ace your scones, it helps to chill your dough again before it's baked. Using cold ingredients does help, but your hands will warm up the dough when you're working with it and the extra step of chilling will help you get the best result.
To ensure taller scones, start with a thicker dough disc and place the scones on a tray with sides, allowing them to slightly touch one another. This arrangement encourages the scones to push against the pan and each other, promoting height.
Just as in old times, today's scone recipes don't include eggs, but there are some rare recipes that do. Eggs may change the texture of the scone, which should be golden on the outside and airy inside. RELATED VIDEO: Video Player is loading.
Why? When cold butter is rubbed into the flour, it creates flaky pockets of flavour (which soft, room temperature butter can't do). Once the cold butter and liquid (e.g milk) hits the oven, the water in the butter and cold liquid begins evaporating.
According to the survey, afternoon teas in Scotland and Ulster would include scones as in “gone” while folks further south in England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland would be ordering scones in “bone”.
Although the English eat scones mainly at teatime, the Scots eat them at almost any time: with midmorning coffee, with soup and salad at lunch, at afternoon tea or high tea, and even with a glass of wine at the co*cktail hour.
Clotted cream and whipped cream are both made with heavy cream, but while whipped cream is whipped into airy peaks, clotted cream is heated and separated, for a far denser texture. With its ultra-thick consistency, clotted cream can even be mistaken for butter.
American scones use much more butter than British scones, and they usually have quite a bit more sugar. The extra butter is what makes them so much denser. This is not really a good or bad thing, as British scones pile on plenty of sugar (in the form of preserves/jam) and butter or clotted cream as toppings.
British scones are usually lightly sweetned and contain fruit like currants or berries.Scottish scones are often closer to a biscuit and are made with buttermilk, though some Scottish grandmothers will swear you should only use sour milk.
Both baked goodies use flour, fat, liquid and a leavening agent. The main differences are that scones tend to have less butter (because you'll add butter to it when you eating it — or else, clotted cream or jam) while American biscuits tend to have more butter and light layers.
Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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