A recipe for Irish Scones! These homemade buttery scones are baked until golden, then paired with butter, jam, and cream.
Irish scones are a perfect addition to breakfast or afternoon tea. They are light and flaky with just a hint of sweetness. Everything also comes together in about 30 minutes!
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a dough blade, forks, or your fingers to blend the cold, diced butter into the flour mixture to create a coarse texture with pieces no larger than the size of a pea.
Gently mix in buttermilk and an egg just until the dough comes together. Pat into a thick 1 inch (2.5 centimeter) sheet, cut out circles, brush with more buttermilk, and bake until puffed and golden.
I served the Irish Scones with butter, strawberry jam, and a dollop of whipped cream.
A Few Irish Scone Tips
I followed the lead of They Daily Spud and used buttermilk in the dough. I have also seen recipes use milk, cream, or a combination of the two.
Begin with 3/4 cup (177 milliliters) buttermilk and slowly add more only if needed to bring the dough together. Take care not to add too much liquid or the scones will lose their light texture.
Try to use an Irish or European cultured butter if possible. It is richer with less water content and will help keep the scones from becoming tough.
I used a dough blender to cut in the well-chilled, diced butter. You can also use two forks or the tips of your fingers. Just try to work as quickly as possible to keep the butter from melting.
Some recipes include dried fruit such as raisins or currants. If using, fold into the dough just before adding the liquid.
The trick to the wonderful texture in these scones is to not over-mix and make sure everything is as cold as possible when it goes into the oven.
Work quickly with the ingredients to keep them cold. If something happens and you need to step away for a minute, place the bowl in the refrigerator.
When cutting out the scones, push the round cutter down quickly without turning. Twisting the dough will seal it and keep the scones from rising.
These Irish Scones are best the day they are baked. They can be frozen after cutting, but before baking for future use.
Arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. When solid, transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to a couple of months. Bake straight from the freezer. Just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Looking for more scone recipes?
Try my:
This recipe was originally posted in March 2015 and updated in February 2023.
Irish Scones Recipe
Adapted from The Daily Spud
Irish Scones
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups (440 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (16 grams) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter cold and diced
- 1 large egg
- 3/4-1 cup (177-240 milliliters) buttermilk cold, plus more for brushing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment or lightly flour.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut in the cold butter using a dough blade, forks, or your fingers until texture becomes coarse and no pieces are larger than a pea.
- In a small bowl, beat together egg and 3/4 cup (177 milliliters) buttermilk. Pour into the flour mixture and gently mix using your hands or a wooden spoon.
- Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) buttermilk only as needed to bring the dough together.
- On a lightly floured surface, gently pat the dough into a circle about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) thick.
- Use a 2 1/2 inch (6 centimeter) round or biscuit cutter to cut out circles of dough. Gently bring together the leftover scraps of dough to cut out more circles.
- Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with additional buttermilk.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden, 15-20 minutes.
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
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Stephanie
I used to work with an elderly Irish woman and she’d bring in scones every Wednesday for the weekly meeting. There was nothing quite as delicious as an Irish scone topped with butter and jelly! I loved them.