Authentic Irish scones – a travel snack

Traditional Irish scones are easy to make! They also make a fun breakfast (or afternoon) treat with some strong tea or coffee. Scroll through the photos below for some helpful tips and tricks, or click the “Jump to” button to jump straight to this easy Irish scone recipe.

Six Irish scones on parchment prepared baking sheet

What is the difference between English scones and Irish scones?

Scones are synonymous with Britain. But are all scones the same? Historically, scones originated from the Scottish “bannock,” a griddle bread similar to Irish soda bread. But bannock didn’t look or taste like the scones we enjoy today.

Typically, English scones are slightly sweeter in flavor than Irish scones and are served with afternoon tea. Irish scones are less sweet and more like American cookies. But they can also be eaten with tea in the afternoon or as a light dessert.

I did some research to find out “what” makes these Irish scones “Irish”. Honestly, I can’t find anything definitive other than adding a raisin component and serving it with strawberry jam and whipped cream.

Irish scones cut in half with cream and jam

What do you say about Irish scones?

In America, the way we pronounce scones rhymes with the word “stone” or “bone.” But in Ireland, scones are pronounced more like “on” or “gone.” But in Ireland, this pronunciation can even vary from region to region. However, if you visit Ireland, no matter which way you ask for scones, they’re sure to understand.

Ingredients for making Irish scones include flour, butter, baking soda, sugar, raisins and buttermilk

Irish scone ingredients

Irish scones are made with basic baking ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. I liken them to slightly sweeter American cookies. This is what you need:

All purpose flour: All-purpose flour is versatile and makes delicious scones that are not too dense.
butter: I like to use salted butter in this Irish scone recipe to add a little flavor. Of course, Kerrygold is an Irish butter brand that’s perfect for scones.
baking soda: Baking soda helps the scones rise. Be sure to use fresh baking soda that has not gone bad.
sugar: Just a little sugar goes a long way. Irish scones are not as sweet as English or American scones.
raisin: Raisins are a traditional ingredient. However, you don’t have to add them if you don’t like them. Personally, I love the sweetness and texture they add to scones.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk is the fermented dairy product leftover from the process of converting cream into butter. It imparts amazing flavor to baked goods.

Irish Scone Recipe Secrets

The secret to baking delicious scones is using fresh ingredients. But mostly buttermilk, as I mentioned above. Buttermilk and butter together add rich flavor to any baked good. Buttermilk works with baking soda to help the scones rise and gives Irish scones a great flaky texture after baking.

How to Make Irish Scones

To make Irish scones, first add the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, and baking soda) to a large bowl and mix together with a mixer.

Flour and other dry scone ingredients in a clear glass bowl

Next, add the butter with the flour mixture and press it into the flour to combine with all the ingredients. You want it to be of a crumbly texture. You can use a pastry blender to achieve this. A pastry blender is a semi-circular tool used to blend butter into flour. But if you don’t have one, don’t worry. You can usually find pastry blender tools at your local supermarket or even on Amazon. But it’s ok if you don’t bake often and don’t want to buy a big fork.

The curved wire of a pastry blender helps mix the butter and flour with a rocking motion that shapes the base of the bowl. Plus, it’s a great stress-relieving exercise.

Pastry cutter mixes butter with flour to make Irish scones

Next, add the raisins and buttermilk. As you form the dough, add more buttermilk as needed, a tablespoon at a time.

Add buttermilk and raisins to flour and butter

If you don’t like raisins, you can omit them. But they are traditionally part of Irish scones. Personally, I love the texture and sweetness they add to scones.

Dough formed in clear glass bowl for making Irish scones

Using your hands, press the dough into a disk shape. Tip: Sprinkle some flour on your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.

Roll out the dough on a white surface and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter

After you’ve pressed the Irish scone dough into a disc shape, use a biscuit cutter or biscuit cutter to cut out round scones for baking.

Irish scones in round biscuit shape before baking

You can cut it like a pizza and then shape the scones into “wedges,” which is a popular way to cut it, like how I cut my blueberry scones. If you don’t have a cookie cutter or cookie cutter, a Guinness pint glass will work too!

Old photo of Irish scone dough cut into half pint sized Guinness glasses. — *Before using a cookie cutter, here’s how I cut Irish scones…in a half-pint sized Guinness glass! It’s more fun to be honest*.

Bake scones at 375 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your oven.

Irish scones before baking. There are six on the cookie sheet.

We bake enough loaves for an army so I can take them to the daytime TV studio to share, so I find using parchment paper makes cleanup easier.

Baked Irish Scones. The texture looks toasted and crumbly and you can see the raisins in the scones

If you haven’t met yet, I’m going to introduce you to my new best friend in the kitchen. A carton of whipped cream. It’s always good to have one stashed in the freezer.

Single Irish scone on white plate with a small dish of whipped cream

Serve Irish scones with fresh cream and strawberry jam. Enjoy breakfast or afternoon tea with coffee or tea!

Use a golden spoon to spread cream on Irish scones.

Spread cream onto Irish scones with a golden spoon.

Irish scones on a plate, a stack of Irish scones on a wooden cutting board and a kitchen towel with red flowers

irish scones

yield:
12

Preparation time:
15 minutes

Cooking time:
12 minutes

Total time:
27 minutes

A simple recipe for traditional Irish scones.

raw material

12 ounces all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup raisins
buttermilk binding

instruct

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, sugar and baking soda with a mixer.
Using a fork or pastry cutter, press the cold butter into the flour and stir with your fingers until it resembles bread crumbs.
Add the raisins and enough buttermilk to bind the mixture into a usable dough. (I added a tablespoon at a time.)
Form the dough into a ball and knead the dough a few times with the heels of your hands.
Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a round cookie cutter (or glass) and place on baking sheet.
Bake Irish scones in the oven at 375 degrees for 10 -12 minutes.
Cool briefly until warm. Serve with strawberry compote and whipped cream.

Nutritional information:

yield: 12

Serving size: 1

Amount per serving:

Calories: 181Total fat: 3 gramsSaturated fat: 2 gramsTrans fats: 0 gramsUnsaturated fat: 1gcholesterol: 8 mgsodium: 169 mgcarbohydrate: 34 gramsfiber: 1gsugar: 11 gramsprotein: 4 grams