Hi Bold Bakers!
This is a very special recipe, one that has been highly requested and highly anticipated. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, I finally perfected my Best Ever Irish Scones recipe! These are the most authentic Irish Scones around as they are quite literally a revamped recreation of what I grew up with in Ireland similar to my Traditional Irish Soda Bread & Simple White Irish Soda Bread recipes. To me, scones are all about texture. My Best Ever Scones have all of the signs of what a scone should be: a crunchy, crackly exterior, a moist and dense interior and a lightly sweet flavor. Overall a bite of these should feel like a big hug!
My Best Ever Irish Scones, along with my Best Ever Banana Bread and my Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies, are a tried and true recipe that will quickly become your go-to. Just like a flakey biscuit, scones are made of flour, butter, sugar, egg and milk.
Why Use Frozen Butter
While these Best Ever Irish Scones taste like they are made in a real Irish Bakery, they are so easy to make. The key to them is really that they are made 100% by hand. In one bowl, I grate frozen butter into flour. This is the trick to making these the biggest and boldest scones. Grating the butter makes a huge difference in the texture of the scones; it creates pockets of butter throughout and adds loads of air and texture to the finished scones.

What Can I Add to My Scones?
After I grate in the frozen butter, I mix in the rest of the dry ingredients starting with sweet raisins and followed by the eggs and milk. This humble dough easily comes together by hand in minutes. At this point is when you can get creative and add in any other mix-ins you like. From adding fresh berries like in my Fresh Blueberry Scones to chocolate chips, you can make so many variations with this recipe.
How to Shape Irish Scones
Once the dough has come together, I roll the dough out and cut them into lovely rounds, only American scones are triangles. I can’t even tell you how nostalgic these scones are for me.

How to Serve My Best-Ever Irish Scones
After baking, I love to top these with jam and fresh whipped cream. If you happen to have my homemade Microwave Jam or clotted cream, even better! If you’ve ever wondered How to Make Clotted Cream you have to check out this my recipe!
St. Patrick’s Day or not, these are sure to become a family favorite! Also, don’t miss my other traditional Irish recipes.
Get more Irish Recipes:

Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 22 mins
Total Time 42 mins
With a lightly sweet crust and densely moist center, my Best Ever Irish Scones are a tried and true classic. Take it from an Irishwoman and chef!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 12 scones
Ingredients
- 4 2/3 cups (1lb 8oz/680g) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 3/4 cup (6oz/170g) butter, frozen
- 3 level teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup (4oz/113g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (4oz/113g) raisins/sultanas
- 1 1/4 cup (10floz/300ml) milk
- 2 eggs , beaten
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, add
self raising flour .
Using a cheese grater, grate the butter in until it is all gone. (alternatively using a pastry cutter, cut/rub butter into flour until fully crumbed and resembles course breadcrumbs.
Stir in raisins, baking powder and sugar.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk eggs and milk and until thoroughly combined. Pour mix into flour mix and stir until a soft dough is formed. Transfer dough to a floured surface and press to 1 1/2 inch thick. (if your scones are not forming a dough add a little more liquid)
Cut scones out with a round 3 inch cookie cutter.
Place cut scones onto a baking tray lined with parchment.
Gather remaining dough in a ball, re-flatten then cut scones from dough. Repeat until entire batch of dough is cut into scones. If you have a little excess dough left, just pat it onto the top of the scones.
Bake at 425oF (210oC) for roughly 22-26 minutes. In the video I said 12 minutes but to get them really golden brown you will want to bake for longer. Cool on wire rack.
Serve warm or fully fully cooled with butter, jam, or fresh cream.
Recipe Notes
BAKE TIME: . In the video I said 12 minutes but to get them really golden brown you will want to bake for longer. I ended up baking for over 20 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Gemma's Best Ever Irish Scones
Amount Per Serving (1 Scone)
Calories 376
Calories from Fat 1080
% Daily Value*
Fat 120g185%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 65mg22%
Sodium 752mg33%
Potassium 59mg2%
Carbohydrates 58g19%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 400IU8%
Calcium 210mg21%
Iron 2.7mg15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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