Gemma’s Best Ever Irish Scones
Save RecipeHi 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 to 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 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:
- Simple White Irish Soda Bread
- Traditional Irish Bread and Butter Pudding
- Traditional Irish Soda Bread (Brown Bread)
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!
- 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
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In a large mixing bowl, add self raising flour .
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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.
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Stir in raisins, baking powder and sugar.
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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)
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Cut scones out with a round 3 inch cookie cutter.
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Place cut scones onto a baking tray lined with parchment.
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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.
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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.
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Serve warm or fully fully cooled with butter, jam, or fresh cream.
Watch the Recipe Video!
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.
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, and I’m passionate about sharing my years of experience to show you how to make game-changing baking recipes with over-the-top results! Join more than 1 Million other Bold Bakers in the community for new video recipes every week!
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These scones have a wonderful flavor and are so tender. They were very light, even though mine didn’t rise very much. I used the self-raising flour and the correct amount of baking powder, but they flattened ever so slightly. Not what I was expecting. Did not taste heavy or anything, just didn’t rise. Any suggestions? Do I need to purchase newer baking powder or something? These tasted so good, so I do want to try them again.
Hi Belinda,
A hot oven is important to this type of bake. Pre-heating the oven too, working fast, and having the dough soft, nut sticky but soft will all help. It is a bit of practice. This is a fast bake, we made these at home as we saw visitors come to the door – almost!
Try again,
Gemma 🙂
These Irish scone recipe is fantastic. They taste so good with cherries and are by far the best scones I have made.
Yay! It makes me happy to hear that. Thank you for being here.
Very yummy. Flaky, buttery oh just yummy.
I’m delighted to hear it. well done to you!
Hi Gemma, I made these and they look beautiful but here and there have a bitter taste. Any idea what I did wrong? I stead of 3 tsp baking powder I used 1 tbsp. But that’s supposed to be the same. Followed the recipe for the flour too. Wondering if maybe the added powder didn’t mix in well enough.
Hi Lori,
So this is really simple. Yes you are correct the bitterness is from the baking powder. When using baking powder or baking soda in any of your baking you have to level the spoon. It is best to use less than more. When you use too much it doesn’t help the recipe AND you can taste it (yuck).
1 tablespoon is roughly 3 1/2 teaspoons so it sounds like there was just too much baking powder in there.
Hope this helps,
Gemma.
Gemma, can I use a triangle cutter?
yes absolutely you can, Kristina.
Happy Baking!
Gemma.
I tried this new recipe and it didn’t work as well for me as your original one. Instead of turning out flakey and light, they came out oily and dense. I’ve always had fantastic results from your original recipe. Not sure what wend differently with this one
I’m sorry to hear that. Could it be that you missed one ingredient or overlooked a process in the recipe?
I don’t think so, I made the older recipe right after because they didn’t turn out right and I was making them for a friend’s party. I will give the newer recipe another go and double check. I do remember the underside of the scones being very dark. I have a second thermometer in my oven to double check temperature. So I also don’t think it was above the 425 degreees in the recipe. I’ll let you know once I try again
This is the recipe I’ve been looking for! Just returned from my first trip to Ireland, and the scones there (hotel’s coffee stand) were the best I’ve ever had. Needed a recipe to re-create the taste at home. Tried one a few weeks ago that was not right. Gemma’s recipe is perfect – easy to do (except a lot of grating!), and the most delicious flavor. Definitely took me back. Thank you! I’ll be trying the soda bread recipe next.
Notes: I baked for 22 minutes and that was just right. Added golden raisins. Next time will try dried cranberries, and maybe some pecans. I used a mix of KerryGold salted butter that I had leftoever, and unsalted Land O’Lakes. Next time, I will use all unsalted KerryGold – just found it at the grocery.
Yay! Well done, you! I’m delighted that you liked my recipe. It’s nice to have a taste of home once in a while.
Hi,
I have a couple of questions for you. Once these scones are made how long will they last in an air tight container? Secondly, how long can they be put into the freezer for? Thank you.
Hi Jayne,
scones, like soda bread, are a daily bread type of thing. They are gorgeous fresh from the oven and on that day baked. They are never great the next day.
Freeze then though, then take them from the freezer and refresh in a hot oven for a few minutes, will be like fresh baked! Keep in the freezer for about 4 weeks, they will defrost quickly too.
I hope this is of help,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma – I love your scone recipe, they are delicious! However, my scones do not rise as much as I’d like. I just came back from an awesome trip to Ireland and of course had a scone wherever I went. The ones I loved the most were those from Avoca Weavers in Avoca. They were so crunchy on the outside and beautiful fluffy on the inside. Also, they rose to a tremendous height. I used self rising flour and the 3 tsps of baking powder as called for in the recipe. What am I doing wrong?
Anne,
Avoca Handweavers might be the best scone you ever have! I would only hope mine are as good. Honestly, the fact you use self raising and added the baking powder does have me a little stumped as to why they didn’t rise. The only thing I can think of is you do have to roll them cut the thick to give them that extra boost.
Sorry I couldn’t be more help. Have you tried my other scone recipe? it’s more like Avoca https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/traditional-irish-scones/
Best,
Gemma.
Hi Gemma – Thank you so much for your reply! I’m a little stumped myself but I’m beginning to think it may be the flour here in the US that’s the culprit. The processing in the US is different than in Ireland from what I understand. I will persevere in my quest to make the perfect Irish scone and keep you posted!
Best, Anne
Yes, do that and let me know how you get on. Thanks a million.
Jam-hater teenager approved Jam & CreamCheeseScones
Hi Gem! As you said, we learn by practice!
1. Inspired by your frozen butter method, I cut cream cheese into cubes then froze them. When the soft dough was almost formed, I folded in (substituted raisins with) about 3/4cup~1 cup of cream cheese cubes.
According to my experience last time, if you did this step earlier while stirring in baking powder and sugar, cream cheese would start melting and disappear after baking.
2. I dipped my cutter into flour a bit every time before cutting, the dough just came off onto the tray so easy. Hope this helps others.
Again, thank you for this easy awesome recipe and all inspirations!❤️????????
Again, another nugget of baking wisdom from you Rachel! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Gemma I made these best ever scone this morning: and yes they are the best ever scone’s ! I have a “3 ice cream scoop and scooped my dough onto my cookie sheet and it worked out really nice. Even my husband Fred ; commented on them and said; “they were very good”
I just wish I had a kitchen like yours with all the ingredients at my fingertips.
Enjoy your weekend coming up!
Lynnette
Hi Lynnette,
I am so happy to hear this when Fred is happy we are all happy, you tell him I said that <3
I have to have everything to hand as I bake every day more or less, testing recipes, etc. My kitchen is TINY! haha, the camera fools the eye.
Thank you for being in touch, this made me smile,
Gemma 🙂
Gemma,
Can this recipe be used for triangular scones, as well? If I use blueberries instead of raisins, can I use frozen berries, & if so, do I use them frozen?
Thank you,
Linda
Hi Linda,
yes, to both questions.
My mum used to form a circle with the scone dough an cut it into 8 sections, triangular if you will. This was when in a hurry, they would be in the oven in no time at all. Yes to the frozen berries too, not too many though as they would over wet the dough. All will be well. A good hot oven will do the rest,
Gemma 🙂
I made these beautiful scones in Lemon Blueberry for a bridal shower. They were a big hit! I made a couple of test batches in advance just to make sure I was ready for the big batch. Gemma is right. The blueberries really do over wet the dough. I used lemon zest and some of the lemon juice (as a substitute for some of the liquid) and frozen blueberries. I tried to work very fast so that they wouldn’t thaw out. I added a little extra flour to compensate and that helped. My raw scones had to be frozen and baked off on the morning of the event. After thawing, the dough was a bit gummy but the scones baked up deliciously perfect. Be sure you spray the parchment paper or foil because they do tend to stick after they thaw. I will post a picture of the finished product. I served them with homemade clotted cream (the ultra pasteurized cream worked fine) and an assortment of microwave jams from Gemma’s recipes. They were a beautiful addition to a special day.
Thank you for sharing these tips with the other bold bakers. I’m glad it turned out well, despite the challenges. Well done, you!
Hi Gemma,
I absolutely love this recipe! They always come out so perfectly!
P.S. I am so glad you shared this recipe today. I have your wonderful cookbook but didn’t see this one there!
Love from Louisiana!
Paula
Hi Paula. I’m delighted that you like my recipe. Scones are an all-time favorite among the bold bakers. Thank you for buying my book and for the kind words. I hope you’ll enjoy baking with the cookbook as much as I enjoyed writing it.
The last bag of. Flour I ordered is self rising, so can’t think of a better way to use it. I’m 95 years of age now and necessary to order what I use in the kitchen, when I can. Thanks for all the recipes you contribute. Like them all, especially the mug recipes for one person. I think i’ve Tried most of them their all good. Also so all the kitchen things I don’t have available when I start to make something. How nice not to have to go to the store to get what I don’t have available. All I have to do is bring out your recipe for sour cream and other things I don’t keep on hand. Thanks a lot. Love your recipes for ingredients I don’t have, as well as how to use them in the rest of the recipes. As ever, Wilma manasse in Oregon, USA.
Thank you for your kind words Wilma. I am delighted that you like my recipes. Mug meals are my go-to meals on days when I need something hot, fast and delicious. Keep in touch!