Traditional Irish Scones
Save RecipeHi Bold Bakers!
Scones were an essential part of my life growing up in Ireland. Anytime you’d drop by a friend or family member’s house, you’d have a hot cup of tea and freshly baked scones ready for you. When I started baking, this was one of my first recipes and it’s essential one for any Bold Baker. I’ll show you all of my best tips and tricks to making perfect buttery scones every time. And don’t forget the jam and cream to make them extra Big & Bold!
Plus, don’t miss my mum’s Traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe, which is a lovely quick bread that you can make in no time!
Get my NEW Best-Ever Irish Scones Recipe!
- 3 ½ cups (16oz/497g) all purpose flour
- 5 teaspoon baking powder, leveled
- 1 generous pinch Of salt
- ¼ cup (2 oz/60g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (2 ½ oz/71g) salted butter, cold
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup (2floz/57ml) double cream
- 3/4 cup (6floz/170ml) whole milk
- milk to glaze
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In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients together
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Rub in the cold butter with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.
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If adding dried fruit eg. Raisins, berries, citrus rind, chocolate chips add them now before you add liquid
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Mix your egg with the milk and cream and pour into your flour mix (if you don’t have cream you can use only milk)
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With an open hand mix loosely your scone mix until your dough forms. The bowl should be clean from the dough
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Turn your dough onto a floured work surface
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Knead lightly to give your dough a smooth surface
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Pat your dough down with your hand until around 1 inches thick
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With a scone cutter cut out your lovely little scones. You will have around 12
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Put on a baking tray, glaze the tops of your scones with some milk to give them a golden top when baked
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Bake at 350oF (18OoC) for 35 minutes.
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Enjoy with Irish butter, jam and freshly whipped cream. Scones are best eaten the day they are baked but the next day you can pop them back in the oven to freshen them up again.
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Hi Gemma, I was recently in Ireland and fell in love with Irish scones! I am allergic to wheat but I found this place that had a gluten-free version and they were amazing with clotted cream. Would this recipe work with gluten-free flour? As you know, gluten-free flour does not behave like the normal one so I was wondering whether you would have a gluten-free version. Thanks.
Hi Michelle,
I am delighted you visited Ireland and enjoyed our scones – especially that you found gluten-free versions.
You are right, GF flour behaves in a different way to wheat flour. The biggest issue is the way it takes up liquids. Managing this will be a big help to you. I suggest you use self-raising flour and add to every 8ozs of flour a teaspoon extra of baking powder.
I hope this will help, do let us know,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma!
My mom is from Co. Waterford but has lived in Mexico City for ages. She misses her scones and soda bread a lot, but cannot ever get them right. We’re thinking the altitude is the problem but haven’t had any luck with adjusting the recipe. Do you have any tips for her?
Thank so much!
Cheers!
Irlanda
Hi there,
my mum grew up in Waterford too, and we have family connections in Mexico city too. Goes to show what a tiny world this is!
I have a post on high altitude baking (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/high-altitude-baking-guide/).
Mexico City is at an elevation of 2.200M or 7.200 ft.
Probably the best tip for soda bread and scones will be to increase the oven temperature by 10c/20f. Then you will need to reduce the timing as evaporation happens quicker at high altitude. Do not over-wet the dough, and perhaps try adding a little bicarbonate of soda to the mix, along with the baking powder, 1/2 a teaspoon will help. This recipe should work reasonably well with these adjustments (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/traditional-irish-scones/).
Brown soda bread too may give a better result, and choose a flour with a reasonably high protein content too, this is usually indicated on the side panel of the pack.
I hope this is of help and that your mom gets the results she wants,
Gemma 🙂
Gemma, well, wouldn´t you know, it´s a small small world!! You should let me know if you are ever over here, we can bring you around the city. It´s beautiful.
Thank you so much for your suggestions, I just checked out your post and will definitely try them out and let you know!!
🙂
you are welcome 🙂
Best,
Gemma.
Gemma! After 48 years of trying she’s finally delighted with a recipe! I made them for her and actually used brown flour since I didn’t realize I had no white, and added fresh cherries to half the dough. I also followed your suggestions on high altitude . They are just perfect, I can’t thank you enough! And thanks also from a very grateful Waterford lady 😉😘😘😘😘😘
Hi there,
yipee! go hana maith! as would say in Ireland, well done you, I am delighted to hear this.
We do make scones with brown flour/wholewheat too, usually served with savory food, soups in particular.
Good job, you will be the favorite child!
Gemma 🙂
I was missing Irish scones after leaving Ireland 3 days ago. Made these today – my husband and I LOVED them!
What kind of baking sheets do you use? My scones were barely golden and a little burnt on the bottom. Trying to figure out the best bake! 😊
Hi Ashley. I’ve had these old baking sheets for a while. Your pan / sheet must’ve been closer to the heat source. You can raise your pan / sheet to the higher rack next time. Hope this helps. Gemma 😊