Did you do anything to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? I’ll admit I didn’t get into the holiday spirit, with the exception of baking a batch of Irish soda bread scones. After, I enjoyed Korean food at Muguboka Restaurant for lunch (the rice cakes with spicy sauce are dangerously delicious) and an assortment of dips and pita from Oren’s Hummus Shop for dinner.
And between meals, I snacked on, you guessed it, Irish soda bread scones. The petite pastries may not look like much, but don’t let appearances fool you. Crusty on the outside and moist on the inside, they’re impossible to resist, especially when served warm with butter and jam.
Recipe adapted from A Cozy Kitchen.
Irish Soda Bread Scones
Makes 8 scones
Ingredients
Dough:
- ½ cup raisins (see notes*)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk (see notes**)
Finish:
- buttermilk or half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons Demerara sugar
- 1 teaspoon flake salt
Instructions
- Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover them with hot water; let them plump for at least 10 minutes. Drain.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal.
- Add the plumped raisins and toss to combine. Then add the buttermilk and stir until just combined.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat into a 1"-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half, turn it 90 degrees and pat into a 1"-thick rectangle. Repeat the process 2 more times, flouring your work surface as necessary to prevent sticking.
- Pat the dough into an 8" circle. Cut dough into 8 wedges. Shape each wedge into a circle and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Transfer the scones to the freezer and chill for 5-10 minutes.
- Slash an X on top of each scone with a floured knife about ½ inch deep. Brush tops with buttermilk or half-and-half and sprinkle with Demerara sugar and flake salt.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
*I used a mix of brown and golden raisins.
**I rarely buy buttermilk because it's so easy to make with ingredients you likely have on hand. Just pour 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk to hit the 1-cup line. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until curdled.
**I rarely buy buttermilk because it's so easy to make with ingredients you likely have on hand. Just pour 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk to hit the 1-cup line. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes until curdled.
Good morning! Absolutely no room in my freezer these days. Is putting these in the fridge, or skipping that step, okay? Thank you and take care!
Hi Kristen – Feel free to store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for a few days. Enjoy!