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A scone split in half with red jam and cream filling, served on a white plate with another scone and a cake stand in the background—perfectly capturing the charm of a classic Irish scones recipe.
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Traditional Irish Scones for Afternoon Tea

Traditional Irish scones made with butter and buttermilk for a soft, tender crumb. A classic, lightly sweet scone perfect for afternoon tea or breakfast.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 166kcal
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour or 2 cups self rising flour and eliminate salt, baking powder & baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup butter cold and diced
  • ½ cup buttermilk or heavy cream, cold (plus more if needed to make a soft dough)
  • 1 large egg
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar.
  • Add the cold, diced butter to the bowl, and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients, lifting it into the air as you go, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Every Irish baker I know uses their fingertips for cutting in the butter.
  • Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the buttermilk and beaten egg. Gently stir the liquid into the dry ingredients until it forms a soft dough, add additional buttermilk if needed. My Grandma O'Hara used a fork.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 1-inch thick circle. Using a biscuit cutter or the top of a glass with a diameter of around 2 inches, cut circles from the dough without twisting the cutter. Pat the scraps into shape and continue cutting. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with additional buttermilk.
  • Bake for 11 to 15 minutes or until the top of the scones are a beautiful golden brown. Let cool on a metal rack for 10 minutes or more before serving with clotted cream and jam. And, of course, a cup of tea!

Notes

  1. What to Serve with Irish Scones: Raspberry and strawberry jam is traditional, but use your favorite jam with your favorite tea.
  2. Dough: Handle the dough gently — overmixing will make the scones dense. The dough should be soft but not wet; add buttermilk gradually.
  3. Dried fruit: For a traditional variation, add ½ cup currants or raisins.
  4. More Afternoon Tea Ideas: See all our favorite Afternoon Tea recipes here.
  5. Irish Recipes: More Irish recipes at 31Daily.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 408mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g