If you love classic Irish soda bread but want something a little more tender, buttery, and bakery style, then these Irish Soda Bread Scones are the perfect twist. They have everything people love about traditional soda bread, the buttermilk tang, plump raisins, and a lightly sweet crumb, but with the flaky, tender texture of a scone.
These scones start with frozen grated butter, which melts in the oven to create delicate layers and incredible richness. The raisins are soaked briefly in orange juice, giving them a soft, juicy bite and a subtle citrus brightness that pairs beautifully with the buttery dough.
Because these are made with baking soda and baking powder, there’s no yeast or rise time involved. That means you can go from mixing bowl to warm, golden scones in about 30 minutes of active time.
They’re wonderful served warm with salted butter, jam, lemon curd, or honey, and they make an especially cozy treat for breakfast, brunch, tea time, or St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Why you’ll love this recipe!
What ingredients do I need?
- All Purpose Flour: Provides structure while keeping the scones tender and soft.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds gentle sweetness without making the scones overly sugary.
- Baking Powder: Helps give the scones lift and lightness.
- Baking Soda: Reacting with the buttermilk, baking soda provides additional rise and contributes to the classic soda bread flavor.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the buttery flavor.
- Unsalted Butter (Frozen and Grated): Frozen butter creates pockets of steam as it bakes, resulting in tender, flaky layers.
- Buttermilk: Adds tanginess while keeping the scones moist and tender.
- Vanilla Extract: Provides warmth and subtle sweetness.
- Cinnamon (Optional): A small pinch adds gentle spice and warmth.
- Raisins: Classic soda bread flavor. Soaking them keeps them soft and plump during baking.
- Orange Juice (for soaking raisins): Adds a light citrus note that brightens the flavor of the scones.
- Egg and Heavy Cream (for brushing): Helps the scones develop a beautiful golden crust.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate Chip Soda Bread Scones: Replace raisins with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Currant Irish Scones: Use dried currants instead of raisins for a more traditional twist.
- Spiced Soda Bread Scones: Add nutmeg and allspice for a warm spiced flavor.
Pro Tips
- Use frozen butter. Grating frozen butter ensures it stays cold and evenly distributed, creating flaky, tender layers as it melts in the oven.
- Mix just until the dough comes together. Overmixing will develop gluten and make the scones dense instead of soft and tender.
- If there is one tip I want you to make sure you follow it is this: SOAK THE RAISINS! Soaking the raisins in orange juice keeps them plump and juicy while adding a subtle citrus flavor that pairs beautifully with the orange zest.
- Incorporate the orange zest well. Mix the orange zest into the dry ingredients so it distributes evenly and flavors every bite.
- Use cold buttermilk. The cold liquid helps keep the butter from melting before baking, which is key for flaky texture.
- Try the lamination step! Stacking and pressing the dough creates extra layers, giving you that bakery-style flakiness without extra effort.
- Chill the scones before baking. Chilling the shaped scones helps them hold their shape and prevents spreading while baking.
- Brush the tops with egg and cream before baking to give the tops a beautiful golden color and slight shine. I also sprinkle the tops with a Swedish Pearl Sugar too!
- Watch the bake closely and if the tops begin to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the final few minutes to prevent over browning.
Can I Substitute?
Yes! Like always though, any substitutions made to the recipe can result in a change in texture and/or flavor.
- Buttermilk: Mix ⅔ cup whole milk with 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes, or use whole milk or heavy milk
- Raisins: Golden raisins, currants, or chopped dried cranberries work well.
- Orange Juice: You can soak raisins in warm water, apple juice, or black tea.
- Butter: Salted butter can be used, simply reduce the added salt slightly.
Dietary Substitutions
- Gluten Free: Use a high-quality 1:1 gluten free baking flour designed for baking.
- Egg Free: Simply omit the egg from the egg wash! The heavy cream alone will work well.
Leftovers and Storage
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Store for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Freeze baked or unbaked scones (without egg wash) for up to 2 months.
- To Reheat: Warm in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes or microwave briefly until warm.
But, I Still Have A Few Questions…
What makes these Irish soda bread scones different from traditional soda bread?
Traditional soda bread is baked as a dense loaf, while these scones are lighter, flakier, and slightly sweeter with a more tender crumb.
Why add orange zest and soak the raisins in orange juice?
The orange zest adds bright citrus flavor throughout the dough, while soaking the raisins keeps them soft and adds an extra layer of flavor.
Why should the butter be frozen and grated?
Frozen grated butter creates small pockets in the dough that melt during baking, producing flaky layers.
Do I need both baking powder and baking soda?
Yes. Baking soda reacts with the buttermilk for rise and flavor, while baking powder provides additional lift for a lighter texture.
Why is there no egg in the dough?
Leaving the egg out keeps the texture more tender and closer to traditional soda bread, while still achieving structure from the flour and buttermilk.
Why chill the scones before baking?
Chilling solidifies the butter and helps the scones keep their shape, resulting in better texture and rise.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare and shape the scones, then refrigerate them overnight before baking.
Can I freeze these scones?
Yes. Freeze unbaked scones, without the egg wash, and then brush and bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
What are these best served with?
They’re delicious with butter, jam, honey, or lemon curd for a citrus forward pairing.
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Let’s engage!
Make sure to tag @thehomechefmomma on Instagram or Facebook, and leave a review or comment if you make these. I always get so excited to see your creations, variations of the recipe, and feedback! Just remember to be kind in your comments, there is still a person behind this screen! 🙂
Irish Soda Bread Scones
Ingredients
Scones
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter frozen and grated
- ⅔ cup buttermilk cold
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch cinnamon optional
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup orange juice for soaking raisins
For Brushing
- 1 large egg cold
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Soak the raisins in orange juice for about 10 minutes. Drain before using.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon if using.
- Grate the frozen butter using a box grater. Add it to the flour mixture and gently toss until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Pour the buttermilk and vanilla into the dry ingredients. Mix gently until the dough just comes together.
- Fold in the soaked raisins.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Press into an 8 inch disc about 1 inch thick.
- Cut the dough in half and stack one half on top of the other.
- Press again into an 8 inch disc about 1 inch thick.
- Cut the dough into 8 wedges using a sharp knife or bench scraper.
- Place the scones on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Brush the tops with egg/heavy cream wash.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. (If the tops darken too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the final minutes.)
- Let the scones cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.
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The recipe sounds delicious. Thank you very much.
Thank you so much! I hope you love them like we do!