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Irish Soda Bread Scones (with raisins, orange, and caraway)
5 from 20 votes

Irish Soda Bread Scones (with raisins, orange, and caraway)

Irish Soda Bread Scones blend whole wheat and all-purpose flours with raisins, orange zest and juice, and caraway seeds for a lightly sweet, fragrant baked treat. The dough relies on baking soda and cream of tartar for leavening, while buttermilk and butter create tender richness. These scones have a hearty texture with citrus and spice notes, making them suitable for breakfast or afternoon tea.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 16 scones
Calories: 205 kcal
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Irish

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raisins or dried currants
  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest from about 1 orange
  • ¼ cup orange juice from about 1 orange, fresh
  • 1 cups whole wheat flour
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus a little more to help you roll the dough balls
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk see notes
  • 1 egg

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Add the raisins (1 cup), caraway seeds (1 tablespoon), orange zest (1 tablespoon), and the orange juice (¼ cup) to a small bowl. Stir together and microwave for 20 seconds or so to warm up, then set aside for 5-10 minutes, giving it another stir now and then.
  3. Whisk together the all purpose flour (3 cups), the whole wheat flour (1 cup), sugar (¼ cup), baking soda (1 ½ teaspoons), cream of tartar (1 ½ teaspoons), and kosher salt (½ teaspoon), in a large bowl.
  4. Cut 5 tablespoons of the butter (cold straight from the fridge) into small pieces and add to the bowl. Use a pastry cutter or fork to cut butter into flour mixture, until it resembles coarse crumbs. Tip: If this seems difficult to do, you can use your hands to break the butter up or pulse the mixture in your food processor.
  5. Drain the liquid from the raisin mixture into another small bowl. Add the buttermilk (1 ¼ cups), egg (1), and drained raisin/zest/caraway seed mixture to the flour and butter mixture. Mix together until the dough just comes together. It may be crumbly and in multiple pieces- this is OK.
  6. Roll a portion of the dough into a ball about 2-inches in diameter (I used a disher/ice cream scoop to evenly measure each portion). Use a little bit of flour to help you roll the dough so it's not too sticky and so it's relatively smooth on the edges. Place place on parchment covered baking sheet, allowing for plenty of room for spreading (you will likely need to bake two batches).
  7. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and mix with the drained orange juice liquid. Cut a cross or x-shape into the top of each one (see notes), and brush with melted butter and orange juice mixture using a pastry brush.
  8. Bake at 400 for about 13 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Notes

  • Store scones at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze for up to 6 months; reheat briefly in the microwave before serving.
  • A sharp small knife can be used to score a traditional criss-cross pattern on the scones before baking, but this is optional.
  • Other small dried fruits such as cranberries, chopped apricots, or dates can be used in place of raisins.
  • Powdered buttermilk is a convenient substitute for fresh buttermilk, or use plain yogurt thinned with milk or water in equal measure.
  • Homemade buttermilk can be made by mixing 1 cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar.

Nutrition Information

Calories 205kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 35g (12%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g (2%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g (5%) Trans Fat 0.2g (10%) Cholesterol 18mg (6%) Sodium 234mg (10%) Potassium 216mg (5%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 181IU (4%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 36mg (4%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16 scones

Amount Per Serving

Calories 205

% Daily Value*

Calories 205kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 35g 12%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 234mg 10%
Potassium 216mg 5%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 181IU 4%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 36mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.