Traditional Irish soda bread doesn’t really contain any “stuff,” aside from perhaps some raisins or currants, so you can go ahead and consider this a blasphemous recipe. But these are a super fun, miniature way to enjoy a twist on the traditional recipe, perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! This recipe allows the raisins/currants, caraway seeds, and orange zest to soften up a bit in orange juice before adding to the mixture, allowing the flavors to bloom and everything to soften. The soaking liquid from that wonderful mixture is mixed with butter and brushed on top of the scones before baking. It’s a bit of an extra step that is so worth it! Let’s get to it.
Why is it called “soda bread,” anyway?
Confession time: until far too recently, I thought that Irish soda bread contained soda. Soda as in: tonic water, beer, or some other fizzy beverage. Turns out, it’s just the baking soda from whence it gets its name. There are some recipes out there that use heavy stout beers (like Guinness) to make it, but it’s not the norm. These Irish soda bread scones will pouf up nicely from the addition of baking soda, so be sure to allow them plenty of room on the baking sheet!
Ingredients and Substitutions
All-purpose and Whole Wheat flours – you can use 100% all-purpose if you prefer with 2 tablespoons extra.SugarBaking SodaCream of TartarSaltButter – I recommend Irish butter here, such as Kerrygold!Buttermilk – I love using buttermilk powder, see more for notes on buttermilk below.EggRaisins and/or Currants – another dried fruit, like cranberries, or chopped up larger fruits like apricots or dates could be used here if you like.Caraway seeds – these are great in this, but can be omitted if you don’t have any and don’t feel like a run to the store to get some.Orange – both the zest and the juice are used here.
How to store leftovers
Scones have a tendency to dry out quickly, so I recommend enjoying these within 1-2 days. Store your Irish Soda Bread Scones in an airtight container at room temperature. Freeze any beyond this amount of time. You can flash freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Microwave individual scones for 20 seconds or so to reheat, and enjoy!
Can I just use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
The key here is that you need it to be acidic so it interacts with the baking soda properly – this is why regular milk just won’t work in this recipe. Otherwise, your Irish Soda Bread Scones won’t rise properly.
Can I substitute anything for the buttermilk?
Yes! I have way too many thoughts on this. Whenever I have purchased buttermilk for specific recipes in the past, a lot of it has ended up wasted- it goes bad before I can think of another recipe to make with it! Someone should start selling it in those small school-lunch sized cartons. There you go, free business idea for you! I don’t know why this doesn’t exist. Anyhoo. There ARE alternatives. Powdered buttermilk is my best friend – you just mix it with water and you’re good to go! You can also use plain yogurt in the same ratio, or plain Greek yogurt mixed with a little water or milk to make it thinner. Or, you can mix milk with some vinegar (1 cup milk to 1 tablespoon vinegar) to make your own “buttermilk.”
Can I make this into a whole loaf of soda bread?
While I haven’t personally tried it, here’s what I recommend if you want to experiment. If you want to make a loaf, form the dough into a large round-ish loaf, place in a cast-iron skillet, score the top and brush with the butter mixture, and bake for 30-40 minutes.
The parchment paper sheets I’m obsessed with
Other recipes you’ll love:
Did you know commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways you can support your favorite food bloggers? If you made this recipe or have a question, please click the stars below to comment and Rate this Recipe and/or share photos on social media using the hashtag #bowlofdelicious or tagging @bowlofdelicious!
