Frances’ Scones

Several years ago, I was able to go with my daughter, at the time, one of the Wild Irish Acres Dancers, on a trip to Ireland. During that magical trip, we visited the Rathbaun Farm, a working sheep farm in County Galway. After watching the farm’s border collie round up the sheep, we went inside the farm’s thatched cottage for some freshly baked scones, prepared by Frances, and topped with farm-fresh whipped cream and preserves. Every time that I make Frances’ scones, the scent of them baking brings me back to the farm in Ireland.

*If you do not have self-rising flour, you can create your own with 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt per cup of flour. For this recipe, you would add 2.5 Tablespoons of baking powder and 1 ¼ teaspoon of salt to the 5 cups of flour, and mix thoroughly before following the remaining steps

Ingredients

• 5 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 lb. butter
• 2 cups sugar (or less)
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk (or 2 ½ cups milk and 2 Tablespoons lemon juice; let sit for 5 minutes prior to using to allow the mixture to curdle)
• Raisins, cranberries, or other dried fruit (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit 2. Put flour and butter into a large mixing bowl. Using your fingertips, mix butter and flour together 3. Add sugar (and dried fruit if desired) and mix well 4. Mix egg and buttermilk together. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and gradually add just enough of the buttermilk/egg mixture to make a soft dough, missing together with a spoon or spatula until combined (I do not usually use all the buttermilk/egg mixture. You want the dough to be slightly sticky but not overly gooey) 5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press dough down to around 3/4 inch high, and cut with a scone cutter or the mouth of a glass 6. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Nutrition Information (calculated using 2% buttermilk and no dried fruit): Serving size: 1 scone | Servings per recipe: 20 | Calories: 238.7, Total Fat: 6.3 g, Saturated Fat: 3.6 g, Trans Fat: 0.2 g, Cholesterol: 42.6 mg, Sodium: 451.2 mg, Carbohydrates: 40.1 g, Fiber: 0.9 g, Sugar: 16.9 g, Protein: 5.3 g

*Recipe adapted from Rathbaun Farm

Last updated January 28, 2025