Buttermilk Shamrock Scones

~Slightly thinner scones sprinkled with Large Raw Sugar Crystals

~Thicker scones sprinkled with White Sugar

Tonight was just one of those nights that we were craving breakfast for dinner. I made a huge tray of these and served them with thick slab cut bacon and Irish Breakfast Tea.

Buttermilk Shamrock Scones

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup of Buttermilk, for brushing the tops of the scones
1/4 cup of Large Raw Sugar Crystals, to sprinkle on the scones


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with your fingertips to a coarse meal. Add buttermilk and mix just until combined.
Transfer dough to a floured board and divide into 2 parts. Roll each to 3/4 inch thick rounds. Cut each round with a shamrock shaped cookie cutter and place slightly separated on a greased baking sheet. Brush the tops with the buttermilk, and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm, split in half with butter and marmalade if desired.

Yields 16 scones

*A really sweet friend suggested that I try sprinkling the scones with large raw sugar crystals instead of white sugar. While I was out shopping I picked some up and decided to try this recipe again. The first picture is the result of using the large raw sugar crystals and the effect of rolling the scone dough out just a little bit thinner. The scones did bake a little bit faster, but had much more color and were a much sharper shape.