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Every year when St. Patrick’s Day rolls around we make soda bread, and every year we ask ourselves, “how come we only make this once a year?” Soda bread is a hearty loaf that’s leavened without yeast, but it still manages to get a crackly crust and pillowy interior, unlike other quick breads that are squishy and moist. We love that it doesn’t use yeast, because that means we can whip it up in a jiff, but Martha Stewart just created a recipe that makes us think we’ll finally be making soda bread more often this year. She just shared a recipe for Irish soda bread scones, and they’re the perfect soda bread-biscuit hybrid.

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There are always arguments about what makes a soda bread “authentic,” so we’ll tell you now that we’re more concerned with “tasty” than pure authenticity. These biscuit-sized soda bread scones are the perfect size to be spread with jam and butter, swept through the remnants of a bowl of stew, or served with thick slabs of Irish cheddar.

Courtesy of Aurora Natural.

The soda bread scones are flavored with dried currants, caraway seeds, and orange zest. We always like to soak our dried fruit in warm liquid before we bake with it, so it’s plumper and more flavorful when it’s added to the batter or dough, and in this case it’s the perfect opportunity to add more Irish ingredients to your bread. Try soaking the currants in Irish tea, or Irish whiskey before adding them to your mixing bowl.

Courtesy of Barry’s.

Unlike other soda bread recipes that can be hard and dense, Stewart’s Irish soda bread scones are light and fluffy, thanks to her mixing technique (she makes them like American biscuits), and thanks to the inclusion of buttermilk. Of course, if you don’t have buttermilk you can substitute milk that’s had vinegar or lemon juice added, or even buttermilk powder, which a lot of baker’s like to keep on hand because it’s shelf-stable.

Courtesy of The Saco Pantry.

The end result is a tray of warm and flavorful Irish soda bread scones that you’ll want to eat not just every year on St. Patrick’s Day, but every week for breakfast, with tea, and served with your favorite meals.

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