Boos, baking these Southern Tea Cakes is way more than just whipping up some bomb sweet treats – it’s like crafting a whole vibe of tradition, flavor, and that cozy warmth. These tea cakes from my Mississippi big mama are perfectly soft, buttery, and just oozing with all that generous, sweet Southern comfort that’s been perfected and passed down through generations. They are the best tea cakes recipe out there! Trust, you’re about to be swept off your feet! – disappointment doesn’t stand a chance here!
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“Been looking for a great tea cake recipe and this is it. Wow. Don’t tell anyone, but I ate 6 almost right out of the oven. Will be using this recipe for my go to cookies.”
—PAM O.
Both sides of my family excelled at making traditional Southern tea cakes y’all. My daddy’s grandmother made them with molasses. My mama’s mama made them classic style, which is what this recipe represents. side, My parents have both described in great detail the remembrances of southern tea cake cookies prepared by their mothers, grandmothers, and even great-grandmothers for special occasions or just regular days. I hope this recipe captures the magic of those memories.
The Lowdown of This Tea Cakes Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Can be made Gluten-Free and Vegan with ingredient swaps.
Key Flavor: They are beyond buttery, rich, subtly sweet, and soft.
Skill Level: Easy y’all (No Sweat!)
Nostalgia in Every Single Bite
These tea cakes hold not just a special place in my heart but in Southern baking period. Every bite will remind you of being in your grandmother’s kitchen indulging in her homemade treats.
Simple Ingredients with Big Flavor Delivery
With just a few pantry staples that you probably already have at home, you’ll create bomb irresistible flavors y’all. You don’t need elaborate crazy ingredients to make something as memorable as these.
Seriously So Versatile
Whether you serve them for tea time, a quick and easy weeknight dessert or make a batch for the next bake sale, they are a straight up hit!
What are Tea Cakes?
Southern Tea Cakes have an incredibly powerful and colorful history within the African American community and may have been a slaves’ version of the English tea cake. With few resources, enslaved Africans took what was available and made it work.
Tea cakes became a comfort food and then a special treat during the holidays. With many families migrating North at the end of slavery, many foods of the Southern slaves were left behind. Families wanted to begin new traditions and leave behind reminders of oppression. Fortunately, the Southern Tea Cakes recipe was a tradition that continued through the years.
They may look like your basic butter cookie but it is so much more y’all. It has a bit of a cake consistency in a cookie package. They are the best of both worlds. I’m so glad this recipe was preserved by my big mama.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Old Fashioned Tea Cakes
- Unsalted Butter: This is the foundation which provides all the richness and flavor to the mix.
- Granulated Sugar: This gives our tea cake recipe it’s irresistible charm and perfect sweet touch.
- Egg: Just one binds the batter together and creates smoothness.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Vanilla elevates every bite with that aromatic nuance.
- All-Purpose Flour: Flour gives structure to our batter.
- Salt: Just a pinch! It helps balance and enhance the overall flavors.
- Baking Soda: We add just a touch to lift our tea cakes slightly.
How to Make Tea Cakes
What to Serve with Tea Cake Cookies
- Tea Time: The name alone is a huge key that these simple cookies go great with your cup of tea or coffee! In the summer, sip on some sweet tea, while in the winter, enjoy them with a French hot chocolate.
- Enjoy With Other Elegant Desserts: When serving for tea time or a special occasion, they go great with other elegant mini desserts ya dig. Try with these strawberry cupcakes, guava empanadas, and honey apple bars.
- Winter Holidays: For a holiday tea, these copycat Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes are a fun addition!
- Savory Tea Tidbits: These mini tomato tarts and deviled eggs are always a hit!
Recipe Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter: You will lose a bit of control over the amount of salt, but you can bake with salted butter. Just leave the salt out in the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Swap in vanilla bean paste or even almond extract to punch up the flavors.
- Granulated Sugar: You can add a touch of molasses like my daddy’s folks did by replacing the granulated sugar with brown sugar. You can even make your own.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Use Molasses: My dad’s family made tea cakes with molasses, so I know you can easily replace a lot of the granulated sugar in this recipe if you want to add the molasses flavor to your cookies. It will also darken the cookie mixture.
- Gluten-Free: Swap the regular flour for your fave 1:1 ratio gluten-free baking flour blend. It may slightly alter the texture but it will still taste bomb.
- Vegan: Swap the butter with your fave plant-based brand and also use your favorite vegan egg replacer to make this totally ready for your veggie boos.
- Add Spices: My big mama would sometimes add a bit of nutmeg to the batter to add a little nuance and depth.
Expert Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Tea Cakes
- Mix Dry Ingredients Separately: By doing this upfront you can fully incorporate these well-mixed ingredients right into your dough without overmixing and making your dough tough.
- Refrigerate the Dough: The dough for tea cakes is a bit thick which makes it a little harder to work with since it isn’t as pliable. However, it still needs to go into the refrigerator to firm up more so don’t skip it! About an hour is necessary.
- Get Those Hands Working: The warmth of your hands to shape each tablespoon of dough makes it much more workable and pliable making it easier to flatten down y’all.
- Tender Cookies: Make sure you don’t overmix the dough or overbake your cookies which may alter their soft texture.
- Cool on the Pan: The cookies will be soft when you first remove the tray from the oven. I find it helpful to let them cool slightly on the pan which firms them up slightly making them easier to move.
How to Store Tea Cakes
To keep your Southern Tea Cakes tasting just as amazing as the day they were baked, store them in an airtight container at room temp boos.
How long will old fashioned tea cakes last?
They’ll stay fresh for up to 5-6 days. Keep them away from direct sunlight and some place cool such as the pantry or cabinet.
Can I freeze them?
Yep, for sure boos! Just make sure they’re tightly wrapped, pop in a freezer bag, label with the date and they’ll be good for up to three months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Y’all know ovens often bake differently so use my timing as a guideline. Most important look for a change in color around the edges of the cookies. When the edges start to look slightly golden they’re good to go.
The likely cause is an uneven oven temperature or the pan may be too close to the oven’s heating element which can cause burning or excessive browning. Make sure you check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer to ensure accurate temperatures and place the oven rack closer to the center of the oven.
Use a cookie scoop if possible boos! It’s such a great investment because not only does it create even-sized cookies but it also makes the process a bit easier. If you don’t have one a tablespoon measure makes a great sub!
Y’all Southern Tea Cakes are the ultimate Southern cookie. My big mama’s were the absolute best. Seriously buttery and rich with a classic soft texture that’s on point. They’re the epitome of Southern charm and grace and a delish nod to the art of baking that’s been passed down through generations. Whenever you serve these up, they’re not just a hit, they’re a home run, boos!
Best Cookie Recipes
- Lemon Tea Cakes
- Butter Ricotta Cookies
- Sugar Cookies
- Eggnog Cookies
- Neapolitan Cookies
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Southern Tea Cakes Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg optional
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add butter and sugar and mix together on high speed until fluffy and smooth (about 4-5 minutes).
- Turn mixer to medium speed and add in one egg, vanilla extract and nutmeg, if using, and beat until well incorporated.
- Lastly, turn mixer to slow speed and add in flour mixture in intervals of three beating after each addition to incorporate.
- After dough is well mixed, turn off mixer and remove dough from mixer and add to a ziploc bag and place in your refrigerator for at least one hour to firm up dough.
- Once dough is firm, remove from fridge and preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Taking a measuring tablespoon, scoop out cookie dough the size of the tablespoon and roll into a ball. Using your thumb, gently press the center to flatten a bit and place on the tray.
- Do the same for the rest of the dough leaving at least an 1 1/2 inches between each dough ball.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until golden brown on the edges and remove from the oven.
- Cool for 5-10 minutes and serve.
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Love these cookies, eat them just as they are or add a little spice, so versatile. Thanks so much for such a good recipe.
Your tea cakes take my husband to whole ‘nother place of long ago and now my son-in-law and grandson have declared these their favorite, too. Thank you for adding another dimension to our memories!
Wow absolutely! I’m so glad you enjoy these.
I must say that, I am surprise to see cookies by YOU!!! I just LOVE your pound cakes. However, in my Tea Cake recipe I use nutmeg, not vanilla. I will share a secret with you. I place 1/2 teaspoon baking soda into the 1/2 cup of buttermilk. I stir, it rises to 1 cup. I then pour this, along with the well beaten eggs, into the creamy butter and sugar. That’s for now…
This recipe reminds me of my mother’s tea cakes. I was looking for recipe that didn’t have milk or buttermilk like my mother’s. These taste amazing!!!
Wow thank you so much!
Found the link to this recipe on NYT. Baked them in my cute little CONTOURE OVEN IN MY AIRSTREAM TRAILER – X4’d the Recipe to make 6 dozen (and a few for myself ;-). What lovely parting gifts for campground Friends. Enclosed hand bagged teas in the box. Thank you!
Thank you Carmen for making them and sharing with your friends!
I mAde this for our we pinochle night. Everyone loved them. I doubled the recipe. Also sent hubby to work with the onrs that were left(minus a couple i kept for myself, lol) and they were a hit. Thanks for the RECIPE. I don’tI don’t know why this is typing all in capitals. I’m not yelling, lol.
So glad everyone liked the tea cakes, thank you for making them!
Oh my gracious! I made a double batch right off and because I’m a spice lover, I added nutmeg!! ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!
OO that sounds so yummy!!
Great idea. I was thinking a little CINNAMON and sugar sprinkled on top might be good
Very tasty I must say! I was wondering I have trouble getting the butter and sugar to get fluffy. The butter is left on the counter for 20-30 minutes-my finger indents the butter and still has a chill on it. I’ve have used soft butter and ended up throwing it all out-big glop. My mixer is a Viking. Please help with your advice.
Hello. To get softened butter faster heat a microwave safe glass cup of water for 30 sec. Pour out the water and place the wrapped butter in the cup for 5-10 min. Should soften up.
Scrumptious
Thank you, boo!
Been looking for a great tea cake recipe and this is it. Wow. Don’t tell anyone, but I ate 6 almost right out of the oven. Will be using this recipe for my go to cookies. Thanks so much for sharing.
Awe, you’re so sweet, Pam! So glad you liked them and thank you for giving my recipe a try!