These tea cakes from my Mississippi big mama have been passed down from generation to generation. They are soft, buttery and the perfect mix of cake and sugar cookie textures. Old schoolers used to serve them with tea or at holidays. I’ve made a few tweaks in testing to ensure they come out perfectly in your kitchen. These are the Southern classic that are done just right.
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Tea Cakes Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: You can also use salted butter here. Just leave out the salt in the recipe if you make this swap.
- Granulated Sugar: You can swap in brown sugar or even molasses like my daddy’s grandmother used to do.
- Egg: Just one binds the batter together.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: You can swap this for any extract you like from almond to lemon.
- All-Purpose Flour: You can try a cup-for-cup gluten-free option here though the texture might change a little.
- Salt: Just a pinch! It helps balance the sweetness.
- Baking Soda: Check your expiration date to make sure it’s good to go.
How to Make Tea Cakes
Make the Tea Cake Dough
Step 1: Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.
Step 2: In your mixer, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy.
Step 3: Add in the egg and vanilla and keep mixing until it’s smooth.
Step 4: Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mix.
Step 5: Mix after each addition only until just combined. Don’t overdo it.
Step 6: Cover the bowl or place the dough in a freezer bag and refrigerate it for at least an hour.
Bake Them Up!
Step 7: Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough.
Step 8: Smooth the balls, place them on a baking tray, and flatten each one slightly.
Step 9: Bake the tea cakes for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are golden.
Step 10: Once they are cooled a bit, serve them up.
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Southern Tea Cakes Recipe
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I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
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.
Notes
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.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Mix Dry Ingredients Separately: By doing this upfront you can fully incorporate these well-mixed ingredients right into your dough without overmixing.
- Refrigerate the Dough: It needs to firm up for at least an hour for the best results.
- Get Those Hands Working: The warmth of your hands to shape dough makes it more workable making it easier to flatten down y’all.
- Tender Cookies: Make sure you don’t overmix the dough or overbake your cookies which may change their soft texture.
- Cool on the Pan: The cookies will be soft when you first remove the tray from the oven. I like to let them cool slightly on the pan which firms them up slightly making them easier to move.
Recipe Help
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!
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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!