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!

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.

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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

Step 1: Make the Tea Cake Dough

1

Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.

2

In your mixer, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy.

3

Add in the egg and vanilla and keep mixing until it’s smooth.

4

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mix.

5

Mix after each addition only until just combined. Don’t overdo it boos.

6

Cover the bowl or place the dough in a freezer bag and refrigerate it for at least an hour.

Step 2: Bake Them Up!

7

Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough.

8

Smooth the balls, place them on a baking tray, and flatten each one slightly.

9

Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are golden.

10

Once they are cooled a bit, serve them up boos!

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 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

The best (and easiest) Southern Tea Cakes Recipe (or tea cake cookies recipe) is here! You will feel like you are right in the South after making and serving these, not to mention eating them.

4.13 from 244 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Snack

Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

• Stand mixer
• Sheet Pans
• Cookie Scoop
• measuring cups

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

US Customary – Metric

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 and vanilla extract 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

Note: Remember to make sure your ingredients are room temperature.   They will incorporate much better and create a wonderful well mixed dough.

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 temperature; they’ll stay fresh for up to a week.

If you want to preserve their delightful texture for a bit longer, you can also freeze the tea cakes; just make sure they’re tightly wrapped and they’ll be good for up to three months.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 22mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.8mg

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