These tasty old fashioned tea cakes will bring you right back to your southern roots!!!
When I started my cookie journey a few months back. Momma asked me to make her some Old Fashioned Tea Cakes. What are those I asked her? She said they were like a soft sugar cookie with a little kick to them that she remembered from her childhood. Hmmmm. I was off to do my research.
Have you ever had tea cakes? Most people I know haven’t even heard of them, including hubby. Think soft sugar cookie, but with even more heightened flavor, and you’ll get a sense of why Momma loves them so much!! These old fashioned tea cakes are best served straight out of the oven with a nice cup of tea…ergo the name or even coffee.
HOW TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES
These tea cakes require just a few ingredients that i’m sure you already have right in your pantry and fridge.
Momma prefers these to a traditional sugar cookie but really they don’t compare as these are barely even on the sweet side.
They are still wonderfully delicious however. They have just a small hint of sweetness which is why I prefer them fresh out of the oven.
Momma likes these made with spicy nutmeg but I prefer them with cinnamon. The beauty of these is that you can flavor them however you like because the recipe is so forgiving. Do you have a favorite tea cake recipe that you enjoyed as a young child? I sure hope you’ll try these delicious tea cakes for your family. They will not disappoint!! Say Grace and enjoy!!
Old Fashioned Tea Cakes Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ c. unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ c. butter-flavored shortening
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- lemon zest from one small lemon
- 1 T. vanilla bean paste
- 2 c all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon or nutmeg
- ¼ c. buttermilk room temp
Instructions
- In the stand of a large mixer, cream together butter and shortening until creamy. Add sugar until blended well and then add egg. Mix in lemon zest and vanilla bean paste. Set aside.
- Sift baking powder, kosher salt, and cinnamon or nutmeg In a medium bowl, .
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk beginning and ending with the dry.
- Remove the dough from the mixer and shape into a ball. Cut ball in half and shape each half into discs. Cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Remove dough from fridge and plastic wrap and roll dough to ¼-inch thick on parchment paper.
- Cut out cookies with any cookie cutter shape of about 3 inches and place on sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until bottoms are lightly golden. Allow to cool. Say Grace and enjoy!!
Adapted from Divas Can Cook
Say, Grace, I have been trying to get the old fashion tea cake recipe for the longest, my mother baked these tea cake often, and as I can remember they were delicious. I want to bake them for my grandboy for the summer, school is out, I want to give him some summer memories. Thanks a lot, you knew I was looking for this recipe.
Hi Aunt Dora!!! Let me know how they turn out for you!!! I hope that you both enjoy!!!
My mother loved them too!! Try them with lemon…
She said my grandmother made them all the time.
Hey Kamilah!! I put some lemon zest in these and it was the perfect hint of lemon flavor!!! 🙂
My mother was nicknamed “T” because she said when she was young she ate all the Tea Cakes that her mother baked. She is nearly 92 years old so the Tea cake goes wayback!
I had recently found a recipe online and made her some in memory of her childhood. 😁
They taste pretty good. I will have to try out your recipe the next time I make them for her.
Awww Phyllis!!! What a beautiful back story! I hope your mother,”T” will like this recipe as much as we do!!! 🙂