And the texture? They are chewy with slightly crisp edges, soft and fluffy, and a melt-in-your-mouth kind of baked treat. They are simply irresistible and downright addictive. Yum! đ As with any Southern recipe, the ingredient list is pretty controversial. Purists would like to keep the ingredients short and straightforward. Simple means no nutmeg, vanilla, or lemon zest. But the truth is, you can bump up the flavor of this classic treat without losing that authentic taste.
Southern Tea Cakes Recipe Ingredients and Substitutes
Now, you know I canât leave the ingredient list alone. These Immified tea cookies here are slightly sweetened with faint notes of nutmeg, vanilla, almond extract, and a kiss of lemon to tickle your taste buds. Those flavors perfectly complement a hot cup of coffee or an afternoon tea. Hereâs what youâll need to make these old-fashioned tea cakes:
All-Purpose Flour â This essential baking staple serves as the base or foundation of our baked goodies. A gluten-free all-purpose flour will work, too.Lemon Zest â The added citrusy notes give our tea cakes a refreshing vibe with every bite. Yum! â€Nutmeg â Incredible nutmeg gives a hint of warm and cozy flavors in the background that is not too overpowering. And it delivers a holiday feel any time of year.Butter â Aside from adding lovely buttery flavor, butter also makes our cookies moist and soft. You can replace it with good-quality margarine if you need to avoid dairy.Eggs â The perfect binder holds our tea cakes together while adding more flavor and creaminess. They also help the leavening agents give them a good rise. Here are a couple of egg substitutes to make our Southern tea cakes recipe eggless.Buttermilk â The acidity in buttermilk activates our leavening agents and adds fantastic flavor and moisture. Itâs super easy to make buttermilk, but you can replace it with sour cream or a dairy-free alternative.Vanilla and Almond Extract â Legendary flavor enhancers that you simply canât live without. They have a subtle taste, yet your tea cakesâ flavor will be noticeably different without them. Homemade Vanilla Extract is even better.
How to Make Southern Tea Cakes
Make the Cookie Dough Shape the Cookie Dough and Bake
Recipe Variations
Rum-Infused â A splash of rum will instantly make these baked treats extra fancy, indeed, the best Southern Tea Cakes recipe youâll ever have. đFudgy Chocolate â Chocolate makes everything better! Replace a couple of tablespoons of the flour with cocoa powder, and youâre good to go. Or throw in some mini chocolate chips to make these tea cakes fudgier. And, of course, to make them even more delightful, try dipping them in chocolate ganache. So heavenly, indeed! â€Nutty Delight â You can also add more crunch and texture with a handful of your favorite nuts, such as cashew, pecan, walnut, and almond. Just finely chop or grind them first. Oh yes!More Spices â And if you think nutmeg is a little lonely without its friends joining the party, why not add a dash of ground ginger and cinnamon to the mix? Itâll undoubtedly spice up our Southern tea cakes with style. đ€©
Tips and Tricks
The cookies should be cold when going into the oven. So if you need to, place the cut cookies into the fridge to chill them again. (If you work at a steady pace, you probably wonât need to chill it again since it does stay cold for a while).Be careful not to overcook the cookies! They will continue to cook as they cool.Do not add extra flour if the dough is too sticky to handle. Simply roll it between parchment papers because extra flour can result in a drier, cracked tea cake.The dough can also be chilled overnight, but you will need to take it out 20-30 minutes before rolling because it can be challenging to roll out when it is super cold.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Like any other cookie recipe, our Southern tea cakes can be made ahead and stored for later use. Just wrap the raw cookie dough with plastic wrap and another layer of aluminum foil. Then you can safely store the dough in the freezer for up to two (2) months. Simply thaw the dough when youâre ready to bake by placing it in the fridge overnight. Or let it thaw on the counter until it is still cold but not frozen (just soft enough to flatten or shape). You could also skip the thawing part, slice the dough log about ÂŒ-inch thick, arrange the tea cakes in a cookie sheet with spaces in between, and bake away.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Now that summer break is almost here, kids will surely love snacking on these baked treats paired with ice-cold lemonade. You can also add sprinkles of cinnamon sugar or drizzle some caramel sauce on top to add a personalized touch to our tea cookies. Oh yes!
Store â Place the baked cookies in an airtight container or zip-lock bag, and they should stay delicious for up to three days at room temperature.Refrigerate â Placing them inside the fridge will extend their freshness for up to a week.Freeze â You can also store them in the freezer for up to three (3) months. Then thaw them on the counter until they come to room temperature.
What to Serve with Southern Tea Cakes
These cookies are also great with rum raisin pineapple ice cream, lemon curd (oh, yeah!), and Creme Anglaise. I tried them, too, with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream, and theyâre simply amazing. And, of course, to complete our tea time snacking, you can serve them with these refreshing beverages below.
Pumpkin Spice LatteSouthern Sweet TeaPassion Fruit JuiceGinger TeaPineapple Ginger Juice
More Afternoon Snacks to Enjoy
Coconut MacaroonsBiscottiChocolate Chip CookieRaspberry White Chocolate SconeHomemade Brownies
These timeless tea cakes are not only classic comfort food, but theyâre also are a tradition worth passing on. Creating memories is part of being family, and baking together will strengthen important bonds that last a lifetime.
Watch How To Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=âR4bK1sd6âł upload-date=â2019-04-25T13:07:50.000Zâ name=âSouthern Tea Cakesâ description=âSouthern Tea Cakes â easy and addictive Southern baked treats slightly sweetened with faint notes of nutmeg, vanilla and lemon zest. These certainly begs for a cup of coffee or tea!â player-type=âcollapseâ override-embed=âfalseâ] This blog post was first published in May 2019 and has been updated with an additional write-up, and an ingredient photo.
