Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes is a classic, vintage recipe. It’s a bit of a cross between a cookie and cake, not too sweet, and utterly delicious. Tea cakes are the perfect ending to any meal or a great mid-afternoon snack with coffee, tea, or milk.
Everything that I know of childhood comes from one tiny, rural town in Southwest Georgia. When I think back on it now, it seems almost like a fairytale. It was a place where children could roam around the neighborhood playing all day or ride their bikes “uptown” without a second thought.
There were very few worries there. People never locked their car doors and rarely locked their homes. It really was like growing up in the fictitious town of Mayberry. Or maybe I’m just remembering it through a child’s eye.
I can’t say why, but there are simply certain smells and tastes that bring childhood back vividly to mind. I seem to have so many memories that are inextricably associated with certain old Southern comfort food recipes.
These old fashioned Southern Tea Cakes are one of those recipes. Anyone near my age who grew up close to where I did knows exactly what a tea cake is. It’s not a cake, but it’s not quite a cookie, either. And it’s not overly sweet – just barely enough sugar to call it a dessert, actually.
They’re delicious with a cup of coffee or a glass of cold milk. And, if you grew up in southwest Georgia, you can take one bite of a teacake and in your mind, you’re five years old again.
I recently saw a comment questioning why anyone would want to make a particular recipe because it was “so 1965.” Maybe I see cooking a little differently from other people. For me, the preparation of good food is a way of showing love. And making those old recipes honors our ancestors.
Cooking is not always just a way to get food on the table so you can get on with something else. It’s about fellowship, too. A time to be together and enjoy each other’s company. And if you have an old family recipe like my Old Fashioned Tea Cakes to enjoy, all the better.
— This post was originally published on March 1, 2011. It has been updated with additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: Southern, Vintage
Cooking Method: Oven
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Servings: 30
Primary Ingredient(s): Flour, butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Thank you for this recipe for old fashioned tea cakes. It took me back to a sweet childhood memory of a family reunion at Grandma’s.“
— KHorner
What are Tea Cakes?
Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes are a slightly sweet cookie enjoyed throughout the southeast. Many southern families pass heirloom recipes for tea cakes from one generation to the next.
Their texture is soft and tender in the center with just a hint of a crispy exterior. The short list of ingredients results in a simple flavor profile of butter, sugar, and vanilla. I’ve known older cooks who used them as a substitute for vanilla wafers in banana pudding and as the base for cheesecake crusts.
Ingredient Notes
This post contains affiliate links. Lana’s Cooking is reader-supported and earns a tiny commission at no extra cost to you when you shop from our links.
There’s nothing at all fancy in this recipe because it originated in a time and place when people made do with the little they had on hand. Very smart and frugal folks!
- Butter – have it at room temperature.
- Sugar – plain, white granulated sugar is all you need.
- Eggs – they should also be at room temperature.
- Buttermilk – here’s how to make a substitute if you don’t have it on hand.
- Flour – you’ll need plain, all-purpose flour; I can always recommend White Lily!
- Baking soda
- Vanilla extract – no need to spend a lot for fancy vanilla to use in this recipe. A standard brand like McCormick is great!
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see this recipe on pages 282-283 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
How to Make Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes
Mix the Dough
- Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter until soft and pale yellow in color.
- Gradually add the sugar to the butter, beating well.
- Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the buttermilk and beat well again.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and soda.
- Turn the mixer down to the slowest speed and gradually add the flour and soda mixture into the creamed mixture.
- Add in the vanilla.
Shape and Chill the Dough
- Shape the dough into a round or rectangle, cover with plastic wrap, and chill several hours or overnight.
Cut Out and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
- If you chill the dough overnight, remove it from the fridge about 15 minutes before rolling so that it very slightly softens.
- Working with 1/4 to 1/3 of the dough at a time, roll the dough to a 1/4” thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut the dough into rounds using a large biscuit cutter or a drinking glass dipped into flour. Gather the scraps together, re-roll, and cut until all dough is used.
- Place the rounds 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheets.
- Sprinkle tops lightly with additional sugar.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned.
- Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and allow the tea cakes to cool for several minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Recipe Success Tips
- When rolling out the dough, it’s important that it’s at least 1/4″ thick to give the tea cakes a slightly “cake-y” interior texture.
- To make rolling the dough easier, you can use either waxed paper or parchment paper. Place one piece on your countertop and sprinkle it lightly with flour. Put a portion of the dough on the paper and sprinkle its top with flour as well. Add another piece of paper to the top (making a sandwich of the paper and dough) and roll out.
- To prevent the tea cakes from spreading while baking, make sure the dough is still quite cold as you roll and cut it. Then put the tea cakes directly into the oven to bake. Keep any extra dough covered in the refrigerator until needed.
Variations and Options
- You can vary the tea cakes by adding lemon zest, nutmeg, or cinnamon. But I’d suggest you try the classic recipe first to judge which additional flavors you might like best.
- Other flavorings can be added to the dough. Try half almond and half vanilla flavoring or substitute rum flavoring.
- Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar while still warm.
- To be really vintage and authentic, use half butter and half lard (or shortening) in your recipe. The lard will give the tea cakes an incredible texture.
More Southern Heritage Recipes
Southern Fried Okra
Real Simple Southern Fried Chicken
Classic Homemade Southern Pimiento Cheese
Thin and Crispy Lacy Cornbread
Questions About Tea Cakes
Store tea cakes for 7-8 days at room temperature in a covered container.
Tea cakes are great with ice cream, mixed fresh fruit, or fruit jams and preserves.
Try dipping the tea cakes halfway in melted chocolate for a real treat!
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox.
Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened (2 sticks)
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Additional sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter until soft and pale yellow in color.1 cup butter
- Gradually add the sugar to the butter, beating well.2 cups sugar
- Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.3 eggs
- Add the buttermilk and beat well again.2 tablespoons buttermilk
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking soda.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Turn the mixer down to the slowest speed and gradually add the flour and soda mixture into the creamed mixture.
- Add in the vanilla.1 teaspoon vanilla
- Shape the dough into a round or rectangle, cover with plastic wrap, and chill several hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease two cookie sheets.
- If you chill your dough overnight, remove it from the fridge about 15 minutes before rolling.
- Working with 1/4 to 1/3 of the dough at a time, roll dough to 1/4” thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut the dough into rounds using a large biscuit cutter or a drinking glass dipped into flour. Gather the scraps together, re-roll, and cut until all dough is used.
- Place the rounds 1 inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.
- Sprinkle lightly with additional sugar.Additional sugar for sprinkling
- Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned.
- Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and allow tea cakes to cool for several minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- When rolling out the dough, it’s important that it’s at least ¼” thick to give the tea cakes a “cake-y” interior texture.
- To prevent the tea cakes from spreading while baking, make sure the dough is still quite cold as you roll and cut it. Then put the tea cakes directly into the oven to bake. Keep any extra dough covered in the refrigerator until needed.
- Store tea cakes for 7-8 days at room temperature in a covered container.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
Excellent
Smelling good, waiting for taste test.
SO GOOD! Many Thanks
My pleasure!
Hello how long does raw dough keep in the fridge and can it be frozen thank you
You can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to two days and it can be frozen for one month.
Just found you looking for tea cake cookie recipe. Exact one I needed. I have never went by a recipe but they turn out good one yr and not the next so thought I would do an exact measurements today. Thanks! Glad to find a southern cook to experiment and try your recipes. I am now retired so I have more time to cook and try new recipes!
My grandmother used to make these for me. So thankful to find an authentic recipe!
how can I double this recipe?
If you want to make double the tea cakes, I would advise you to make two batches instead of doubling the recipe. A double recipe of tea cakes would be a huge amount of dough to handle.
I was going to make these on a Monday but then some things came up after I had already made the dough. my question is how long will the dough keep in the fridge/freezer?
The dough will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
exquisite!!!!!! 😋😋😋
Thank you!
I made this recipe substituting some of the egg and flour with sourdough starter. It’s Excellent!
That sounds interesting. Glad it turned out good for you.
Thanks for your help, my Grandmother used to make these for us all the time and I miss them.
Just like my grandmothers many years ago. Thank you
That makes me very happy!
I love this recipe. I have made it several times. I change up the type of extract I use. However, I never leave out vanilla extract. I just add to it with others. Sometimes I had 1/2 tsp of nutmeg or Allspice.
Looking forward to trying these but i do have a few questions. Can you put icing on these cookies and will they hold up well? What spices would you suggest to add different flavor and how long do these cookies stay fresh?,
Hi Suzi – I’ve never seen these cookies with an icing — they’re delicious on their own — but I’m sure they’d hold up well as they’re quite sturdy. See the section in the post titled “Variations and Options” for flavoring suggestions. And, as stated in the post, they keep for at least 7-8 days in a tightly closed container at room temperature.
we put icing on them or more of a glaze… butter or margarine bag of powdered sugar can of evaporated milk and vanilla
I have a recipe that called old fashion sugar cookies . But it’s the tea cakes I’m sure .. mine has cream of tarter in them an I make them in large pan like dish pan . Takes bag of flour bag of sugar qt butter milk a more ingredients crisco is the shortening called for . Makes 6 doz very large cookies. I mix it up separate in 6 an freeze works very well.. then Pat in round disk bake 6 at a time for 17 min they r wonderful.. if u like full recipe I’d be glad to share .. ??
I would love a recipe for a big batch. My grandmother made them and welost the recipe.
This recipe uses 5 cups of flour and makes about 30 cookies. That’s about the maximum my KitchenAid mixer will handle. If you have larger equipment, I suppose you could multiply it to make as many as you want or simply make several batches.