Teacakes are an old-fashioned southern cookie - not too sweet and utterly delicious.
Everything that I know of childhood comes from one tiny, rural town in Southwest Georgia. Thinking about it today, it seems almost like a fairytale.
It was a place where children could roam around the neighborhood playing all day or get on their bikes and ride "uptown" without worry.
There was practically no crime at all. People never locked their car doors and rarely locked their homes. It really was like growing up in the mythical town of Mayberry. Or maybe I'm just remembering it through a child's eye. If that's true, then I hope it never changes.
Old Fashioned Food Memories
I'm not sure why, but there are simply certain smells and tastes that bring that childhood back vividly to my mind. I have so many memories that are tied to food - so many memories of people inextricably associated with certain foods.
To this day, I can't open a bottle of Tabasco sauce without thinking of how my Daddy loved it. I can remember him drizzling it over a grilled steak and how he enjoyed the way it enhanced the flavor. To tell the truth, I do the same thing on occasion and the mere smell of Tabasco mingling with the steak brings memories of him flooding into my mind.
My Uncle Clayton, a true old South gentleman, was famous throughout our area for his barbecue sauce. I still use his recipe and it's the only one most of our family members ever want. No grocery store barbecue sauce for this family!
His wife, my Aunt Bernice, was one of the most fantastic southern cooks I've ever known. When I think of Aunt Bernice I think of fried hand pies - apple and peach. I can see her hands holding the fork as she crimped the edges of the little pies and then slid them into the hot fat to fry. The smell of those pies could bring grown men in from the fields and barn.
Family Does it Best!
My grandmother Polly in her heyday was well-known for many recipes, including her "old sorry" fruitcake. My Daddy loved Polly's fruitcake and, in that manner peculiar to southerners, always teased her by asking for a slice of "that old sorry fruitcake" around Christmas time.
Polly also made the best pot roast I've ever eaten. When our grandson, A, was just a toddler and before he could talk, we taught him "baby signs." They're just simple hand signs that help toddlers to communicate and relieve a lot of frustration for both them and parents.
We went to Polly's house one day when she had a pot roast cooking and as we walked in the backdoor we were flooded by the delicious smell of that wonderful roast. Polly started laughing and told us to look at what A was doing - he was making the baby sign for "want more" over and over! What a precious memory that is.
I've talked your ears off about some of the fantastic cooks in my family, but I've saved the very best for last - my Mama. Now I know that everybody thinks that their Mama is the best cook, but my Mama has all of them beat :-)
Just a few of the things that pop into mind when I think of my Mama's kitchen are the world's best fried chicken, cornbread, and fried okra. Light as a feather angel biscuits. Crispy, crunchy salmon croquettes. And, last but not least, the absolute best cornbread dressing ever made. Really.
Not only is she a fabulous cook, she does it all with flair. Nothing ordinary. Nothing plain-jane. If it comes out of my Mama's kitchen it not only tastes wonderful, it looks beautiful.
I'm Just So 1965!
I saw a comment from another blogger a few days ago wondering why anyone would want to make a particular recipe because it was "so 1965." I guess I view cooking a little differently from most. For me, the preparation of good food is a way of showing love. And making the old recipes honors our ancestors.
Cooking is not always just the means to get a meal on the table so you can get on with something else. It's about fellowship, too. A time to gather together and enjoy each other's company. And if you have an old family recipe to enjoy, all the better.
These old-fashioned Southern Teacakes are one of those old recipes. Anyone of a certain age who grew up in or near the place I did knows exactly what a teacake is. It's not a cake, but it's not quite a cookie either. It is certainly 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.
Teacakes are an old-fashioned southern cookie - not too sweet and utterly delicious.
How to Make Old Fashioned Southern Teacakes
Make and Chill the Dough
Cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar, beating well.
Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Now add the buttermilk and beat well again. Combine the flour and soda.
Turn the mixer down to slow (or stir) speed and gradually add the flour mixture into the creamed mixture.
Stir in the vanilla.
Shape the dough into a round, cover with plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight.
Cut Out and Bake
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
If you chill your dough overnight, remove it from the fridge about 15 minutes before rolling.
Working with ¼ to ⅓ of the dough at a time, roll dough to ¼” thickness on a lightly floured surface. It's important that the dough is at least ¼" thick to give the teacakes a "cake-y" interior texture.
Cut into rounds using a large biscuit cutter.
Place the rounds 1 inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.
Sprinkle lightly with additional sugar.
Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the teacakes to cool for several minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 2 ½ dozen.
More Vintage Southern Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:
- Fried Okra
- Real Simple Fried Chicken
- Turnip Greens and Corn Pone
- Old Fashioned Cornbread
- Lacy Cornbread
- Pimiento Cheese
Teacake Recipes from Other Bloggers:
- Paula Deen's Southern Teacakes recipe
- Grandma's Southern Tea Cakes from I Heart Recipes
- Mama Reed's Southern Teacakes recipe published by Christy Jordan
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Old-Fashioned Southern Teacakes
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 tbsp buttermilk
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Additional sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Cream the butter.
- Gradually add the sugar, beating well.
- Next, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Now add the buttermilk and beat well again.
- Combine the flour and soda.
- Turn the mixer down to slow (or stir) speed and gradually add the flour mixture into the creamed mixture.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Shape the dough into a round, cover with plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- If you chill your dough overnight, remove it from the fridge about 15 minutes before rolling.
- Working with ¼ to ⅓ of the dough at a time, roll dough to ¼” thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut into rounds using a large biscuit cutter.
- Place the rounds 1 inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.
- It's important that the dough is at least ¼" thick to give the teacakes a "cake-y" interior texture.
- Sprinkle lightly with additional sugar.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned.
- Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow teacakes to cool for several minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- Makes about 30 teacakes.
Notes
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 health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
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MrsSW says
Lana, I wonder if the teacakes can be made as slice and bake? Rolled cookies are just to fiddly for me these days.
Good memories of good food...
Thanks,
Sheila
Lana Stuart says
I've never done that, but it might work. Just don't know for sure. Why don't you give it a try and let me know how it turns out?
T says
In response to MrsSW,
This recipe is nearly exactly like my family's recipe which is how I know it's a good one! Our recipe actually calls for creating rolls and then slicing and baking. The result is a more cakey cookie. Both ways create tasty ones. Shaped cookie cutters are though fun for themes.
Shandle Pearson says
How did the tea cakes come out without chilling them.
Joan Hawkins says
Sounds pretty much like the foods I grew up with in central south Georgia. I had been looking for my grandma's tea cake recipe and went through quite a few before I finally gave up. But, I did find where her sister shared in in her church cookbook. I am actually scared to, I am afraid it wont taste likes hers because it wont be her making them.
Keep the wonderful recipes coming. I save atleast q or 2 from every email. Hope you are are staying safe down there. My home town just reported their first class yesterday.
Lana Stuart says
I hope you'll give this recipe a try, Joan. I think you'll be pleased with it.
Denise Devers says
Like everyone else said, your post was awesome & brought back so many good memories! I was raised in Texas in a small country town right on Red River, North of Wichita Falls called Burkburnett. My Mother, Grandmother & aunts were the best cooks ever, I was introduced to the Tea Cakes @ Vacation Bible School. We'd get 1 with a glass of Kool-aid & you couldn't wait until the next day to get another. Nobody could cook Cornbread Dressing, Fried Chicken, Pinto Beans, Fried Okra, Cornbread, Fried Potatoes with Onions in the pan & Fried Salmon Croquets like my family did ? I never even missed the meat when we didn't have it. I very rarely fry anything anymore, but back then, seems everything was fried! Again, thanks so much for the memories & the recipe. I'm making these tomorrow for my husband & grandsons.
Lana Stuart says
You're welcome, Denise! Hope everyone enjoys the Teacakes :-)
Charlotte Moore says
I was searching for a good teacake and came across yours. I made them and my husband loves them. I enjoyed reading your story about your family and their cooking.
We live in North GA about 40 miles north of Atlanta.
Dianne Evans says
Love your tea cake recipe! I have my Aunt Jessie's tea cake recipe...She told me to cut them out with a "snuff can"!!!! That's how she cut them out. Haven't been able to find a snuff can, haaaa but my 3 inch biscuit cutter works just fine!!!! I grew up in Ochlocknee...very familiar with Colquitt! Love your site!
Karen says
These are very delicious!!! But I have a question, can I use the boxed cake flour?
Lana Stuart says
I wouldn't recommend it. Cake flour would change the texture dramatically.