Light Fluffy & Buttery Tea Cakes… Just Like Grandma used to make!
When I was younger, my mom used to always tell me how my great grandmother made the best southern tea cakes. Unfortunately, my grandmother passed when I was a young child and my mom never gotten the recipe . I’ve been on a mission for over 10 years ( without my mom even knowing) to find a recipe that came close to grandmothers! I’ve searched the internet, I’ve asked people, I did whatever I had to do to resurrect my grandmothers recipe.
This recipe is actually super easy, and calls for basic ingredients. I usually use my stand mixer when I make the tea cakes, simply because It makes a huge batch of cookies ( approximately 24-36 tea cakes depending on how big you want them!). You can definitely use a stand mixer or whatever else works for you!
Check out the video!
Grandma’s Southern Tea Cakes
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk OR Sour milk 1/2 cup milk & 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place your flour into a large bowl. Along with the flour add the baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Sift the ingredients until well combined, then set the bowl to the side.
- In a separate large bowl, place the butter and butter flavored shortening. Cream the two ingredients together.
- Add the granulated sugar along with the butter and shortening, and mix until well combined, then add in the eggs.
- Next, add in the Buttermilk / Sour milk , and the vanilla extract. Mixed until all of the wet ingredients are well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients along with the wet.
- Once the all of the ingredients are well combined, and the cookie dough has formed, flour a flat surface, and roll out the dough using a roll pin.
- Cut out the desired shapes for the cookies / tea cakes, and place them on wax paper.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Place a baking mat on your cookie sheet ( or skip the baking sheet, it's up to you) , and spray it with baking spray.
- Place the tea cakes on the cookie sheet, leaving at less 1 inches between each cookie.
- Bake the tea cakes on 350 F, for 7-8 minutes.
- Remove the tea cakes from the oven, place them on a cooling rack until they are cool to the touch.
- ENJOY!!
Thanks for all the recipes!!
It took me several attempts before getting down my auntie tea cake recipe. I am blessed that she is still here for me to get it just right. My cousins were the taste testers.
Hi rosie, today I tried your recipe for tea cake. I tell you they are delicious. Girl keep sending those good recipes.
Thx Again.
Heard all good things on the tea cakes can’t wait to try
Hi Rosie
I tryed your tea cakes recipe and it came out perfedt. I gave some to my friend and she said they taste the same way her mother used to make them. Keep seinding those deliciour recipes.
Thx
Great!!! Great!!!! Just like my great-great and grandmother made them in Mississippi. My children loved them I have to make a batch everyweek now. Thanks Phyllis
Thanks for trying the recipe Phyllis! XOXO
I found the tea cake receipe.
Thxs
Have you ever thought to use the tea cake for the crust of your sweet potato pie? If you do, can you post the video so I can see how it’s done. My great aunt use to make her pies this way, but she died before she could teach me. Please help me figure this out. Oh can you also teach me how to do a lattice on top the pie. Thanks a lot in advance.
hi do you sell any , i don,t have a cook , iam in calif. if you do sell them email me the price thanks.
No, I do not sell food.
Hi, is there any substitute for the shortening?
Butter can be used as a substitute
Hi Rosie, Thanks so much for this, my dear grandmother(on my father side) use to make these she passed away none of her kids had the recipe, my mother always loved them so I searched and found your recipe, my mother said these were right on time, taste just like my grandma teacakes, I was happy to make my mother happy, good memories came when we ate these thanks a lot for sharing.
Thanks for coming by!
Taste just like my grandmother (on my father’s side) she passed away and none of her kids had the recipe, Thank God I found your recipe, my mother said they tasted just like my Grandma tea cakes, Great memories, Thanks for sharing. Godbless , Happy Holidays.
Happy Holidays!
Hi Rosie! I can’t find the exact measurements for this recipe and I would love to try this recipe!
Thanks in advance
Hi Chloe! I fixed it, and the recipe is now there. XOXO
Hey thanks for the recipe, but I have a question. If I use half the amount of flour do I need to cut the other ingredients in half also. Sorry I’m not a cook and since my mom has been dignois with Alzheimers and Dementia I have been trying to recreate some of the dishes she cooked for us growing up. Oh yes my mom never cooked with a recipe.
Hi Kevin! Sorry to hear about your mom. Yes, you will need to cut all the ingredients in half.
I left a comment on another recipe asking for this one…. ButI hadn’t actually searched… Found it!! Can’t wait to try it!! Thanks….
Hello Beautiful Rosie..from long time was in search of tea cookie now i found the one..thanks for posting ..plz post some more easy cookie recipes..thank u.
Glad that you like my recipe!
I have made these every other week they are to die for!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!!
Thanks so much Tarasia!
Hi Rosie glad I found ur blog love reading the recipes will b trying them soon
I’m glad that you found my blog as well!
My grandmother made these too and I had to search for a recipe. Yours is delish. Thanks for a taste of childhood once again. Excellent.
Hi Francine! So glad that you found my blog!
Hello Rosie, do you think they would come out OK if I substitute the buttermilk with almond milk?
You can give it a try! 🙂
Thanks to you I didn’t have to spend years searching for the recipe. It only took three tries. Just like the ones my mother, grandmother and aunt once made. You’ve made a lot of people happy with this recipe. I think I’ll share it in my blog.
Thanks for trying Dwight!
Hi Rosie
I tried this recipe tonight and followed it to the T. They were delicious.
My only regret is that my mother is no longer here, she would love this recipe.
However I text a picture of my teacakes to my son, and his fiance.
Within minutes seem like my son was letting me know he had arrived to try the teacakes.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It really brought home beautiful memories.
I will treasure this recipe for ever.
Thanks so much for trying my recipe Claudia! XOXO
Hi Rosie, just made your tea cakes recipe. Will be using this recipe for a little girls birthday tea party in July. However. Your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of butter. Is this correct?
The written recipe is correct 🙂
Can’t wait to try. I’ve been looking for the perfect tea cake just like this little lady that use to baby sit us use to make.
Thank you so much! I’ve been searching for years to come close to the recipe my great grandmother always had in her cookie bin! She did not use a written recipe but they always turned out just like these! I found your blog with this recipe last night and baked a batch today. My 91 year old mother tasted them and immediately said these were “Just like her grandmother ‘s”. I remember the slight hint of nutmeg, the soft texture and a hint of lemon. (Made my sour milk with lemon juice like my great grandmother must have done! Bless your heart for posting this recipe!
I have made these a couple of times and each time they’re delicious. Made a couple of modifications to tweak the flavor. My Aunt is in her 80’s and says these taste just like my grandmother’s. Rolling the dough in wax paper and cutting into mini bite size teacakes makes for a great snack. Truly appreciate you sharing this recipe.
Hello Ms. Rosie! I am from Mississippi and all the ingredients you used to make your tea cakes are all in my grandmother’s tea cakes (just with different measurements). My grandmother adds cinnamon and honey to hers though. If I were to incorporate those two ingredients into your recipe, how much should I put of each? (I’m a new cook)
Hi there! You would have to play around with it until it meets your satisfaction 😉
This flavor was spot on. Thank you so much!
These teacakes take me back when I was at my Grandmother’s house, she would make a batch and I couldn’t wait for them too cool off, Thank you.
It’s close I would add.. a sprig of vanilla bean to the recipe.. I loved her cookies too.. My momma bought them for me anytime she made them.. Your Grandmother and mom were very special to my mom. I also had tried for yours to recreate her cookies.. Your recipe is close to the mark just add a fresh sprig of vanilla and BOOM.. I think you would have made your grandmother proud <3 Sooo grateful you posted this cause I lost my recipe for it.. So ty ty ty ty ty
XOXOXO
I made these a few months ago and substituted gluten free (measure for measure) and they were AMAZING! My family loved them and they tasted like I remember my Granny Lois tea cakes tasting as a kid. Thank you!
Thank you so much for posting this. These look EXACTLY like my family’s recipe I used to make 43 years ago when I was 10. I can’t wait to try them. I have to try to make them keto because I don’t eat flour anymore. Wish me luck!
Hi Rosie! Just want to know if you can uses oat milk with recipe? Because I don’t do diary.
Hi there! I’ve never tried oat meal with this recipe. You can give it a test run though.
Is there a way to 1/2 this recipe? Seems like it will yield a lot of cookies . Thanks!
Sure, you can cut the recipe in half.