These tasty Southern Tea Cakes are buttery, soft, melt-in-your-mouth vanilla cookies made with seven common kitchen ingredients. In less than twenty minutes, you can have a batch of delicious Southern treats.
How To Make Tea Cakes
This is a summary version; for the full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat just until combined.
- Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined.
- Refrigerate the dough for 30-45 minutes.
- Drop the dough by rounded scoops on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Using a small piece of parchment paper, press the cookies to about 1/3 inch thick.
- Bake for about 10 minutes or until set. After a few minutes, remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Preparation Tips For Success
- Do not overwork the dough. Use a spoon to stir in the flour, not the mixer.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to cover the baking sheets to promote even browning and spreading.
- If you have time, do a test run with one or two cookies. This will help you determine the optimal baking time.
- For best results, do not overbake the tea cakes. Bake just until set and very lightly browned on the bottom. These cookies are best soft and tender.
- Cool the cookies for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to wire racks. This will help set and stabilize these soft cookies, making them easier to move without damage.
Tea Cakes Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, making it soft enough to roll and press.
Southern Tea Cakes
These tasty Southern Tea Cakes are buttery, soft, melt-in-your-mouth vanilla cookies made in about 20 minutes with common kitchen ingredients.
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Servings: 12 cakes
Calories: 175kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat just until combined.
- Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture in several increments, just until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30-45 minutes.
- Using a 1½-tablespoon scoop, drop the dough in rounded scoops onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a small piece of parchment paper, press the cookies to about ⅓-inch thick.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until set and very lightly browned on the bottom. After 5 minutes, remove the cookies and let them cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition
Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
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