Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes (Soft, Buttery, Authentic)

Plenty of Southerners tend to have their version of how to make “authentic tea cakes,” and here is how it’s done in my family.

If you’ve been looking for that soft, tender version of Southern tea cakes, with those slightly crisp edges and that melt-in-your-mouth center, this is the one!

These nostalgic, buttery cookies laced with vanilla take me right back to the dirt road churches of Elberton, GA, where my grandma Barb was raised. Life always felt a little slower there, and somehow everything tasted better.

There are no bells and whistles with this southern tea cake recipe, just an old-fashioned cookie with a few simple upgrades.

I made these tea cakes for my husband for the first time, and he fell in love with their simplicity. If you’ve never had tea cakes before, they are similar to a cross between a sweet cornbread, a pound cake, and a biscuit, but in cookie form.

Why You’ll Love This Tea Cake Recipe

• Simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
• Perfect balance of flavors while still keeping the authentic Southern charm.
• Easy to customize with different spices and extracts if desired.

Video Instructions

In this video, I’ll take you step by step on how to make these Southern tea cakes. You’ll see exactly how the dough should look to get that smooth surface without cracks.

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Ingredients

These tea cakes use a blend of butter and butter-flavored shortening for the perfect texture. Along with real vanilla bean, fresh lemon zest, and a hint of nutmeg for that classic, elevated Southern flavor.

• Unsalted butter, softened- Adds richness and helps create that tender texture
• Butter-flavored shortening- Add even more buttery flavor while giving it that perfect crisp.
• Granulated sugar- Sweetens and helps with the delicate crisp edges.
• Egg, room temperature- Helps bind the ingredients
• Lemon zest, optional- Add a subtle brightness
• Vanilla bean, scraped, optional- adds a warm vanilla flavor
• All-purpose flour- spoon and level, too much flour will cause a dry, cracked tea cake.
• Baking powder- Give a slight lift.
• Salt- balances and enhances the flavors
• Ground nutmeg, optional– Adds a subtle touch of flavor
• Buttermilk- Keeps the tea cake soft and help balances the sweetness.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Cream the butter and shortening. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and shortening until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the sugar and egg. Mix in the sugar and beat until well combined and slightly fluffy. Mix in the egg.
3. Add flavoring. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla bean paste. (You can use 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract instead of the vanilla bean)
4. Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg
5. Bring the dough together. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, until a soft dough forms. (Dough should be soft, but not sticky.
6. Knead gently. Turn the dough onto a smooth surface and knead lightly just until it comes together. (do not overknead or the tea cakes will be crumbly)
7. Chill the dough. Shape the dough into a flattened disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour (Althernatively you can freeze for 30 minutes in a time crunch). Chilling makes the dough easier to roll nd helps prevent the tea cakes from spreading too much, so don’t skip it)
8. Prep the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
9. Roll and cut. Remove the dough from the fridge and knead it briefly just to soften it. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Rolling the dough on parchment helps prevent sticking. Cut into circles using a cookie or biscuit cutter.
10. Arrange and bake. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden.
11. Cool properly. Let cookies sit on the pan for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
12. Store. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container.

FAQ’s/Troubleshooting/Storage

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What are Southern tea cakes? Southern tea cakes are a cross between a cookie and a cake. They are soft and lightly sweetened. Even though these tea cakes use basic ingredients, usually families have their own passed-down recipe they deem to be authentic. Some versions are crispy, others are soft. It’s a whole debate on the right and wrong way to make them. Welcome to the South.

Why are my tea cakes dry?

• Too much flour (most common)
• Overbaking
• Over-kneading the dough.

Spoon and level your flour, knead the dough gently, and pull them from the oven while the centers are still soft.

Why did my tea cake spread too much?

• The dough wasn’t chilled long enough.
• Butter was melted
• Too much liquid in the dough

Chill the dough and make sure it’s cold going into the oven. Chill the dough between batches.

Can I use all butter instead of butter-flavored shortening? Yes, but the texture will be different. Using all butter will make them more like a fluffy cookie. The butter-flavored shortening gives them that classic, Southern tea cake texture.

Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean? Yes, use 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Can I make tea cake ahead of time? Yes! These tea cakes actually taste better the next day as the flavors deepen.

To Store: Store tea cakes in an air tigh contianer on the counter for up to a week. You can freeze baked tea cakes or the dough for up to 2 months. Let it thaw at room temperature.

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Whether you grew up on Southern tea cakes or this is your first time making them, don’t be surprised if these Plain Jane beauties keep calling you back.

That’s the magic of simplicity.

If you try this recipe, be sure to tell me how they turned out and if you made any changes. I’d love to hear it!

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Recipe adapted from these tea cakes

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In the mood for more of those old-fashioned recipes? Try these classics!

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