Directions: |
Directions:Instructions
In a large bowl cream together butter and shortening until creamy.
Mix in sugar until well combined.
Mix in egg.
Mix in lemon zest and vanilla bean paste. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.
Turn dough onto a smooth surface and knead until dough is soft.
Shape into a disk and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for 1 hour (or freeze for 30 minutes)
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Remove dough from fridge and plastic wrap.
Knead dough to soften it.
Roll dough to 1/4-inch thick.( I rolled the dough on parchment to prevent sticking)
Use a round cookie cutter to cut out circle shapes.
Place cookies on prepared pan about 2 inches apart. (see note)
Bake for 8-10 minutes until bottoms are lightly golden. (see note)
Remove from pan and place on cooling rack to finish cooling.
Once cooled store in airtight container. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Notes
1. The dough should be cold when going into the oven. So if needed pop the cut cookies into the fridge to chill it again. (If you work at a steady pace you probably won't need to chill it again since it does stay cold for a while)2. Do not over bake the cookies! They will not get golden on the tops and will continue to cook as they cool.
Tried this recipe?
Mention @divascancook or tag #divascancook!
Adapted from these tea cakes
70 comments share this tweet this pin this email this
SOUTHERN “CROWD PLEASING” POTATO SALAD
FRESH BLACK GRAPE LEMONADE
ADD A COMMENT
Comments
Debra says
January 7, 2021 at 7:28 pm
I just baked these and they came out great…
Reply
Everett M says
September 30, 2020 at 2:07 pm
4 starsThese tea cakes turned out great!!!!
Reply
Jelaine says
April 2, 2021 at 7:17 pm
How far in advance can these cookies be made and still taste fresh?
Reply
Shay says
July 12, 2020 at 11:47 am
My tea cakes are coming out too flat. I used chill dough and it still spread. I use 2in cookie cutter. Should I use 1in? I really have to get these right because I been craving tea cakes.
Reply
Devon, Soul Butter Bakery Co. says
September 8, 2020 at 8:45 pm
5 starsHi! My first time I had issues with spreading but that was the only time. I put my dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes. I then rolled mine into balls and pressed down just a bit. They went into the oven immediately. Also make sure your butter isn’t too melted or warm. This all helped me stop the spreading. They come out perfectly every time!
Reply
Diane Goodrum says
June 26, 2020 at 2:58 pm
My grandmother used to make tea cakes. I never had her recipe but I know she didn’t use vanilla beans or buttermilk. Her cookies were fluffy on and not flat. I’ve had another person make them and they also didn’t use those ingredients. Do you have another recipe for them that would have ingredients from the mid 1900s?
Reply
Christina Furnival says
June 24, 2020 at 3:52 pm
Had so much fun making these with my kiddos! I used to eat these when I lived in Nashville and I loved them. When I saw your recipe I got so excited. They tasted right on. So delicious! Thanks!
Reply
Ro says
June 24, 2020 at 1:40 am
Love this blog! I’m from Texas and these don’t taste at all like the tea cakes I had growing up. But, as the author notes, there is a lot of difference in how people remember tea cakes. If I tried this again, I would skip the lemon zest. I used 1/4 of what the recipe calls for and they still taste like lemon cookies. If you try this, consider skipping the lemon. Sadly, it completely overpowers all of that expensive vanilla bean.
Still love this blog for how it upped my Mac & cheese game!
With love from Tx.
Reply
Sheka says
February 24, 2021 at 1:53 am
Thanks I will try it without the lemon definitely don’t want it to taste like lemon cookies
Reply
Sara Gibbs says
June 22, 2020 at 6:54 am
I plan to make this recipe, but instead of rolling out dough, I plan to do cylinders and cut the dough that way. I just think it will prevent dough scraps. I’ll let you know because I’m really wondering about the nutmeg, but I am going to try it your way.
Reply
Sara Hibbs says
June 22, 2020 at 7:00 am
Also questioning no baking soda while using buttermilk?
Reply
karen carroll says
March 17, 2021 at 9:28 pm
The recipe calls for baking powder not baking soda. Big difference.
Reply
Debra Walker says
June 21, 2020 at 1:30 pm
My great grandmother was from LA (Lower Alabama) and I’ve been trying, unsuccessfully to recreate her famous tea cakes. She had 11 children and not one child nor grandchild knew the recipe. Keeping my fingers cross that this is close. I know she wouldn’t had butter flavored shortening, and the butter and the eggs would have been no more than 2 days old. Crossing my fingers and hoping for a non-sticky dough.
Reply
Vickie says
January 18, 2021 at 4:53 pm
I grew up in TN and an older neighbor made tea cakes for the neighborhood kids. I have her recipe and it calls for lard and buttermilk. I just made a batch and had wonderful memories flood back.
|
This recipe for Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes is from