Description
Classic Old-fashioned Tea Cakes are tender, buttery cookies with a delicate vanilla flavor. Perfectly crisped on the edges and soft in the middle, these cookies are an ideal teatime treat or sweet snack any time of day.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup whole milk
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until the mixture is light and fluffy, which takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Then, beat in the eggs followed by the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Mix dough: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add half of the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients until just combined. Next, mix in the milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix only until the dough just comes together, taking care not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Chill dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight, to firm up. This step is important to help the cookies hold their shape during baking.
- Preheat oven and prepare pans: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and even baking.
- Shape cookies: Scoop 2 tablespoons of chilled dough (using a #40 cookie scoop if available) and shape each portion into a smooth ball with your hands. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
- Flatten cookies: Use the flat bottom of a glass to gently press each dough ball to about ¼ inch thickness, ensuring an even, uniform shape.
- Bake cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies have puffed slightly and the edges start to turn golden brown. Avoid overbaking to keep them soft inside.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the pans for 15 minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Chill the dough for at least 3 hours to help the cookies maintain their shape and texture during baking.
- Use a #40 cookie scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons) to ensure even cookie size and baking consistency.
- Bake just until the edges begin to lightly turn golden to avoid drying out the cookies.
- Optional: Roll out the chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness and use a 2–2.5 inch glass, biscuit cutter, or cookie cutter to cut into rounds for a different cookie shape.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to keep them fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
