When I was little, my grandparents often took me with them when they went visiting. My grandparents (Goonmomma and Goondaddy) had eighteen siblings between them, and they loved nothing more than getting together to talk… and to eat. The kitchen at my great-grandmother’s house was a magical place to me. I could see the garden out the window, and I could see my Goondaddy stooped over, harvesting beans and corn and tomatoes. The men sat on the porch and drank sweet tea, dipping snuff and leaving brown stains on the cement porch.

Inside the house was a bustling place, with homemade canned goods being pulled from the pantry and great-aunts elbow deep in flour for cornbread and biscuits. Each of my great-aunts had a recipe that I loved more than anything else they cooked, but my great-aunt Kay? She had two. One of them was a hearty meal of chicken and dumplings. I loved the creamy soup with the soft dumplings that seemed to melt in my mouth. But more than that, I loved when dessert time came around and it was time to pull out the tea cakes. Sometimes they were soft, like extra special sugar cookies. Sometimes they were crispy and crumbly, perfect for dipping in a glass of milk. No matter how they turned out that day, they were always gone by the time the men unfolded themselves from the porch swing and made their way home for the night.

When I visited Kay’s house, which was on a catfish farm, we could always expect fried fish and chicken and dumplings. But before the meal was finished, Kay and Hermit would pull down the old glass cookie jar from the top of the fridge. They’d dole out a single tea cake to each of the kids gathered around the table. “Only one,” Kay would say, “you’re going to spoil your appetite.”

When she turned around, Hermit would wink and hand us another one before shooing us out the door.

Although the kids are all grown and the catfish farm is no longer the gathering place it once was, the smell of tea cakes still brings me back to the days of bruised knees and stolen cookies while the food was on the stove. When I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I thought my tea cake days were gone forever. Luckily for me, my mom managed to adapt the recipe where I could still enjoy my childhood favorite. We’ve included this adaption here with our classic tea cake recipe!

Southern Tea Cakes Recipe

Tip: These can be made into soft and chewy cookies or hard and crunchy cookies by adjusting the baking time. The only difference you’ll need to adapt this to a gluten free recipe is to swap the flour for Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour. I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour because it is easy to find in my area.
teacakes recipe gluten free

If you are looking for an easy treat to keep on hand for unexpected bake sales, events, or guests. Make the dough, wrap it tightly in an airtight container, and freeze it for up to 2 months. Before baking, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 30 minutes to an hour before baking.
classic sugar cookies

Printable Recipe:

Delicious Tea Cakes Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup (8 ounces) sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, unwrapped and softened (don’t substitute margarine! Your cookies will spread!)
1 egg
1 to 2 tablespoons vanilla, depending on taste
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon almond extract, depending on taste
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup additional sugar to sprinkle on cookies, optional

Instructions

Beat sugar and butter until well mixed. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Stir together flour and baking soda. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, blending well after each addition.
Divide dough in half. Shape the dough into two rolls. Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for about 1 1/2 hours or in the freezer for 30 minutes until chilled.
Unwrap the dough and slice the dough into 1/4 inch slices.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes for soft cookies or 9-11 minutes for firm cookies. Remove cookies from oven and sprinkle with additional sugar if desired. Allow to cool completely.

southern tea cakes recipe

What are your favorite cookie recipes that remind you of your childhood?

Simply Southern Mom

Classic Tea Cakes Recipe

Southern Tea Cakes Recipe

Printable Recipe:

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