Brenda Gantt Tea Cake Recipe
- Prep 20 min
- Chill 1 hr
- Bake 20 min
- Total 1 hr 40 min
- Makes 36
- Level Easy
About Brenda Gantt’s Tea Cakes
Brenda Gantt is a Southern home cook from Andalusia, Alabama, who became a Facebook and YouTube favorite after a biscuit video took off. Her 2021 cookbook, It’s Gonna Be Good, Y’all, collects family recipes and stories, many handed down from her mother and mother-in-law. You can read more of that background in our stories section, and keep up with her latest in the news.
Tea cakes belong to the same tradition of simple, handed-down Southern baking. They are old-fashioned, soft cookies made from pantry basics: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and a splash of buttermilk. They are less sweet than a sugar cookie and have a tender, slightly cakey crumb, which is where the name comes from. Generations of Southern families have made them for church socials, afternoon visits, and Christmas cookie trays, and nearly every family has its own version.
This is a recipe you can make on a quiet afternoon with ingredients you probably already have. Serve them with hot tea or coffee, set a plate out for company, or pair them with a slow breakfast. They are also a good way to start learning dough handling: the dough is forgiving, the steps are simple, and the result is the kind of homemade treat people remember.
Watch How It’s Made
Video not loading? Watch it on Facebook.
Brenda Gantt Tea Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Kitchen Tools Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Rolling pin
- 3-inch round cutter or glass
- Baking sheets & parchment
- Wire cooling rack
See our kitchen guides for help choosing baking sheets, mixers, and other basics.
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 1½ cups sugar with a mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
- Make the dough. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix just until combined. The dough will be soft.
- Chill. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll and cut. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment. Roll the dough ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface, cut into 3-inch rounds, and place 2 inches apart on the sheets. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
- Bake. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just barely golden and the centers are still pale.
- Cool. Let the tea cakes cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Work with half the dough at a time and keep the rest chilled. Re-roll scraps once, gently, to avoid tough tea cakes.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 135 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 18 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sodium | 90 mg |
| Sugar | 9 g |
Nutrition values are estimates and are not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Why You’ll Love These Tea Cakes
Simple Pantry Ingredients
Butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and buttermilk are all you need. There is no special equipment or hard-to-find items.
Lightly Sweet
Tea cakes are less sweet than most cookies, so they work as an afternoon snack as well as a dessert.
Make-Ahead Friendly
The dough keeps in the refrigerator and the baked cookies freeze well, which makes them easy to prepare before holidays and gatherings.
Easy to Customize
Add lemon zest, almond extract, or a glaze to change the flavor, or keep them plain and traditional.
What to Avoid
Preparation Mistakes
- Don’t skip chilling. Warm, sticky dough tempts you to add extra flour, which makes the tea cakes dry.
- Don’t overbake. Pull them when the edges are barely golden. They firm up as they cool.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Mix just until combined for a tender crumb.
- Don’t roll too thin. Keep the dough at ¼ inch so the centers stay soft.
Storage Mistakes
- Don’t store them warm. Cool them completely first to prevent steam and sogginess.
- Don’t leave them uncovered. Tea cakes dry out quickly; use an airtight container.
- Don’t ice before freezing. Freeze plain, then glaze after thawing.
Dietary Considerations
- Contains Dairy (butter, buttermilk)
- Contains Egg
- Contains Gluten (wheat flour)
- Contains Added Sugar
Pro Tips for the Best Tea Cakes
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Softened butter, eggs, and buttermilk blend into a smooth dough.
- Chill the dough for at least an hour. It makes rolling easy and keeps the cookies tender.
- Go light on flour when rolling. Too much flour on the counter makes tea cakes dry and cracked.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or lemon zest for a classic Southern flavor.
- Bake on the middle rack and rotate the pan halfway through for even color.
- Cool on the pan for 2 minutes only, then move to a rack so the bottoms don’t overbake.
For more baking techniques, browse our cooking tips.
What to Serve With Tea Cakes
Beverages
- Hot tea
- Coffee
- Sweet tea
- Cold milk
Served With
- Fresh strawberries
- Whipped cream
- Fruit salad
- Vanilla ice cream
When to Serve
- Afternoon tea
- Christmas cookie trays
- Church socials
- Showers & brunches
Planning a bigger spread? Browse more ideas in our recipe collection.
Ingredient Substitutions
| Ingredient | Swap | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buttermilk | ½ cup milk + 1½ teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar | Let it sit 5 minutes before using. |
| Unsalted butter | Salted butter | Reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon. |
| All-purpose flour | Self-rising flour | Omit the baking powder and salt; keep the baking soda. |
| Vanilla extract | Lemon zest or almond extract | Use 1 teaspoon zest or ½ teaspoon almond extract. |
| Part of the butter | Shortening | Gives a slightly softer, more old-fashioned texture. |
Storage & Reheating
Room Temperature
Store cooled tea cakes in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
Freezer
Freeze baked, cooled tea cakes (or the wrapped dough disk) for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge for dough.
Refreshing
Warm frozen or day-old tea cakes in a 300°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or microwave for about 10 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both, sort of. Southern tea cakes are soft, lightly sweet, and tender like a small cake, but they are rolled, cut, and baked like cookies. They are less sweet than a sugar cookie and have a softer, more crumbly texture.
Yes, for the best results. The dough is soft and sticky, and chilling for at least 1 hour makes it easy to roll and helps the tea cakes keep their shape and a tender texture. Skipping the chill usually means adding extra flour, which makes them dry.
Yes. Substitute self-rising flour for the all-purpose flour and leave out the baking powder and salt. Keep the baking soda, since it reacts with the buttermilk.
The usual causes are overbaking, adding too much flour when rolling, or letting them sit on the hot pan too long. Pull them from the oven when the edges are barely golden and the centers are still pale, and move them to a rack after 2 minutes.
Yes. Freeze baked and fully cooled tea cakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months, or freeze the wrapped dough disk for up to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Yes. Many Southern cooks top cooled tea cakes with a simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. The plain sugar-sprinkled version is the traditional approach and keeps them lightly sweet.
Reader Reviews
More Brenda Gantt Recipes
- Vidalia Onion CasseroleA Southern baked side dish
- White Chocolate Sheet CakeA dessert for a crowd
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal CookiesAnother cookie for the cookie tin
- StrozzapretiA North Italia pasta recipe
- Chicken VegetableA hearty chicken and vegetable dish
- Taco SoupAn easy, family-friendly soup
- Chicken SoupClassic comfort in a bowl
- Diet SoupA light, vegetable-forward soup
- French Onion SoupRich, cheesy, and warming
Explore the Site
It’s gonna be good, y’all. Bake a batch for someone you love.
Back to Recipe