There’s nothing quite like the sweet flavors and warm memories that a simple Southern cookie can conjure up.
One bite of these tender, buttery tea cake cookies, and I’m instantly transported back to my grandma’s cozy kitchen on a hot summer day.
The mouthwatering aroma of nutmeg and vanilla wafting through her little house, a perspiring glass of sweet tea sweating on the counter, and a fresh batch of these soft, cakey tea cakes emerging from her well-seasoned oven.
Baking was grandma’s truest love language, and these classic Southern tea cake cookies were her undisputed magnum opus. Straightforward yet sublime, they struck that perfect balance between a rich, buttery cookie and delicate, pillowy tea cake. Warmly spiced with nutmeg and kissed with vanilla, they tasted like pure, edible nostalgia.
Like a little baked hug of Southern comfort and hospitality in every bite.
Why These Southern Tea Cookies Are My Family’s Favorite
They’re a heavenly hybrid of tender, cakey cookie and melt-in-your-mouth tea cake
That signature blend of nutmeg and vanilla is pure old-fashioned Southern flavor
Such a fuss-free recipe using basic pantry staples like flour, butter, sugar and eggs
You can make the dough in advance for warm, fresh-baked cookies any time the craving strikes
The batch makes the ideal amount for sharing with loved ones (or selfishly keeping all to yourself!)
These classic little tea cakes require just a handful of basic baking ingredients – your standard flour, butter, sugar, egg situation with a sprinkle of spice.
But oh, what those simple staples become when creamed together and baked into cookie form! Little pillowy clouds of buttery vanilla bliss with gently crisp edges and that tender, cakey crumb grandma’s were famous for.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
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