Southern Tea Cakes

Every once in a while it is nice to have a little bit of simplicity, a less is more mentality.....simple and classy. And these Tea Cakes are just that, simple but rich in flavor. And if you are one who does not like an intensely sweet cookie then this cookie is for you.

Last night I told Thad I would make him some cookies and some how Tea Cakes came up. He told me he loved them growing up and loved to eat the dough. His mom, years ago compiled a dessert cookbook of the family's favorite recipes. After talking with Thad, I got that cookbook out and found the Tea Cake recipe.

I had heard of tea cakes but never really knew what they were or how they were suppose to look. So I called my mother-in-law and she gave me some more helpful tips on how to make them. She said "tea cakes are as southern as you can get". I liked that she said that and was eager to give this recipe, that Thad had grown up loving, a try.

After making this recipe the finish product was perfect. They were a soft cookie, with a simple and buttery flavor. I would liken them to a short bread or a more buttery sugar cookie. They were a delightful treat and Thad was eating them like they were going out of style. He even licked the mixer attachment, just like when he was a kid.

Tea Cakes
1 cup butter or margarine, Softened (2 sticks)
2 1/2 cups plain flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar

Start off by preheating the oven to 300 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet (used Crisco)and set aside.

In stand mixer (or a hand held mixer), mix the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Once combined add to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix well.

You can either spoon the dough right out on the cookie sheet or I placed the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let the dough set and harden, so I could roll the dough into balls. Lastly place the cookies in the oven until the edges begin to brown. The cooking time depends on how fast your oven cooks, my cookies took about 10 minutes to bake.

Once done baking, take the cookies out and let them sit for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack. Finally, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let cool.

So for all you cookie lovers (like myself) who get tired of the overly sweet treats, this recipe has your name on it. These are a great cookie because of their simplicity and buttery taste but beware.....you will eat about 5 before you even know it.

Bon Appetit!