33 Best Tea Party Recipes

What are tea party recipes worth going on these occasions rather than only teas and simply cupcakes? The answers to your questions are much more varied than you might think, and you can take a quick glance at the list right below.

Besides tea and sweet treats, you can find other light-savory food recommendations in my humble article. Join me in my tea party delicacy list and share love through food!

Got No Ideas To Prepare Your Tea Party? Don’t Miss My Ideas!

The recipe ideas I am offering you here will be absolutely easy to follow and indeed addictive. Don’t hesitate and refer to them right away!

1. Earl Grey–Bourbon Punch

Total time: About 5 minutes or more.

The quintessential Earl Grey might no longer be strange to people who adore teas, and this mixed tea often offers floral notes or some hints of citrus from lemon/grapefruit.

Don’t worry if your tea can match this enchanting cocktail recipe or not; they actually have some similarities in flavors. Bourbon and Cognac, the alcohol bases for the drink, are generally sweet with loads of fruity, vanilla-y, and slightly spicy notes.

Replacing the Cognac with Brandy in this tasty Bourbon cocktail is also okay if it’s more convenient for you. The Punch can last in the fridge for a day, but you should remember that thyme-flavored honey syrup only goes into your Punch when you serve it.

2. Peach Sweet Iced Tea

Total time: About 15 minutes.

Peach Sweet Iced Tea makes an excellent drink for a tea party, and this Southern United States tea recipe can match seamlessly with mostly all of your favorite Southern-style desserts. Who can resist something mellow, cool, and fragrant like this iced tea?

There is no fussy preparation required to create a big pitcher of peach tea; you’ll only need sugar, tea, and some sliced peaches. The only time-consuming steps are making the peach syrup with fresh peaches and brewing the tea bags.

Therefore, it’s a wonderful idea to take these two steps at once to shorten the time effectively.

Don’t miss your chance to whip up some good Peach Iced Tea! 

3. Karak Chai / Chai Karak (Gulf-Style Milk Tea)

Total time: About 15 minutes.

Although Chai or milk tea is renowned as an Indian beverage, people who come from India’s neighboring countries also consume this drink as well. My recommended Karak Chai here is not an Indian specialty and has some differences.

For example, while the Indian-style Chai often goes with hot Masala spices (with fennel seeds, peppercorns, etc.), this Gulf’s Karak Chai only calls for milk, tea, and mild spices.

Therefore, this Karak Chai is more agreeable if you are not familiar with having an intensely-flavored drink.

A cup of Karak Chai still utilizes whole cardamom/cloves and fresh ginger like the original recipe, but their tastes won’t be too overwhelming.

4. Blackberry Jam

Total time: About 35 minutes.

Of course, a proper afternoon tea set always comes with an array of condiments like butter, jams, or other sweet/savory spreads. However, I’ll be focusing on jams for now, and this Blackberry Jam is one of them.

Visually, Blackberry Jam has a gorgeous, dark reddish-purple hue with a unique sweetness and a distinguished aroma compared to the other berry jams. If you plan to serve toasts or scones at your own tea parties, consider this Blackberry Jam, and you won’t regret it.

Although you might find it’s easier to get a random product at the store, the homemade ones are always better since you can change their sweetness to your liking.

5. Classic Deviled Eggs

Total time: Around 45 minutes.

No tea party would be complete without these classic and straightforward munchies. This party pleaser only calls for eggs and mayonnaise, but it is honestly one of the most charming dishes of all time. These eggs can also last in the fridge for 2 days, so they are also convenient.

To make perfect Deviled Eggs, remember to mash the egg yolks well before mixing them with mayo to avoid lumps. You can also add mustard and vinegar to give it an extra kick. The eggs are the star of this dish, so be sure to go for farm-fresh eggs if you can.

Making Deviled Eggs is much easier than you might think!

6. Earl Grey Yogurt Cake

If you adore Earl Grey tea’s floral and lemony citrus taste, do not skip this recipe. Tasty yet quick and simple to accomplish, this cake has made its appearance at many tea parties worldwide.

The ingredients like plain flour, Earl Grey tea leaves, or yogurt are affordable so that you won’t have any difficulties assembling them in your own kitchen. To prevent your cake becoming drier after baking, it is important to include yogurt in the cake mix.

About the tea leaves used, you can still utilize the loose leaf tea instead of the ground ones, yet the cake texture will be a bit grainy or lumpy. Lastly, test the cake’s doneness with a toothpick. The fragrance and flavors you will enjoy are superior.

7. Battenberg Cake

Total time: Around 3 hours.

These adorable checkerboard patterned cakes are truly legendary. Battenberg cake will leave your guests in awe with its beautiful color (white, glowing exterior and colorful sponge cake interior) and mesmerizing flavor (with a combination sweet-tart cherry extract).

This iconic British dessert goes way back. The first Battenberg Cake was prepared in England in 1884 to commemorate the wedding of Princess Victoria and Prince Louis of Battenberg.

Making a Battenberg cake requires lots of steps. Baking it is simple, but the assembling process takes patience and time. But in the end, it will be all worth it since a piece of it can make your whole tea party glow!

It’s the best way to make Battenberg Cake for your next tea party!

8. Parisian Chicken Bites

Total time: About 30 minutes.

If you have already had enough sugary treats for your tea parties, let’s move on to something savory. This yummy finger food is effortless to make so that you can do it with your eyes closed.

You have to saute the chicken with fennel and mix it with apple, pecans, parsley, and lime juice. To tie everything together on the endive leaves, drizzle some melted chocolate mixed with spreadable fruit and vinegar on top, and voila!

Your tea party-friendly hors d’oeuvre is ready to be served!

9. Mini-Chocolate Bundt Cakes

Total time: About 55 minutes.

Isn’t this the cutest dessert you have ever seen? These rich and chocolatey mini bundt cakes are the perfect treats to pair with your bitter black tea and other English beverages.

The secret ingredient in this chocolate cake recipe is Vietnamese coffee. People often use Espresso coffee to bring out the flavor of the chocolate, but Vietnamese coffee is a much better choice.

Your chocolate dessert will come out moist, rich, and fluffy with this recipe. You will indeed enter chocolate heaven once you top it with a layer of silky chocolate ganache (icing) and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

10. Strawberry Eton Mess

Total time: Around 25 minutes.

Despite its messy appearance, you will be surprised by how shockingly delicious this treat is. Made of fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and crushed meringue, Eton Mess (having its roots in Eton College in the 1920s) is a definite must-have at any fancy tea party.

I love the combo of fresh strawberries and thickened/heavy cream here since their tastes (fruitiness and richness) balance each other pretty well.

There will be only strawberries, whipped cream, and mascarpone cheese, so the desserts offer a simple yet tasty combo of richness and rejuvenating juicy sweetness from berries.

This no-bake recipe only takes no more than half an hour to assemble, but it might take longer if you make your own meringues. So if you’re in a hurry, I recommend buying store-bought meringues, and the outcome can still be great.

Most straightforward guide to accomplishing strawberry Eton Mess; you should watch it here!

11. Lemon-Pistachio Loaf Cake

Total time: Around 2 hours 10 minutes.

With all the features of fluffy, tangy, and sweet, I doubt you can resist this lemony loaf cake. A delicious lemon-based glaze accompanies the cake with chopped ​​​​roasted pistachios. If you want, you can add spices like cardamom and ginger to deepen the flavor of the cake.

If you want to make this loaf cake vegan, feel free to replace the eggs with other substitutes. In case you cannot find Meyer lemon for its zest, replace the 3 tablespoons of it with 2 tablespoons of regular lemon’s zest. The effect they offer will be similar.

Some recipes use coconut-derived products to replace butter (in a vegan recipe) to produce additional richness.

12. Mini-Lemon Raspberry Cakes

Total time: About 36 minutes.

Let’s take a step further with these cheesecake bites. Instead of simply decorating them with fruits, why not add them directly to your cheesecake batter?

You will need to fold fresh raspberries into a lemon-flavored batter in this recipe. These berries and lemon zest give your cheesecake a distinct tartness, citrus notes, and fruitiness that can easily make you salivate.

This recipe is compatible with storing inside the fridge, and you can still consume it after 5 days. Once tossing it into the freezer, the whole thing can last for 6 months. I highly suggest green tea or some sweetened iced tea for the sweet treat’s accompaniment.

13. Petit Fours

Total time: Around 45 minutes.

Although these bite-sized cakes might look plain, they are incredibly addicting. Made with pound cake squares and various fillings, Petit Fours will look adorable on your tea party’s cake bar or stand.

The fun thing about this Petit Fours is that you can use any filling you love. Most people use raspberry jam and frosting, but you can also utilize almond paste, marzipan, and cream cheese.

A good tip for making this treat is that you should bake a large sheet cake before freezing and cutting it into square pieces. Let it thaw for a while before doing the glazing. This will be much easier than baking individual cake squares at once.

Still having no idea how to make Petit Fours? Here is the guide for you!

14. Swirled Sesame Tea Cake

Total time: About 1 hour (more or less).

Tahini, a ground sesame paste from the Middle East, has made its way into many dessert recipes worldwide. Cookies, sundaes, brownies, you name it! If you have never tried Tahini-flavored desserts before, you are totally missing out.

As you might guess, the “savory ” tea cake has a Tahini infusion. This recipe also includes black and white sesame seeds as well as toasted sesame oil for added flavor. This cake might be an adventurous choice, but it might change your entire tea party dessert game.

To store the baked-ahead food, just wrap every piece tightly and let it sit at room temperature. Your Swirled Sesame Tea Cake can still preserve the exquisite spongy texture and tea-infused base. It would be better for you to prepare it 2 days before the parties.

15. Mini-Cheesecake Bites

Total time: About 30 minutes.

This lovely dinner party dessert will definitely satisfy your sweet craving. The creaminess of cream cheese, the butteriness of cracker crust, and the tanginess of berries, what more can you ask for in a dessert?

What I love about this treat is that you can decorate it however you like. Most of the time, people will use fruits like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc. You can even decorate each cake differently to add variety to your cake bar/stand.

16. Mini Fruit Tarts

Total time: About 3 hours 18 minutes (including 2 hours of resting time).

The taste of these delicious little Fruit Tarts is just as amazing as their look. With a buttery crust, a creamy custard filling, and fresh fruits on top, these mini tarts will take your breath away!

Just like the Cheesecake Bites, this dessert works well with any fruit. Strawberries, oranges, or kiwis, the possibilities are endless! Each tart is like a blank canvas, so you can use the fruits to design elaborate patterns and add color to your table.

Also, remember this is a no-bake tart, so make sure the tart shell is thoroughly cooked. You can even save time by buying the ready-made sweetened crusts. Saving it as one of the treats for a graduation celebration party is also great. This Fruit Tart recipe is simply divine!

What else can be more satisfying than a mini Fruit Tart for a tea party?

17. Mini-Chicken Pot Pies

Total time: About 30 minutes.

Here’s another divine treat for all the savory snack lovers out there! This lovely dinner party recipe only requires 4 ingredients; that is how easy it is. Plus, this dish is also quick to make because all of the ingredients are ready-made or pre-cooked.

The main ingredient of this dish is chicken. You can use leftover chicken or buy canned chicken if you don’t have any. However, I recommend frying and chopping a fresh chicken breast to make the filling more flavorful.

Place your mixed filling onto the layer of refrigerated or ready-to-use biscuit dough and bake the whole thing under 375 degrees F (or 190 degrees C) for 20 minutes.

Sure, this might not be an everyday treat at a traditional tea party. However, after a dessert round, everyone will want to get their hands on this savory dish.

18. Vegan Lemon Bars

Total time: About 2 hours 35 minutes.

Looking for vegan snack options? Well, look no further! Traditionally lemon bars call for eggs and butter; however, the vegan version is just as tasty. You can even make this treat gluten-free by swapping all-purpose flour for gluten-free varieties.

When making the vegan lemon layer, you can add a bit of turmeric to give the cake a pretty yellowish and lemony hue. And no, this won’t affect the flavor of the cake.

This authentic American dessert recipe is easy, quick, delicious, and surely affordable. It has a delightful buttery crust with a tart/citrus curd that melts in your mouth from the first bite. Give it a try, and this recipe will soon become a household favorite.

19. Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches

Total time: About 30 minutes.

If you are serving Deviled Eggs at your tea party, remember to boil a few extra eggs for this recipe. This will be an excellent way to use up all the unpretty-looking boiled eggs. Simply mash/chop the eggs and mix with mayonnaise until the mix is somewhat combined.

To add more flavors to your salad, put in parsley for a layer of freshness or some pepper for a bright zing. You won’t need to use the edge of the bread, so remember to take them off before assembling your tasty tea sandwiches.

After that, spread the mixed egg filling evenly onto one slice of each sandwich so that you can taste it in every bite. Besides tea parties, these sandwiches can also be a great option for breakfast, brunch, or snacks for your picnics. How versatile!

Not 1 but 3 recipes; these ways to create Egg Sandwiches can easily please you!

20. No-Egg Thandai Cookies

Total time: Around 1 hour.

Thandai has always been famous as a signature Indian recipe for festive occasions, for example, during the Holi or Festivals of Colors in the Northern Indian region. Combining the Thandai’s signature nuttiness and fragrance with cookies will create a lovely dish.

The dough log of mixed flour and Thandai Masala spice mix for these cookies can last for up to 2 or 3 weeks in the freezer, so don’t worry if you want to prepare it ahead of time. Remember, only slice the dough log when you are ready to bake the treat and serve.

21. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Truffles

Total time: About 15 minutes (excluding 1 hour of freezing the strawberry balls).

If you have been familiar with chocolate-coated fresh strawberries, you might give yourself a chance to experience a new take on using strawberries-based Truffles instead. These Truffle bites still have the lovely pinkish hue from the fruits, and you won’t need to do any baking.

Simply blend the strawberry of your choice into puree and mix it with coconut flour until the whole thing becomes a thick dough. Form the dough into smaller balls and freeze (or refrigerate) them for at least 1 hour before coating them with chocolate.

The freeze-dried strawberries are packed with delicious tartness from the fruits, highlighting the combination of dark, bitter chocolate and this juicy kind of berries.

22. Cucumber Sandwiches

Total time: Approximately 20 minutes.

Another tea sandwich recipe you can opt for is this rejuvenating Cucumber Sandwich. Cucumbers are easy-to-find ingredients, and this simple recipe is the most pleasing way to make this humble veggie become more “high class”.

Among many kinds of cucumbers, I highly suggest the English variants with a gorgeous crisp and refreshing taste. Furthermore, these kinds often have less moisture and smaller seeds that can reduce the chance of having pieces of soggy wet sandwiches.

For the sandwich’s spread, the garlic powder, dilled mixed cream cheese with a bunch of flavors will never disappoint you.

Have 3 minutes to spare? This is how to make the best Cucumber Sandwiches!

23. Basil-Shrimp Tea Sandwiches

Move to a recipe that can please the appetite of seafood lovers. The shrimp will be chopped or shredded finely before going into a simple salad with herbs (chopped parsley, onion leaves) and other things like mayonnaise or lime juice. Simple yet unbearably tasty!

I prefer using honey wheat bread for this scrumptious shrimp-based recipe, but you can opt for other bread you wish for. Since it’s party food, you should have everything done beforehand and store it in the fridge until use. 

24. Crab Salad Tea Sandwiches

Total time: About 45 minutes.

How about a sandwich with crab? It’s another option for a seafood lover, and the use of canned crab meat is pretty versatile. You can toss the protein together with orange bell pepper, cucumbers, and red onions to make it a flavorsome salad.

Mayonnaise with its creaminess, Worcestershire sauce with a tangy/savory note, and light intensity from Dijon mustard combine well and act perfectly as this delight’s dressing.

Additional garnishings you can opt for to form a more refreshing sandwich are chive curl, watercress, and edible flowers. Each of them has its own deliciousness that can boost the exquisiteness of your food to another level.

25. Tuna Salad Tea Sandwiches

Total time: About 20 minutes.

Tuna has long been a popular element in sandwich salads, so you can always switch from the crab salad to this tuna-based one. However, mayo and sour cream are the perfect accompaniments to your canned tuna. If you like, you can swap yogurt for the cream.

For the fresh components in your tuna salad, add tarragon (for a characteristic licorice-like aroma), green olives (for a salty and sweet flavor), or other items that are all suitable ingredients. Both whole wheat and white bread work, so use any bread to your liking.

26. Mini Cupcakes

Total time: Approximately 2 hours.

Cupcakes are classic treats to go to any tea party, and my suggested recipe of buttermilk/ sour cream infused can make you treat your guests more successfully.

The recipe for the frosting or the vanilla buttercream is also effortless to follow: you just need to mix whipping cream, chocolate, and buttercream. Substitute the shortening with butter if you cannot find it elsewhere.

In case you don’t want to enjoy or serve your cupcakes right away, it would be best to skip the frosting so that you can save it for a longer time in the freezer. On the other hand, the frosted ones can last in the cool compartment for only 3 days.

Mini cupcakes are easy to make, and here is the suggested way to make them attractive.

27. Turkey, Gouda & Apple Tea Sandwiches

Total time: Approximately 25 minutes.

To be clear, you should employ the deli turkey instead of the freshly boiled ones since the deli products can provide you with more firmness while the flavors are still good. To make the sandwich more harmonious, you can create a spread out of mayo and cranberry sauce.  

The apples and fresh baby spinach not only enhance the general flavors with their crisp, mellow, and veggies-sweet taste, but they also lend a lovely crunchiness. About the bread base, you can use anything you want. Wheat bread or white one are both acceptable.

28. Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches

Total time: About 20 minutes.

Smoked salmon tea sandwiches are a dearly-loved American appetizer. In this recipe, you won’t need to shred the salmon but rather utilize full thin slices.

Because these salmon-based sandwiches come in a small and elegant size, this treat is perfect for a tea party. When eating them with the semi-sweetness/sharpness from radish and mild taste of cucumber, you can feel the balance here is beautiful.

The cream cheese spread for these sandwiches is infused with fresh herbs, like dill, and some spices, like pepper, so that you can expect a highly aromatic experience.

29. Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

Total time: Around 1 hour.

About shortbread cookies, they are an authentic Scottish dessert with a typically dense texture and no egg included. To infuse your treat with favorable citrus notes from Earl Grey tea, you need to add tea leaves to the cookie dough mix.

The cookie base is pretty simple to make with some all-purpose flour, salt, butter, etc. The rolling and pressing steps to form the dough might take time; however, the result will pay off.

Furthermore, don’t forget to brush the glaze of lemon-infused syrup onto your cookies only when they are completely cooled down.

Are you curious about the exact ways to make some Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies?

30. Buckingham Palace Shortbread Cookies

Total time: Around 20 minutes.

Have you ever pondered baking the Queen’s favorite sweet dessert for a simple tea party? Actually, making the famous shortbread cookies from Buckingham Palace is not difficult and is not too dissimilar to the previous Earl Gray-infused variant.

Butter, cornstarch, and all-purpose flour are everything you might need to accomplish this pleasing party food recipe. It might be a bit basic, but the allure lies in its simplicity.

If you prefer the round-shaped cookies instead of the suggested rectangular ones, go for it. It doesn’t make your treat too different from the royal version. 

31. Mini-Bacon Quiches

Total time: Around 21 minutes.

If these mini Quiches make you think of the small version of savory tarts, you are right. Quiches are a French-originated recipe with milky custard loaded and various other ingredients like cheese or meats. Therefore, you’ll utilize versatile ingredients like bacon.

Finely shredded cheeses will go after the first baking round of chopped, salty bacon and the custard mixture. Leave the cheeses in the oven for only 5 minutes so that they can melt properly and your handy finger food is ready.

The best part here is you don’t have to make the exterior from scratch, and you can easily find the premade phyllo shells (from any brands you love) and utilize them.

32. Rugelach (Jewish Filled Cream Cheese Pastry)

Total time: About 55 minutes.

Rugelach is a creation of Jewish people living in Poland a long time ago, so you can see it as a sweet treat from Poland. However, this buttery and flaky croissant-like treat has an excellent popularity in Israel and other regions of the world now.

A standard Rugelach contains a crunchy, crumbly crust with flavorsome fillings of nuts, apricot preserves, and some cinnamon. All the flavors combine perfectly with each other and lend a great taste experience.

It would be much more convenient for you to make the Rugelach dough 2 days before the party and keep it airtight inside the fridge. Otherwise, the leftover cookies can stay safe at room temperature for up to 3 or 4 days or in the refrigerator for a few days longer.

33. Cream Scones

Total time: Approximately 35 minutes.

It’s a tea party, and I’m sure your guests are looking for some creamy and exquisite Cream Scones. With its outstanding richness and beloved rusticity, your Cream Scones can never go wrong taking part in any parties.

Since the ingredients needed for a perfect Scones are undoubtedly basic, the quality of everything is essential, especially the flour.

Go for your frequently used flour and popular brands for other ingredients (Demerara sugar, butter, and heavy cream) to ensure that nothing can go wrong.

Once your Scones have just come out from the oven, simply let them wait on the cooling rack for about 5 minutes before devouring them.

Roll Up Your Sleeves And Make Your Tea Party Unforgettable! 

Whether your party’s theme is glamorous appetizers or cozy comfort foods, you’ll find wonderful recipes to treat your guests in this article. After you’ve gone through all of these fantastic recipes, you’ll never worry about what to serve for a splendid tea party again.

Have you tried any of these options yet? If so, please provide feedback and let me know what I can do to improve my article. And please share this list if you think it will help your loved ones or friends handle similar struggles. Thanks a lot!