Original Family Recipe For Tea Cakes From 1800s

OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450° Fahrenheit.
• Place flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Make a well in the center and add remaining ingredients. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. The dough will be stiff.
• Place on lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out and cut using a cup.
• Place on baking stone and bake for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool and enjoy.

GRANDMA'S OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; stir into the creamed mixture. Knead dough for a few turnns on a floured board until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

GRANDMOTHER'S OLD-TIME TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Mix shortening and sugar together with pastry blender or two forks.
• Combine eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir wet ingredients into shortening/sugar mixture.
• Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder together.
• Sift dry ingredients in with wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Dough should be the correct consistancy to roll, so you may need to add or decrease the dry ingredients as necessary.
• Place dough on lightly floured board or pastry cloth and roll out to approximately 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut cookies with round cookie cutter (my grandmother used a 2-inch biscuit cutter) and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until just beginning to brown. Don't overcook!
• Store in a covered tin or plastic container.

NEE NEE'S OLD TIMEY TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Add eggs and mix well.
• Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets, or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes until lightly brown.
• You can also "roll" this mixture out and use cookie cutters to make shapes.

TEA CAKES I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Mix shortening and sugar well. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients together and add to shortening mixture until dough is stiff and doesn't seem sticky (you may not need to add all of the flour).
• Roll out on a floured board. Cut into shapes. Decorate with sprinkles or colored sugar. Re-roll trimmings and cut into shapes until all of the dough has been used.
• Bake on lightly greased cookie sheets for 8 to 9 minutes.