Well… our visit with my P31 sisters is ending with sweet Melissa. I have had so much fun peeking into the holiday recipes and traditions of my friends! Melissa is our last guest for this recipe sharathon and she wanted to share a recipe that has been in her family for generations. It simply wasn’t Christmas in her house if her mom didn’t make these tea cakes.
I’m going to give Melissa control over She Cooks now… but before I do… pop over to visit her blog for more on her life, her family, and her traditions. She is an amazing woman with a huge heart!
OK – Here’s Melissa:
My very favorite holiday treat is one that my mother has made for years! According to her, it is an old family recipe passed down generations. I have no idea how true that is, but I do know that I’ve enjoyed Mom’s Tea Cakes for as long as I’ve lived! (44 years) My children have also enjoyed them. I’m sharing them today as a special Christmas recipe, but Mom made them any time of year. If her children and grandchildren were visiting, they knew Tea Cakes would be there to greet them. I hope you enjoy them too. Here is the recipe:
Tea Cakes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 sticks butter or margarine
- 1 cup Wesson oil (really any brand will do, but Mom preferred Wesson…smiles)
- 2 eggs beaten well
Mix together above ingredients. Mix well and then add the following:
- 4 ½ cups plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Mix well and let set in refrigerator several hours or over night.
Drop with spoon and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Oil or spray w/ Pam the bottom of a glass then dip in sugar and press cookies flat.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-20 minutes.
Makes 12 dozen.
To make them holiday worthy, use red and green colored sugar or sprinkles.
I hope you like my Mom’s Tea Cakes. My sweet mom passed away this year and this is the first year I’ll be making them without her. I’m so thankful to have this recipe and tradition to pass on.
Merry Christmas!
Melissa
Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
It is so funny that you mention Tea Cakes today. I made a big batch last night to take to the Senior Center today for a Christmas Surprise. I didn’t make mind as complicated as yours but they aare so good. In fact, might raid the container before I leave to go take them to my friends.
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!
My mom always did Tea Cakes also. My recipe is a little different from yours, will definitely try yours out also. I always did Tea Cakes as cutouts with my children when they were little. Thanks for sharing and a Merry Christmas to you and your family.
I made your tea cakes in memory of my dad. He always asked mom for tea cakes, she just had no idea what they were. I had never seen a recipe for tea cakes until now. Served them as an honorary dessert in daddy’s memory at our family Christmas dinner – greatgrandkids, grandkids, nieces, nephews all thought the tea cakes were wonderful and a great memory of my daddy. Thus – there were leftovers – so the office staff got their fair share. I’ve never received more compliments on a simple cookie. One guy who was raised on tea cakes just closed his eyes and floated on the buttery sugary goodness he had forgotten about. Thanks so much for sharing this delightful recipe and providing our family with some great memories.