15 Delicious Tea Sandwiches Perfect for Tea Parties

Looking for tea sandwich recipes for your next tea party? If you’re looking for finger sandwiches that are adorable and tasty, I’ve got them right here!

What are Tea Sandwiches?

Tea sandwiches are bite-sized, usually crustless sandwiches that are served during afternoon tea.

They’re to be eaten with your hands and are also known as finger sandwiches.

Because they’re small and easy to eat with your hands, tea sandwiches are great finger foods to serve at baby or bridal showers.

Classic English Tea Sandwiches

The three tea sandwiches I see on almost all traditional afternoon tea menus are:

• Cucumber
• Egg salad
• Smoked Salmon

The fancier the afternoon tea service, the fancier the presentation.

RELATED: Afternoon Tea Course Order

How to Make Tea Sandwiches Ahead of Time 

The sandwich fillings can usually be prepped a day or two before. Assemble the sandwiches the night before and cover with wax paper then a damp paper towel in an airtight container. This will keep the sandwiches fresh overnight without drying out the bread.

To keep the sandwiches from becoming soggy, make sure that there is a layer of mayonnaise or butter on the side that is touching the filling. 

Cucumber sandwiches are the trickiest to keep fresh so I would recommend assembling the day of.

How Many Tea Sandwiches Per Person?

For each person attending your afternoon tea party, prepare 3-4 tea sandwiches. Serve with scones with clotted cream and jam and 3-4 bite-sized sweets so they don’t leave hungry.

Cutting Tea Sandwiches Neatly

I’ve tried many times to cut tea sandwiches as neatly and uniformly as possible, but I’ve found that using cookie cutters (rectangular or circular) is a great trick to make them look perfect.

If you’re cutting sandwiches with a knife, cold sandwiches cut better than room temperature sandwiches. 

Best Tea to Pair with Tea Sandwiches

Traditionally, black tea is served with afternoon tea and they pair great with tea sandwiches. 

If you’re looking for a black tea, I recommend whole loose tea like Ceylon or Darjeeling and you can’t go wrong with the a classic black tea blend like Earl Grey.

15 Tea Party Sandwiches

Here are 15 tea sandwiches to give you ideas of what to make for your next tea party. Serve with perfectly brewed tea and your guests will be raving!