Get step-by-step instructions and tips on making tea sandwiches for tea parties at home. If you’re looking for finger sandwiches that are cute and delicious, find them all here!
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What are Tea Sandwiches?
- Tea sandwiches (also called finger sandwiches) are small sandwiches made to be eaten in 2-3 bites with your hands. They’re usually crustless to give them a dainty and delicate look and makes them easier to bite into.
- They’re served as a first course of an afternoon tea before scones and sweets. Afternoon tea is a light mid-day meal so each course consists of small bites.
- Because they’re small, tea sandwiches are great finger foods to serve as appetizer for parties or for baby and bridal showers.
Learn more about afternoon tea, tea etiquette, and how to properly make a cup of tea.
Expert Tips to Make Them Perfect
- To get perfectly uniform tea sandwiches, use a cookie cutter to cut the sandwich ingredients. A simple shaped cookie cutter (like circles), without any intricate details, work the best.
- Frozen bread cuts a lot more neatly, and holds its shape better than room temperature bread. Put the bread in the freezer for a couple of hours, or store in the freezer and take it out when you’re ready to make the sandwiches.
- Avoid the crust so that the tea sandwiches are easier to bite into while giving them a neater appearance.
- If you’re not using a cookie cutter to cut the bread, make the sandwich then cut using a serrated knife.
- Tea sandwiches are meant to be eaten in 2-3 bites so don’t make the sandwiches too big.
- Lightly butter or put on a thin layer of mayo the bread to prevent the bread from going soggy and limp.
- Blot dry cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, or any wet ingredients before assembling the sandwiches. Again, this is to keep the bread from going soggy.
How to Prepare Tea Sandwiches Ahead of Time
- The sandwich fillings can usually be prepped a day or two before and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- To make sandwiches ahead of time, assemble sandwiches the night before and loosely cover them with wax paper then a damp paper towel in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep the sandwiches fresh overnight without drying out the bread. Don’t let the damp paper towel touch the sandwiches since it’ll make the bread soggy.
- Take tea sandwiches out of the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving so that they’re not cold. Tea sandwiches should be served when they are room temperature.
- Cucumber sandwiches are the trickiest to keep fresh so I would recommend assembling the day of but the bread and cucumber slices can be prepped the day before.
Questions You May Have
What kind of bread is best for tea sandwiches?
Thin, white bread is traditionally used to make tea sandwiches since they’re the easiest to bite into but you can use whole wheat if you like.
How many tea sandwiches should I make for each person?
Make 4-5 tea sandwiches per person.
How many different kinds of tea sandwiches should I make?
Up to 5 different kinds of tea sandwiches can be made so that each person getting 5 tea sandwiches can get one of each. But making 5 different tea sandwiches is highly ambitious so I would stick with making 2 or 3 for a little variety.
What kind of tea should be served with tea sandwiches?
Traditionally, black tea is served with afternoon tea and they pair great with tea sandwiches. Earl Grey, English breakfast tea, and Assam are all great black tea options.
What are some classic, traditional tea sandwiches?
Cucumber is the most popular tea sandwich and can be found in almost all afternoon tea menus. Smoked salmon and egg with mayo are also popular and are considered classics.
24 Delicious Tea Sandwiches
Easy Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Dainty and delicious cucumber finger sandwiches with chive butter.
SEE RECIPE
Easy Ham & Cheese Tea Sandwiches
Adorable ham and cheese sandwiches perfect for afternoon tea, parties, and snack time!
SEE RECIPE
BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato) Tea Sandwiches
An adorable mini version of a bacon, lettuce, and tomato (BLT) sandwich.
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Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Tea Sandwiches
Adorable bite-sized tea sandwiches perfect for afternoon tea or for party appetizers.
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Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
Adorable and delicious, these egg salad finger sandwiches are easy to make!
SEE RECIPE
Peanut Butter and Jelly Tea Sandwiches
Kid-friendly tea sandwiches perfect for a children's tea party.
SEE RECIPE
Fluffernutter Tea Sandwiches
Crustless tea sandwiches made with peanut butter, Marshmallow Fluff, and Nutella perfect for a children's tea party.
SEE RECIPE
Prosciutto Tea Sandwiches with Goat Cheese
Adorable and delicious, these prosciutto sandwiches are perfect for tea time.
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Roast Beef & Watercress
Mini roast beef tea sandwiches with a kick from a little horseradish.
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Turkey Tarragon
“Imagine your favorite chicken salad, with the gourmet factor turned up.”
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Spicy Avocado Egg Salad
“Creamy avocados, hard boiled eggs mixed with sour cream, and a few hot spices” make up these adorable (and spicy) tea sandwiches.
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Patriotic Ribbon
What sets these pretty treats apart from regular finger sandwiches is an extra layer of colorful filling and super thin-cut bread.
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Prosciutto, Apple, and Brie
“Prosciutto, brie, apple slices and peppery radish and arugula go quite well together here…”
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Deviled Egg Salad
Classic deviled egg salad sandwich recipe with tips on how to prep them days ahead.
SEE RECIPE
Ham and Pimento Cheese
“Pimento cheese is not only a Southern staple, but also a classic tea sandwich filling…”
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Vegetable Spread
“These small finger sandwiches are delicious & perfect for those who are health conscious.”
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Sharp Cheddar & Branston Pickle
One of the easiest tea sandwiches to make, this Sharp Cheddar & Branston Pickle is tangy and hearty.
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Goat Cheese and Fig Jam
Creamy, tangy and sweet, this open faced tea sandwich is a perfect two-bite.
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Smoked Salmon
Chopped salmon with cream cheese tea sandwiches are easy to make and so easy to eat!
SEE RECIPE
Related
- Difference Between Afternoon Tea and High Tea
- Afternoon Tea Course Order
- Afternoon Tea: What It is, Recipes, and High Tea
- 21 Afternoon Tea Etiquette Rules
- Top 10 Tea Sommelier Tips to Make a Better Cup of Tea
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Hi Jee,
So glad to have come across this article! I am hosting a bridal tea in a few weeks and have a question about prepping the tea sandwiches. You mention freezing the bread first for getting neat edges. Do you make the sandwiches on the frozen bread then cut off the crusts? I plan to play around with gluten free bread as an option for some of my guests.
Hi Lori, I cut the frozen (slightly thawed) bread first then assemble the sandwiches. The bread circles are pretty small so it thaws fairly quickly so it most likely won’t be frozen when you make the sandwiches.
Hi!
How do you get the jam/peanut butter/Nutella/marshmallow fluff so perfectly neat and tidy on the bread?
Hi Melissa, I use a plastic sandwich bag to use as piping bags. Here is the step-by-step: https://www.ohhowcivilized.com/fluffernutter-tea-sandwiches/
I am so glad I found you! I host a weekly tea party and needed some new ideas. This is it! I love tea!
This is a great resource, thank you very much!
Thanks for the article, links, recipes! Ordered the cookie cutters which worked perfectly, and the little wooden forks were just right!! Everyone loved the spicy avocado sandwiches (I made with dark rye as I could not find pumpernickel at any of my local stores), and the cucumber ones were refreshing! Thanks again!!
Wonderful! Happy to hear the tea sandwiches were hits!
Coming over from the tea drinkers group! These all look fabulous! We have our own herbal tea farm and tea shop online. We have a great affiliate program if you are ever interested 🙂 Cheers!