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 as appetizer for parties or for baby and bridal showers.
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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.
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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 in the refrigerator. 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.
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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.
Whether you’re cutting sandwiches with a cookie cutter or a knife, frozen bread cuts a lot more neatly than room temperature bread.
My Cookie Cutter Pick:
Round Cookie Cutter Set
I use round cookie cutter to get my sandwiches to be all the same size.
I use a 2" circle which can cut 2 circles out of each slice of bread.
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!
Classic cucumber tea sandwiches with chive butter. The two-bite sandwiches are easy to make and quick to assemble.
Super easy to make, these tasty small bites are great to make with kids. All you need is a cookie cutter!
A delicious egg salad between two pillowy slices of white bread. Egg salad can be made a day ahead.
Bacon, lettuce, and tomato in an adorable stacked tea sandwich.
“Imagine your favorite chicken salad, with the gourmet factor turned up.”
Kid-friendly peanut butter and jelly tea sandwiches.
“Creamy avocados, hard boiled eggs mixed with sour cream, and a few hot spices and sauces” make up these adorable (and spicy) tea sandwiches.
Make your next tea party Instagram-worthy with these radish rose tea sandwiches.
An easy-to-make prosciutto rose tops this tea sandwich with goat cheese and basil.
What sets these pretty treats apart from regular finger sandwiches is an extra layer of colorful filling and super thin-cut bread.
“Prosciutto, brie, apple slices and peppery radish and arugula go quite well together here…”
Classic deviled egg salad sandwich recipe with tips on how to prep them days ahead.
“Pimento cheese is not only a Southern staple, but also a classic tea sandwich filling…”
“These finger sandwiches are a perfect vegan/vegetarian option.”
An open tea sandwich with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
“These easy and tasty chutney sandwiches are made with fresh cilantro, mint, butter and potato slices.”
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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!