Tea cakes are somewhere between a cake and a cookie, offering a slightly less sweet alternative than both. They’re one of my favorite things to enjoy with a cup of, well, tea! They’re great with coffee too. So, of course I had to make Air Fryer Tea Cakes for a twist on the classic baking method.
Tea cakes are delicious! They’re a slightly less sweet sugar cookie, but offer the same crispy edges and soft, sweet inside that you’d want from the classic dessert.
You can enjoy them for a snack, for breakfast with your tea or coffee, or as a dessert. They make a perfect addition to your brunch options as well.
The air fryer does a fabulous job of cooking them up beautifully. It’s a great option to have on those hot summer days when you want tea cakes but don’t want to turn on the oven and heat up the house.
While traditionally, tea cakes are flavored with vanilla, I like to put a twist on mine and use almond. Of course, you can always go back to the classic, or you can try a different variation of your own!
What You’ll Need: Ingredients
½ cup butter (salted) at room temperature
1 large egg
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp buttermilk
1 tsp almond extract
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Buttermilk can be swapped for sour cream or plain yogurt
You can make this recipe with wheat flour for a healthier option, but they will be much denser
The almond extract may be swapped for vanilla, or any other flavor you’d like!
Feel free to add some citrus zest or nuts to your batter for some variation options
For some extra sweetness and crunch, roll the dough balls in additional sugar before placing in the air fryer
How to Make Tea Cakes in the Air Fryer
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar
Add in the egg, buttermilk, and extract and mix thoroughly
Pour in the dry ingredients and stir to combine until a dough forms
Preheat your air fryer to 325°F (or the closest setting your air fryer has)
Line the basket or rack of your air fryer with parchment paper or nonstick foil (to prevent the batter falling through the grates)
Scoop the cookie dough by rounded tablespoons and form into balls. Feel free to roll in additional sugar if you’d like
Place the rounded dough balls into the air fryer basket about 2” apart
Cook on the air fry setting for 10 minutes at 325°F, until the edges are lightly browned and the center is set
Rest for 3 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely
Serve with coffee, tea, or your other favorites
What to Serve With Tea Cakes
Hot tea
Iced tea
Sweet tea
Herbal tea
Coffee
Lattes
Milk
Fruit juices
Banana pudding
Whipped cream
Frosting
Lemon glaze
Lemon curd
Ice cream
There are lots of great options to serve with tea cakes, whether you’re enjoying them for a snack, tea time, breakfast, brunch, or dessert!
Southern tea cakes look like a cookie, and taste a bit like a cross between shortbread and a sugar cookie. However, they’re a little more cake-like in consistency than a traditional cookie.
They are slightly less sweet than a traditional dessert cookie as well, though you can add extra sugar or a frosting to offset this if desired.
Can I Toast Tea Cakes in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can toast tea cakes in an air fryer. However, toasting is generally only required for the British version of a tea cake, which Americans would equate to something like an English muffin.
Tea cakes have many different variations and refer to different foods across different cultures.
Is There Tea in Tea Cakes?
No, there is no tea in tea cakes. Rather, the name is based on the recommended pairing of the cookies with a cup of tea.
That said, tea loaf cake, which is a different food sometimes referred to as tea cake, does typically contain tea. Earl Grey is the most common, but others may be swapped in as well.
Recipe Pro Tips
If you’d like all of your tea cakes uniform and flat, you may chill the dough for a couple hours. Then, roll it flat to ¼” thickness, and use a round biscuit or cookie cutter to cut them into 2” circles
This recipe makes about 18 cookies (one and a half dozen) as written, but may be doubled if you’d like more
I made this in an 8-qt Ninja Dual Zone air fryer, which can cook about 8 tea cakes at a time. Other air fryers will vary in terms of cooking time and capacity. Cook in batches as needed!
Storage Tips
Store tea cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months and defrost before consuming
These air fryer tea cakes put a modern spin on a classic Southern-inspired recipe. Somewhere between a cookie and a cake texture, these sweets are delicious no matter what you consider them.
Pair them with a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy them for breakfast, brunch, tea time, a snack, or even as dessert! They have just the right amount of crisp outside and a soft, chewy center you’ll love.
The air fryer makes them so easy to make, without needing to fire up your big oven. That means tea cakes all summer long! Good thing they go with iced tea just as well as the hot version!
Easy Air Fryer Southern Tea Cakes
These easy Southern inspired tea cakes get a modern twist by cooking in the air fryer. It’s perfect for small batches, and these cookies are done in only about 10 minutes!
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar
½ Cup butter, salted, ¾ Cups granulated sugar
Add in the egg, buttermilk, and extract and mix thoroughly
1 Large egg, 1 Tbsp buttermilk, 1 Tsp almond extract
Pour in the dry ingredients and stir to combine until a dough forms
1 ½ Cups all purpose flour, ¼ Tsp salt, ½ Tsp baking soda
Preheat your air fryer to 325°F (or the closest setting your air fryer has)
Line the basket or rack of your air fryer with parchment paper or nonstick foil (to prevent the batter falling through the grates)
Scoop the cookie dough by rounded tablespoons and form into balls. Feel free to roll in additional sugar if you’d like
Place the rounded dough balls into the air fryer basket about 2” apart
Cook on the air fry setting for 10 minutes at 325°F, until the edges are lightly browned and the center is set
Rest for 3 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely
Serve with coffee, tea, or your other favorites
Notes
Buttermilk can be swapped for sour cream or plain yogurt
You can make this recipe with wheat flour for a healthier option, but they will be much denser
The almond extract may be swapped for vanilla, or any other flavor you’d like!
Feel free to add some citrus zest or nuts to your batter for some variation options
If you’d like all of your tea cakes uniform and flat, you may chill the dough for a couple hours. Then, roll it flat to ¼” thickness, and use a round biscuit or cookie cutter to cut them into 2” circles
This recipe makes about 18 cookies (one and a half dozen) as written, but may be doubled if you’d like more
I made this in an 8-qt Ninja Dual Zone air fryer, which can cook about 8 tea cakes at a time. Other air fryers will vary in terms of cooking time and capacity. Cook in batches as needed!
Store Southern tea cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months and defrost before consuming
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any frostings or sides added, size of cookies, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
