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posted by Gina Dickson on July 28, 2022 (last updated Jun 18, 2023)
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Discover a delightful array of make-ahead tea sandwich recipes for your next tea party, bridal shower or any other special event. From classic cucumber sandwiches to creative fillings, explore a variety of tea party food ideas that can be prepared in advance.
These make-ahead sandwiches for parties allow you to enjoy your event without the stress of last-minute preparations. Impress your guests with an exquisite selection of tea sandwiches, ensuring a memorable and delicious tea party experience.
If you need more help with food ideas for your party, check out this Budget-Friendly Party Foods with lots of cheap and easy-to-eat snack foods you can serve! Also, check out this huge list of Meatball Appetizers or Mexican Appetizers. If you want some easy Cold Finger Foods, then defiantly check out these.
What Are Tea Sandwiches?
Tea sandwiches, also called finger sandwiches, are small, delicate mini sandwiches usually eaten at tea time or as a mid-morning/afternoon snack.
- Made with a variety of fillings.
- Traditionally served on white, crustless bread slices though today they can be served on a variety of textures and colors of bread.
- No more than a couple of small bites.
- Tea sandwiches are meant to be delicate and contain a small amount of filling.
- Cut into small triangles or long, thin rectangles. For a fancier presentation, they can be cut into shapes using a cookie cutter.
When to Serve Finger Sandwiches
The tea sandwich originally comes from England where it is most often served for afternoon tea or high tea.
The concept of tea parties has been adopted by Americans and other countries and today, tea sandwiches are often used for a variety of different types of functions.
- Ladies brunch
- Afternoon or morning wedding
- Traditional high tea for a ladies’ gathering
- Baby shower
- Bridal shower
- Mother’s day
- Casual garden tea party
- Any mid-morning or mid-afternoon event that you want to serve food but not a full meal.
Tips For Making Tea Sandwichs
With a few simple entertaining tips and how-to recipes, you will be able to fill your table with delicious tea sandwiches for your next high tea or special event.
What Bread, Wraps, Or Crackers To Use
White bread is the standard when making finger sandwiches, however you can get creative and plan out a menu using different shapes and textures of bread.
- Sliced bread:White bread, wheat bread, rye bread, country loaf, or any type of bread with nuts, dried fruit, olives, or seeds all make a striking tea sandwich.
- Vol au vent:This small hollow puff pastry is usually made by cutting two circles in rolled-out puff pastry. A hole is cut in one of the circles and then stacked on top of the intact circle. When baked, it puffs up creating a hole perfect for filling.
- Tortillas:Spread large, colored tortillas with cream cheese and a variety of fillings and roll them up. When ready to serve, slice into 1-inch pieces.
- Crackers:Work great for serving open-faced sandwiches. I prefer these for little rosettes of salmon mousse or an herb cream cheese delicately topped with fresh herbs such as fronds of dill. Make somehomemade cheese crackersor pick up a box at the store as an easier solution.
How do you cut a sandwich for afternoon tea?
To make dainty finger sandwiches for tea, start by trimming the crusts. This is important to create the same texture for each bite of the tea sandwich. Then cut the sandwiches into triangles, long rectangles, or squares. Use a very sharp chef’s knife or serrated knife to gently cut without tearing the bread.
If you want to cut the sandwiches into fun shapes using a cookie cutter, it is often easier to cut the bread first into the shapes and then assemble the sandwiches.
Get creative when cutting and serving your tea sandwiches. These pretty 10-piece frame cookie cutters will elevate your tea sandwiches when served.
How do you serve mini sandwiches on a tea tower?
To serve mini sandwiches on a tea tower, prepare bite-sized sandwiches, arrange them on the tiers starting with larger sandwiches at the bottom, add garnishes for presentation, offer a variety of fillings and flavors, fill the remaining tiers with complementary items, and serve alongside tea and utensils.
Make Ahead Party Sandwiches and Tea Sandwiches
When planning a morning or afternoon tea party, it’s a good idea to consider serving a few options that can be made ahead of time.
Prepping in advance means you are free to enjoy the event along with your guests.
Here are some tips to keep in mind.
- Use ingredients that can be prepped further ahead to make sandwich fillings Tasks such as cooking chicken, boiling eggs, and grating cheese can all be done 2-3 days in advance.
- Con sider alternatives to sliced bread: Using tortillas to make roll-ups, and even mini puff pastry cups may be better options. They typically hold up a little better than sandwich bread which may dry out when exposed to air.
- Wait to assemble the most delicate sandwiches at the last minute.
- Sturdier sandwiches such as sliced meats and cheese work best for making ahead. Some salad sandwiches such as tuna, egg, and chicken can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
- Avoid soggy bread by making sandwiches with thinner sauces at the last minute.
- Assemble by laying out all the slices of bread and then layering on the ingredients.
Tips for Freezing Tea Sandwiches
I have to be honest, I am not a fan of freezing sandwiches. No matter the steps you take, they won’t be the same. But here are a few hints in case that isn’t an option.
- Avoid freezing anything that contains mayonnaise, as it won’t hold up when frozen.
- Any sandwiches with fresh, sliced, or chopped veggies don’t work to freeze. So cucumber sandwiches and sandwiches with salad fillings that contain chopped onion or other vegetables are not recommended for freezing.
- Use cream cheese and butter as spreads instead of mayonnaise when you want to freeze make ahead tea sandwiches.
- Rather than freezing whole sandwiches, look for other steps you can take ahead of time to make ingredients that are freezable. Cooking chicken, cutting out shaped bread, sliced meats, some cooked vegetables, and fillings such as salmon mousse that are made without mayonnaise.
Make sure you take steps for the best results when freezing foods. This includes the containers used for storage and how you place them in the freezer. For more, check out this article on Freezer Storage Ideas.
Tips for Storing Little Sandwiches
- When making sandwiches in advance, store them in the refrigerator with a damp paper towel in between the layers to keep the bread from drying out. For the most freshness wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container.
- Whenever possible, leave the sandwiches or tortilla rollups whole and slice at the last minute.
Tea Party Menu Ideas For Adults
You can host an elegant adult tea party that will make your guests feel special. Start your tea party menu by choosing a variety of flavors and textures for your tea sandwich menu. Next, you will want to add a few savory items to the menu along with fruits and nuts. Round it all off with some special teas, coffees, or co*cktails.
Savory Items:
- Mini Quiches: Serve small, savory quiches with various fillings like spinach and feta, bacon and cheese, or mushrooms.
- Sausage Rolls: Flaky pastry wrapped around seasoned sausage meat.
- Stuffed Mushrooms: Mushrooms stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs, herbs, and cheese.
- Mini Tartlets: Offer tartlets with fillings like caramelized onions and goat cheese or roasted vegetable medleys.
- Deviled Eggs: Classic deviled eggs with a creamy yolk filling.
Fruit and Fresh Items:
- Fresh Fruit Platter: Sliced fruits such as strawberries, grapes, and melon for a refreshing touch.
- Charcuterie Platter: A selection of fresh, raw vegetables with a dip like hummus or tzatziki.
- Caprese Skewers: Cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil drizzled with balsamic glaze.
- Mixed Nuts: A bowl of mixed, roasted nuts for some crunch.
Drinks:
- Hot Tea: Black loose tea with milk and sugar is traditional. However, if you are serving a large group of people you can consider having a selection of teas such as Assam, Earl Grey, Mint Tea, or others flavors that you feel are appropriate for the group.
- Coffee: Offer decaf and regular to satisfy everyone!
- Signature Mocktail: Serve up a signature, fancy Apple Cider Mocktail or pick a seasonal drink such as one of these Spring Mocktails.
- co*cktails: Choose the British classic, Pimms and Lemonade for a traditional vibe! But some of my other favorites are an Azalea co*cktail with its brilliant pink color or a fall-inspired Ginger Pear co*cktail.
- Sweets:I like to keep the sweets delicate and small for tea parties or events serving bite-sized sandwiches. Madeleines, Pistachio Cranberry Cookies, and Chocolate Strawberry Tarts all are top choices.
Make Ahead Tea Sandwich Ideas
Here is an easy list of make ahead sandwiches for a party. Most of them can be made the day before.
Tuna Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Open-faced tuna sandwiches made with solid white albacore topped with English cucumbers make a beautifully delicate tea sandwich for any event. Cut out the bread and make the tuna salad in advance leaving only the assembly the day of your event!
French Pressed Tiny Sandwich Bites
My French pressed sandwich bites, inspired by the pan bagnat, have 3 different flavour varieties in one loaf! A party food with a difference!
Beef Tenderloin Sliders
Fresh roasted beef tenderloin replaces boring old roast beef in this beef tenderloin sliders recipe. Served up with dijon mustard on mini rolls instead of sliced bread, they are a heartier tea sandwich you can offer. The beef can easily be prepared ahead of time and the sturdiness of the rolls will help these slider sandwiches hold up longer than sliced sandwich bread.
English Tea Finger Sandwiches
Choose between the traditional cucumber, pimento cheese or a Greek tzatzski filling made with Greek yogurt, dill and lemon. The simple flavors and preparation of these three easy tea sandwiches are perfect for any tea time.
Strawberry Tea Sandwiches
Strawberry cream cheese and fresh sliced strawberries top off soft sandwich bread in this fruit-flavored tea sandwich that’s delicately sweet and lovely for all types of occasions. It's a nice change from all the savory tea sandwiches and for weddings and bridal showers, they’re perfect cut into hearts as shown in the article.
Green Goddess Tea Sandwiches
The perfect vegetarian option for tea sandwiches! An herbed cream cheese and butter spread is layered with freshly cut veggies for a crisp and flavorful sandwich.
Salmon Mousse
Smoked salmon mousse flavored with lemon juice and fresh dill makes an elegant finger sandwich for your tea party! Serve on top of bread or cucumber slices and garnish them with diced red onion, caviar or a fresh sprig of dill.
Irish Egg Salad Finger Sandwiches
A simple egg salad with veggies that’s served on buttered bread makes a nice, change to traditional American egg salad. Boil the eggs in advance but this delicate spread is best made no more than 24 hours in advance and the sandwiches assembled the day of the event.
Classic Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
The most popular tea sandwich is the classic cucumber sandwich. Here are three different ways to make it!
Cream Cheese Cucumber Sandwiches
These easy cucumber sandwiches are made with just three simple ingredients, soft white bread, cream cheese, and sliced cucumbers. Assemble the sandwiches the night before and then cut the day of your event.
Cucumber Sandwiches
This cucumber sandwich is made with a homemade dill and chive spread with mayonnaise and cream cheese. The herbed cream cheese mixture is served up on soft sandwich bread of any flavor for an easy tea sandwich. You can make the spread several days in advance and then assemble the night before or the day of the event.
Cucumber and Coleslaw Tea Sandwiches
Tea time is easy with this two-for-one tea sandwich recipe. Try out a little spin on the cucumber sandwich which combines sliced cucumbers with a cream cheese-based sandwich spread. Or for something different, there’s an option for a creamy coleslaw filling as well. Choose one or serve up both for a striking presentation of different colors, flavors, and textures.
Tea Sandwich Filling Ideas
The sky is the limit for fillings for finger sandwiches! Here are some popular choices for British tea sandwiches:
- Cheese and pickle: Sliced cheddar cheese and a pickled chutney.
- Prawn co*cktail: Chopped shrimp and co*cktail sauce mixed together.
- Egg and watercress: Egg mayonnaise (salad) and fresh watercress.
- Tuna and Miracle Whip (salad cream): Tuna mixed with creamy salad dressing (not mayonnaise).
- Roast beef and French mustard: Sliced fresh roast beef and spicy French mustard.
Here are some more sandwich-filling ideas for your own tiny sandwiches. Serve up these easy salads on your favorite bread!
The Famous Masters Pimento Cheese Recipe
The famous Masters Pimento Cheese Recipe is s traditional southern sandwich spread that has been served at the Augusta National golf tournament concession stands for over 50 years.
Get Recipe
Masters Egg Salad Recipe
This authentic Southern-style egg salad sandwiches recipe, copied from the Masters Golf Tournament, is perfect for finger sandwiches. It works great to make it the day before, just wait to assemble the sandwiches until the day of your event.
Get Recipe
Best Spicy Egg Salad Recipe
This Spicy Egg Salad kicks up a classic egg salad recipe by adding bacon, chili paste, onions, and Siracha. Spicy Sriracha egg salad is perfect on crackers or served as a sandwich for an easy dinner.
Get Recipe
Masters Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe; Copycat
Even if you can not make it to the tournament, you can have a taste of the Masters when you make this copycat Masters Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe. Augusta National serves a classic chicken salad and then elevates it by serving it on a sweet butter brioche bun.
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Tea Sandwich Cookbooks 📚
These 55 mouthwatering Tea Sandwich Cookbook recipes are delicious, dainty, and delicate, just as they should be. What began as an English tradition has made its way across the pond to households all around the globe.
The step-by-step Tea Sandwich recipes are so simple, from meat-filled finger sandwiches to veggie-spreads tea sandwiches. You’ll see why the little delicacies that have made history in Britain are also making waves around the world.
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posted by Gina Dickson on July 28, 2022 (last updated Jun 18, 2023)
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