Grandma's Old Fashioned Tea Cakes
These tea cakes are wonderfully soft and delicately flavored, thanks to the rich dough that forms their base. Ideal when allowed to rest for a day or two, the cookies become even more flavorful with time. For a personalized twist, consider substituting almond or lemon extract in place of the vanilla, or incorporate food coloring to make them festive for special occasions.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 ¾ cups white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Begin by beating the sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, ensuring that each is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next. Once the eggs are well combined, stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add this dry mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, stirring until fully combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for a few turns until it becomes smooth and uniform in texture.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate it for approximately 30 minutes to allow it to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Roll the dough out to a thickness of about ¼ inch on a floured surface. Use cookie cutters to shape the dough, and place the cut cookies about 1 ½ inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden brown.
- Once baked, allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.