32 Tea Party Recipes for a Truly Delightful Afternoon

As far as daytime food gatherings go, tea parties are by far our favorite. There are mini tea sandwiches to nibble on, bottomless cups of perfectly steeped tea, plus flaky, buttery bites and desserts as far as the eye can see. Most of the dishes ubiquitous to tea parties are smaller bite-size treats but make no mistake: they are just, if not more, satisfying. If you’re planning an afternoon tea, you’ll need a few essentials — including these party-perfect recipes. Each one deserves a spot on your table but quite frankly, it just wouldn’t be a tea party without at least one type of finger sandwich. That’s why we’re starting with these delicate bites. With fresh cucumber, radishes and herbs tucked into soft, brioche bread, they’re perfect as a standalone nibble or a palate cleanser in between different bites.

Kahwa, which originates in Kashmir, is a supremely aromatic and delicate green tea flavored with spices, such as cardamom, saffron and cinnamon, and served with almonds. Traditionally, it is prepared in an ornate tea kettle called a samovar. Kashmir is known for its fragrant rose gardens, and some homes add dried rose petals to their kahwa, as I do in this recipe. This delectable tea is bound to fill up your senses and warm your soul.

Many pilgrimages to bakeries across Austria inspired Molly Yeh to dream up these pastel purple cakelets, scented with almonds rather than a rum soak as is traditional in petits fours. Eye candy, sweet and nutty to the tongue, they are the snackable pastry bound to stun at a tea party. Don’t expect to have leftovers.

These tea cakes teeter-totter between fruity and toasty but best of all, they come together lickety-split in one bowl. If you only have salted pistachios on hand, dial back the added salt to about ⅛ teaspoon when pulsing it into a finely ground nut flour in the food processor. Keep the stems on the cherries! They make for an instant garnish.