Classy Food Ideas For Your Tea Party

Downton Abbey and Bridgerton have made tea parties a thing once again.  You no longer need to be 5 years old pouring imaginary tea for your stuffed animals to host your own tea party.  But if you are going to throw an exquisite affair, you’ll need some great ideas for what food to serve.  So let me help.

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Tea Parties, So Hot Right Now

 

If you get that reference, we just became besties.  When Bridgerton hit Netflix, I started to see Bridgerton inspired tea parties and photo shoots galore!  After I watched it, I hit up Downton Abbey (only a decade late).  So yeah, I’m feelin’ the tea party vibe.

And as much as I love tea, because I really do, when it comes to a tea party, I’m mostly concerned with what food to serve.  Because I’m a food obsessed individual.  Good food is what makes your party an event, so you want to do it justice.

 

 

Tea Party Food Ideas

 

For tea party food ideas, I’m feelin’ small, individual, and mostly classy.  If you can fit it in your mouth in one bite, it’s probably a good idea.  But even something a bit larger can be a great choice.  

 

As for flavors, the world is your oyster.  But please don’t serve oysters at your tea party.  You can stick to tea inspired flavors or go fruity.  And maybe throw some chocolate options into the mix for us chocoholics.

 

I broke up my ideas into three categories.  Cookies, cakes, and everything else.  Maybe not the most descriptive of breakdowns, but what are ya gonna do?

 

 

Cookies

 

• Macarons
• Thumbprint cookies
• Meringue kisses
• Strassburger cookies
• Biscotti

 

Macarons are probably the classiest, bestest (‘cause that’s a word now) cookie you can serve at your tea party.  But they are difficult.  If you’re new to making macarons, I suggest starting with my classic macaron recipe and checking out this list of tools you’ll need.  

Biscotti is my other top pick for a tea party.  These cookies demand to be dipped in a hot beverage.  I suggest having some cream or milk available for your tea if you’re serving biscotti.  A little creaminess in the tea makes the biscotti taste amazing, but it’s totally up to you.

 

Related Reading: 8 Cookie Tips & Tricks You Need To Know

 

Cakes

 

• Mini cupcakes
• Mini joconde cakes (almond or chocolate) – cut your joconde sponge into rounds and layer with buttercream!
• Madeleines
• Mini donuts 

 

Madeleines are another classy choice that really helps set the vibe for your tea party.  They are best served the day they are made, but I’ve got good news.  If you’re dipping your madeleine in a cup of hot tea, they still taste amazing a day or two after you make them!

Okay, mini donuts aren’t the classiest of choices, but I still think they deserve a spot here.  To make them less messy, you may want to skip the glaze.  Keep them plain, or dust with a bit of powdered sugar.

 

Everything Else

 

• Brownie Bites – get the recipe in my Desserts For Days cookbook
• Mini Blueberry Muffins
• Cream Puffs
• Mini Earl Grey Chocolate Tarts

 

Mini blueberry muffins are absolutely adorable little bites of yum.  They are practically a cupcake, and so tiny you can even enjoy more than one.  These are a great pick especially if you’ll have kids at the tea party.

Mini earl grey tarts are about the biggest food that I’d suggest serving at a tea party, but that’s just me.  And these tarts are so worth it.  They’re gluten free, full or rich chocolate, and are even infused with earl grey tea.

 

 

Birdgerton Styled Shoot

 

This past Spring, I was super excited to provide some tea party treats for a Bidgerton themed photoshoot.  I made them some Almond Joy Macarons, Mini Blueberry Muffins, Brown Butter & Spiced Pear Madeleines, and Hazelnut Mocha Biscotti.

A bunch of amazingly talented vendors, led by Jennifer Ghartey of Jennifer Rose Events & Weddings, collaborated to make this shoot so incredibly beautiful.  I’m thrilled and honored that some of my goodies got to join in on the fun.  This shoot was published by Baltimore Weddings if you’d like to see more stunning photos.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Please, please, please enjoy a wonderfully quaint tea party for me.  I’m surrounded by boys who absolutely have no interest in a classy little affair, so I will have to live vicariously through you.  Find me on Facebook and tell me what food you decided to serve at your tea party!