Scones, sandwiches, and little cakes
5 afternoon tea recipes to make at home
Please serve the scones warm, even if that means reheating them for a few minutes. The honey butter melts into the tops, and they're so much better that way. As for the tiny tarts, you can buy the shells. There's already enough to do before people come over for tea.
Updated September 7, 2026 · 5 recipes
The useful part
What should I make?
Serve warm
Makes 8 scones. Shape and freeze them ahead, or bake them on the day.
Something savory
Makes 8 mini sandwiches. Prepare the chicken salad ahead, but fill the croissants near serving.
No baking
Makes 12 little tarts using ready-baked shells. About 35 minutes, including a short chill.
Bake the day before
An 8-inch cake cut into 16 small squares. Allow time for it to cool.
You don't need to make all five recipes. A batch of scones, the chicken salad croissants, and one kind of tart make a small afternoon tea menu. The carrot cake can be baked the day before if you'd rather have cake, and it cuts into little squares without any decorating.
01 · about 50 minutes
Honey-Lavender Scones with Honey Butter
A little culinary lavender is enough; too much and your scones will taste like soap. Leave small pieces of cold butter in the dough and don't keep kneading once it comes together. There's honey in the dough and more in the butter brushed over the warm tops.
Get the recipe →02 · about 45 minutes
Chicken Salad Croissant Tea Sandwiches
Rotisserie chicken saves the cooking here. Mix it with celery, quartered grapes, mayonnaise, lemon, and Dijon, then let the filling chill. The mini croissants only need splitting and filling, preferably shortly before you put them on the table.
Get the recipe →03 · about 35 minutes
Mini Strawberry Cream Tarts
Freeze-dried strawberry powder makes the mascarpone cream pink and gives it much more strawberry flavor than a few slices on top could. Spoon it into ready-baked shells and finish with fresh berries. Stop whipping while the cream is still soft; it can turn grainy if you keep going.
Get the recipe →
04 · about 2 hours
Carrot Tea Cake with Sticky Toffee Glaze
This is baked in one square pan, then covered with a dark brown sugar, butter, and cream glaze. The carrot keeps the cake moist enough to make ahead. Let it cool before cutting the little squares, or you'll lose quite a bit of cake to the knife.
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05 · about 1 hour
Mini S’mores Tarts
Chocolate ganache and toasted marshmallows in little pastry shells. They aren't a traditional tea pastry, but they're very easy to pick up and eat. Make the ganache-filled shells ahead, then add and toast the marshmallows just before serving. A broiler works if you don't have a torch.
Get the recipe →
What to do before everyone arrives
Use the parts of this schedule that match your menu. The chicken salad, cream fillings, and ganache tarts should stay refrigerated while they wait.
| When | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| The day before | Mix the chicken salad. Make the strawberry cream or fill the s'mores shells with ganache. Bake the carrot cake if you're serving it. Scones can be shaped and frozen unbaked. |
| Earlier on the day | Bake the scones, allowing the extra baking time in the recipe if they're frozen. Fill the strawberry tart shells and refrigerate them. Cut the cooled carrot cake into squares. |
| Close to serving | Fill the croissants, add fresh strawberries to the tarts, and toast any marshmallow toppings. Warm the scones if needed and put the kettle on. |
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Frequently asked questions
Before you start cooking.
What should I make for a small afternoon tea?
Start with honey-lavender scones, chicken salad croissants, and either the strawberry or s'mores tarts. That gives you something savory as well as scones and a sweet. Swap in the carrot cake if you'd prefer to bake one cake instead of filling individual tarts.
Can I make afternoon tea recipes ahead?
Yes. The chicken salad and strawberry cream can be made the day before and refrigerated. The carrot cake can also be baked ahead, and the scones can be frozen unbaked. Leave the croissant assembly, fresh fruit topping, and marshmallow toasting until close to serving.
Do I have to make pastry or buy special equipment?
Both tart recipes use ready-baked mini pastry shells. The scones can be cut into wedges with a knife, and the carrot cake uses an 8-inch square pan. For the s'mores tarts, you can toast the marshmallows under a broiler instead of using a kitchen torch; follow the recipe's instructions and watch them closely.
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