Tea Sandwiches (3 Filling Recipes) (2024)

ByChris Posted onJanuary 14, 2019September 14, 2023

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Serve tea party tea sandwiches with3 filling recipes for the perfect pairing with afternoon tea. These finger sandwiches are a wonderful option for Mother’s day, bridal or baby showers, or sandwich appetizers for a party. If you’re planning and gathering tea party ideas then you’ll definitely want to grab these party sandwich recipes.

WHAT'S IN THIS GUIDE?

Tea Party Finger Sandwiches

I love the mini foods served at a tea party, especially finger sandwiches. They’re so cute and full of flavor, and the possibilities for fillings are endless.

I’m sharing the 3 best filling recipes that offer your guests variety.I’ve included chicken salad, pineapple-nut, and apricot & ham.

Expert Tips for Success

Follow these tips for serving sandwiches at your next tea party.

Make the fillings a day ahead so the flavors have time to fully develop.
Spread your filling on the bread, cut off the crusts, and cover sandwiches with a damp paper towel until ready to serve.
Cut each of the sandwich flavors into different shapes. Use a cookie cutter for anything other than squares, rectangles or triangles.
Here I cut the chicken salad into rectangles, the pineapple-nut into heart shapes, and the apricot & ham into triangles. This makes them easily recognizable as well as adds a decorative touch. You can print or write out a sign so guests know which shape correlates to which flavor.
Use a serrated edge knife to get clean cuts through the bread.Move the knife back and forth carefully instead of pressing down so you don’t squish the sandwiches as you cut.
Remember these ingredient measurements can be increased or decreased according to your own taste and how many sandwiches you need.
The key is to combine the given flavors, but you may want to add more or less mayonnaise, nuts, or cream cheese if you like it a certain way.

How to Make Ahead

You can make the sandwiches the night before a party. In fact this gives the filling flavors time to blend and develop.

However, you do need to add a THIN layer of unsalted butter or mayonnaise to each of the bread slices before adding the fillings. This will create a barrier that will keep the bread from becoming soggy from the filling.

Prepare the sandwiches with the added layer of butter or mayonnaise, and leave the crust on. Cover with a sheet of wax paper and then layer a damp paper towel on top.
Wrap them with saran wrap and refrigerate over night.
Before the party, cut the crusts off or cut into shapes with a cookie cutter, and set on a plate to serve.

What Kind of Bread is Best?

There’s such a variety of breads to use for finger sandwiches. It’s fun to mix and match different types for a tea party.

Use soft white bread for a classic sandwich.
Use wheat bread for an updated “healthy” twist.
Use cinnamon raisin bread for a slightly sweet touch.
Use pumpernickel for a heartier sandwich.
Use rye for a unique flavor twist.

More Tea Party Recipes

Here are some more ideas for your next tea party.

Sandwiches with egg salad filling
Mini club sandwiches
Chicken salad in puff pastry
Mini muffin appetizer sandwiches
Honey chicken salad cups

Which of the 3 tea sandwich fillings do you want to try first?

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Tea Sandwiches Filling Recipes

Yield: about 30 finger sandwiches

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Three delicious fillings for tea sandwiches, cut into various shapes for a tea party. Make them ahead for easy entertaining.

Ingredients

Chicken Salad Filling

1 1/2 cups shredded or chopped chicken
3/4 cup mayonnaise (or more if needed)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Pineapple-Nut Filling

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Apricot & Ham Filling

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
sliced ham

Instructions

For the chicken sandwiches, Chop chicken very finely (I put it in a food processor and pulsed 3-4 times until minced). In a bowl, combine chicken and mayonnaise, and mix well. Add curry and continue to mix. Fold in remaining ingredients. Spread on bread, top with another slice, remove crusts, and cut into shapes.
For the pineapple sandwiches, Combine cream cheese and crushed pineapple until well blended. Add pecans and fold into mixture. Spread on one slice of bread and top with other. Remove crusts and cut into shapes as desired.
For ham sandwiches, Combine cream cheese and preserves until well blended. Spread a layer on both slices of bread, place a slice of ham on one side, and top with the other side. Cut off crusts and cut in to shapes as desired.

Notes

Cut each sandwich variety into a different shape so it's easy to tell which flavor it is at a glance.

Did you make this recipe?

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Tea Sandwiches (3 Filling Recipes) (2024)

FAQs

What is the best bread for tea sandwiches? ›

Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sliced Bread in white or whole wheat works best for making tea sandwiches. This recipe is part of a memorable spring brunch menu. Slice the cucumber as thinly as possible, using a mandoline if you have one.

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How many tea sandwiches for 30 people? ›

Allow 3-4 sandwiches per person. But don't prepare them too early as they will either go soggy or dry out.

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What are the 3 main foods served at an afternoon tea? ›

What is served at afternoon tea? Afternoon tea comes in three course, the sandwich course, the scones and finally the pastries. Traditional sandwiches would include: cucumber, smoked salmon, coronation chicken, ham and beef.

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What type of sandwich is commonly served at afternoon tea? ›

Traditional English Tea Sandwiches are a classic snack that can be served as an app or for afternoon tea. These three variations (cucumber, strawberry and radish) on the darling finger sandwiches are the perfect easy, no-fuss recipe for your next party.

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Should afternoon tea sandwiches be crustless? ›

Tea sandwiches are crustless, often cut in half or into batons (“finger sandwiches”) or triangles. Fill the whole sandwiches before removing the crusts and dividing into smaller pieces — it will be easier to assemble, and you'll end up with neat edges.

How many sandwiches per person for afternoon tea? ›

How many sandwiches per person at afternoon tea? Prepare 3-4 sandwiches per person for your afternoon tea at home. The cake stand will be stacked from top to bottom with delicious food, so there will be lots for your guests to choose from, and you can be sure nobody will go hungry.

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Should you freeze bread before making tea sandwiches? ›

Tips & Tricks for Tea Sandwiches

Freezing bread before cutting and then spreading makes for easier handling. Bread should be lightly buttered no matter what the filling. Butter should be at room temperature before spreading.

What are the five fillings used in preparing sandwiches? ›

Meat, fish, poultry, cheese, eggs and salads (tuna, chicken, egg) are all common protein fillings. An open-faced sandwich can be hot or cold, and is made from a single slice of bread on the bottom.

How to cut perfect sandwiches for afternoon tea? ›

Just keep slicing thinly, following the contours of your loaf as you slice. Don't try to compensate by slicing more thickly to make a straight cut. As long as you slice thinly, you can make a good sandwich that flattens out perfectly – even if the loaf itself is uneven.

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What is a typical afternoon tea menu? ›

There aren't any rules when it comes to the food, but a standard afternoon tea menu comprises a tier of sandwiches, a tier of cakes and one of scones or teacakes. But you could also throw in pastries, petit*-fours or biscuits. Don't wear yourself out by taking on too many ambitious bites.

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How to eat finger sandwiches at afternoon tea? ›

One must eat the sandwiches first, and with fingers not cutlery. Then the scones – they should still be warm.

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