Make Afternoon Tea at Home a New Family Tradition

With petite sandwiches, scones, and the perfect cuppa, the quintessentially British tradition is easy to make your family's own

Hosting your own afternoon tea might even be more fun than going to a tea room, because you can easily customize the menu to your family's preferences. (GraphicPhotoArt -MomPhoto/Shutterstock)

I went to my first afternoon tea as a teenager, while in New Forest, England, for a family wedding.

The bed and breakfast we stayed at served a full English breakfast, complete with sausage, beans, potatoes, and tomatoes. We tucked in, then headed out for a day of exploring the countryside, fasting through lunch. We returned to the bed and breakfast mid-afternoon, changed into more respectable clothes, and enjoyed an afternoon tea in the airy dining room.

Serve your scones with clotted cream, if you can find it, and a dollop of jam. (Sokor Space/Shutterstock)

From the moment we arrived at the tea room, I was in love: floral tablecloths, bright windows, beautifully arranged sandwiches, scones, and petite desserts. The tea was hot, and our cups always seemed to be full.

Since then, I’ve made afternoon tea a tradition in my life. At least once a year, I meet a few girlfriends for a leisurely afternoon of scones with clotted cream and a hot cuppa. There’s something about knowing you have a tiered tray of sandwiches and pastries to eat through that allows you to become completely absorbed in a good conversation.

When I had my daughters, I couldn’t wait to take them out to a tearoom for afternoon tea. This year, I had my chance.

We went to England this spring for a family wedding and had a few days in London beforehand. Our first afternoon there, jetlagged and running on adrenaline, I dressed my 3-year-old and 5-year-old up and took them to a fancy hotel for afternoon tea. Amazingly, not only did it not end in disaster, but it ended up being the highlight of the trip for them. The girls loved being pampered and having an occasion to get dressed up, and they were completely thrilled with the array of sweets placed in front of them.

Since we’ve been home, the girls have asked for afternoon tea every day. We’ve limited it to once a week, and it has been an anticipated event for all of us. It might even be more fun than going to a tea room—because once you know the basics, you can switch it up to your own preferences.

The most important part: a perfect cup of tea. (Ruth Black/Shutterstock)

The Basics of Afternoon Tea

It’s generally thought that afternoon tea originated in the 1800s with the Duchess of Bedford, who enjoyed tea with bread in her room to conquer the afternoon munchies and invited friends to join her. The ritual evolved into scones and cakes, and today is still considered a quintessentially English tradition.

The table is set with a teapot, cups and saucers, a sugar dish, a milk jug, and spoons. The “mother,” or the hostess, is the one to pour the tea.

The food is arranged on a three-tiered tray and is meant to be eaten from bottom to top. The bottom layer is made up of petite sandwiches—I like to make cream cheese and cucumber or egg salad—with crusts removed.

Scones are next, on the middle layer. Normally, I’m partial to a scone with jam and clotted cream (we’re adamant supporters of putting the cream on before the jam), but, as I haven’t been able to find clotted cream here—nor have I been brave enough to make it—I make a chocolate chip scone, which is sweet enough to be enjoyed with just a bit of butter.

The top layer is reserved for sweets: small cakes and tarts. I take the most liberty at home with this layer, usually simply slicing up any baked goods I have on hand and putting them on the tray. As my girls get older, I think it will be fun to make tarts and pastries beforehand that are specific to afternoon tea. But for now, I count it as a win if they sit all the way through to the dessert portion.

Afternoon tea has been a really fun way to teach my girls manners. They dress up for the occasion and sit up straight at the table. They stir their tea, take the spoon out, and drink it without picking up the saucer. My 5-year-old has started coming up with hilariously grown-up questions, such as “What do you do for work?” and “What do you think of the weather lately?” both of which I try my best to answer seriously.

Last week, we invited friends to our afternoon tea, and I heard my daughter tell someone recently that it’s her favorite part of the week. Right now, I’m pretty sure that’s because of the sugary treats involved, but I hope that as they grow, they'll enjoy the intentional time together: the rhythm of the weekly ritual, the three tiers of food meant to be shared, and the long, leisurely conversations that naturally follow.

Recipes for Afternoon Tea at Home

One of the author's daughters enjoys a chocolate chip scone and a hot cuppa. (Rachael Dymski)

Chocolate Chip Scones

Makes 15 small scones

• 3 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 6 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the cubes of butter and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the beaten eggs and lemon juice. Add the milk a little at a time until the dough comes together. It should be soft and somewhat sticky. Add in the chocolate chips.

Place the dough on a floured surface. Pat the dough to flatten it until it’s about 3/4-inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut the scones out. It’s very important not to twist the cutter as you press the dough down; this will inhibit the scones from rising.

Place the scones on the baking sheets and bake for 11 minutes or until light golden brown and risen.

Egg salad sandwiches are a classic savory addition. (Natallya Naumava/Shutterstock)

Petite Egg Salad Sandwiches

Makes 4 small sandwiches

• 2 large eggs, hard-boiled and chilled
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped dill
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices bread

Place hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, and dill together in a bowl. Mash with a fork until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the mixture onto 2 slices of bread. Top with the remaining 2 slices.

Cut off the crusts and slice diagonally.