WHAT ARE TEA SANDWICHES?
Tea sandwiches (also called finger sandwiches) are small sandwiches made to be eaten in 2-3 bites with your hands. They’re usually crustless to give them a dainty and delicate look and makes them easier to bite into.
They’re served as a first course of an afternoon tea before scones and sweets. Afternoon tea is a light mid-day meal so each course consists of small bites.
Because they’re small, tea sandwiches are great finger foods to serve as appetizer for parties or for baby and bridal showers.
Learn more about afternoon tea, tea etiquette, and how to properly make a cup of tea.

SEE TEA SANDWICHES WEB STORY
EXPERT TIPS TO MAKE THEM PERFECT
To get perfectly uniformed tea sandwiches, use a cookie cutter to cut the sandwich ingredients. A simple shaped cookie cutter (like circles), without any intricate details, work the best.
Frozen bread cuts a lot more neatly, and holds its shape better than room temperature bread. Put the bread in the freezer for a couple of hours, or store in the freezer and take it out when you’re ready to make the sandwiches.
Avoid the crust so that the tea sandwiches are easier to bite into while giving them a neater appearance.
If you’re not using a cookie cutter to cut the bread, make the sandwich then cut using a serrated knife.
Tea sandwiches are meant to be eaten in 2-3 bites so don’t make the sandwiches too big.
Lightly butter or put on a thin layer of mayo the bread to prevent the bread from going soggy and limp.
Blot dry cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, or any wet ingredients before assembling the sandwiches. Again, this is to keep the bread from going soggy.
HOW TO PREPARE TEA SANDWICHES AHEAD OF TIME
The sandwich fillings can usually be prepped a day or two before and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
To make sandwiches ahead of time, assemble sandwiches the night before and loosely cover them with wax paper then a damp paper towel in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will keep the sandwiches fresh overnight without drying out the bread. Don’t let the damp paper towel touch the sandwiches since it’ll make the bread soggy.
Take tea sandwiches out of the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving so that they’re not cold. Tea sandwiches should be served when they are room temperature.
Cucumber sandwiches are the trickiest to keep fresh so I would recommend assembling the day of but the bread and cucumber slices can be prepped the day before.
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE
What kind of bread is best for tea sandwiches?
Thin, white bread is traditionally used to make tea sandwiches since they’re the easiest to bite into but you can use whole wheat if you like.

How many tea sandwiches should I make for each person?
Make 4-5 tea sandwiches per person.

How many different kinds of tea sandwiches should I make?
Up to 5 different kinds of tea sandwiches can be made so that each person getting 5 tea sandwiches can get one of each. But making 5 different tea sandwiches is highly ambitious so I would stick with making 2 or 3 for a little variety.

What kind of tea should be served with tea sandwiches?
Traditionally, black tea is served with afternoon tea and they pair great with tea sandwiches. Earl Grey, English breakfast tea, and Assam are all great black tea options.

What are some classic, traditional tea sandwiches?
Cucumber is the most popular tea sandwich and can be found in almost all afternoon tea menus. Smoked salmon and egg with mayo are also popular and are considered classics.