Easy Make Ahead Tea Sandwiches
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Make Ahead Tea Sandwiches: If you’re hosting an afternoon tea, chances are you’re serving finger sandwiches. And would like to find some easy make-ahead recipes and ideas.
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We’ve gathered some delicious tea sandwich recipes and ideas, including the perennial favorite cucumber finger sandwiches and other traditional English tea sandwiches. In addition to tea recipes, we have beautiful presentation ideas, too.
Recipes for Tea Sandwiches
Radish-Poppyseed Tea Sandwiches
“These Radish-Poppyseed Tea Sandwiches are a delectable treat. Pictured with English Pea Salad in Phyllo Cups.”
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches with Herb Aïoli
“These Cucumber Tea Sandwiches with Herb Aïoli are a great addition to your upcoming afternoon tea events.”
Vegan Cucumber Sandwiches with Dill
"Thick and rich cream cheese with sliced cucumber and fresh dill make these the very best vegan cucumber sandwiches you’ll ever try!"
Smoked Salmon, Cucumber & Pickled Ginger Tea Sandwiches
"Celebrate the coronation of King Charles III on the 6th of May by enjoying a marvelous menu apropos for royalty."
Coronation Chicken Salad Sandwiches
"Originally created for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, it is still popular to this day."
Blue Cheese-Walnut Finger Sandwiches Recipe
"The sharp blue cheese pairs perfectly with walnuts and preserves for the perfect sandwich spread."
Benedictine Tea Sandwiches
"Created in the early 1900s by Louisville, Kentucky, restaurateur Jennie Benedict, Benedictine is a cool combination of cream cheese, cucumber, and onion. It makes the perfect spread for simple Benedictine Tea Sandwiches and pays homage to the Kentucky-reared author of The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver. "
Prawn Salad Tea Sandwiches
“Prawn” is a term the "British use to refer to all shrimp as well as to true prawns. Either of these crustaceans will work equally well in these simple, yet tasty, tea sandwiches. Pictured with our Roast Beef, Tomato & Cheese Tea Sandwiches and Cucumber & Mint Cream Cheese Pinwheels."
Strawberry tea sandwiches
“These sandwiches bring together sweet berries, fragrant herbs and creamy cheese in an unforgettable afternoon snack.”
Herbed Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
"Made with garden-fresh ingredients and garnished to perfection, these savory bite-size sandwiches will be the star of a springtime tea."
Salmon Salad Tea Sandwiches
"Salmon Salad Tea Sandwiches are a delightful combination of delicate flavors and satisfying textures. A beautiful finger sandwich that can elevate any tea party, brunch, or light dinner. Effortless to make and bursting with flavors of fresh dill and lemon!"
Roasted Vegetable and Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches
"Carrots, parsnips, peppers, and onions are roasted to perfection and layered with cream cheese in these tantalizing roasted vegetable tea sandwiches."
Chicken & Bacon Tea Sandwiches
"These crave-worthy Chicken & Bacon Tea Sandwiches are a wonderful addition to the savories course of your afternoon tea menu."
Asparagus, Serrano Ham, and Goat Cheese Tea Sandwiches
“Asparagus, Serrano Ham, and Goat Cheese are perfect for afternoon tea in the springtime.”
Corned Beef Tea Sandwiches
"Corned beef, pickling spices, and marbled rye bread combine to create delicious Corned Beef Tea Sandwiches." Perfect for an Irish Tea.
Radish Tea Sandwiches with Creamy Dill Spread
“In this radish sandwich recipe with a creamy dill spread, the delicate tea sandwiches are served open-face to show off the pretty sliced radishes on top.”
Salmon-Watercress Finger Sandwiches
“Cream cheese, smoked salmon, watercress leaves, chives, and fresh lemon zest give these Salmon-Watercress Finger Sandwiches plenty of flavor.”
Darjeeling-Poached Chicken Salad Sandwiches
"Classic chicken salad sandwiches are given a teatime twist with delicious Darjeeling-Poached Chicken Salad Sandwiches. Darjeeling-Poached Chicken Salad Sandwiches pictured with Deviled Tea Eggs and Assam-Vegetable Tartlets. "
Simple Ham Salad Tea Sandwiches
This simple ham salad recipe is so versatile. When made into tea sandwiches, they are extraordinarily delicious. Layer salad with simple greens, thinly sliced cucumbers, and fresh dill.
Curried-Egg Tea Sandwiches Recipe
"Cookbook author Martha Hall Foose says that in the early 1960s, The Time Life Picture Cook Book inspired Mississippi ladies to "go exotic" by adding ingredients like curry powder and orange zest to egg-salad tea sandwiches."
Strawberry Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
“Fresh strawberries and mandarin oranges add a touch of sweetness to Strawberry–Chicken Salad Sandwiches.”
Roasted Chicken Tea Sandwiches with Tarragon-Watercress Aioli
“Tarragon-Watercress Aïoli adds a zip of flavor to these Roasted Chicken Tea Sandwiches.”
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
"The cucumber sandwich is a tea party staple because it's light yet fancy. In this version, radishes spice up cucumbers on a bed of creamy herbed cheese."
Kentucky Benedictine Tea Sandwiches Recipe
“Cucumber, cream cheese, and fresh herbs make the filling for this delightful finger food. Add a festive trim with spicy micro-greens.”
Viola Tea Sandwiches
"Beautify your brunch party with these colorful and dainty cream cheese tea sandwiches."
British Tea sandwiches recipe
“These classic sandwiches with a delicious twist are perfect for afternoon tea.”
Radish and Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
These opened-face Radish and Cucumber Tea Sandwiches are as delightful to the eye as they are to the palate. Scrumptious, crisp, and peppery radish flavors mingle with curried butter for a decidedly unique addition to your next tea party or garden party.
Smoked Turkey with Cranberry Relish Tea Sandwiches
"Smoked Turkey with Cranberry Relish Tea Sandwiches lend seasonal charm to your afternoon tea savories course."
Almond Butter & Currant Jelly Teddy Bears
Planning a Children's Tea? Can you imagine the joy sparkling in their eyes when presented with this darling tea sandwich?
Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Pinwheel Tea Sandwiches
"Asparagus and smoked salmon pinwheels with lemon chive cream cheese are fancy tea sandwiches perfect to serve as appetizers for baby showers, afternoon tea parties, bridal showers, or anywhere you’re serving finger foods! These easy roll ups are served cold – it’s one of my favorite finger sandwich recipes!"
Festive Christmas Eve Tea Sandwiches
These delightful Christmas Eve Tea Sandwiches are both festive and scrumptious. Made with simplicity in mind, they truly capture the essence of the holiday season with their vibrant red, white, and green colors. Perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a grand buffet, a lavish feast, or a casual open house, these finger sandwiches are a festive addition!
Pro Advice: Making Ahead Tea Sandwiches
A recent reader asked for advice on making finger sandwiches before an event or tea party. Here are two pro tips for planning tea sandwiches for afternoon tea.
Pro Advice: Which Fillings Are Best for Making Tea Sandwiches Ahead?
These tea sandwich filling ideas are smart options when making them ahead:
- Egg salad – make one day ahead, cover tightly, and refrigerate.
- Chicken salad or tuna salad – make two days ahead, cover tightly, and refrigerate
- Smoked salmon with crème fraiche or plain yogurt mixed with sour cream and dill.
Pro Tip 1: Smoked Salmon
“You can freeze packaged smoked salmon ahead, defrost it in the refrigerator the night before, and cut into smaller slices for sandwiches on the day of the event.”
“The Crème Fraiche can be made ahead or purchased a few days before. The yogurt/sour cream mixture could be made the day before, cover tightly, and refrigerated. You may need to drain some water off the top on the day of the event.”
Pro Tip 2: Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
The best way to make cucumber finger sandwiches ahead of an event is to slice the cucumbers the day before.
“Cucumbers contain a lot of water, so line a baking sheet with paper towels or a not-fuzzy dishcloth. Lay out the sliced cucumbers in a single layer on the sheet.”
If you fill the sheet, add another layer of paper towels or a dish towel, then continue laying out cucumbers. Cover the final layer with a paper towel or dish towel. Refrigerate the tray and keep it cold so the cucumbers don’t wilt. Assemble the finger sandwiches on the day of the event.
Pro Advice: Make Ahead Tea Sandwich Timeline
4 to 5 Days Before the Event:
“We occasionally did finger sandwiches for my 30 year catering company. Fillings were all made ahead (mushroom duxelles, curried egg salad, salmon mousse, no cucumber).”
One Day Before the Event:
“One day before, the sandwiches were made and cut and layered with damp doubled paper towels in a fish bin (or on a sheet pan, and then saran wrapped) and refrigerated.”
Storage for Make Ahead Tea Sandwiches:
“The amount of filling is pretty minuscule so soggy bread was never an issue, and drying out was not an issue because of the paper towels and containers.”
Preferred Bread for Finger Sandwiches:
“We preferred to use Pepperidge Farm thin sliced white and Pepperidge Farm thin sliced wheat. You can cut the sandwiches into 4 triangles or 3 bars- for variety.”
3 Pro Advice Tips for Freezing Tea Sandwiches
Questions on freezing ahead finger sandwiches always come up when planning for weddings, larger afternoon teas, and gatherings.
The Easy Ham and Cheese Tea Sandwich above is a great choice for freezing ahead.
Here are some pro tips on freezing:
“Years in event planning have taught me well that anything that can be done ahead of time is a lifesaver. Especially when it comes to events with details. Like afternoon teas. The good news is, finger sandwiches can be frozen ahead, picking which ones is key.”
Pro Tip 1: Tea Sandwich Fillings that Freeze Well
“There are several sandwiches you can freeze ahead for your tea party, but you must select your fillings carefully. Egg, mayonnaise, or salad dressing-based fillings CAN NOT be frozen successfully.”
Some ideas for fillings that freeze well include:
- Cream cheese and fruit/nut combinations
- Pureed shrimp and butter
- Deviled ham (here is an easy recipe for ham salad)
- Thinly sliced ham, roast beef, or smoked salmon
- Cheese spreads with a butter base instead of a mayonnaise base
Pro Tip 2: Pinwheel Tea Sandwich
Cut off the crusts and spread the filling on a single slice of bread, either brown or white bread. Roll each slice like a jelly roll, wrap it tightly in waxed paper, and double-wrap it in plastic to prevent ice crystals. Freeze for up to 3 weeks.
On the morning of the party, remove the rolls from the freezer and thaw just enough to slice into 1/2-inch pinwheel slices with a sharp knife. Place on a serving tray and cover loosely with waxed paper under a slightly dampened tea towel to prevent drying. They will thaw in about an hour.
Pro Tip 3: Freezing the Bread Ahead of Time
Even if you are not freezing the tea sandwiches ahead of time, consider freezing sliced bread alone. Freezing the bread before spreading and trimming makes for easier handling, especially if the bread is very fresh or tender.
Tea Sandwich Tips
We’ve covered tea sandwich recipes and pro tips for making them ahead. But what about simply making finger sandwiches. What are the best tips for making them delicious?
- The right bread: A firm bread is best for tea sandwiches. It cuts easier and better holds up to spreads and fillings. Choose a bread with a flavor and appearance that beautifully complements the filling.
- Crisp edges: When cutting tea sandwiches, nice, straight edges are what you want. To help ensure crisp shapes, place the bread in the freezer until firm. Cutting rounds or other shapes will create clean cuts. If cutting rectangles, triangles, squares, or fingers, stack three to four frozen bread pieces on top of each other for size matching, then cut with a large serrated bread knife using a gentle sawing motion. These shapes can then be wrapped with damp paper towels and refrigerated in an airtight container for use within 24 hours or frozen for longer storage.
- Perfect fillings: Ensure that the fillings are not too wet as they can spill over the bread, making messy sandwiches. If they are too soft, place the filling in the freezer until set. For salad fillings (like egg salad, etc.), a piping bag fitted with a large round tip makes it easy to control where the filling lands on the bread. For colored fillings, add a layer of butter to the bread to prevent the color from soaking through.
Serving Tea Sandwiches
Afternoon Tea wouldn’t quite be the same without a 3-Tier stand. We’ve written about our favorite Afternoon Tea 3-Tier Stands, what to look for, and some ideas on where to get them. Including our standout favorite.
If you’re not using a serving stand, platters are perfect accessories for Afternoon Tea. Because tea sandwiches have charming shapes and sizes, rectangular platters often work best whether they are made of china, porcelain, glass, or even silver. Line up your finger sandwiches in pleasing patterns to delight your guests!
We have more Afternoon Tea ideas listed at our Amazon Store!
More Finger Sandwich Recipes
- Artichoke Finger Sandwiches
- Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Pinwheel Sandwiches
- Chicken Cashew Mandarin Orange Tea Sandwiches
- Chicken-Cucumber Sandwiches
- Festive Christmas Eve Tea Sandwiches
- Cucumber Watercress Sandwiches
- Cucumber Rye Finger Sandwiches
- Cream Cheese and Olive Party Sandwiches
- Curried Chicken Sandwiches
- Curry-Almond Sandwiches
- Egg Salad Sandwiches
- Goat Cheese-Olive Sandwiches
- Herbed Cucumber Sandwiches
- Mosaic Tea Sandwiches
- Mini-Muffuletta Party Sandwiches
- Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches
- Pimento Cheese Sandwiches
- Tomato and Basil Sandwiches
- Turkey Pesto Sandwiches
- Vegetable Finger Sandwiches
Hosting an Afternoon Tea
If you’re hosting an afternoon tea, be sure to visit our post on “How to Throw an Easy Afternoon Tea Party”
You might also want to check out our post, “How to Serve an Afternoon Tea” for tips on decor, serving tea courses and their order, afternoon tea etiquette… and even how to host a “no-frills” afternoon tea.
RELATED: 15 Beautiful Edible Flowers to Brighten Your Dishes
And if you love British-style afternoon tea, see “Taking Afternoon Tea Like the British” and “Queen Elizabeth Afternoon Tea Recipes.”
Great ideas and tips!
Thank you for the ebook! There are many things that I want to try!😉
Hi Connie! You are welcome — thank you for being apart of our community!
The Best post I have ever seen on tea sandwiches! The very best! I’ve been looking at these posts for years and I’ve never found one with such a wonderful, wonderful array of special little sandwiches – delicious and beautiful looking. And this post is really a primer for an aspiring caterer with so many wonderful tips and complete directions on how to plan for what should be done in what order and exactly how to build these tiny, beautiful and undoubtedly delicious little morsels! Thank you! thank you!
What generosity of time and knowledge to share all these directions in such detail!
Thank you so much for your kind comment! You’ve made my day.
I agree with the above post. I have been searching the internet for a couple of days now looking for ideas on hosting a tea party for a friend’s birthday and happened to come upon your page. What a treasure trove of information. Thank you so much for sharing your talent and knowledge. A true life saver for me. You will make me shine, but I will give you the credit.
Thank you so much for your kind words— you’ve made me day. I’m so glad you found helpful resources and recipes for your tea party! What fun 💕! And by the way— you take all the credit when your guests love what you’ve created!
Lovely, comprehensive recipes, tips and creativity. I used to make “tea” for my husband and myself instead of dinner, at times. We’d get spruced up and use our nice china, silver, crystal along with candlelight, especially on a blustery day. A healthy, simple, yet elegant meal for everyone. Many thanks for your post…so beautiful.
Thank you so much for your kind comments on the post! I absolutely love your idea of a “tea” dinner with china, silver, and crystal. Not to mention candlelight. What a special evening and a great inspiration, especially during the holidays or these early winter evenings.
AmaZingly helpful article!!! Thank you so much!!!
Brilliant posting. Learnt a lot. Thank you!
If my nephew is getting married on a Saturday, how far in advance would we start making tea sandwiches and freezing them?
Hi Janice! Certain fillings can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 4 or 5 days before the event. They are then assembled the day before, refrigerated with damp paper towels to prevent drying, and served the next day. These fillings would be egg salads, salmon mousse, mushroom, smoked salmon, etc. It’s also possible to fully make the sandwiches ahead and freeze wrapped tightly in saran. There is the possibility the texture won’t be exactly as if they were made fresh. Another option would be to freeze the bread slices ahead of time. On the day of, remove from the freezer, spread the filling, trim and cut the sandwiches. Freezing the bread ahead of time makes the trimming and slicing easier and quicker. Good candidates for fully freezing tea sandwiches would include pureed shrimp and butter, a deviled ham, thinly sliced ham, roast beef or salmon or butter-based cheese spreads.
One more note — cucumber sandwiches need to be made the day of the event, although the cucumbers can be sliced and stored on a paper-towel-lined pan the day before. Also, when filling sandwiches, be sure the filling is no thicker than a single slice of the bread.
Hope this helps! Have a wonderful wedding!
Very good information….thank you.
Thank you, Colette!