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As the warmth of summer gives way to the gentle embrace of September, a relaxing afternoon tea becomes a delightful way to savor the season. This is a time of abundance, zucchini, apples, plums, and blackberries bring the lingering magic of summer together with the first hints of autumn. Below you'll find a curated collection of recipes and ideas to inspire your own September tea, from savory bites to scones and sweets.
A Note from the Host
September teas have long been a tradition in my family. It's my mother's birthday month, and we often mark the occasion with a special afternoon tea in her honor. Perhaps that's why I so adore teatime in September-the world outside is brushed in rich late-summer hues, just beginning to whisper of autumn. It feels like a bridge between seasons, a moment to savor the best of summer while fully anticipating the comforts of fall.
Perhaps you'll find your own tradition in a September tea, whether simple or elaborate. And if you love teatime as much as I do, I'd love to invite you to join our tea community - where I share seasonal recipes, teatime tips, and inspiration throughout the year.
Stephanie
Table of Contents
Savories Course
Begin with savory bites that highlight garden vegetables and the end of summer's harvest. Think cool cucumber sandwiches, zucchini tarts, or smoked salmon canapés.
Finger sandwiches like these cucumber tea sandwiches with herbed cream cheese, or late-summer tomatoes.
Mini quiches or frittatas with zucchini or peppers, like this quiche in muffin cupsrecipe, or a full-size quiche filled with savory flavors like this easy bacon, spinach quiche.
Savory tarts with caramelized onions or roasted vegetables, like this simple summer tart.
Open-faced bites with smoked salmon or sharp cheese and apple slices.
1
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches Recipe
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches are a traditional finger sandwich for afternoon tea, brunches, showers, or gatherings of many kinds. These cucumber sandwiches are easy to make and delightful for your next tea party.
A delightfully delicious homemade Green Plum Chutney turns these ordinary ham tea sandwiches into something special and oh-so British. Pictured with our Cucumber & Radish Triple-Stack Tea Sandwiches with Terragon-Lemon Butter.
Muffin Tin Quiche with Spinach, Tomato, and Bacon -- an easy and healthy breakfast. Perfectly suited for making ahead or enjoying any morning of the week.
A beautiful smoked salmon rosette sits atop a layer of crème fraîche spread on a dark bread round to produce an enticing savory that is pleasing to both the eye and the palate.
This Cucumber Soup is a delicious and bright creamy soup, perfect for a hot summer day. It's packed with healthy ingredients pureed in a blender in 5 minutes or less, plus chilling time.
Zucchini, Potato and Cheddar Soup is a delicious, low calorie, healthy soup that's easy to make during zucchini season or anytime throughout the year. Delicious, creamy and full of flavor in under 30 minutes! Plus, it freezes beautifully to make now and enjoy in the cold months.
A hearty cooked salad of beets, broccoli, and onion, tossed with fresh apple, toasted pecans, and apple cider vinaigrette is a refreshing complement to the sandwiches typically served for afternoon tea.
No afternoon tea is complete without scones. In September, try warm flavors like apple-cinnamon or savory cheddar chive, alongside classic cream scones with jam and clotted cream.
Savory cheddar chive scones for balance.
Classic cream scones served with jam and clotted cream.
These Cream Scones are a decadently delicious scone that's easier to make than you can believe. With a soft, delicate texture and lightly sweet flavor, they are a go-to scone to make any day of the week. Utterly perfect for afternoon tea, or a casual teatime break in the middle of a busy day.
Apricot Scones are an utterly delicious treat with an irresistibly buttery, light, and flaky crumb. These teatime favorites, with a hint of almond and warm spice, are perfect for late summer tea, brunches, snacks, or coffee.
Blackberry-Thyme Scones with Lemon Curd - Victoria
Encapsulating favorite flavors of summer in a satisfying treat, fresh-baked Blackberry-Thyme Scones showcase a harmonious mingling of fruit and herb; a dollop of homemade lemon curd adds a refreshing burst of citrus.
This is the course where late-summer fruit shines. Blackberries are especially wonderful now, making desserts like a layered Berry Trifle or a creamy Blackberry No-Bake Cheesecake perfect for September. Apples, plums, and pears also add that first touch of autumn to the sweet table.
21
Easy Berry Trifle Recipe
A simple and elegant Berry Trifle recipe with layers of pound cake, sweetened whipped cream, and juicy fresh berries. A no-fuss dessert for summer holidays, Christmas, and afternoon tea.
This beautiful Blackberry No Bake Cheesecake is a simple-to-make smooth, creamy, and velvety dessert with incredible flavor and color. And that is a gift on all its own! Sets up beautifully in the refrigerator, is lightly sweet, and perfect for summer, or anytime you're craving blackberries and pretty pink colors.
Mini Stilton Cheesecakes with Pecan Crusts - TeaTime Magazine
These miniature cheesecakes are a delicious savory that is easy to serve to guests at teatime. Save Recipe Print Mini Stilton Cheesecakes with Pecan Crusts Serves: 18 Ingredients 11/2 sleeves butter crackers, crumbled ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted ¼ cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon salt […]
Perfectly suited to a September afternoon tea gathering are these Apple Roses. Gleaming ruffles of the Pink Lady variety, which retain its rosy peel and alabaster flesh during baking.
These Mini Bakewell Tarts are a delightful twist on the classic British dessert, made with buttery shortcrust pastry, raspberry jam, and almond frangipane filling. Perfect for afternoon tea or anytime you want a charming, bite-sized treat.
This easy Lemon Curd recipe is a velvety soft, utterly delicious 4 ingredient lemony spread that is exceptionally easy to make at home, on the stovetop, in 10 minutes. A perfect blending of sweet and tangy goodness. It tastes like springtime in every bite.
These bite-size Berry Puff Pastry Tarts with Lemon Cream recipe is an easy afternoon tea dessert, Mother's Day brunch, or summer treat. Perfect, of course, with a cup of tea, a glass of frosted lemonade or iced tea, and a summer breeze. Easy, fresh, and perfect for the season.
Hummingbird Cake is a moist and dense cake filled with ripe bananas, pineapple, pecans, and deliciously savory spices. Tweaked slightly from the original, this cake is simplified and made even easier in a Bundt pan. And, of course, drizzled in a thick cream cheese glaze for the ultimate in flavor.
A proper afternoon tea is served in courses, though traditions vary:
British style: Savories first, then scones, then sweets.
North American Tea Rooms: Many tearooms prefer to serve scones first so they can be enjoyed warm, and are followed by savories, then sweets.
There's no single right way to serve an afternoon tea. The important thing is to provide a variety of teatime selections in shapes and seasonal flavors that you and your guests will enjoy.
Hosting Tips for an Easy but Elegant Tea
Keep it simple: Choose one or two items from each course-you don't need a dozen dishes.
Brew tea properly: Use fresh water (not re-boiled), measure one teaspoon per cup, and steep according to tea type. See this quick tea brewing guide.
Offer variety: A classic black tea (like Earl Grey or Darjeeling) plus an herbal option works beautifully.
September Tabletop Inspiration
Creating the perfect settings. One of the beautiful things about September is that often, the weather is still conducive to tea in the garden, with late summer blooms, warm sun, and a soft cooling breeze.
A few seasonal touches make your table feel special:
Fresh elements: Bowls of apples, vases of dahlias, or small branches with turning leaves.
Linens: Use warm hues-russet, deep green, gold, or plum.
Atmosphere: As days shorten, candles or lanterns bring a cozy glow.
Even the simplest setting becomes memorable with thoughtful, seasonal details.
credit: teatimemagazine.com
Or perhaps if the weather begins to turn but the air is pleasant, teatime on a porch is a beautiful idea with an arrangement of September florals like hydrangeas.
credit: teatimemagazine.com
More Afternoon Tea Inspirations
Find inspiration for your next tea party with the foundations of tea, like simple recipes for scones, savories, and tea sandwiches, followed by tea party theme ideas.
Make sure you don't lose track of this article by pinning it for later! If you are not already, you can follow me on Pinterest, as well as keep up with me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Join the Sunday Morning Tradition
If you enjoyed this post, you'll love The Sunday Edit No. 6. It’s my weekly "magazine-style" digest designed to help you reset, refine, and find beauty in the everyday. From intentional kitchen resets to curated seasonal menus, it's the 31 Daily you love, delivered with a bit more soul.
Stephanie Wilson is the founder of 31Daily.com, where she shares seasonal recipes, weekly meal plans, and teatime favorites to help readers gather around the table with joy. A certified private chef, cookbook author, and longtime event planner, she brings over 20 years of experience in catering, food writing, and media production—including network television work as a producer, director, and writer. Her work has been featured by Today.com, The Kitchn, Parade, and more.
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