Easy Summer Afternoon Tea Recipes and Ideas
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A summer afternoon tea is about savoring beautiful, sunny days and fresh and delicious foods. It’s also about simple gatherings in the company of friends, flavorful teas, and seasonal treats.
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Whether that be on the porch, the summer garden, or even in your backyard.
Summer teatime is a gracious experience of delicious summer flavors, beautiful, bite-size food, and fragrant blooms. It should also, above all, be easy. Here are some recipes, ideas, and inspirations to help you host your own Summer Afternoon Tea.
We’ve gathered inspiring ideas from simple floral arrangements to beautiful summer tea tables. Plus, more than 31 teatime recipes to help you host your own Summer Afternoon Tea.
Capture the beauty of summer with this perfect Afternoon Tea bouquet created by floral designer Erin Benzakein.
Floral Arrangement Materials Used:
- Scented geraniums
- Lemon verbena
- Love in a puff vines
- Seven-son flowers
- ‘Platinum Blonde’ dahlias
- ‘Café au Lait’ dahlias
- ‘Kathryn Morley’ roses
- ‘Scabiosa Yellow’ zinnias
- Collarette dahlias
- Feverfew
Savor the warmth of friendship with a flavorful luncheon served during a day of croquet.
The heart of French style is imbued with a refined sensibility—a devotion to the pleasures of taste, smell, and touch. Its expression is as simple as a table set for tea.
Although afternoon tea is a British tradition, Japan, too, offers an opportunity to enjoy tea time with all the luxurious trimmings.
Welcome summertime’s beautiful weather and carefree days with a tea party on the patio. Invite your neighbors for a buffet-style outdoor tea party.
A garden gazebo is a soothing and relaxing setting for Afternoon Tea.
Love Teatime? More Afternoon Tea Reading
- Favorite 3 Tier Stand for Afternoon Tea
- 8 Top Teas for Afternoon Tea
- How to Serve an Easy Afternoon Tea
- Queen Elizabeth Afternoon Tea Recipes
31 Easy Summer Afternoon Tea Recipes
Summer Tea Sandwiches
“This trio of savories showcases a medley of spring’s brightest flavors. Clockwise from above left: Accents of green on Cucumber Tea Sandwiches with Herb Aïoli, Ham-and-Apricot Pinwheels, and Lobster Salad in Puff Pastry highlight the season’s abundance of tender vegetables.”
Chicken and tarragon sandwiches
“Whip up these delicious high tea sandwiches in super-fast time to create an elegant afternoon tea.”
Ham Salad Tea Sandwiches
A simple ham salad recipe elevated to incredible with the addition of a few unique ingredients. And is utterly delicious. Ready in 10 minutes, and perfect for summer teatime.
Garden Veggie Stack Tea Sandwiches
“These Garden Veggie Stack Tea Sandwiches combine fresh eggplant, yellow squash, and tomato in a delicious tea savory.”
Easy Make Ahead Tea Sandwiches
Tea sandwiches are easy to make ahead. See which finger sandwiches are best.
Avocado Toast Recipe
“Smoked salmon sandwiches are an afternoon tea classic. Try our open avocado on toast with smoked salmon and a tomato dressing for a little twist for your afternoon tea.”
Salmon Salad Tea Sandwiches
Incredibly delicious but exceedingly simple Salmon Salad Tea Sandwiches with herbs and a creamy dressing. Utterly simple and perfect for a summer tea party.
Salmon, Herb, and Crème Fraiche Tarts
“Smoked salmon is only made more delectable by fresh dill and chives. Teamed with crème fraîche these tarts are the perfect summer lunch or grown up party food.”
Salmon Quiche with Spinach, Dill, and Mozzarella
Whether you're baking for brunch, afternoon tea, or simply a gathering of friends, this Salmon Quiche is a treat your guests will love. Light, creamy and custardy with the seafood and savory flavors we love. Easy to make, so pretty to serve.
Easy Asparagus Quiche Recipe
Easy Asparagus Quiche recipe begins with a premade crust and is filled with fresh spring asparagus, green onions, savory bacon, and shredded Gruyère cheese. A simple but perfect brunch recipe.
Filo bites recipe
“Fill homemade filo pastry baskets with a prawn cocktail or ham and asparagus filling then serve to guests – a perfect summer party canapés.”
Deliciously Easy Asparagus and Cheese Mini Tarts
An easy to make but beautiful savory tart, perfect for summer teatime.
Pistachio and rosewater scones
“Eric Lanlard’s recipe adds the fragrant flavors of rose water and pistachio to classic British scones for a Middle-Eastern spin on afternoon tea.”
Raspberry Scones with Lemon Butter Glaze
Easy to make, sweet and flaky, these Buttermilk Raspberry Scones are everything you love about the season. Make a batch and enjoy a cup of tea!
Strawberry Scones: Rustic Summer Scones with Tea
Indulge summer with this Fresh Strawberry Scone recipe. Incredibly easy to make with fresh strawberries. With no cutting or rolling dough, these scones are perfect for summer with a cup of afternoon tea.
Easy English Scones Recipe
These light and fluffy English Scones are easy to make and perfect for afternoon tea or even breakfast. Serve with clotted cream, jam, or lemon curd. Beautifully simple, and delicious!
Easy Blueberry Scones with Lemon Butter Glaze
These easy to make Blueberry Scones with Lemon Butter Glaze are flaky and tender, sweet with blueberries, bright and fresh with lemon. And... they're absolutely perfect for breakfast, brunch... or afternoon tea.
Rhubarb Shortcakes
“American shortcakes are more like scones than biscuits. Usually filled with strawberries and cream these pink rhubarb ones are a great British twist to serve at high tea.”
Corn, Goat Cheese & Chive Scones
Fresh chives and corn, cut from the cob, combined with goat cheese give these Corn, Goat Cheese & Chive Scones great flavor and texture.
Earl Grey and Lemon Mini Loaf Cake
“Urvashi Roe’s glorious Earl Grey and lemon loaf cakes are the perfect dinky addition to an afternoon tea. Pair with pear and honey green tea – an ideal blend of sweet and tangy that match these mini loaves brilliantly.”
Lavender Tea Bread
This Lavender Tea Bread is a moist and sweet tea loaf, perfect for afternoon tea or simply to celebrate when the lavender blooms. Delightfully rich with butter and lavender cream, and unforgettable with the vanilla flavoring.
Strawberry Muffins, a Perfect Sweet and Buttery Treat
Make these buttery, delicious summer muffins in a mini muffin tin for bite-size summer tea treats.
Summer Teatime Cupcakes
"These cute cupcakes are ideal for a summery afternoon tea. They have a simple vanilla sponge base and their toppings can be flavoured in three ways: blueberry, cherry ripple or lemon and earl grey."
Mini Blueberry Tarts with Lemon Curd: A French-Inspired Teatime Treat
A 3-ingredient, simple tarts inspired by my favorite French boulangerie. And utterly perfect for teatime.
Strawberry Shortcake
Tiers of delicate sponge cake covered in succulent berries and a cloud of whipped cream with a hint of Grand Marnier make Strawberry Shortcake a perennial favorite of every generation.
Strawberry Bread with Lemon Icing
Strawberry bread is an incredibly moist and tender quick bread recipe that takes minutes to prep. Filled with fresh strawberries this lemon-glazed strawberry bread is an indulgent, delicious treat.
Victoria Sponge Cake: A Teatime Classic
This Victoria Sponge Cake is an afternoon teacake recipe, favored by Queen Elizabeth, with a long British royal heritage. An easy-to-make, simple two-layer cake that's lightly sweet, soft, and perfect!
Strawberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze
This Strawberry Bundt Cake Recipe with Lemon Glaze is utterly delicious with fresh strawberries and lemon. A tender and moist texture from Greek yogurt make it irresistible and perfect for the season.
Old-Fashioned Creamy Orange Icebox Cake
"Old-Fashioned Creamy Orange Icebox Cake pairs vanilla-bean shortbread with a zesty buttercream kissed with citrus. A mound of freshly picked raspberries, blueberries, and mint crowns the show-stopping treat, and a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar offers the final touch."
Lemon Tartlets
“These delicious Lemon Tartlets are filled with homemade lemon curd.”
Berry Puff Pastry Tarts with Lemon Cream
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.
Chocolate Ganache Mini Tarts
These Chocolate Ganache Mini Tarts are a chocolate lover's dream. A tender toasted almond shortbread crust is filled with an irresistible chocolate ganache that's so easy, you won't believe it.
Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes in Filo Shells
Simple, bite size Strawberry Cheesecakes, made in 10 minutes or less, for a light, teatime snack.
More Summer Afternoon Tea Recipes
More afternoon tea recipes to consider.
I agree with Liz, I will not be leaving. So glad I found your website which is so delightful. I am filled with excitement and joy whenever I visit it. Thanks very much.
You are welcome! And thank you so much for the kind words! I’m thrilled to find others equally inspired inspired by the beauty of sharing tea!
Love Love Love your website! Think I will just move here and stay, it has all the things I love.
Thank you, Liz! I’m so glad you’re here 💕💕