1800's Tea Cakes Cookies

These are not really cakes.
They are cookies, that are called Tea Cakes.
That are from the 1800's.

My son informs me that I have to bake something from the Pioneer Times for his class.
I didn't know what people were baking in the 1980's let alone, the 1800's.
Thank God for Google !

Tea Cakes in England were yeast-based sweet; usually served with butter.
In the US, Tea Cakes were cookies.
Because in the 1800's, sugar was a luxury, Tea Cakes were served at Christmas.
They are plain, and we ate ours as such.
They keep well too.  Except ours were consumed by the next day, thanks to his class and our family.

Just A Pinch  is where this recipe is from.

Just so you know, (I didn't know until the next day) the 1800's is not the Pioneer Times.
The Pioneer Times were the 1500's to the 1700's.
Oh well, now I learned what women were baking back then.

While they didn't have hand or stand mixers back then and they mixed by everything by hand,
I did use my stand mixer to make the Tea Cakes with.

What I did do is mix everything in one-bowl.
These are very simple.

1800's Tea Cakes Cookies

1  1/4 cup butter (I used room-temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
4 Tbsp buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
4  1/2 cups all-purpose flour

*Mix together the butter and sugar in large bowl.
*Add the eggs, one-at-a-time.
*Add the buttermilk and baking soda; mix together.
*Add the flour, one cup at-a-time; until you find the right consistency.  The dough will be stiff.
(You will know).
*Knead the dough a few times, and roll out the dough.
*Cut out into circles.  Place onto a baking sheet/pan.
(I did not grease or line my baking sheet).
*Bake 350F for approx. 10-minutes or until the edges are golden.

***Please Note:   I always use Salted Butter and then omit the salt requested in recipes.

Enjoy!
:)