Afternoon tea - trio of butter cookies

Just in time for afternoon tea, Kathreen Ricketson of Whipup.net is here to tell us about a traditional tea party, complete with a recipe and a giveaway of her Action Packs!


Did you know that Afternoon Tea was invented in 1840 in England by the Duchess of Bedford? She used to host lavish afternoon tea parties where she served tea with light refreshments. You can host your own tea party - here is how:

How to Host a Tea Party

1. Choose your type of tea. Why not try Moroccan Green Mint tea, or South African Rooibos tea served with milk and honey, or a traditional English Afternoon tea served with milk or lemon.
2. Decide on which tea pot and tea cups you will use - to match your decor!
3. Prepare the room with pretty linen and a flower arrangement.
4. Make some tasty snacks to go with the tea, small sandwiches, scones, pastries and cookies, and include a plate of fresh fruit such as strawberries and grapes.
5. Set the table with a sugar bowl, honey pot, milk jug, extra hot water, lemon slices and fresh sprigs of mint. You might also need a tea strainer.
6. To make a pot of tea, first warm the teapot with boiling water and tip this water out, then add 1 teaspoon of loose leaf tea per person, then fill the teapot with boiling water. Place a tea cosy over the teapot to keep it warm while it brews for 1-3 minutes.
7. Ask a friend to pour the tea for everyone this is called ‘Doing the honours’ or sometimes ‘Will you be mother’.


Recipe for a trio of thumb print butter cookies:
These butter cookies are not only delicious and nutritious but fun and easy to make.

Recipe makes about 20
Bake in a medium oven for 10-15 minutes until golden

You will need:
1.5 cups of softened butter
1 cup of sugar
2 cups of wholegrain flour
2 cups of almond meal
1 teaspoon of ground cardamon (optional)
10 whole almonds, 1/4 cup of jam of your choice, 1/4 cup of nutella

How to make:
1. Cream the butter and sugar until lightened in colour.
2. Add the flour and almond meal and mix until it is all combined.
3. Optional - add a teaspoon of cardamon or cinnamon or grated lemon zest.
4. Take spoonfuls of the mixture and roll into balls, place on your baking tray.
5. Press your thumb (or the end of a wooden spoon) into the centre of the balls to make an indentation.
6. Fill 1/3 of the cookies with a teaspoon of jam, 1/3 with a teaspoon
of nutella and press an almond into the remaining cookies.
7. Bake for 10 minutes on medium heat - remove from the oven just as they begin to turn golden in colour.
8. Serve with Afternoon tea.

Kathreen is a mother, writer, artist and blogger. She is founder and editor of Whipup.net and has recently launched Action Pack: Mini-Mag for kids who want to do stuff! The latest Action Pack is themed 'Tea & Sew'. This ‘Tea & Sew’ themed issue contains instructions & printables for a busy afternoon or two of tea drinking, cooking and sewing: lots of experimenting with flavours, sewing, dyeing and baking.
Find out more here: May Action Pack

Kathreen is generously offering the first three issues of her Action Pack to one lucky reader! To enter, leave a comment with your favorite kind of tea, as well as a way for us to contact you (this is important!). A winner will be chosen and announced on Saturday, May 28 at Noon CST.