Tea Party Tea Sandwiches – 3 Filling Recipes

Serve our Tea Party Tea Sandwiches with 3 filling recipes for the perfect pairing with afternoon tea. These finger sandwiches are a wonderful option for Mother’s day, bridal or baby showers, or sandwich appetizers for a party. If you’re planning and gathering tea party ideas then you’ll definitely want to grab these party sandwich recipes.

Tea Sandwiches for a Tea Party

Today I’m sharing tea party tea sandwiches – 3 filling recipes that offer your guests variety. 

I love the mini foods served at a tea party, especially finger sandwiches. They’re so cute and full of flavor, and the possibilities for fillings are endless.

Here are 3 fantastic tea sandwich fillings that you should add to your list of things to try. I’ve included chicken salad, pineapple-nut, and apricot & ham.

Make sure to use fresh white bread for a classic tea sandwich, or wheat for an updated “healthier” version.

A tea party is as classic and timeless as it gets when it comes to entertaining. I’ve shared quite a few ideas for them including my modern-meets-vintage bridesmaid luncheon, and this adorable pink princes tea party.

These sandwiches would be a great addition to any party. Serve them for tea parties or serve whole sandwiches with a soup bar. 

How to Make Tea Party Finger Sandwiches

Be sure to follow these tips for serving tea sandwiches at your next tea party.

• Make the fillings a day ahead so the flavors have time to fully develop.
• Spread your filling on the bread, cut off the crusts, and cover sandwiches with a damp paper towel until ready to serve.
• Cut each of the different sandwich flavors into different shapes. Use a cookie cutter for anything other than squares, rectangles or triangles.
• Here I cut the chicken salad into rectangles, the pineapple-nut into heart shapes, and the apricot & ham into triangles. This makes them easily recognizable as well as adds a decorative touch. You can print or write out a sign so guests know which shape correlates to which flavor.
• Use a serrated edge knife to get clean cuts through the bread. 
• Remember these ingredient measurements can be increased or decreased according to your own taste and how many sandwiches you need.
• The key is to combine the given flavors, but you may want to add more or less mayonnaise, nuts, or cream cheese if you like it a certain way.

Can I make tea sandwiches the night before?

You can make the sandwiches the night before a party. In fact this gives the filling flavors time to blend together. 

However, you do need to add a layer of unsalted butter or mayonnaise to each of the bread slices before adding the fillings. This will create a barrier that will keep the bread from becoming soggy from the filling. 

• Prepare the sandwiches with the added layer of butter or mayonnaise, and leave the crust on. Cover with a sheet of wax paper and then layer a damp paper towel on top.
• Wrap them with saran wrap and refrigerate over night.
• Before the party, cut the crusts off or cut into shapes with a cookie cutter, and set on a plate to serve. 

What kind of bread is best for tea sandwiches?

There’s such a variety of breads to use for finger sandwiches. It’s fun to mix and match different types for a tea party.

• Use cinnamon raisin bread for a slightly sweet touch.
• Use pumpernickel for a heartier sandwich.
• Use rye for a unique flavor twist.
• Use white or wheat for a classic sandwich.

PARTY TIP: Use white bread for one side of the sandwich and wheat bread for the other side, for an interesting two-toned presentation.

Here’s the recipe for three delicious tea party tea sandwich fillings. Which sounds like your favorite? 

Find out more about the traditions and etiquette of tea parties here.

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Tea Party Tea Sandwiches - 3 Filling Recipes

Yield: about 30 finger sandwiches

Three delicious fillings for tea sandwiches, cut into various shapes for a tea party. Make them ahead for easy entertaining.

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Ingredients

Chicken Salad Filling

• 1 1/2 cups shredded or chopped chicken
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (or more if needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup celery, diced
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Pineapple-Nut Filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Apricot & Ham Filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• sliced ham

Instructions

1. For the chicken sandwiches, Chop chicken very finely (I put it in a food processor and pulsed 3-4 times until minced). In a bowl, combine chicken and mayonnaise, and mix well. Add curry and continue to mix. Fold in remaining ingredients. Spread on bread, top with another slice, remove crusts, and cut into shapes.
2. For the pineapple sandwiches, Combine cream cheese and crushed pineapple until well blended. Add pecans and fold into mixture. Spread on one slice of bread and top with other. Remove crusts and cut into shapes as desired.
3. For ham sandwiches, Combine cream cheese and preserves until well blended. Spread a layer on both slices of bread, place a slice of ham on one side, and top with the other side. Cut off crusts and cut in to shapes as desired.

Notes

Cut each sandwich variety into a different shape so it's easy to tell which flavor it is at a glance.