I baked tender Almond Tea Cakes—tiny buttery bite‑sized shortbread cookies made with almond flour and a hint of almond extract—each filled with vibrant wild blueberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar.

Almond Tea Cakes with Wild Blueberry Jam

Why I’ll Love This Recipe

I love how elegantly simple these tea cakes are: nutty almond flavor and tender texture, bursty jam filling, and a light powdered sugar finish. They feel upscale yet approachable—perfect for afternoon tea, gifting, or a cozy snack.

ingredients

(Here’s a tip: Check out the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)

all‑purpose flour
almond flour (almond meal)
granulated sugar
baking powder
salt
unsalted butter, softened
vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
almond extract
wild blueberry jam (room temperature)
powdered sugar (for dusting)
mini muffin paper cups

directions

I start by preheating the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and lining mini muffin tins with paper cups. In a food processor, I pulse together all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then I add softened butter, vanilla, and almond extract, pulsing until a soft, pliable dough forms—no egg needed.

Next, I roll small tight balls of dough, press a thumbprint or indentation into each, and place each into a mini muffin cup. I fill each indentation with about a heaping ¼ teaspoon of jam—letting it overflow slightly for effect. I bake them for 15–18 minutes until edges are lightly golden. After resting in the pan for 5 minutes, I transfer them to a rack to cool fully. Finally, I dust each tea cake with powdered sugar just before serving.

Servings and timing

Yield: about 48 mini tea cakes
Prep time: ~10 minutes (processing and rolling dough)
Bake time: ~15–18 minutes
Cooling time: ~5 minutes in pan, then full cooling before dusting
Total time: around 25 minutes from start to finish

Variations

I enjoy mixing things up by:

swapping wild blueberry jam for strawberry, peach, or raspberry jam
using chopped nuts (like pistachios or almonds) pressed gently over jam before baking
adding citrus zest (lemon or orange) into the dough for brightness
making larger thumbprint cookies on a baking sheet if mini cups aren’t available

storage/reheating

I store these tea cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The powdered sugar helps absorb excess moisture and keeps them fresh. There’s no need to refrigerate. To refresh stale bites, I briefly warm them at low temperature or enjoy straight at room temp for ideal texture.

FAQs

Can I use regular jam instead of wild blueberry?

Definitely—I’ve used strawberry, peach, or raspberry and they work beautifully, though wild blueberry offers a slightly tangy contrast to the buttery dough.

Is almond flour essential?

Yes—it gives that tender, melt‑in‑your‑mouth texture and signature almond flavor. Replacing it entirely with all-purpose flour changes the character and crumb significantly.

Do I need a food processor to make the dough?

A processor makes it easy, but I’ve also hand-cut cold butter into flour mixture until it resembles a dough. It just takes a bit more patience.

Should I chill the dough before baking?

No—this recipe’s dough is soft enough to shape and bake right away, without refrigeration. Chilling might make shaping harder.

Why use mini muffin cups?

They keep the dough from spreading and help visually contain the jam. They also make the cookies uniform and easy to remove after baking.

Conclusion

I adore these Almond Tea Cakes with Wild Blueberry Jam—they’re elegant yet effortless, with nutty almond flavor, jammy fruit, and buttery crumb in each bite. They complement tea or coffee beautifully, and I love how customizable they are. Next, I’ll try citrus‑zest dough or jam-swirl variations, maybe even mini colored jam layers—and I know they’ll be a hit every time.