These refreshing cucumber sandwiches are the epitome of elegant simplicity. Made with herbed cream cheese and delicate cucumber slices, they’re perfect for afternoon tea.
They’re crisp, cool, and wonderfully fresh. Plus, the lovely triangles look so pretty on a platter, perfect for impressing guests.
Whether you have them for a light lunch or a fancy garden party, they’ll surely delight everyone.
Why You’ll Love These Cucumber Sandwiches
Fresh Taste: You’ll love the combination of creamy herbed cheese and crisp cucumber slices. Together, they deliver a refreshing, delightful flavor.
Easily Customizable: The recipe is simple and allows for creative variations. You can add different herbs and spices or even additional veggies. Swap out the bread or use differently flavored cream cheese spreads.
Versatile: You can make these for practically anything! They’re quick and easy enough for an unexpected lunch visitor or picnic. But they’re also sophisticated enough for bridal showers, garden parties, and more.
Ingredients
- English Cucumber: Leave it unpeeled and slice it thinly for the perfect amount of crunch.
- Soft White Sandwich Bread: I like to remove the crusts. That way, they’re elegant and pillowy soft.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat, block-style cream cheese for the best results.
- Mayo: Add just a dollop to maximize the spread’s creaminess.
- Fresh Dill & Chives: Together, these deliver a burst of bright, fresh, herby flavor.
- Garlic Powder, Salt, & Black Pepper: These three staples are a must-have for delicious cucumber sandwiches. They tie everything together.
How to Make Cucumber Sandwiches
Sandwich recipes are some of my favorite recipes. They’re so simple and rarely require much hands-on work, even if we’re talking sandwich spreads. This one is no exception.
1. Prepare the filling. Combine the softened cream cheese, mayo, dill, chives, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and well combined.
2. Spread the mixture. Spread a thick layer of the herby cream cheese onto one side of each bread slice.
3. Add the cucumbers. Arrange the cucumber slices on half of the bread slices. Overlapping is fine, as you’ll want to cover the bread’s entire surface. Add more salt and pepper if desired.
4. Top and cut. Top the cucumbers with the remaining bread slices, cream cheese side down. Then, cut the sandwiches diagonally into quarters.
5. Serve. Arrange the sandwiches on a platter and serve immediately. Garnish with extra sprigs of fresh dill if you like. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Cucumber Sandwiches
For the best sandwiches, remember to incorporate these tips.
- No English cucumbers? You can use “regular” garden cucumbers instead. Their skins are much thicker, so you may need to peel them. Also, be sure to remove any seeds. Whichever variety you use, slice them thinly.
- Freeze & de-crust the bread. These sandwiches will look much nicer without crusts on them. Freezing bread beforehand makes removing the crusts so much simpler.
- Salt & drain. After cutting the cucumbers, place them on a paper towel-lined plate and salt them. The salt will help draw out moisture, which the paper towels will absorb.
- Don’t let them get soggy! When spreading the cream cheese, spread it all the way to the very edges of the bread. Leaving no exposed bread creates a moisture barrier. Waiting until right before serving to assemble the sandwiches helps, too.
- Butter them up. Just a thin layer of unsalted butter beneath the cream cheese works wonders. It adds an indulgent flavor and further prevents sogginess.
- Keep your knife clean. Wipe it with a damp cloth between cuts. Doing so will make the cuts look nicer and less jagged.
- Try tasty variations. Use watercress, radish slices, smoked salmon, or flavored cream cheeses. Finely diced onions and onion powder work well, too. You can also experiment with different breads, though soft white is an easy favorite.
What to Serve with Cucumber Sandwiches
These sandwiches taste great by themselves or with your favorite chips. They work best with other “garden party” foods as well. Try them with any of the following:
- Kale chips
- Pasta salad
- Bruschetta
- Lemon curd desserts
- Ambrosia fruit salad or fresh fruit
- Scones or tarts
- Tea or cocktails
How to Store
Cucumber sandwiches are best when freshly assembled. Even with all the tips, they’ll eventually become soggy if they sit for too long.
Your best bet is to store the cream cheese mixture separately. Then, you can assemble more sandwiches as desired.
To Store (cream cheese): Place the cream cheese spread in an air-tight container. Refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
To Store (sandwiches): Though I advise against it, you can store assembled sandwiches for up to 1 day in the fridge. Place them in an air-tight container lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
Cucumber Sandwiches
8
servings10
minutes278
kcalThese traditional cucumber sandwiches are perfect for afternoon tea! They’re creamy, refreshing, and delicious.
Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 loaf soft white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, chopped dill, chives, and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Spread a thick layer of the herbed cream cheese mixture onto one side of each slice of bread. Go all the way to the edges.
- Arrange the thinly sliced cucumbers on half of the bread slices. Place them in slightly overlapping rows, covering the entire surface. Sprinkle the cucumbers lightly with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Top the cucumber slices with the remaining bread slices, cream cheese side down. Press gently to adhere.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the sandwiches diagonally into quarters. (To create triangular-shaped tea sandwiches.)
- Arrange the cucumber sandwiches on a platter. Serve immediately, garnished with sprigs of fresh dill if desired. If not serving right away, cover the sandwiches tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for no more than a few hours.
Notes
- Freeze the bread ahead of time to make it easier to remove the crusts.
- For a cleaner look, wipe the knife with a damp cloth between cuts.
