Light & fresh Cucumber Sandwiches, full of cool cucumbers and an incredibly flavorful cream cheese spread, are the perfect summer appetizer!
Refreshing and easy to make, these Cucumber Sandwiches are always a crowd-pleasing appetizer! Perfect for showers, holidays, and any get-together, these little sandwiches are a simple mix of fresh herbs, and cream cheese, along with thinly sliced crisp cucumbers and deliciously soft bread!
Cool Bites
Cucumber sandwiches are a popular must-have at many events, thanks to their lightness and incredible flavors! Whether making them for a bridal shower or a holiday get-together, I never seem to make enough, even with the platter packed to the sky with these yummy little bites! The cooling cucumbers and the mix of dill, chives, and parsley, folded into cream cheese, all held together by soft bread, are truly irresistible!
Cucumbers make some of the best tea party nibbles, like light and crisp Cucumber Bruschetta or delicious Ham and Egg Salad Cucumber Cups!
Other Recipes to Serve with Cucumber Sandwiches
- Really impress the crowd with something unexpected and wildly delicious and mix up Cucumber Punch for everyone to enjoy!
- Green Goddess Dip is loaded with fresh herbs and mouth-watering flavors and perfect for every party!
Ingredients
Bread: To make these sandwiches, you will need a loaf of sliced bread. White bread is a popular choice, but you can also use pumpernickel, wheat, or any other favorite.
Produce: Pick up an English cucumber for these sandwiches. English cucumbers are great because their seeds are small and the peel is thin, so there’s no need to peel or de-seed them. Grab some fresh dill, chives, and parsley as well. You will also need lemon juice to purchase a lemon or use bottled lemon juice.
Dairy: This recipe requires cream cheese and a little mayonnaise. Full-fat and light options are fine, but non-fat options will not give you the wonderful creaminess these sandwiches are known for.
Seasoning: A dash of salt and a little cracked pepper are also needed for this dish.
How to Make Cucumber Sandwiches
STEP ONE: Thinly slice or grate the cucumber and place it on a paper towel to allow the excess water to drain.
STEP TWO: Arrange the bread slices in small stacks of similar size (groups of four), and then slice the crusts off the bread. Keep these groups together.
STEP THREE: In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayo, and lemon juice with a hand mixer until fluffy. Fold in the chives, dill, and parsley, and then add salt and pepper to taste.
STEP FOUR: Spread the cream cheese mixture over the bread slices, topping half of them with cucumbers. Place the remaining bread slices on top of the cucumbers.
STEP FIVE: You can serve these sandwiches as is, cut them in half diagonally to make triangles, or cut them into quarters to make small squares.
Tips for Success
- Bread slices vary in size, and we’ve all seen how the slices in the middle are usually larger than the slices at the front and end of the loaf, which are smaller. When stacking your bread to cut the crusts, keep stacks of similar-sized bread together. That way, you don’t cut too much bread, and assembling the sandwiches is easier.
- Use a sharp knife, like a bread knife, to cut the crusts off. Cut the bread using a sawing motion to help prevent pressing too hard and squishing the bread.
- Blend the cream cheese mixture in a snap using a food processor instead of chopping the herbs by hand! Toss the softened cream cheese, mayo, lemon juice, and dill from one large sprig, 6-8 whole chives, and 4-6 sprigs of parsley and blend until smooth.
What is a cucumber sandwich made of?
Traditionally, cucumber sandwiches were petite finger sandwiches made with white bread, butter, and sliced cucumbers. This British tea-time snack began as a Victorian creation and has become a well-known and much-loved appetizer popular at showers and any get-together serving light snacks. The cucumber sandwiches made with white bread, cucumbers, and a herbed spread are more popular in America. Some spreads are a simple mix of dill, salt, and pepper, while others contain a mixture of herbs. In America, the size of the sandwiches can vary as well, with some being quite small and others the size of a full sandwich. There are no wrong ways to make your cucumber sandwiches, so enjoy them on every occasion!
How do you stop cucumber sandwiches from getting soggy?
Cucumber sandwiches can be made a little ahead of time or even stored for enjoying later. The key to both lies in the cream cheese spread. Spreading the cream cheese mixture completely over the bread creates a great barrier that keeps the bread from absorbing the cucumber’s moisture. Be sure to spread a nice amount from edge to edge, and your sandwiches will be great for serving hours after you make them or for up to three days if kept in a sealed container in the fridge!
More Beautiful Appetizers to Enjoy
- Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad Pinwheels
- Smoked Salmon Crostini
- Caprese Tomato Bites
- How to Make Deviled Eggs
- Three Olive Tapenade
*This post originally posted on 02/06/2013.
Ingredients
- 16 slices sandwich bread (1 loaf without the ends)
- 1 English cucumber
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thinly slice or grate the cucumber and pat dry. (I highly recommend using a mandolin for even slices.) Leave the cucumbers on some paper towels while you make the spread. This will help pull out some more moisture.
- Remove the crusts from the bread slices. Since not all bread slices are the same size, stack them up in similarly sized groups of 4, and cut off the crusts. Then keep the groups together so your sandwiches don't have uneven tops and bottoms.
- Add the cream cheese, mayo, and lemon juice to a medium mixing bowl. Beat together with a hand mixer until fluffy. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the herbs until evenly mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture onto one side of each slice of bread. Then place the cucumber slices onto half of the bread slices (it's okay if they overlap a bit). Place the top bread slice onto the sandwich with the filling facing the cucumbers.
- Enjoy these sandwiches as is, cut in half on the diagonal to make triangles, or cut into quarters to make 32 small squares. Serve immeditely.
Notes
- 8 whole “big” sandwiches
- 16 triangle sandwiches
- 31 small square sandwiches
Stephani says
These are fantastic! Making them again for Thanksgiving.
Richard says
How long do you let the cheese mixture meld before eating
Jennifer Kimmel says
Hello Richard! It would probably taste better to let it sit at least a few minutes, maybe while peeling and slicing the cucumbers. Making the cheese mixture ahead of time would taste even better!
marianne says
We like it with dry Ranch dressing instead of Italian dressing. And, the cream cheese should be whipped.
Aubrey Cota says
I’ll have to try that! Thank you Marianne.
Debbie Sands says
Going to make them tonight sounds very good!!
Vicki Wilson says
Been making these for 40+ years and people still love them. My ancient recipe calls for Party Rye (little rye bread rounds), they are perfect!
Looking for an inexpensive baguette? If you live near a Jimmy John’s stop in to pick up a loaf of yesterday’s bread for 52 cents.
Theresa says
My grandmother would always make these for parties and showers and were always so yummy! Your post brought back some great memories, thanks for sharing!
Stacey says
Thanks Theresa! We always enjoy them at various occasions too! Glad you enjoy them!