Cucumber Sandwiches – The Cooking Jar


This submit may comprise affiliate hyperlinks. Please study my disclosure protection for additional particulars.

Cucumber sandwiches are mild and refreshing finger sandwiches with crunchy cucumber slices in between bread slathered in herbed cream cheese. This typical and dainty appetizer is good for tea occasions, Mother’s Day, youngster or bridal showers, luncheons and brunches, or picnics.

Cucumber sandwiches have been popularized in England when afternoon tea was first launched among the many many aristocracy. The quintessential English tea sandwich was a straightforward however delicate fare produced from thinly sliced cucumbers, butter and white bread with the crusts eradicated. The American mannequin substituted butter with cream cheese or a herbed cream cheese unfold, typically made with modern dill.

One issue that could be agreed on is that these little nibbles are modern, mild and delicious. The cool and crisp cucumbers make these sandwiches the right appetizer for warmth local weather, significantly with cucumbers being a summertime staple.

Whereas these sandwiches are comparatively simple to make, there are a variety of secrets and techniques and methods that make an unlimited distinction inside the prime quality of these dainty delights. Choose a seedless cucumber to stay away from soggy sandwiches. Select white bread that is comparatively skinny to care for proportion with its cucumber filling. Lastly, use a sharp knife to cut the crusts off, so you might have gorgeous, clear edges.

  • Bread – Seek for white bread on the thinner side so you might have an excellent bread-to-filling ratio. The filling shall be on the thinner side to create dainty tea sandwiches, so stay away from thick and puffy bread that will dwarf and overpower the filling. I used Sara Lee Nice white bread.
  • Cucumbers – English cucumbers are among the finest cucumbers for these sandwiches on account of they’re seedless and have a lot much less water content material materials.

Recipe Notes:

English cucumbers are sometimes often called European, hothouse, or seedless cucumbers. They’re prolonged and thin and in addition you’ll sometimes uncover them shrink-wrapped at grocery outlets.

  • Peeling – I left the pores and pores and skin on the cucumbers for a bit additional crunch, nonetheless you probably can peel them while you need. Each method will work.
  • Slicing – Cucumber sandwiches are presupposed to be dainty tea sandwiches, so that you simply’ll want to slice your cucumbers very skinny, about 1/8″ thick.
  • Cream cheese unfold – The unfold is produced from a combination of bitter cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Mayonnaise thins out the cream cheese, so it’s less complicated to unfold. You could substitute each mayonnaise or cream cheese, or every, with Greek yogurt for a extra wholesome chance.

Recipe Notes:

It could possibly prevent time by using your favorite style of cream cheese as a base for the unfold and easily together with modern chopped dill.

  • Softening cream cheese – Soften the cream cheese so it’s less complicated to make and mix your cream cheese unfold. Set the cream cheese on the counter for about half-hour sooner than preparing the sandwiches to soften it up.
  • Dill – Since this recipe is all about freshness, it’s very important to make use of latest dill. Dill is a type of herbs the place the dried mannequin does not look at, an identical to modern basil!
  • Substituting herbs – I used two tablespoons of latest dill, nonetheless you probably can substitute dill with totally different modern herbs like parsley or chives, or do a mixture.
  • Salt and pepper – You gained’t need in order so as to add plenty of salt as a result of the cream cheese already has some, so a contact will do. You’ll be able to even get away with skipping the salt utterly while you need to rely upon the flavour of the cream cheese.
  • Spreading – Similar to a lovingly made PB&J sandwich, unfold the cream cheese from end to complete. The cream cheese unfold acts as a moisture barrier in opposition to the 96% water content material materials of cucumber slices, so there’s a lot much less likelihood of the sandwiches ending up soggy over time.
  • Cream cheese unfold – 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture per slice of bread should give you a thin layer of cream cheese. Since both sides of the sandwich may have the unfold, you should have a thin layer so it’s not overpowering and balances correctly with the delicate cucumber slices.

Recipe Notes:

You want to be left with about two tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture as quickly as all the sandwiches are assembled. Try using it on the ends of the bread or reserve it for one factor else!

  • Layering the cucumbers – I layered 6 skinny slices of English cucumbers in each sandwich, stacked a bit on prime of each other.
  • Sandwich shapes – I chosen to cut each slice into 4 squares, nonetheless you possibly can too decrease them into 2 rectangles for a barely bigger sandwich. You’ll be able to too decrease them into 4 triangles or 2 massive triangles.
  • Decreasing the sandwiches – Use a sharp knife so that you simply get clear and crisp edges. Press down gently and make a light sawing decrease.

Recipe Notes:

For neat and pleasant sandwiches, use a sharp knife when decreasing off the crusts and the sandwiches into their shapes. A boring knife will result in jagged edges. Press down gently when decreasing so your sandwiches aren’t squished.

  • Making ahead – Like most recipes with modern elements, cucumber sandwiches are best cherished modern. The sandwiches will get soggy over time if left for too prolonged as a result of the cucumbers launch their moisture. You could, nonetheless, make the cream cheese unfold 1-2 days ahead of time and decrease the crusts off the bread beforehand.

Spreading the cream cheese mixture on both sides of the bread acts as a moisture barrier and retains the bread slices from absorbing the water content material materials from the sliced cucumbers. You’ll be able to too sprinkle the cucumber slices with some salt and permit them to sit down for 10-20 minutes to draw out the moisture. For individuals who do this, concede to chop down on the salt content material materials inside the unfold to stability out the salt inside the cucumbers.

Like most recipes involving cucumbers, cucumber sandwiches are best cherished modern. Cucumbers have extreme water content material materials and the salt inside the dressing will finally draw out moisture from them. This will likely make the sandwich watery if left to sit down down for too prolonged.

That acknowledged, I examined leftovers for as a lot as three days and positioned them nonetheless palatable on the second day. By the third day, they’d gotten soggy, so I strongly advise in opposition to retaining them for that prolonged.

  • Substitute dill – Try totally different modern herbs like parsley or chives, or do a combination of latest herbs. You’ll be able to too try using one (0.7 oz.) packet of dry Italian salad dressing mix.
  • Add some zest – Drizzle a tablespoon of lemon juice inside the unfold for a vibrant, tangy style.

And that’s about it. Profit from the sandwiches and let me perceive the way you most well-liked them and the place you served them, what you paired them with, or what substitutions you made inside the suggestions beneath!

This submit was initially printed on June 8, 2013 and updated on July 9, 2025.

Print

clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfb fb iconprint print iconsquares squares iconcoronary coronary heart coronary coronary heart iconcoronary coronary heart secure coronary coronary heart secure icon

Cucumber Sandwiches


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No evaluations


  • Author:
    The Cooking Jar
  • Full Time:

    quarter-hour
  • Yield:

    36 tea sandwiches 1x

Description

Cucumber sandwiches are mild and refreshing finger sandwiches with crunchy cucumber slices in between bread slathered in herbed cream cheese.


Substances


Fashions


Scale

  • 1 bread loaf (about 18 slices white bread), crusts eradicated
  • 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons modern dill, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to fashion


Instructions

  1. Make the unfold by combining the cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder and dill in a mixing bowl. Mix correctly and season with salt and pepper to fashion. Do a mode check out and regulate seasonings as needed.
  2. Unfold about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on one side of each slice of bread.
  3. Layer 6 cucumber slices over half of the bread slices and prime with freshly cracked black pepper and additional modern dill, if desired.
  4. Prime with remaining bread slices then decrease each sandwich into 4 squares or triangles.

Notes

  • Bread – Seek for white bread on the thinner side so you might have an excellent bread-to-filling ratio.

  • Cucumbers – English cucumbers are among the finest cucumbers for these sandwiches on account of they’re seedless and have a lot much less water content material materials.

  • Slicing – Cucumber sandwiches are presupposed to be dainty tea sandwiches, so that you simply’ll want to slice your cucumbers very skinny, about 1/8″ thick.

  • Spreading – Unfold the cream cheese from end to complete to behave as a moisture barrier.

  • Decreasing the sandwiches – Use a sharp knife so that you simply get clear and crisp edges. Press down gently and make a light sawing decrease.

  • Substitute dill – Try totally different modern herbs like parsley or chives, or do a combination of latest herbs. You’ll be able to too try using one (0.7 oz.) packet of dry Italian salad dressing mix.

  • Add some zest – Drizzle a tablespoon of lemon juice inside the unfold for a vibrant, tangy style.

  • Scroll as a lot as RECIPE TIPS for additional useful ideas, suggestions and ingredient substitutions.


<!–

–>



Provide hyperlink

This website uses cookies.