The BEST cucumber cream cheese sandwich
Nothing beats a simple cucumber cream cheese sandwich. My cucumber sandwiches are made with thin slices of cucumber with an easy-flavoured cream cheese on soft bread.
Why This Recipe Works
- This sandwich combination has everything you need: Crunch, Freshness, Creaminess, Saltiness and most importantly a delicious taste!
- Can be made a day in advance, so it's great for lunchboxes.
- Perfect for a tea party, afternoon tea or a baby shower
Ingredients you will need
To make my cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese you will need:
- bread
- cream cheese
- onion powder
- lemon juice
- dill
- cucumber
- salt
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
- Cucumbers: I like to use thin-skinned cucumbers with small seeds such as; telegraph cucumbers, lebanese cucumbers or the little snack cucumbers. I believe in other parts of the world telegraph cucumbers are referred to as English cucumbers. American cucumbers have thicker skin and large seeds, they aren't as good when you are making cucumber sandwiches.
- Onion powder: I love the savory flavour a little onion powder adds to the sandwich, garlic powder works well too. Some finely sliced chives will also add the same flavor.
- Lemon juice: Adds acid to the flavour profile, a lovely tang to the sandwich. Lime juice would work as well.
- Fresh Dill: Dill and cucumber are a match made in heaven, dill is a little citrusy, a little aniseedy and a little savory like celery. Other fresh herbs you could try include chives, parsley or crushed mint (the Queen loved her cucumber sandwiches with crushed mint).
- Salt: Cucumber sandwiches are at their best with a little salt. I however don't add pepper to my cucumber sandwiches as I find pepper can be a little overpowering to the delicate cucumber.
- Bread: When it comes to cucumber sandwiches I personally think the best kind of bread to use is a simple soft white bread. You can of course use gluten-free white bread.
How to make the perfect cucumber sandwiches
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my cucumber cream cheese sandwich recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
Step one: In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, onion powder, finely sliced dill and lemon juice. I use a fork to do this.
Step two: Spread each of the slices of bread with your cream cheese mixture
Step three: Thinly slice the cucumber, layer on top of the cream cheese spread on 4 of the slices of bread. Season the cucumber with a grind of salt. I like to slice cucumbers with my food processor, it is so fast and all the slices are the same thickness.
Step four: Top with a second bread slice, cream cheese side down.
Step five: Remove the crusts from the sandwiches and slice each sandwich into 3 so that you have finger sandwiches. I use a sharp knife with serrations (bread or tomato knife) to cut up my sandwiches, I find this type of knife-doesn't squash the bread.
Enjoy!
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Top Tips
Here is how you can make these cucumber cream cheese sandwiches perfectly every time!
- Try using a food processor or mandolin to slice the cucumbers, this will keep the slices perfectly even.
- This sandwich is also lovely with the addition of shredded chicken, it adds some protein to the sandwich making it a bit more filling and sustaining. If you would like to shred your own chicken my shredded chicken sandwich recipe will teach you how.
- A little smoked salmon is a lovely addition as well.
- Be sure to spread both pieces of bread with the cream cheese spread, it acts as a water-proof barrier so that the moisture from the cucumber doesn't penetrate the bread and make your sandwiches soggy.
- Cucumber tea sandwiches made with cream cheese are at their best eaten fresh, but they are still great 24 to 48 hours later if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- If you want a bit more fiber in your sandwich the flavoured cream cheese spread and cucumber slices is lovely as an open sandwich on my oatmeal bread, or pumpernickel bread.
FAQs
Plain cucumber sandwiches should not be made in advance as the bread becomes soggy from the moisture in the cucumber. Cucumber sandwiches made with cream cheese can be made in advance as the cream cheese acts as a waterproof layer protecting the bread from the cucumber.
Cucumber sandwiches originated in the United Kingdom. The addition of cream cheese is said to have begun in The United States.
The secret ingredient in the late Queen's cucumber sandwiches was crushed mint.
Cucumber Cream Cheese Sandwiches
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Ingredients
- 8 slices white bread
- 100 grams cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Tablepsoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons dill
- 1 medium cucumber
- salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, onion powder, dill and lemon juice
- Spread each of the slices of bread with your cream cheese mix
- Thinly slice the cucumber, layer on top of the cream cheese on 4 of the slices of bread
- Season the cucumber with a grind of salt.
- Top with a second piece of bread, cream cheese side down.
- Remove the crusts from the sandwiches and slice each sandwich into 3 so that you have finger sandwiches.
Notes
- Try using a food processor or mandolin to slice the cucumbers, this will keep the slices perfectly even.
- This sandwich is also lovely with the addition of shredded chicken, it adds some protein to the sandwich making it a bit more filling and sustaining. If you would like to shred your own chicken my shredded chicken sandwich recipe will teach you how.
- A little smoked salmon is a lovely addition as well.
- Be sure to spread both pieces of bread with the cream cheese spread, it acts as a water-proof barrier so that the moisture from the cucumber doesn't penetrate the bread and make your sandwiches soggy.
- Cucumber tea sandwiches made with cream cheese are at their best eaten fresh, but they are still great 24 to 48 hours later if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- If you want a bit more fiber in your sandwich the flavoured cream cheese spread and cucumber slices is lovely as an open sandwich on my oatmeal bread, or pumpernickel bread.
- Cucumbers: I like to use thin-skinned cucumbers with small seeds such as; telegraph cucumbers, lebanese cucumbers or the little snack cucumbers. I believe in other parts of the world telegraph cucumbers are referred to as English cucumbers. American cucumbers have thicker skin and large seeds, they aren't as good when you are making cucumber sandwiches.
- Onion powder: I love the savory flavour a little onion powder adds to the sandwich, garlic powder works well too. Some finely sliced chives will also add the same flavor.
- Lemon juice: Adds acid to the flavour profile, a lovely tang to the sandwich. Lime juice would work as well.
- Fresh Dill: Dill and cucumber are a match made in heaven, dill is a little citrusy, a little aniseedy and a little savory like celery. Other fresh herbs you could try include chives, parsley or crushed mint (the Queen loved her cucumber sandwiches with crushed mint).
- Salt: Cucumber sandwiches are at their best with a little salt. I however don't add pepper to my cucumber sandwiches as I find pepper can be a little overpowering to the delicate cucumber.
- Bread: When it comes to cucumber sandwiches I personally think the best kind of bread to use is a simple soft white bread. You can of course use gluten-free white bread.
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