Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (2024)

By

Lindsey Goodwin

Lindsey Goodwin is a food writer and tea consultant with more than 12 years of experience exploring tea production and culture.

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Updated on 02/6/24

Tested by

Diana Andrews

Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (1)

Tested byDiana Andrews

Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.

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Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Total: 20 mins

Servings: 10 servings

Yield: 40 finger sandwiches

258 ratings

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This easy cucumber and cream cheese finger sandwich recipe is ideal for kids' tea parties, but it can also be prepared with spices for a more "adult" flavor.

You can enlist your children to help in assembling the sandwiches for a kids' party. Kids can help cut off the bread crusts, spread the cream cheese, and place the cucumber slices. If your child is just learning about triangles, or even an older child digging into geometry, you can discuss the best ways to display these fun triangular sandwiches.

For adults, cucumber tea sandwiches are a very traditional choice for an afternoon tea party. You might also serve egg salad tea sandwiches or salmon and cream cheese tea sandwiches. Be sure to include scones with lemon curd, marmalade, and butter.

Tips for Making Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches

  • It's best to serve these sandwiches soon after you prepare them, so the bread doesn't dry out or become soggy from the cucumbers.
  • To peel or not to peel? If you bought waxed cucumbers, it is best to peel them before using. But if they are unwaxed, you won't need to peel them. Another variation is to peel them only partially, leaving vertical stripes. This makes them a little more attractive. It is preferable to use organic cucumbers if you are not peeling them, as there can be pesticide residue in the peels.
  • Don't toss the trimmed bread crusts. You can use them to make croutons or breadcrumbs.

"These cucumber cream cheese tea sandwiches were such fun to make, and they were really tasty, too! I used whipped cream cheese so that it spread very easily without tearing the bread." —Diana Andrews

Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (6)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 20 slices store-bought soft white bread, such as buttermilk bread

  • 1 1/4 cups cream cheese, about 10 ounces

  • 1 English cucumber, very thinly sliced

  • Lemon juice, to taste

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • Chopped fresh chives, to taste, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (7)

  2. Lay 2 slices of bread on a work surface and spread each slice evenly with 1 tablespoon cream cheese.

    Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (8)

  3. Cover 1 side of the sandwich with sliced cucumber.

    Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (9)

  4. Season with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper, and chives, if using.

    Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (10)

  5. Cover the cucumbers with the other slice of bread, cream cheese side down.

    Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (11)

  6. Cut off the crusts and slice the sandwich diagonally 2 times to create 4 triangular finger sandwiches. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve.

    Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (12)

How to Store

Although it's best to serve these sandwiches immediately, if you want to refrigerate them to serve later, drain the cucumber slices for 15 minutes in a colander and pat them dry before using. This will remove the excess liquid. Cover them with plastic wrap to keep the bread soft while refrigerated.

Recipe Variations

  • While this recipe uses white bread, you can consider using wheat bread or gluten-free bread.
  • You can add any herbs you like instead of the chives. Dill and watercress or arugula are especially nice.
  • Instead of using cream cheese, try slathering on a generous layer of salted butter. Use European-style butter for the best flavor.
  • Try making half of the sandwiches with white bread and half with wheat bread, then alternate them on the serving tray.
  • Instead of triangles, you can cut these sandwiches into "fingers," or long, thin rectangles.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
270Calories
12g Fat
33g Carbs
7g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories270
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g15%
Saturated Fat 6g32%
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 455mg20%
Total Carbohydrate 33g12%
Dietary Fiber 2g6%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 1mg5%
Calcium 121mg9%
Iron 2mg13%
Potassium 150mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep cucumber sandwiches from getting soggy? ›

20 minutes is all it takes to avoid soggy cucumber sandwiches. To avoid soggy cucumber sandwiches with little added prep time or effort, all you need to do is give them a quick salt. The reason this simple method works is due to osmosis, which draws out the veggie's excess water.

Can you make cucumber sandwiches the night before? ›

Cucumber sandwiches are best made just 1 to 3 hours ahead of time, but they can be made up to a day in advance. But if you decide to make them ahead, you run the risk of them turning mushy.

What is a cucumber sandwich made of? ›

Spread the cream cheese blend onto slices of French bread. Top with a cucumber slice, and sprinkle with dill. You can make as many or few as you like. the cream cheese mixture keeps for about a week in the refrigerator so you can make them over and over again!

How to make a sandwich in 7 steps? ›

How to Make the Perfect Sandwich: The 7 Steps To Follow
  1. Choose the Right Bread.
  2. Spreading the Base.
  3. Quality Protein is Key.
  4. Add Vegetables for Freshness.
  5. Choose the Right Order for Your Ingredients.
  6. Cheese Choices.
  7. Season and Grill your Sandwich.

Where did the cucumber and cream cheese sandwich come from? ›

The crop arrived in England in the late 14th century for the first time. However, they weren't put in sandwiches until the Victorian era, when they were served during afternoon tea. Cucumber, cream cheese and dill really is the quintessential English tea sandwich and makes a lovely fresh crispy sandwich.

What bread is best for tea sandwiches? ›

They will be easier to cut neatly when chilled. Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sliced Bread in white or whole wheat works best for making tea sandwiches.

Will cream cheese make bread soggy? ›

Recipe tips and variations

The cream cheese spread will help prevent the bread from getting soggy. Make ahead: The cream cheese filling can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for 30 minutes for easiest spreading.

Can I make tea sandwiches the day before? ›

If you're hosting a large event, sandwiches are great because they can be made the day before the event.

How do you keep tea sandwiches moist? ›

Most finger sandwiches can be prepared up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container. A great tip is to cover the sandwiches with a sheet of wax paper and then a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out. Uncover the sandwiches and place on serving platters just before serving.

Why did Subway stop selling cucumber? ›

A sign at Blenheim Subway this morning read: "Due to critical supplies of cucumber we need to reduce the use of cucumber for some time." Subway management has told stores nationwide to use less cucumber until supplies are restored.

What is special about cucumber sandwiches? ›

They are a traditional sandwich served with 'High Tea'. Cucumber is a very delicate flavour, and should have the outer skin trimmed off. Served on lightly buttered, crustless bread with a crack of black pepper. They must be made and served fresh, or the cucumber loses its crispness and the bread goes dry.

What is the origin of the cucumber tea sandwich? ›

These fancy sandwiches date back to 19th-century India -- the country where cucumbers originated. When British army officers sought sanctuary in tea houses to avoid the sweltering heat, they were served cucumber sandwiches, which kept them hydrated and cool due to the veggie's high water content.

Can you eat cheese with cucumber? ›

Cut Cheddar cheese into thin slices and place on of the slices until thoroughly covered. Then place the thin slices of cucumbers on top of the cheese and add salt and pepper on top of the cucumbers only. Place the second (buttered or mayonnaised) slice on top of the cucumbers and cut in half.

Are cucumber sandwiches a thing? ›

The traditional cucumber sandwich is a crustless tea sandwich (or finger sandwich) composed of thin slices of cucumber situated between two thin slices of lightly buttered white bread.

Why are cucumber sandwiches a thing? ›

According to the Association for Dressings and Sauces, British colonists in India were looking for foods to help relieve them from the heat. Someone during that time put cucumbers between two slices of bread, and out of that grew a the cucumber sandwich.

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