Traditional Cucumber Sandwiches
Traditional cucumber sandwiches are a cool, refreshing, and light summer lunch that will satisfy your hunger but won’t fill you up like a heavy lunch would.
🍽️ Recipe Name: Traditional Cucumber Sandwiches
⏰ Ready In: 10 minutes
⏳ Prep Time: 10 minutes
🔥 Cook Time: None
👥 Serves: 2 sandwiches
🥕 Main Ingredients: Bread, cucumber, cream cheese, mayonnaise, butter, fresh dill, fresh chives, kosher salt, black pepper
🍳 Special Equipment: Chef’s knife, cutting board, mixing bowl, spatula or hand mixer (optional)
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Cool, creamy, and refreshing with crisp cucumber and fresh herbs. Quick to make, perfect for brunch, tea parties, picnics, or a light summer lunch.
👇 Full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cucumber sandwiches originated in the United Kingdom and were served as “tea sandwiches” with afternoon tea. They served as a light snack before dinner.
They are incredibly easy to make with just a couple of ingredients.
What You Need
- Bread: The base of the sandwiches is a thin white bread with the crusts cut off. You can use wheat bread or even rye bread, but white bread is traditional. If you choose another bread, use a soft bread. That is one of the keys to the sandwich.
- Cucumbers: Fresh, thinly sliced cucumbers. Traditionally, English cucumbers were used, but we’ve opted for fresh garden cukes because of their availability.
- Butter: Softened unsalted butter spread thinly on one side of each slice of bread. The butter was used to protect the bread from getting soggy because of the cucumbers.
Optional
- Cream Cheese: Although the traditional sandwich only has butter on it. Cream cheese is a nice addition to give the sandwich a bit of creaminess. You can use plain cream cheese instead of flavored cream cheese because we will flavor it ourselves. Soften the cheese to room temperature.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise acts to thin the cream cheese out and make it spreadable on the soft bread.
- Salt: A sprinkle of salt will serve two purposes. It will flavor the cukes and will help draw water out of the cucumber.
- Herbs: Often, fresh herbs like dill weed or chives are sprinkled on the sandwich. You can also add garlic powder or onion powder for a different flavor.
- Black Pepper: Just a pinch of pepper will flavor the cream cheese.
How to Make Them
Cut the crusts off the bread.
Mix the softened cream cheese with the mayonnaise.
If the cream cheese is soft enough, you should be able to mix it with a large spoon. If not, use a small hand mixer.
Add herbs and mix well. Use fresh dill and fresh chives, if you have them.
Thinly slice the cucumber with a sharp knife. You can use a mandolin if you have one.
Dry off the pieces with a paper towel.
Generously spread the cream cheese mixture on one side of the bread.
Top the cream cheese with sliced cucumbers.
Cut the sandwiches into rectangles or triangles. You want each sandwich to be 2-3 bites. Serve.
Once you cut the sandwiches, guests should be able to pick them up with one hand. They should be cut into 2-3 bite sandwiches.
Serve these easy-to-make sandwiches for a bridal shower or a baby shower. They look pretty stacked on a plate, and they only take a minute to assemble.
The British often served these sandwiches with a splash of malt vinegar.
Tools That Make This Recipe Work
If you don’t already have these, this is where most people struggle.
- Mandolin – Slices the cucumbers paper-thin so every sandwich has the same delicate texture. Cutting by hand often leads to uneven slices that make the sandwiches bulky or watery.
- Paring Knife – Makes quick work of trimming crusts and cutting neat, clean portions. A larger knife can crush the soft bread instead of giving you tidy edges.
- Hand Mixer – Whips the cream cheese filling until it’s smooth and fluffy. Mixing by hand can leave lumps that are harder to spread evenly.
- Mixing Bowls – Give you enough room to combine the filling without making a mess. Using bowls that are too small usually means uneven mixing and extra cleanup.
- GreenSaver Herb Keeper – Keeps fresh herbs crisp until you’re ready to use them. Wilted herbs lose both their bright flavor and fresh appearance.
- Serving Platter – Makes it easy to arrange and serve the sandwiches without stacking or squishing them. A crowded plate can flatten the sandwiches and make them look less inviting.
This slicer makes quick work of cucumbers and other sandwich vegetables. The food holder helps keep your hands away from the blade while slicing.
This hand mixer works well for creamy spreads, dips, and frostings. It’s a convenient choice when you don’t need a full-size stand mixer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make cucumber sandwiches ahead of time?
You can prepare the sandwiches ahead of time. The cucumber can be cut, and the cream cheese can be mixed up ahead. You can do this at least a day in advance. Allow enough time before assembling them for the cream cheese to soften again.
Also, dry the cukes well if you cut them ahead of time. It is best to assemble the sandwiches right before serving so the bread doesn’t get soggy.
Do I have to peel the cucumbers?
Should you peel the cucumbers? Traditionally, the cukes were peeled, but it is not necessary to peel the cucumbers. The peel adds additional fiber to the sandwiches, although you can peel them if you prefer.
If using a mandolin to slice the cucumbers, be exceptionally careful. The mandolin is the most dangerous utensil in the kitchen.
How do I keep cucumber sandwiches from getting soggy?
Pat the cucumber slices dry with paper towels before assembling. You can also spread the cream cheese mixture all the way to the edges of the bread to create a barrier that helps keep moisture from soaking in.
More Sandwich Recipes
Traditional Cucumber Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 slices bread
- 1 cucumber
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt or sea salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon fresh chives
- 1 pinch cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the crusts from the bread.4 slices bread
- Slice the cucumber into thin slices. Add them to a bowl with the salt. Dry off the cucumber pieces with a paper towel.1 cucumber, ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt or sea salt
- Soften the cream cheese. Mix it with mayonnaise. If it is soft enough, a wooden spoon or a spatula will work. Otherwise, use a hand mixer. If you are multiplying the recipe for a large gathering, you will want to use a mixer.5 tablespoons cream cheese, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- Add the herbs and mix well½ teaspoon fresh dill, ½ teaspoon fresh chives, 1 pinch cracked black pepper
- Spread a thin layer of butter on two slices of bread. Spread the cream cheese mixture on one side of each piece of bread. Layer the cucumbers on top of the cream cheese.1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally. Then, cut each half in half to make small triangles. You can also cut the sandwiches in half vertically and then cut each half in half again vertically to form 4 rectangles.
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