Dilly Cream Cheese Cucumber Sandwiches Recipe
Classic cucumber sandwiches featuring thinly sliced English cucumber layered between soft white bread and a flavorful dill cream cheese spread. Perfect for tea parties, appetizers, or light snacks, these sandwiches are chilled for clean slicing and easy serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 sandwiches
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Sandwiches
- 12 slices white bread
- 1 large English cucumber
- Leftover cucumber slices for garnish (optional)
Dilly Cream Cheese Spread
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 green onion, sliced
Instructions
- Freeze the Bread: Lay the slices of white bread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer for at least one hour. This step firms up the bread, making it easier to slice the assembled sandwiches cleanly without squashing them.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Spread: In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, dried dill, garlic powder, salt, freshly cracked pepper, lemon juice, and sliced green onion. Whip the mixture until smooth, evenly blended, and soft enough to spread easily.
- Slice the Cucumber: When you're ready to assemble, peel the cucumber if desired, then slice it very thinly using a sharp knife or mandoline for best results.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Remove two bread slices from the freezer at a time. Spread approximately 1.5 tablespoons of the cream cheese spread on each piece, covering the surface edge to edge. Layer the cucumber slices over one slice, then top with the other slice, cream cheese side down, to form a sandwich.
- Trim and Cut: Carefully cut off the crusts from the sandwiches for a neater presentation. Then slice each sandwich into two or four small pieces, depending on your serving preference. Smaller pieces are ideal for finger foods or party appetizers.
- Serve and Garnish: Repeat the assembly with the remaining bread slices and ingredients. Use any leftover cucumber slices as a garnish on top of the sandwiches. Serve the sandwiches within 1-2 hours of assembly for the freshest taste and texture.
Notes
- Freezing the bread before assembling the sandwiches ensures clean, neat edges when sliced.
- Thinly slicing the cucumber prevents the sandwiches from becoming soggy and makes them easier to eat.
- You can peel the cucumber if you prefer a less bitter or softer texture, but leaving the skin on adds nutrients and color.
- Serve these sandwiches chilled and consume within two hours for best quality and food safety.
- Variations include adding fresh herbs like chives or swapping lemon juice for a hint of vinegar to tweak the flavor.
