Heavenly Tea Party Cucumber Sandwiches Recipe
A delightfully fresh Tea Party Cucumber Sandwiches Recipe that's perfect for afternoon gatherings, bridal showers, or whenever you want to feel fancy without breaking a sweat. These elegant little bites are creamy, herbaceous, and surprisingly easy to make!
Equipment
- Mandolin or sharp knife
- Paper towels
- Medium bowl
- Handheld mixer
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
For the Sandwiches
- 16 slices high-quality soft white sandwich bread about 1 loaf, crusts removed
- 1 English cucumber
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
- cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Grab those bread slices and cut off the crusts. Set them aside.
- Peel your English cucumber in stripes. Then slice it super thin, about 1/8-inch, using a mandolin or sharp knife.
- Lay the cucumber slices on paper towels and sprinkle them with coarse salt. Let them hang out for 15-30 minutes to extract moisture. After their salt spa treatment, pat them dry with clean paper towels.
- While your cucumbers are chilling, make the herbed cream cheese. In a medium bowl, use a handheld mixer to blend together the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, minced dill, minced chives, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt until smooth and fluffy.
- Spread the herbed cream cheese on one side of each bread slice.
- Layer cucumber slices over half of the bread pieces, overlapping them slightly. Hit them with some fresh cracked black pepper.
- Top with the remaining bread slices, cream cheese side down. You now have 8 full sandwiches.
- Using a sharp chef's knife, cut each sandwich into quarters, pushing straight down through the bread in one confident motion. You'll have 32 tea sandwiches.
- Serve right away and enjoy!
Notes
Make Ahead: You can prep these a few hours ahead, but cover them tightly with a damp paper towel and then plastic wrap. Don't make them more than 3-4 hours in advance.
Storage: Best eaten fresh. Store assembled sandwiches in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours maximum, covered with damp paper towel and plastic wrap. Store components separately for up to 24 hours.
Bread Choice: Use the softest white sandwich bread you can find, like Pepperidge Farm. Fresh bread works better than day-old.
Variations: Add smoked salmon for lox sandwiches, swap dill for basil or tarragon, use pumpernickel or rye bread for color contrast, or add a pinch of cayenne for a spicy kick.
Leftover Spread: Use on bagels for breakfast or as a dip for veggies.