Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (2024)

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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

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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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.

What You'll Need To Make This Tea Sandwich Recipe

A Cutting Board

A Nice Sharp Knife

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

Gather the ingredients.
Lay 2 slices of bread on a work surface and spread each slice evenly with 1 tablespoon cream cheese.
Cover 1 side of the sandwich with sliced cucumber.
Season with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper, and chives, if using.
Cover the cucumbers with the other slice of bread, cream cheese side down.
Cut off the crusts and slice the sandwich diagonally 2 times to create 4 triangular finger sandwiches. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve.

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.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
270	Calories
12g	Fat
33g	Carbs
7g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories	270
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 6g	32%
Cholesterol 29mg	10%
Sodium 455mg	20%
Total Carbohydrate 33g	12%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 1mg	5%
Calcium 121mg	9%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 150mg	3%
*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.)

Recipe Tags:

tea
cucumbers
cream cheese
tea sandwiches

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Cucumber Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you make cream cheese sandwiches the night before? ›

These sandwiches are a great option for a summer picnic or a fancy afternoon tea party. They are easy to make, and can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them.

Get More Info ›

How to keep cucumber sandwiches from getting soggy? ›

Be sure to follow these tips to ensure crunchy cucumber sandwiches that are not soggy:

Salt the cucumber ahead of time. After you slice the cucumber, lay the slices in a single layer on a tray lined with paper towels. ...
Use enough of the creamy spread to protect the bread.

Aug 2, 2022

What is the best bread for tea sandwiches? ›

White bread is typically used in tea sandwiches, but I love using a really interesting pumpernickel or rye to add a bit more of an interesting flavor. Making ahead of time. As I mentioned, these are great for parties since you can make them ahead of time before your guests arrive.

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What is the secret ingredient in the Queen's cucumber sandwich? ›

“They may be a joke to some people, but when you've had a cucumber sandwich out on the grass at the back of Buckingham Palace, and the sun is shining, and there's mint in it, then you know you've made it! I will never make a cucumber sandwich without chopped mint in it again.”

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How to soften cream cheese for sandwiches? ›

Pretty Fast: In Warm Water

Place the unopened aluminum-foil-wrapped cream cheese in a ziplock bag.
Push all of the air out of the bag before sealing it.
Fill a large bowl (or the sink) with warm water.
Place the bag of cream cheese in the warm water.
Submerge it for about 10 minutes or until the cream cheese is soft.

Nov 21, 2023

Know More ›

How to prevent tea sandwiches from drying out? ›

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.

How far ahead should I make tea sandwiches? ›

Ideally, you should aim to make your sandwiches as close to the day of your party as possible for the best flavor and freshness. I recommend making your sandwiches no more than 48hrs in advance for the best flavor come party time.

Should afternoon tea sandwiches be crustless? ›

Tea parties are incomplete without finger sandwiches. Afternoon Tea Party Sandwiches are crustless dainty sandwiches with delicious sandwich fillings ideal for afternoon tea.

Keep Reading ›

Can you eat cheese with cucumber? ›

You may also be familiar with classic cucumber sandwiches that pair creamy cheeses with this crisp, crunchy fruit. If you want to make cucumbers the highlight of your sandwich, try swapping bread out for cucumber.

Where did the cucumber and cheese sandwich come from? ›

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.

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What to eat with a cucumber sandwich? ›

Serve these cucumber sandwiches with your favorite store-bought or homemade potato chips, cauliflower chips, sweet potato chips or beet chips. They also pair well with a chilled soup and chopped salad.

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