Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

August 26, 2022
5 from 5 votes
7 comments

Jump to Recipe
Leave Review
SaveSaved
Pin

Made with an herb packed cream cheese and thinly sliced cucumbers, these delectable Cucumber Tea Sandwiches are savory, refreshing and oh so cute! Perfect for back to school lunches or afternoon snacks!

Looking for more lunch box friendly recipes? Then give my Ham and Cheese Pinwheels and Italian Roll Ups at try!

We have had to get pretty creative lately to try to use up all of our cucumbers from the garden! We have been making this Cucumber Avocado Salad on repeat as well as my new favorite Japanese Cucumber Salad. But honestly I was getting a little bored of salad and wanted to try cucumber in something else and voila Cucumber Tea Sandwiches!

These sandwiches are said to have originated in England in the 1800’s as a high society snack to serve before dinnertime. Nowadays they are still enjoyed all over the world for special occasions, get togethers, picnics or afternoon tea!

These Cucumber Tea Sandwiches even make a great snack or lunch for kids! They can be made up to 24 hours in advance and wrapped tightly to keep the bread from drying out. You could also prep the herb cream cheese ahead of time and assemble the morning of a party or before packing lunch.

They are creamy, packed with flavor thanks to the herbs and have a nice crunch from the cucumber. It really is such a simple yet delicious sandwich! It was a huge hit with my kids too! Even my 11 month old daughter could not top eating these!

Exhibit A:

You can have a special afternoon tea party with these sandwiches and combine them with a cup of English tea, my Garlic Cheese Biscuits and some Blueberry Scones for dessert. Or, just enjoy these on their own when you need a pick-me-up!

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox! You will also receive other new recipes in your inbox weekly!

Ingredients for Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Brioche Bread: Brioche bread with the crust cut off is perfect for this recipe. It is soft, fluffy and full of flavor! Use your favorite thin sliced white bread. You can also use a white whole wheat bread to make this a bit healthier.
English Cucumber: I like using English cucumber because the seeds are smaller, but if you have another kind of cucumber it would still work for this recipe. Just slice them pretty thin! You could also scoop out the seeds with a spoon if your not a fan of the seeds.
Cream Cheese: Cream cheese adds a richness and savory flavor to these sandwiches. Make sure not to use Neufchâtel or light cream cheese. Not sure what the difference between Neufchâtel cheese and cream cheese is? The kitchn explains here.
Mayonnaise: Add your favorite mayonnaise to the cream cheese mixture for a lighter texture.
Parmesan: Grated parmesan cheese adds some natural saltiness and flavor.
Herbs (Fresh Dill, Fresh Parsley, Fresh Chives): The herbs are what we want to shine in the sandwich. I really like using fresh herbs here and it makes a difference in the flavor. If you only have dried, substitute 1 tsp dried for 1 tbsp fresh.
Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest: Lemon juice and the zest add a bright, refreshing flavor that complements the cucumber.
Granulated Garlic and Onion: Some dried garlic and onion adds a depth of savory flavor.
Salt and Pepper to taste

How to Make Cucumber Sandwiches

Stir together: Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan Cheese, dill, parsley, chives, lemon juice, zest, granulated garlic and onion and stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread mixture on bread: Use about a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture and spread it onto each piece of bread.

Top with cucumbers: Add the cucumber slices to the pieces of bread. Place one sandwich on top of the other and cut each sandwich into four pieces.

Serve: Cucumber Tea Sandwiches immediately or wrap up tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Tips for Success

I typically like to cut these sandwiches into 4 small pieces per sandwich. You can cut them into different shapes like triangles and squares or use cookie cutters for fun shapes!
To make sure that the sandwiches have maximum flavor I spread the cream cheese mixture on both sides of the bread!
You can also try adding sliced red onion to these sandwiches for some extra flavor! To soften the bite of the onion soak in water for 15 minutes.
Traditionally when making cucumber sandwiches they peeled the cucumbers however I like to leave them on for the extra nutritional benefits.

How to Keep Cucumber Sandwiches from getting soggy?

Spread herb cream cheese on both sides of the bread. This creates a barrier between the cucumbers and the bread so the sandwich does not get soggy.
Use the right cucumber: English or Persian cucumbers are ideal because they have a lower moisture content. If you are using regular cucumbers make sure to salt them before to release some extra water.

What to Eat with Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

To create your very own tea party, try pairing these cucumber tea sandwiches with some of these recipes!

More Sandwich Recipes to Try