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Cucumber Sandwiches with Cream Cheese and Lemon

These Creamy, Lemony Cucumber Sandwiches are perfect for parties and showers. They’re super easy to make in advance and taste incredible. 

Cucumber Sandwiches with Cream Cheese and Lemon
Cucumber Sandwiches are popular for parties, showers, and lunches.

Cucumber Sandwiches with Cream Cheese and Lemon

As simple as cucumber sandwiches are, they have a quintessentially English reputation as a luxurious afternoon tea snack fit for the wealthy. The dainty sandwiches were often sliced into triangles, with crusts removed, for high-class tea time.

Fast forward to today, cucumber sandwiches are still made with a handful of simple ingredients, but they’re now a favorite finger food at all kinds of gatherings, from baby showers to lunches.

Why This Recipe Stands Out

  • They’re fun to munch, with a simultaneously creamy yet crispy texture
  • They’re irresistibly refreshing, especially on a warm summer day
  • Vegetarians and omnivores alike can enjoy them
  • Cucumber sandwiches can be prepared in advance
Cucumber Sandwiches with Cream Cheese and Lemon
Cucumber Sandwiches are deliciously creamy and lemony

The Perfect Finger Food for Showers and Parties

I’ve made platefuls of these Cucumber Sandwiches with Cream Cheese and Lemon for baby showers, bridal showers, and lunch parties. The plates always come back empty, as these little cucumber sandwiches are deceptively delicious. They look simple, but taste amazing.

Note: cucumber sandwiches aren’t favorited by women only. This I know, because we’ve been a part of many co-ed shindigs.  Guys can scarf down their fair share of these little sandwiches.

Everyone adores these sandwiches with their special lemony twist.  That refreshing burst of lemon marries perfectly with cream cheese and dill.  The crunch of fresh cucumbers is enlivening.  All of it is tenderly enveloped by your favorite bread. Good quality white or wheat bread both work well.

Cucumber Sandwiches with Cream Cheese and Lemon
These cucumber sandwiches can easily be made in advance

What to Serve With Cucumber Sandwiches

Commonly Asked Questions

How Can I Make Cucumber Sandwiches in Advance?

The cream cheese mixture can be made 1-2 days in advance and chilled airtight until ready to use. The sandwiches can be fully assembled 24 hours in advance.

Are Cucumber Sandwiches Healthy?

We like to call these healthyish. These tea sandwiches include butter and cream cheese, but they are also loaded with fresh lemon and crispy cucumbers. Whole grain bread makes them even better.

Why is Butter Needed?

You can go light on the butter if you’d like, though the butter not only provides extra flavor, but it also prevents the bread from becoming soggy.

What Kind of Bread is Best?

Your favorite kind of high quality white or whole wheat bread. A fluffy-soft yet dense textured bread works well.

More to Make and Eat

Try These 3-Ingredient Buttery Shortbread Cookies, Too

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese and lemon

Lemony Cucumber Cream Cheese Sandwiches

4.95 from 60 ratings
These Creamy, Lemony Cucumber Sandwiches are perfect for parties and showers. They’re super easy to make in advance and taste incredible. 
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 4 oz cream cheese, whole softened to room temp
  • 2 TB dill, fresh, chopped
  • Zest and Juice of half a large lemon
  • Salted butter, softened for spreading on bread slices
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 slices bread, high quality white or whole grain
  • ½ large cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced, thoroughly dried with paper towels

Instructions

  • Combine: in a small bowl, combine cream cheese, fresh dill, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add enough kosher salt and pepper to taste.
  • Assemble: butter each slice of bread (prevents sogginess.) Lay slices with butter-side-up on a work surface. Evenly distribute the cream cheese mixture onto each slice. Arrange towel-dried cucumber slices on top of the first 3 slices of bread. Top with remaining bread. Slice off the crusts. If not serving immediately, wrap tightly in cling wrap and chill for up to 24 hours.
  • Slice: when ready to serve, slice into 4 triangles per sandwich. Cover and chill any leftovers. 

Notes

  • Cream cheese mixture can be made up to 2 days in advance.
  • If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ♡

Nutrition (per serving)

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.7g | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 4.6g | Saturated Fat: 2.3g | Cholesterol: 40.5mg | Sodium: 114.5mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1.2g
Course: Appetizer, Side
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Method: Assemble

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54 comments

    • Angie

    The recipe calls for six slices of bread but that only makes 12 servings but it states 24? Is it six sandwiches so 12 slices of bread? Thank you

      • chewoutloud

      Angie, I slice each sandwich into fourths, for finger sandwiches. Enjoy and thanks for coming over! 🙂

        • Sara

        I was going to ask the same question before I make these. Want to make sure I have enough ingredients for the amount of sandwiches I want. The recipe calls for six slices of bread, which would make three whole sandwiches, right? And then those three whole sandwiches cut into quarters would make twelve finger sandwiches, right? I think we are both confused about where the twenty-four came from.

          • chewoutloud

          Thank you, Sara! You guys are totally right, it’s 12 finger sandwiches. Hope you like them! 🙂

            • Sara

            Thank you for clearing that up! I look forward to trying them 🙂

              • Bev

              I guess some people don’t get cutting them into quarters and not halves. Lol, that’s OK, I’ve been eating whole cucumber sandwiches since I was a very young kid. Always love them as a refreshing change to the meat & cheese sandwich. Sometimes I just make them with salted butter, and add a little salt & pepper. Have a great day!

            • Jenna @ Easy, Economical Events

            I included a link to your recipe in my Mother-Daughter Tea Event post today! I hope you’ll take a look: http://www.eeevents.net/#!motherdaughtertea/c1z7y Thanks!

            • Susan

            With the recipe calling for cream cheese, is it really necessary to butter the bread? It seems like it’s extra fat that’s not necessary and similar texture as cream cheese. Also, the flavors of cream cheese, dill, and lemon would overpower the flavor of the butter anyhow. I don’t see the point of the butter in this recipe. Lastly, who cooks with _salted_ butter?

              • chewoutloud

              Susan, feel free to adapt to suit your taste. Have a nice day 🙂

              • nancy

              Good God Susan…don’t make the sandwich!!….especially with butter…you fruitloop!

                • Sadie

                LOL!!

                  • Caitlyn

                  She’s asking why it’s necessary, I’m wondering the same…. why?

                  • Lexy

                  A very thin spread of butter on creates a barrier so the cream cheese will not make the bread too soft & sticky. I use low fat cream cheese and still tasted great. Make cucumber tea sandwiches along with egg salad for Easter looking forward to trying the egg & bacon recipe. Thanks for sharing !

                  • Rufusd

                  For the comment of “who cooks with salted butter”? I cook with salted butter. I have for over 40 years. Just because you don’t doesn’t mean you need to be rude. I agree with Lexy re: thin spread of butter creates a barrier.

                  • IFortuna

                  Actually butter is traditionally used in tea sandwiches. Butter does create a barrier in order to prevent the bread from becoming soggy. I alway cook with salted butter BTW. Butter also adds to the creamy mouth feel of the filling.

                • Liz

                A nice sandwich. Love ingredients. Thank you.

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