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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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Recipe Rating




54 comments

    • Linda
    • 5 stars

    Love these tea sandwiches – they’re so easy to make and perfect for a quick snack, too!

      • chewoutloud

      So happy you enjoyed these!

    • Jacqueline

    I love these. I’m making them for an International Tea Party tomorrow. I’m following this recipe again but adding some chopped chives this time. Can’t hurt, right?

    • Sarah

    I made this for a shower yesterday. My lessons learned:

    *Make same day if possible, although the cream cheese filling could be made in advance. The ones that were never used (eg. remained in cellophane wrap since they were made) aren’t as good today as the fairly fresh ones were yesterday.

    *If using dried dill from a jar, cut down on the quantity (maybe by half??) and then add to taste….I am kicking myself I didn’t use the fresh dill, but I didn’t want to destroy our new, sweet little dill plant. 🙂

    *Make sure to really let the butter soften as well as the cream cheese. This would have really let me spread it with more control.

    *Consider removing the peel from some, if not all of the cucumber. My mom votes that way, although I didn’t mind one way or another. It does protect the light moist side of it, though!

    The lemon was lovely and refreshing, absolutely! Thanks again for the recipe.

    • donnashepherd

    Always on the lookout for recipes for sandwiches perfect for tea parties. Thanks for the recipes.

      • chewoutloud

      You are so welcome, Donna 🙂

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