Cucumber Sandwiches

Looking for lighter appetizer recipes or something to pair with high tea? These Cucumber Sandwiches are it!

overhead shot of board of cucumber sandwiches with text overlay for facebook


 

Cucumber Sandwiches, or cucumber canapes, were traditional served as tea sandwiches at British tea parties. However, there’s no need to let tradition stop these Cucumber Sandwiches from being an easy appetizer recipe for all parties.

The cucumber is light and refreshing, which is nice compared to many other typical holiday appetizers. Many cucumber canapes skip the bread and use the cucumber as the base but I prefer the small piece of bread for a more filling snack.

What Are Finger Sandwiches?

Finger sandwiches have long been a food of social gatherings, whether that’s baby showers or wedding rehearsal or a holiday party. These cucumber tea sandwiches work perfectly for all of those occasions.

While I can definitely see these on the table at any gathering, I think they’re particularly perfect for the holidays, with the green and red garnish to add a pop of festive color to the appetizer table. They’re a great pre-dinner snack to keep guests satisfied until the main meal is served or on a table of appetizer.

I like finger sandwiches as an appetizer or snack because they’re quick and easy to make and are, well, easy finger foods. Guests can just grab and go. You can even make them ahead of time.

Other common finger sandwiches include cream cheese, egg salad, smoked salmon and cream cheese, the club sandwich and chicken salad.

Why You’ll Love These Easy Cucumber Sandwiches

Delicate cucumbers on top of a spread of seasoned cream cheese layered on top of a slice of bread- what’s not to love!

  • Perfect appetizer – Because they are small and bite sized, these cucumber sandwiches are perfect  for parties! Great for serving alongside other appetizers.
  • Easy to customize – This is a very basic recipe with plenty of room to change it up to your liking. From the toppings to the creamy spread.
  • Quick and easy – You can have these sandwiches party ready in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
angled shot of cucumber sandwiches on board with slices of bread

Ingredients

This simple ingredients used in these dainty sandwiches makes them even easier to throw together. All easily found at your local grocery store.

  • Bread – You’ll need lots of slices of bread to make this cucumber sandwich recipe. I like to use a soft white bread, but you could use rye bread or another other kind of bread you prefer.
  • Cream cheese – Thee cream cheese spread is what holds the crunchy cucumbers on the bread slices. It’s easy to dress up with flavor and fresh herbs too.
  • Sour cream – We mix this into the creamy spread to not only give it a little tang and coolness, but also to help make it easier to spread. Plain Greek yogurt is another option!
  • Apple cider vinegar – I like adding a little acidity to cream cheese filling, and vinegar will do just that. You could also use lemon juice.
  • Worcestershire sauce – No matter which way you pronounce it, I love the flavor just a dash of this sauce adds to just about anything. 
  • Seasonings – I just use a simple blend of fine sea salt, garlic powder and onion powder. The perfect simple blend to complement the fresh cucumbers.
  • Cucumber slices – English cucumbers are the type of cucumber I prefer, but you can use any kind of crisp cucumber you prefer.
  • Garnishes – For my cucumber finger sandwiches, I like to use roasted red pepper, fresh dill and chives for garnishes.
cucumber sandwiches ingredients

How to Make Cucumber Sandwiches

You are going to love how simple it is to make this easy recipe.

  1. Cut bread. Using a cookie cutter, make small circles from the bread. Set your bread pieces aside. 
  2. Make spread. Combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, fine sea salt, garlic powder and onion powder. 
  3. Spread onto bread. Lightly coat each bread piece with the cream cheese mixture. 
  4. Add cucumber. Place one thin cucumber slice on each bread piece. 
  5. Add toppings. Top each with fresh dill sprigs, minced roasted red pepper and/or chives. You can do all three or a blend of them or none at all!

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make these classic cucumber sandwiches your own!

  • Greek yogurt – Instead of using sour cream, try using Greek yogurt instead. Make sure it is plain and not flavored in any way.
  • Fun shapes – No need to stick with circles! Cut your bread slices into fun shapes using any type of cookie cutter you have.
  • Seasoning – If you’re a ranch fanatic like me, skip the seasonings listed and use homemade ranch dressing mix instead.
  • Leftover bread – You can use the leftover pieces for stuffing or allow them to dry and food process them into bread crumbs. You can also make croutons!
overhead shot of cucumber canapes on a wooden board

How to Serve Cucumber Sandwiches

There is no right or wrong way to serve these sandwiches. They make a great appetizer or light lunch, so we like to serve them at a baby shower, bridal shower, afternoon tea party or even Mother’s Day brunch.

They’re great paired with any other little sandwiches or appetizers. Think finger food type things and you’ll be on the right track. You could also serve alongside another whole sandwich like chicken salad or tuna salad.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: Because of the excess moisture, I do not recommend storing these already made. Store each part separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Freezing: Cucumbers do not freeze well, but you could freeze the cream cheese spread in an airtight container.

close up overhead shot of cucumber canapes on a wooden board

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the secret ingredient in the cucumber sandwich?

Each recipe probably has it’s own secret ingredient, but I would say Worcestershire sauce is what makes these the best cucumber sandwiches.

Can cucumber sandwiches be made in advance?

Because of the cream cheese and sour cream, they cannot be out at room temperature for too long. I wouldn’t make them more than one hour in advance to prevent soggy bread.

What is special about cucumber sandwiches?

This specific recipe is special because they are open face. You can cut them into shape you want to make them more festive for your occasion.

collage of cucumber sandwiches for pinterest

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overhead shot of cucumber sandwiches on cutting board with text overlay for pinterest
close up angled shot of cucumber canapes

Easy Cucumber Sandwiches

4.84 from 18 votes
These Cucumber Sandwiches, or cucumber canapes, are easy tea sandwiches that are perfect for any get-together, including holiday parties.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 40

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter, make 20 small circles from the bread. You can use the leftover pieces for stuffing or allow them to dry and food process them into bread crumbs. You can also make croutons! Set your bread pieces aside. 
  • In the bowl of a large stand mixer or a medium mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, fine sea salt, garlic powder and onion powder. 
  • Lightly coat each bread piece with the cream cheese mixture. 
  • Place one thin cucumber slice on each bread piece. 
  • Top each with fresh dill sprigs, minced roasted red pepper and/or chives. You can do all three or a blend of them or none at all! 
  • If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Nutrition

Calories: 40 kcal, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 99 mg, Potassium: 29 mg, Vitamin A: 50 IU, Vitamin C: 0.3 mg, Calcium: 19 mg, Iron: 0.4 mg
Author: Chef Jessica Anne
Calories: 40
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: English
Keyword: cucumber canapes, cucumber sandwiches, tea sandwiches
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

4.84 from 18 votes (12 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    Made these for a tea party we had for my granddaughters birthday. They were a big hit, so delicious. I’m making them for Christmas too!

  2. 5 stars
    I made these for my granddaughters birthday tea party. These were delicious . I am making them again for our Christmas Eve get together. Thank you !

  3. 5 stars
    Made these cucumber sandwiches for our DAR tea and they were a hit. I would definitely make them again.

  4. 5 stars
    Made this today for my dear friends birthday tea party lunch, super yummy! Definitely a keeper! Thank you.

  5. 5 stars
    Made the easy cucumber sandwiches and it was easy and looks great.
    I made and used a vegan spread. They tasted as good as they looked and went down a treat