The climate is lastly warming up, the solar is shining brightly and I’m SO READY for all of the contemporary produce of spring and summer season. These refreshing little cucumber sandwiches with a dilly cream cheese unfold are the right mild lunch for hotter climate or a snack to serve with tea or brunch, Mom’s Day, bridal showers, and extra. However they’re so deliciously contemporary that you simply’ll in all probability find yourself making all of them summer season lengthy!
P.S. Bookmark this one when you develop cucumbers and are all the time on the lookout for a approach to make use of up that bumper crop! Our Creamy Cucumber Salad is nice, too!
What are Cucumber Sandwiches
There are lots of interpretations of cucumber sandwiches on the market, essentially the most fundamental being sliced cucumber between two slices of buttered bread, however we took our cucumber sandwiches to the following stage with a tangy, dilly, cream cheese unfold. The herby taste of the cream cheese pairs completely with the tremendous contemporary taste of the cucumber for a completely good sandwich. They’re normally made with a delicate white bread to match their delicate taste, however I believe it will be enjoyable to experiment with various kinds of bread for these sandwiches!
Serve Cucumber Sandwiches
These dainty little sandwiches are sometimes minimize into small bite-sized items and served with tea (therefore the frequent identify “cucumber tea sandwiches”), however they make the right appetizer for any spring or summertime gathering, like Easter, commencement events, bridal or child showers, or Mom’s Day brunch. Pair cucumber sandwiches with different contemporary summer season dishes like Summer season Vegetable Pasta Salad, Lemon Cream Pie, Panzanella, or Macaroni Salad.
What Sort of Cucumbers are Greatest?
English cucumbers are by far the only option for cucumber sandwiches as a result of they’ve smaller, softer seeds and a thinner, softer pores and skin. You may go away the pores and skin on, peel, or partially peel for extra coloration variation within the cucumber sandwiches. If utilizing common cucumbers, I might positively peel them to forestall the robust pores and skin from contrasting with the fragile nature of the sandwich.
Cucumbers are a excessive water content material vegetable, so when you’re not cautious that water can seep out into your sandwich and go away you with soggy bread. Right here’s the way to hold the bread mild and fluffy and the cucumbers crisp!
- Make certain to unfold the cream cheese from edge to edge on the bread. The cream cheese acts as a moisture barrier between the cucumbers and bread.
- Don’t assemble the sandwiches too far forward. As soon as assembled, serve your sandwiches inside 1-2 hours.
- To make the sandwiches forward, freeze the bread, put together the cream cheese unfold, and slice the cucumbers. Preserve the elements separate till simply earlier than serving.
- If you happen to MUST totally assemble the sandwiches forward of time, you’ll need to frivolously salt the sliced cucumbers forward of time and allow them to sit for about quarter-hour to attract out among the water. Blot the salted cucumbers dry, then assemble the sandwiches. The cucumbers gained’t be fairly as crunchy this fashion, however it should give the sandwiches additional endurance.
What Else Can I Add?
If a recipe isn’t versatile, it isn’t for me! And cucumber sandwiches are positively versatile. Listed below are another enjoyable components you possibly can add to cucumber sandwiches to make them your personal:
- Contemporary herbs – parsley, mint, tarragon, chives
- Spinach or child greens – add a layer of greens for much more taste and texture
- Goat cheese – swap the cream cheese for chevre
- Mayonnaise – for a creamy unfold, add a few tablespoons of mayonnaise to the combo
Cucumber Sandwiches
Cucumber sandwiches with a dilly cream cheese unfold are a light-weight and refreshing lunch or snack to serve with tea or brunch.
- 12 slices white bread ($1.04)
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature ($2.19)
- 1/2 tsp dried dill ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice ($0.13)
- 1 inexperienced onion, sliced ($0.10)
- 1 giant English cucumber ($1.49)
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Lay the slices of bread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for a minimum of one hour. This can make slicing the sandwiches with clear edges loads simpler.
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Put together the dilly cream cheese dip. Add the cream cheese, dried dill, garlic powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and sliced inexperienced onion to a bowl. Whip the components collectively till every thing is evenly blended and the cream cheese is delicate and spreadable.
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If you’re able to make the sandwiches, peel the cucumber if desired, then slice it very thinly.
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Take two slices of bread out of the freezer at a time and unfold about 1.5 Tbsp cream cheese over the floor of every piece of bread, from edge to edge. Layer the cucumber slices over one piece of bread, then prime with the opposite slice (cream cheese aspect dealing with the cucumbers).
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Fastidiously slice the crusts off the bread, then minimize the sandwich into two or 4 items (4 small items is nice for finger meals or get together appetizers). Repeat till all of the sandwiches are assembled. In case you have any leftover cucumber slices, place them on prime as garnish. Serve inside 1-2 hours of meeting.
See how we calculate recipe prices right here.
Serving: 2sandwich quartersEnergy: 139kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 4gFats: 7gSodium: 228mgFiber: 1g
Learn our full vitamin disclaimer right here.
Make Cucumber sandwiches – Step by Step Images
To assist the sandwiches slice simply with good edges, freeze the bread first. Lay the slices of bread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment. You’ll want 12 slices for this recipe, so you are able to do two layers of six. Freeze the bread for a minimum of one hour.
If you’re able to make the sandwiches, begin with the cream cheese unfold. Add one 8oz. block of room temperature cream cheese to a bowl together with ½ tsp dried dill, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper, one sliced inexperienced onion, and a couple of Tbsp lemon juice.
Whip the components collectively till every thing is effectively integrated and the cream cheese is delicate and spreadable.
Peeling the cucumber is optionally available (advisable if not utilizing an English cucumber). Thinly slice one cucumber.
Take two slices of bread out of the freezer at a time. Unfold about 1.5 Tbsp of the dilly cream cheese unfold over the floor of every slice, all the way in which from edge to edge.
Layer the cucumbers onto one of many slices of bread. Place the second slice of bread over prime, with the cream cheese dealing with the cucumbers.
The bread ought to nonetheless be principally frozen at this level, which makes it simpler to slice. Fastidiously slice off the crusts, then minimize the sandwich into two or 4 items (4 is greatest when you’re planning to serve it as a finger meals or appetizer).
In case you have any leftover cucumber slices, place them on prime for garnish, together with a sprinkle of dried dill. Serve and revel in!