Cucumber Sandwich Recipe with seasoned cream cheese and crisp cucumbers on soft white bread. Perfect for brunches, parties, or showers. Just 5 ingredients!
What Is A Cucumber Sandwich?
Cucumber sandwiches started as thin cucumber slices between buttered white bread in Europe to curb hunger before late dinners. Theyโve come a long way since then!
Nowadays, you can find cucumber sandwiches made with fresh herbs, cream cheese, salmon, or on different types of bread (crusts on or off!).
How To Serve Cucumber Sandwich Recipe
Theyโre one of my absolute faves for baby or bridal showers (alongside theseย Mini Fruit Tarts), especially when there are vegetarians to cater to! Theyโre also a hit at brunch.
Even though Iโm obsessed with this recipe, Iโm always amazed at how many people love these simple sandwiches and ask for the recipe โ they usually disappear faster than some of the desserts!
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Tip |
|---|---|
| Cream Cheese | Use full-fat. To soften fast, cube it and let it sit in a warm spot for 15 to 20 minutes. |
| Mayonnaise | Use full-fat for the best flavor. I like Hellmannโs or Best Foods. |
| Ranch Seasoning Mix | This is the flavor booster. Hidden Valley is my go-to. |
| White Bread | I love Sara Lee brioche. The crust is soft, so I usually leave it on. |
| Cucumbers | Use Persian or English cucumbers. They are crisp and mild. |
| Optional Add-ins | Fresh dill, parsley, or chives add great flavor. Finish with cracked pepper. |
How To Make Cucumber Sandwiches
Cucumber sandwiches are so simple to make!ย
- Make spread: Soften cream cheese, then beat with mayo and ranch seasoning.
- Cucumbers: Wash, dry well, and thinly slice. No need to peel if using Persian, English, or salad cucumbers.
- Assemble: Spread the mixture on all bread slices. Add cucumbers to half, top with the other slices, gently press, and cut in half.
- Optional: Trim the crusts if youโd like.
Cucumber Sandwich Recipe Tips
- Donโt skimp on the spread. The spread is so important for flavor and sandwich texture (it keeps the cucumbers from making the bread soggy).ย
- Add some fresh herbs. While not at all necessary, fresh dill, chives, or flat-leaf Italian parsley are all nice additions.
- If you love cucumbers and lemon, add a few squeezes of lemon juice or lemon zest to the spread to bring out a citrusy flavor. Love lemon and cucumbers? Youโve got to try this Creamy Cucumber Salad!
Make Ahead Of Time
Cucumber sandwiches are best made close to serving since cucumbers hold a lot of water. But here are a few prep-ahead tips:
- Make the spread 1โ2 days ahead; it gets more flavorful in the fridge.
- Slice cucumbers up to a day ahead. Salt them, lay in a single layer on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let the spread sit at room temp for 30 minutes before assembling.
- After assembling, cover sandwiches with wax paper and a damp paper towel, then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
chelseaโs recipe tip
Serving These at a Party
Iโve served these at dozens of showers and get-togethers at this point, and here are a few things Iโve learned!
- Since these sandwiches dry out quickly, serve them in batches and refill the platter as they start to run low.
- For parties, cut the sandwiches into triangles and arrange them on a cake stand with a glass cover to help keep them fresh. Any large platter works too.
- Lastly, make more than you think! People love them!
More Brunch Recipes To Love:
Cucumber Sandwich
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened to room temp
- 1/2 cup mayo Best Foods/Hellmanโs
- 1 (1-ounce) packet ranch seasoning mix
- 1 (1 pound, 4 ounce) package white bread see note 1
- 2 cups English cucumber or salad cucumbers, see note 2
- pepper optional
- Fresh herbs optional; dill, parsley, or chivesโwhichever you like best!
Instructionsย
- Let cream cheese sit at room temp for 1 hour or microwave in 15-second intervals until soft.
- Beat softened cream cheese, mayo, and seasoning mix with a hand mixer until smooth. Cover and chill for 20 minutes to firm up and blend the flavors.
- Use a mandoline (or sharp knife) to slice cucumbers 1/4-inch thick.
- Spread cream cheese mixture on both bread slices. Layer cucumbers on half the slices. Add cracked pepper and any fresh herbs on top if desired. Top with another bread slice to form sandwiches. Optionally, remove crusts and cut in half, triangles, or quarters. Arrange on a platter to serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Keep Cucumber Sandwiches From Getting Soggy
- Timing is key: Donโt assemble the sandwiches more than 1 to 3 hours before serving. Making them too far in advance, can lead to mushiness.
- Salt the cucumbers: After slicing, lay them on paper towels, salt them, and let them sit for 20 minutes to draw out moisture. Pat them dry before using.
- Spread cream cheese evenly: Apply a generous layer of cream cheese on the bread. This acts as a barrier, keeping the cucumber moisture away from the bread.
You mention covering with a damp towel. how do you do that without getting the sandwiches wet
Great question! Just lightly dampen a paper towel or clean kitchen towel so itโs barely moist, not wet, and lay it loosely over the sandwiches. It shouldnโt be dripping or touching them firmly, just resting on top to keep the bread from drying out.
If youโre worried about moisture, you can also cover the platter with plastic wrap first and then place the damp towel over the wrap. That way the sandwiches stay soft without getting wet.
Omgosh. I saw this picture and immediately went to the kitchen and made it. I had a whipped feta cream cheese spread and a dill cream cheese spread that I used and made 2 half cucumber sandwiches. And I use a super low carb bread so this is a win win. So so good. I will definitely make the ranch spread when the 2 I used is all gone! So Iโm giving this 5 stars because I already know it will be great too. ๐
Yay! Iโm so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Sandy!
This recipe looks so good! I cannot wait to try it!
In the photos it looks like there are two layers of cucumber slices.
Is that true? The text says slices on one side of bread only.
TIA
Yes, just layer them on one half. You can add a few extra cucumbers to that side, but for assembling the sandwiches, itโs best to keep everything on one half.
Hello Chelsea,
What would you recommend as replacement of mayo, something eggfree?
There are several egg-free mayos available, though I havenโt tested them myself, so I canโt speak to the flavor. However, they should work as a substitute for regular mayo in this recipe.
Hi Chelsea. I am making these for a bridal shower. I will be driving about 1hr away to it -after I assemble sandwiches. Will they be okay after 2-3 hours ?
If possible iโd really recommend bringing the components separate and assembling right when you get there! If you have the filling pre-made and cucumbers pre-sliced you can assemble them super quick!
How long will prepared sandwiches keep in the fridge? Iโm assuming not too long they would
probably get soggy?
Yeah, Iโd avoid storing them once they have been assembled, however the cream cheese filling will last 3-4 days in the fridge if you want to make that up ahead of time!
made this with ranch dressing in place of mayo and the ranch seasoning. Still delicious!!! Was inspired to find a recipe after watching the Martha Stewart documentary. I premade them for a flight tomorrow so hopefully they dont become too soggy
Iโm thrilled to hear this! Thanks Alex!
I love cucumber sandwiches, this recipe maes them especially good mmm-mmmm ๐
Thanks Dorothy!