Cucumber Sandwiches With Dill and Cream Cheese

Last spring I signed up to bring something small to Sarah's end of year school tea, and I picked cucumber sandwiches without thinking twice about it. Then I got home and realized I had never actually made them.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Like These Cucumber Sandwiches
• What You Need for Cucumber Sandwiches With Dill
• Cucumber Sandwiches
• How to Put These Cucumber Sandwiches Together
• Storing Cucumber Sandwiches Without the Sogginess
• Simple Ways to Change Up Your Cucumber Sandwiches
• Questions I Get About Cucumber Sandwiches
• Recipes You May Like
• Conclusion

So I called my mom. She laughed at me for a solid ten seconds, then told me the whole secret is drying the cucumber before it ever touches the bread. She was right, of course. She usually is.

These cucumber sandwiches with dill and cream cheese are the ones I have made over and over since that afternoon. Soft bread, cool crisp cucumber, and a cream cheese spread with fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon. That is the whole thing.

They take about 30 minutes start to finish, and most of that time the cucumber is just sitting on paper towels while I wipe down the counter or answer emails.

If you like this kind of cool, no oven food when the apartment gets warm, you will probably also like my creamy cucumber salad with a sweet twist. It uses the same salting trick to keep everything crisp instead of watery.

Why You Will Like These Cucumber Sandwiches

• No cooking at all. Nothing gets turned on. In a small Manhattan kitchen in May, that matters more than you would think.
• Ready in about 30 minutes. Fifteen minutes of actual work, fifteen minutes of the cucumber resting.
• Cool and mild. Cream cheese, fresh dill, a hint of lemon, and cucumber that still snaps a little.
• Five real ingredients. Nothing strange, nothing you have to hunt down.
• Kids eat them. Alex calls them rabbit food and then puts four on his plate. Every single time.
• Good for a crowd. Doubling or tripling the batch takes almost no extra effort.

What You Need for Cucumber Sandwiches With Dill

Here is everything, and I have bolded the ingredients that really matter.

For the cucumber:

• 1 medium English cucumber
• A few pinches of salt (I use fine sea salt, table salt is fine too)

For the spread and sandwiches:

• 7 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, loosely packed
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• A few drops of fresh lemon juice
• 4 slices whole wheat or white sandwich bread
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds or sesame seeds, optional

A few notes from my own kitchen. English cucumber is what I reach for because the skin is thin and the seeds are small, but a regular cucumber works if you peel it and scoop the seedy center out.

Let the cream cheese sit on the counter for 20 minutes before you start. Cold cream cheese tears soft bread, and then you are patching holes with a spoon like I did the first time.

Fresh dill only, please. The dried kind goes dusty and flat here, and there is nothing else in the recipe to hide behind.

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How to Put These Cucumber Sandwiches Together

Getting the Cucumber Ready

Wash the cucumber and slice it thin. Peel it first if you like, though I usually leave the skin on for the little bit of green.

Lay the slices out on a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle them lightly with salt. Let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

You will actually see the water come out. Pat the slices dry with fresh paper towels, pressing gently on both sides. This one step is the difference between a good sandwich and a sad soggy one.

Making the Dill Cream Cheese Spread

Put the softened cream cheese in a bowl and add the chopped dill, a small pinch of salt, black pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice. Stir in the poppy or sesame seeds if you are using them.

Mix until it is smooth and the dill is spread through evenly.

Now taste it. Go slow with the lemon juice, because you can always add another drop but you cannot take it back out. I learned that the hard way on batch number two, which came out tasting like salad dressing.

Building the Sandwiches

Spread the cream cheese mixture over all 4 slices of bread, all the way to the edges. Both sides get spread, not just one. That thin layer on the top slice acts like a little wall between the bread and the cucumber.

Lay the cucumber slices on two of the slices in two layers, crossing them over each other. First layer running one way, second layer running the other way.

Close each sandwich with a second slice, cream cheese side facing down.

Slicing and Serving

Press down very gently with your palm so everything settles. Then trim the crusts with a sharp serrated knife if you want the tea room look.

Cut each sandwich into triangles or into three long fingers. Sarah insists on triangles. Donald cuts his in half and eats it standing at the counter, which is its own kind of endorsement.

Serve them cool, within an hour or so of making them.

Storing Cucumber Sandwiches Without the Sogginess

Honestly? These are best the hour you make them. But life happens, so here is what works.

Lay the sandwiches in a single layer in a shallow container. Cover them with a lightly damp paper towel, then put the lid on and refrigerate.

They hold for about 4 hours this way. Past that, the bread starts giving up.

Do not freeze them. Cucumber turns to mush after thawing and the cream cheese goes grainy. I tried it once so you do not have to.

If you want a head start, make the dill spread up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Slice and salt the cucumber the morning of. Then assembly takes five minutes flat.

Simple Ways to Change Up Your Cucumber Sandwiches

Want to make these feel a little different every time? Here is what I do.

• Swap the herb. Fresh chives or mint in place of the dill both taste lovely. Mint especially in hot weather.
• Add a little tang. A spoonful of Greek yogurt stirred into the cream cheese lightens it up. If you like that cool herby thing, my homemade tzatziki sauce works as a spread on thicker bread too.
• Try rye or pumpernickel. Dark bread with dill is a great pairing and looks pretty on a platter.
• Add radish. Thin radish slices tucked in with the cucumber give a peppery bite.
• Go open faced. One slice, spread, cucumber fanned on top, a few seeds scattered over. Faster and it looks fancier.

One thing to watch out for: do not pile the cucumber on too thick. Three or four thin layers is plenty. Any more and the sandwich slides apart when someone picks it up, usually over a light colored rug.

Questions I Get About Cucumber Sandwiches

How do you keep cucumber sandwiches from getting soggy?

Salt the cucumber slices first and let them drain on paper towels for 5 to 10 minutes, then pat them dry. Also spread cream cheese on both slices of bread, right to the edges. That layer keeps moisture off the bread. Assemble close to serving time and you will be fine.

Can cucumber sandwiches be made ahead of time?

Partly. I make the dill cream cheese spread up to 2 days early and keep it in the fridge. The cucumber can be sliced and salted a few hours ahead. Assembled sandwiches hold about 4 hours under a damp paper towel, but they taste best in the first hour.

What type of bread is best for cucumber sandwiches?

A soft sandwich loaf with a fine crumb, either white or whole wheat. White is the traditional choice for tea. Whole wheat has more of a nutty taste and a rustic look. Skip anything with big holes, like sourdough or ciabatta, because the spread sinks straight through.

Should you peel cucumbers for cucumber sandwiches?

Up to you. English cucumber skin is thin and mild, so I leave it on for color. If you are using a regular garden cucumber, peel it, since that skin is thicker and can taste bitter. Scoop out the watery seeds while you are at it.

Recipes You May Like

• Easy Antipasto Skewers for a Flavor Packed Feast is what I set next to these on the same platter when people are coming over. No cooking there either.
• Creamy Classic Tuna Salad makes a heartier sandwich for anyone who wants something more filling alongside the little ones.
• Tomato Bruschetta brings a fresh, garlicky bite to the table and takes about as long to throw together.

Conclusion

So that is it. Salt and dry the cucumber, stir dill and lemon into softened cream cheese, spread it edge to edge on both slices, layer the cucumber, and cut into triangles.

I love these cucumber sandwiches because they ask so little of me and still make the table look like I planned something. They have gone to a school tea, two building potlucks, and one very rainy Sunday when nobody wanted to cook.

Give them a try this week, even just for a quiet lunch at home. Save this one to Pinterest so you have it when the weather turns warm.