Cucumber Tea Sandwiches ~ 3 Spreads & 3 Ways

August 17, 2015
Choose from three flavorfully-delicious spreads and three ways of assembly to build a beautiful array of elegant Cucumber Tea Sandwiches for your next get-together.  They will not disappoint!  
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Cucumber Tea Sandwiches image ~ 3 Spreads & 3 Ways


You know, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches are one of those things that can be so absolutely simply-delicious ... or can be a complete flavorless let down.  Quite often, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches are a touch of cream cheese topped with clunky cucumbers atop a bit of soggy white bread.  Which can leave you feeling like they were nothing more than an after-thought filler on the menu.

But when done well, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches can be a flavorfully-delicious highlight of a tea menu or party spread.  And with paying just a little extra attention to three simple things, doing Cucumber Tea Sandwiches well is truly quite easy.

So what are the three things to pay just a little extra attention to?

With paying just a little extra attention to three simple things, doing Cucumber Tea Sandwiches well is truly quite easy.

The three elements of Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, of course! ... 1.  The spread.  2.  The cucumbers.  and 3. The bread.

Open-Faced Cucumber Tea Sandwiches image

When it comes to the spread, simple additions like fresh dill, lemon zest, or a combination of finely chopped fresh vegetables can make all the difference in elevating the basic cream cheese, and transform it into a fabulously delicious Cucumber Tea Sandwich filling that will not disappoint.  

The recipes for my three favorite spreads ... Lemony Dill Spread, Chunky Cucumber Spread, and Vegetable Spread ... are included at the bottom of this post.  I'm truly hard-pressed to pick which one I like best! ... but if you twisted my arm, I would probably have to go with the Vegetable Spread.

When it comes to the spread, simple additions like fresh dill, lemon zest, or a combination of finely chopped fresh vegetables can make all the difference.

As for the cucumbers, choose firm cucumbers with few seeds ... either small, young 'regular' cucumbers or English 'seedless' cucumbers.  Then slice the cucumbers very thinly with a good sharp knife (I personally love my Henckels knives) or mandolin.

And for the bread?  Choose good quality sandwich bread that's got a bit firmer texture and crumb than most regular white breads.  I like to use Pepperidge Farms ... it's got a great 'weight' to it that provides a perfect base for fabulous Cucumber Tea Sandwiches.

Once those three elements ... the spread, the cucumbers, and the bread ... are in place, it's just a matter of choosing a 'way' to assemble the sandwiches ~ and you're well on your way to a beautiful array of elegant and tasty Cucumber Tea Sandwiches that are anything but  an after-thought.

Let's take a look at three potential ways to assemble the sandwiches:

1.  Open-Faced ~ Thinly-sliced cucumbers are decoratively arranged on a single piece of bread, and then garnished with fresh herbs.  The bread can be cut in various shapes such as triangles, rectangles, or squares.

Cucumber Sandwiches Image

Classic Cucumber Sandwiches image



2.  Basic Closed ~ Thinly-sliced cucumbers and spread are layered between two slices of bread.  The sandwiches are then cut into the desired shape, typically small squares or rectangle 'fingers.'

The Best Cucumber Sandwiches Image



3.  Triple-Decker ~ Three pieces of bread sandwich together two layers of spread and cucumbers.  Or, in this case, simply two layers of Vegetable Spread.  I like to use two slice of white bread with a slice of whole wheat bread in the middle for color contrast, but three slices of the same bread type can certainly be used, too.

Vegetable Spread Triple-Decker Tea Sandwiches image ~ the ultimate tea sandwich.

Triple-Decker Tea Sandwiches image

All three of these Cucumber Tea Sandwich spreads and 'ways' were made by a friend of mine and me for a tea party we had at church recently.  I'm happy to report that all were a huge hit!

No drab spreads.  No clunky cucumbers. No soggy white bread.

And no feelings of the sandwiches simply being an after-thought filler item on the tea party menu.

So whip up a flavorfully-delicious spread or two, slice those cucumbers thin, and grab some good-quality bread to get building a beautiful array of elegant Cucumber Tea Sandwiches.  They will not disappoint!

Check out these other perfect-for-tea little bites:
Cucumber Sandwiches photo
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How to make cucumber tea sandwiches, How to make tea sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches recipe, tea sandwiches recipe
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Yield: varies based on chosen assembly method

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches ~ 3 Spreads & 3 Ways

Choose from three flavorfully-delicious spreads and three ways of assembly to build a beautiful array of elegant Cucumber Tea Sandwiches for your next get-together. Make just one or make them all - They will not disappoint!
prep time: 3 hourcook time: total time: 3 H

ingredients:

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches with Lemony Dill Spread:
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • packed 1/3 c. roughly chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • pinch black pepper
  • 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced (these lay on top of the Lemony Dill Spread once the sandwiches are assembled; slice when you're ready to assemble the sandwiches)
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches with Chunky Cucumber Spread:
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 c. mayonnaise
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, & finely chopped
  • 1 T. chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced (these lay on top of the Chunky Cucumber Spread once the sandwiches are assembled; slice when you're ready to assemble the sandwiches)
Vegetable Spread Tea Sandwiches: (typically served triple-decker style)
  • 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, & finely chopped
  • 1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, shredded
  • 1/2 c. sliced green onions
  • 2 T. finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 T. mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
Bread for Assembly:
  • Approximately 12 to 16 slices good-quality sandwich bread (such as Pepperidge Farm) for open-faced or closed tea sandwiches
  • Approximately 24 to 30 slices good-quality sandwich bread for triple-decker tea sandwiches

instructions:

How to cook Cucumber Tea Sandwiches ~ 3 Spreads & 3 Ways

To Prepare the Spread(s):
  1. Place cream cheese or cream cheese and mayonnaise (depending on which spread you're making) in a bowl; stir with a spoon or fork until creamy and free of lumps.
  2. Add any seasoning/non-vegetable ingredients; stir until well combined.
  3. Fold in any vegetable ingredients.
  4. Chill cream cheese mixture for about 2 hours {or overnight} to allow flavors to meld.
To Prepare the Tea Sandwiches:
  1. Remove spread(s) from refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to assembling sandwiches to allow it to soften and become easily spreadable.
  2. If using Lemony Dill Spread or Chunky Cucumber Spread, thinly slice the English cucumber with a very sharp knife or mandolin.
  3. TO MAKE OPEN-FACED TEA SANDWICHES: Spread a thin layer of spread on each slice of bread and arrange cucumber slices decoratively on top. Trim away bread crusts with a serrated knife; then cut sandwiches into desired shapes {2 triangles or 3 fingers}.
  4. TO MAKE CLOSED TEA SANDWICHES: Spread a thin layer of spread on each slice of bread and arrange cucumber slices decoratively on top. Place an additional piece of bread on top of cucumbers. Trim away bread crusts with a serrated knife; then cut sandwiches into fourths.
  5. TO MAKE TRIPLE-DECKER TEA SANDWICHES: Spread a layer of spread on a slice of bread. Place an additional piece of bread on top. Repeat layers, making a sandwich stack that includes a total of 3 slices of bread. Trim away bread crusts with a serrated knife; then cut sandwich stacks into fourths.  (For an extra-pretty effect, I like to use 2 pieces of white bread on the top and bottom with a piece of wheat bread in the middle.)
  6. Garnish tops with a small sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley or fresh dill. 
  7. Serve immediately. Or, layer in an airtight container with waxed paper between each layer and on top of the top layer. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Ideally, cucumber tea sandwiches should be served immediately or within about 2 to 3 hours of having been assembled.
Created using The Recipes Generator



Cucumber Tea Sandwiches ~ 3 spreads & 3 ways, and tips for making the BEST tea sandwiches. So perfect for any occasion!  www.thekitchenismyplayground.com

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This post is linked with Weekend Potluck.


33 comments

  1. Definitely pinning this. Makes me want to host a proper tea!

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  2. I love these delicate little sandwiches! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!"

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  3. These little Tea Sandwiches are just perfect for afternoon tea or a luncheon, I love them! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  4. Looks so good!

    Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  5. I love to entertain my friends! A good pot of herbal tea an these little sandwitches are always special. For ladies only! most men wouldn't appreciate it :-)

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  6. This is such a great guide to making awesome cucumber tea sandwiches! I might of missed it, but how much does each recipe yield? I'm planning on making the Chunky Cucumber spread and the Vegetable spread ones for a baby shower and theres going to be around 25 people there. Thinking of making around 10 of each.

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    1. I made the triple deckers. I halved the amounts and ended up with five small sandwiches (using the small pepperidge farm loaves). When cut into fourths = 20 tiny sandwiches.

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  7. These are perfect snacks for picnics. Going to try them on weekend. Hope kids will like it.

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  8. You might have said but I couldn't find it. The vegetable spread recipe. How many tea sandwiches does that make? I'm sure I'll need to double it for the event I'm helping with, I just don't want to have to run back and forth to the store.

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  9. Love all three of these recipes, Tracey! You are so right about cucumber sandwiches - done properly they are amazing, but it's easy for them to be ordinary if you don't use the right ingredients. All of these look amazing, perfect for afternoon tea! I particularly like the vegetable spread. Thank you for sharing with us at Hearth and Soul.

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  10. I think these are perfect breakfast for my little princes. Love all of these recipes. Going to try all of these one by one! I'll also share some of pics!

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  11. Oh, I love how cute they are. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon!

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  12. I plan on making the vegetable spread sandwich. Do you need to use slice cucumbers also or only the spread. Just clarifying. Do you know how many sandwiches this recipe will make. I have a baby shower coming up this week - getting ready!

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    1. No, you don't need to use sliced cucumbers, too, in the vegetable spread sandwiches ... the vegetable spread contains the cucumbers in it, and is "enough" for the tea sandwiches. Hope the baby shower went great!!

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  13. Tracey, they all sound delightful! But I would choose the first because it has no garlic. Or I'd leave the garlic out of the other two. I'm allergic to garlic and know several other people who are too. I love the look of the open-face sandwiches but I always make closed ones that I can stack. Afternoon tea is my favorite meal, and cucumber is my favorite tea sandwich.

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  14. Hi! Are there any tips for preventing soggyness? I know cucumbers are mostly water so want to prevent wet sandwiches! Thanks!

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  15. The perfect little sandwich!!! Cool and refreshing!

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  16. I love cucumbers in pretty much any form, and the dill and cream cheese pushes these over the top. I think that I have a new favorite summer recipe! Thank you for sharing at Friday Frenzy.

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  17. i like Cucumber Tea Sandwiche,it was great and delicious.thank you the post.

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  18. I like your recipes but nix the garlic. Traditional tea sandwiches never had it. No need to put it in everything. Some people don't like it in any food. I love it but hubby hates it and he can tell if there is the most minute amount. A sandwich implies filling between two pieces of bread. Open face "sandwiches" as you call them are actually called canape. I like how you construct the sandwiches and canape. However, canape should be made bite size since there is not the extra piece of bread to hold the rest of the filling in. Fillings for tea sandwiches should be rather thin such as yours so the guest is not shamed by dropping filling on themselves and their nice clothes or on the floor. Your recipes are indicative of gracious living. You obviously take pains in preventing your guests from becoming embarrassed by awkward moments. I come from a long line of tea sandwich makers and I hope my words help you along.
    Best of luck,
    Lady Hayhead of Hertfordshire

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  21. These sandwiches are so pretty and I'm sure will taste amazing. Pinned, and I found my way here via Monday Motivation.

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  22. I love tea sandwiches!! Even when there isn't a tea party going on. Thanks for all of these yummy recipes!

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  23. I made the lemony dill iteration and they were absolutely fantastic!

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  24. I made the lemony dill iteration and they were absolutely fantastic! temple run

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  25. A perfect example of simple done well means elegant. Such a pretty post and these sandwiches all look very good.

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  26. Love your dainty sandwiches (made these ages ago and although they were nice they lacked flavor now I will be able to make flavorful dainties!
    Thank you so much for sharing your recipes and step by step easy to follow and assemble instructions. I appreciate the time you spent on this.
    Yvonne

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    1. Yvonne, thank you so much for your kind comment. It it so good to know readers enjoy our recipes Please continue to read and enjoy the recipes.

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