This easy recipe for Mini Cucumber Sandwiches features fresh dill, Italian dressing mix, and cream cheese on pumpernickel bread. These sandwiches are perfect for a party!
This vintage recipe for Mini Cucumber Sandwiches is perfect for a potluck!
I personally enjoyed the tea sandwiches at church potlucks in the 1990s. But the recipe dates back much further, with American variations of it appearing as far back as the early 1900s.
The British have been serving cucumber sandwiches for even longer, though theirs are spread with butter. The American version is typically served on a brown bread, such as pumpernickel or rye, and spread with a seasoned cream cheese.
For these Cucumber Sandwiches, we’ll make an easy spread using cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Italian salad dressing mix. Then, we’ll smear it on mini pumpernickel (also called cocktail bread), and top it with a slice of cucumber and a sprig of fresh dill.
If you love little party sandwiches, don’t miss my Hawaiian Roll Sliders recipe!
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Ingredients
- The sandwiches are assembled on mini slices of pumpernickel bread (also called cocktail bread). Mini rye bread works, too!
- The cream cheese mixture is extra delicious with the addition of mayonnaise.
- Italian dressing mix (such as Good Seasons) flavors the cream cheese.
- Slices of cucumber get set on top of each open-faced sandwich. You can use a regular cucumber or a seedless cucumber.
- Sprigs of fresh dill are the finishing touch. You can use dried dill if you don’t have fresh dill.
Peeling the cucumber
First of all, you don’t HAVE to peel a cucumber. Just wash the cucumber well, and the skin is perfectly edible.
However, I think a partially peeled cucumber makes for a really nice presentation on these sandwiches.
To partially peel the cucumber, run a vegetable peeler down the entire length of the cucumber, taking off about one-quarter inch.
Turn the cucumber 45°F and run the vegetable peeler down the cucumber again. Repeat twice more to create four peeled sections around the cucumber.
Then, slice the cucumber into one-quarter inch slices with a sharp knife. If the ends are particularly small, remove those and save them for another use (like snacking on them!).
How to make cucumber sandwiches
Place the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Italian dressing mix in a large bowl. Beat on medium with an handheld mixer until smooth.
Tip: if you don’t have time to soften the cream cheese, follow these softening instructions using either the microwave method or the cube method.
Next, lay out the slices of pumpernickel bread on a flat surface. Spread the slices with 1–2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture. I like using an offset spatula for this step.
Top the cream cheese with one slice of cucumber, and then top each cucumber slice with a sprig of fresh dill. If you don’t have fresh dill, you can lightly sprinkle the cucumber slices with dried dill.
That’s it! Your mini cucumber tea sandwiches are ready to serve.
Can cucumber sandwiches be made ahead?
These mini cucumber sandwiches are best made an hour or two before serving. However, you can make the cream cheese mixture up to 24 hours in advance. Cover it and refrigerate it, and then bring it to room temperature before spreading it on the bread slices.
Once you assemble the sandwiches, keep them tightly covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving. I recommend that they be eaten within a few hours, otherwise the bread will start to dry out.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bread aisle of your local grocery store should have miniature loaves of pumpernickel bread. The loaves measure about 2 inches by 2 inches. If it’s not in the bread aisle, check the bakery section.
Italian dressing mix can be found in the salad dressing aisle of your local grocery store. It comes in a packet. A popular brand is called Good Seasons.
Yes! If you don’t have fresh dill, gently sprinkle the cucumber slices with dried dill instead.
Here’s a recipe for a homemade version of Good Seasons Italian salad dressing mix.
To make gluten-free cucumber sandwiches, use a gluten-free bread and make your own salad dressing mix (the Good Seasons mix contains gluten).
To make this recipe dairy-free, use a dairy-free cream cheese. Also, check the label on the bread, just to be sure!
Variations
- Use cocktail rye bread instead of pumpernickel.
- Substitute sandwich bread for the cocktail bread (cut it into quarters first).
- Instead of making the cream cheese mixture, you can substitute a container of veggie flavored cream cheese.
- Use cookie cutters to cut the cucumber slices into shapes. Shamrocks would be fun for St. Patrick’s Day, or little trees for Christmas!
How to store cucumber sandwiches
These cucumber sandwich appetizers are best eaten on the day that they are made, within a few hours of assembling them.
Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. I wouldn’t necessarily serve them to guests the following day, but I’ve definitely enjoyed them myself on day 2!
What to serve with mini cucumber sandwiches
This Mini Cucumber Sandwich recipe is perfect for a potluck, baby shower, bridal shower, and more. I love the idea of them for a Tea Party Baby Shower!
They look gorgeous on either a white platter or a glass platter. Here are few other fun appetizers to serve with them:
- Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza
- Hot Chicken Salad
- Boozy Bacon Wrapped Dates
- Puff Pastry Bites with Goat Cheese and Jam (just 3 ingredients!)
- Chicken Salad in Puff Pastry Cups (these are another bridal/baby shower favorite)
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Cucumber Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ package Good Seasons Italian dressing mix (about 1 tablespoon)
- Mini loaf of pumpernickel bread (rye works, too)
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- Handful of fresh dill (or substitute dried dill)
Instructions
- Place the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Italian dressing mix in a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer on medium until combined and the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Spread approximately 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto each piece of mini rye bread.
- Top each piece with a cucumber slice, and then garnish with a sprig of fresh dill.
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