Easy Cucumber Sandwiches for Tea Time

Dainty and easy-to-make cucumber sandwiches with chive butter. Get step-by-step directions on how to make this simple yet delicious savory. It’s perfect for tea time!

Cucumber Sandwiches for Tea Time

Traditional cucumber sandwiches for tea consists of crustless bread, cucumber, and butter. That’s it.

All other cucumber sandwiches are variations off of these three basic ingredients.

• A cucumber sandwich is a tea time staple.
• It’s light and dainty and can be eaten in 2-3 bites.
• Mine are made special with chive butter and decorated with thin cucumber slices.
• Perfect for tea time and for parties as adorable appetizers.

RELATED: 24 Delicious Tea Sandwiches for Tea Parties

Questions You May Have

What’s the best tea to pair with these sandwiches?
Since a cucumber sandwich is so light, any tea will go well with it from white tea to black tea. I would recommend a classic like Earl Grey or a green tea like Sencha.

Why English cucumbers?
English cucumbers are best since they have fewer seeds than other cucumbers and have thinner skin which means you don’t have to peel them. They’re sold individually, wrapped in plastic.

Can I make these in advance?
Cucumber sandwiches are the toughest to make ahead since the cucumber can easily lose its crunch. I would recommend prepping all the items separately the night before and assemble the morning of. Store the sliced cucumber and bread circles in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Use wax paper and a damp paper towel on top to keep the bread from drying out. 

Cucumber Tea Sandwich Tips

• To prevent the bread from getting soggy, make sure the cucumber has been patted dry and each side the cucumber touches should be buttered. The chive butter acts as a barrier.
• You can use whatever kind of bread you like, but make sure it is pillowy soft which contrasts perfectly with the crunch from the cucumber.
• Cut frozen bread if you want cleaner cuts on your tea sandwiches.

How to Make It

To make 4 tea sandwiches, you’ll need:

• 4 cucumber slices
• 4 paper thin cucumber slices
• 8 bread circles

RELATED: Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Tea Sandwich

STEP 1: Slice cucumber.

The cucumber needs to be cut into two different thicknesses. So instead of trying to eyeball it with a knife, I use a mandoline slicer to get perfectly even slices.

For the thicker cucumber slice, set the blade to 1/8″. For the thinner slice, set to the thinnest mandoline setting.

STEP 2: Blot cucumber slices with paper towels.

The worst cucumber sandwiches are slimy ones. You know, the ones that slide around between the bread slices. GROSS.

How do prevent this? Paper towels.

After slicing the cucumbers, place them flat on paper towels and blot to make sure they’re dry.

RELATED: Easy Ham and Cheese Tea Sandwiches

STEP 3: Make chive butter by mixing chopped chives and salted butter.

Mix the butter and the chives together and you’ve got…chive butter!

Softened butter is the key. It makes it easy to mix in the chives and to spread it on the bread.

The chive butter does two things:

• Creates a layer between the cucumber and the bread to keep the bread from getting soggy.
• Adds a fresh and bright taste to the boring cucumber.

I use kitchen scissors to cut the fresh chives into little tiny bits.

STEP 4: Find the correct round cookie cutter size.

The circumference of your cucumber (try saying that three times fast) is the deciding factor in how big your tea sandwiches will be.

I have a round cookie cutter set where I try out a couple of sizes to see which one fits the cucumber best.

The cookie cutter doesn’t need to be exactly the size of the cucumber, but try to find the closest match.

STEP 5: Cut circles out of the bread.

Cut white bread into circles using the cookie cutter.

STEP 6: Assemble the tea sandwich.

Once all the ingredients have been prepped, we’re ready to assemble!

The order from the bottom up: Bread, chive butter, cucumber, chive butter, bread. 

Gently fold the thin cucumber slice in half from the center and skewer the folded side into the tea sandwich with a cocktail fork.

Adorable!

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Author: Jee Choe

Dainty and easy-to-make cucumber sandwiches with chive butter.

4.6 from 50 votes

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time 8 mins

Total Time 8 mins

Course Afternoon Tea

Yield4 tea sandwiches

EQUIPMENT

Cookie Cutter Set

Cocktail Fork

Mandoline Slicer

INGREDIENTS

 

1x2x3x

• 4 slices white bread
• 1/4 English cucumber
• 1 tablespoon salted butter softened
• 2 teaspoons chives minced

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Slice cucumber.

  The cucumber needs to be cut into two different thicknesses. Use a mandoline slicer to cut cucumber into two sizes -- 1/8" and one at the thinnest setting. Slice 4 in the thicker size and 4 in the paper-thin size.
• Blot cucumber slices with paper towels.

  After slicing the cucumbers, place them flat on paper towels and blot to make sure they're dry.
• Make chive butter by mixing chopped chives and salted butter.
• Find the correct round cookie cutter size.

  Find a cookie cutter that is the same circumference as the sliced cucumbers.
• Cut circles out of the bread.

  Avoid cutting the crust. Cut 8 bread circles.
• Assemble the tea sandwich.

  The order from the bottom up: Bread, chive butter, cucumber, chive butter, bread.Gently fold the thin cucumber slice in half from the center and skewer the folded side into the tea sandwich with a cocktail fork.

NUTRITION

Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 129IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg

Keyword afternoon tea sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches, finger sandwiches

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