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The Cucumber sandwich has become a popular finger food or even lunch. But how can you enjoy this at home without fancy tea time or expensive ingredients?

These simple sandwiches are easy to make and light on the tummy. You can make them with or without dairy or meat and with any type of bread you prefer. It’s a versatile sandwich, though the classic recipe is pretty specific. The taste is light and refreshing, making it perfect for snacks, appetizers, or a light lunch.

Half of a cucumber sandwich propped up on the other half on a wooden cutting board.

What Are Cucumber Sandwiches?

Believe it or not, cucumber sandwiches have quite a history. This simple sandwich is believed to have originated in England, though some sources say that British colonists devised the sandwich in India to help refresh themselves from the heat. But no matter what country they were created in, the English seem to get all the credit for them.

The original cucumber sandwich had crusts removed and was a very simple combination of thin bread, cucumber, and butter. It wasn’t until this humble sandwich arrived on American lands that it pivoted into including cream cheese.

Why Are Cucumber Sandwiches A Thing?

Basically, because the Queen of England loved them. They were small finger sandwiches for tea time, and she was well known to enjoy them.

Two cut halves of a cucumber sandwich arranged on a wood cutting board.

How To Make Cucumber Sandwiches Like The Queen

If you’d like to try the Queen’s version of these sandwiches, you can make a cream cheese cucumber sandwich by using plain cream cheese, cucumbers, and fresh, chopped mint leaves. Typically, this is served with white bread, which I avoid altogether.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

If you cut the crust off of the bread and cut the sandwiches into smaller versions, these make a perfect appetizer for a tea party, bridal shower, baby shower, or Mother’s Day brunch.

Making Your Own Cream Cheese Spread

If you can’t find something you like at the store, try making your own at home. A combination that I really have enjoyed in the past is mixing together in a bowl a half cup of softened cream cheese, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh chives, and a little salt to taste if needed. Some black pepper is also tasty. This is usually enough for at least half of a loaf of bread, making it easy to make multiple sandwiches at a time.

What To Serve With A Cucumber Sandwich?

If you make them as tea time sandwiches, you’ll want to keep them small and serve them with tea. However, if you make a heartier version like the recipe I’m giving you hear, you can easily serve this with a salad or even some chips. Anything you would pair with a sandwich will work here.

A front view of the cut side of a half of a cucumber sandwich.

Recipe Variations

Here are some ways you can play around with the flavors on this sandwich:

Try fresh herbs such as dill, chives, and ground black pepper. You’ll want to use plain cream cheese if you do that.
Sprinkle on some lemon juice for a bit of tang.
Add some sliced turkey (Technically, this isn’t a cucumber sandwich if you do that. But it’s tasty.)
While some versions will encourage the use of mayonnaise on this sandwich, I do not recommend it. The flavor of the mayo is a bit cloying on a sandwich like this.

What Is In A Cucumber Sandwich?

Whole grain bread – No sugar added.

Chive cream cheese – This will be sold in some regions as chive and onion cream cheese. Either is fine. You can use a dairy-free version like I did or opt for the regular stuff.

Cucumber – Peeled or unpeeled, your choice. You can use regular cucumbers or English cucumbers. If you need to make a few sandwiches, slicing these with a mandolin makes quick work of it.

Microgreens – Or sprouts, your choice. I used pea sprouts here, but I typically use broccoli microgreens because they have so many amazing health benefits and are super tasty in a sandwich.

How To Make A Cucumber Sandwich

Ingredients for a cucumber sandwich sitting on a wood cutting board.

Collect all your ingredients and prep them as needed.

A slice of whole grain bread with chive cream cheese spread over it.

Spread 1 tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture over each of the bread slices.

Cucumber slices covering the cream cheese on a single slice of whole grain bread.

Lay the cucumber slices over the cream cheese.

Add a layer of microgreens or sprouts.

A second slice of bread laid over the microgreens to close the sandwich.

Close the sandwich with the second slice of cream cheese-covered bread.

A finished cucumber sandwich cut in half.

Cut the sandwich and serve.

Storing A Cucumber Sandwich

Wrap this in either plastic wrap or a food-safe, airtight container. Store this in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Note: When packing these up, even if it’s just for a few hours until lunch, you can wrap paper towels around the sandwich to help avoid the bread getting soggy from excess moisture. Usually, this won’t be a problem, but some cream cheese brands do create the need for this. Sometimes, there is a bit of excess liquid from the sprouts as well. So better safe than sorry.