Cucumber finger sandwiches are a classic afternoon tea favourite. This version pairs crunchy cucumber with creamy soft cheese, fresh dill & tangy capers. Light, fresh & easy to make, these cucumber dill sandwiches are perfect for entertaining.
These dainty little sandwiches are lovely as part of a homemade afternoon tea.
🔍 Recipe Snapshot:
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 2 as lunch or 6-8 as part of a selection of sandwiches for afternoon tea.
- 📊 Calories: 132 kcal per sandwich.
- 🔥 Cook Method: No-cook.
- ❄️ Frozen Option: ❌ Not suitable for freezing.
- 👩🍳 Flavour Profile: Creamy, tangy, herby & fresh.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy.
- 💡 Best For: Afternoon tea, lunchboxes, party food.
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Why I Love These Cucumber Finger Sandwiches
- Quick & easy: There's no cooking and they are ready in around 15 minutes.
- Beyond the basic: Cucumber and butter is nice, but these flavour-packed cucumber and cream cheese finger sandwiches are a cut above.
- Great veggie option
- Easy to make vegan: Just swap these regular cream cheese for your favourite plant-based cream cheese.
After the sandwiches, round the savoury section of an afternoon tea off with treats such as cheese scones, pikelets or devilled eggs before moving onto the sweets.
Ingredients Notes
Cucumber: Regular English cucumbers are ideal. Alternatively, use mini ones.
Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavour an ultimate creaminess.
Capers: Use capers in brine rather than salted capers.
Dill: Use fresh dill rather than dried or frozen dill.
Bread: Medium or thin square sliced loaves are ideal. Go with your favourite type: white, brown, wholemeal or granary.
How To Make Cucumber Finger Sandwiches (Step-By-Step Instructions)
Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Beat the cream cheese and black pepper together until smooth.
Step 2. Remove the dill fronds from the thick stems, chop them and add to the cream cheese. Discard the stems.
Step 3. Drain the capers from the brine, chop finely and drain well on kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible.
Step 4. Add the capers to the cream cheese and mix everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
Step 5. Cut the cucumber into thin ribbons until you reach the seeds then stop and cut from another side. Rest the ribbons on kitchen towel to remove the excess water. Discard the seeded centre.
Step 6. Cut the crusts from the bread and divide the cream cheese filling between 4 slices. Spread it to the edges using a blunt knife.
Step 7. Lay the cucumber ribbons lengthways over 2 of the slices of bread. Repeat with 2-3 more layers of cucumber.
Step 8. Top the cucumber with the remaining slices of bread then cut each sandwich into 3-4 fingers depending on the size of your slices.
How Many Will This Recipe Serve?
The recipe given will produce 6-8 finger sandwiches, depending on the size of your slices of bread. This is sufficient to serve:
- 2 people for lunch.
- 6-8 people for afternoon tea (1 per person with a wider selection of finger sandwiches available).
Expert Tips
Top Tip: Take the time to blot the capers and cucumber on kitchen towel. It's the best way to ensure your cream cheese and cucumber tea sandwiches don't end up soggy.
- Spread the cream cheese filling on both pieces of bread: By encasing the cucumber in the middle of the filling this helps the sandwich stay together rather than falling apart.
- Taste & season accordingly: Capers can be salty so I have not included salt as a necessary ingredient. You may add a pinch if you want to though.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. I have not peeled the skin when making these cucumber dill sandwiches and would only recommend doing so if the skin is waxy, tough, bitter or thick. Leaving the skin on adds extra colour and retains a little extra nutrition.
It depends on the cucumber and how you prepare it. I use a Y-shaped peeler to create ribbons which naturally avoids the seeds. If you are using a young cucumber and cutting it another way, there is no need to remove the seeds if it isn't particularly watery. However, if your cucumber has a high water content, removing the seeds is a good idea to help prevent soggy sandwiches.
The cream cheese filling and the cucumber ribbons can be made ahead of time but I always recommend filling any sandwich, including these cream cheese cucumber sandwiches, just before serving them. This way the bread is fresh and reduces the chance of moisture from the filling soaking in and making it soggy.
Variations
- Add radish: A single layer of thinly sliced radish adds extra crunch, peppery flavour and a pop of pink to these afternoon tea cucumber sandwiches.
- Vegan cucumber sandwiches: Use plant-based cream cheese alternative and ensure your bread is vegan too.
- Vary the shape: Use cookie cutters to create different shapes for your cucumber dill sandwiches. Circles look great.
More Afternoon Tea Finger Sandwiches
Have you made this recipe for cucumber finger sandwiches? Please rate the recipe or leave a comment - I love hearing how you get along with my creations.
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📖 Recipe
Cucumber Finger Sandwiches (creamy dill & caper filling, perfect for afternoon tea)
Ingredients
- 200 g Cream Cheese full-fat
- 200 g Cucumber a piece approx 10-12cm long should be fine)
- 60 g Capers drained from the brine in the jat
- 20 g Dill
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 4 Slices Bread thin or medium sliced (square bread is best)
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese and black pepper together until smooth.
- Remove the dill fronds from the thick stems, chop them and add to the cream cheese. Discard the stems.
- Chop the drained capers finely then blot on kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Add the capers to the cream cheese and mix everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning as required (add a little salt if you fancy it).
- Cut the cucumber into thin ribbons until you reach the seeds then stop and cut from another side. Blot the ribbons on kitchen towel to remove the excess water. Aim for around 18-24 ribbons. Discard the seeded centre.
- Cut the crusts from the bread and divide the cream cheese filling between the 4 slices. Spread it to the edges using a blunt knife.
- Lay the cucumber ribbons lengthways over 2 of the slices of bread (cutting them to the same length as the bread if necessary). Repeat with more layers of cucumber until teh ribbons are used up.
- Top the cucumber with the remaining slices of bread then use a serrated knife cut each sandwich into 3-4 fingers depending on the size of your slices.
Notes
- Blot the capers and cucumber on kitchen towel: It's the best way to ensure your cream cheese and cucumber tea sandwiches don't end up soggy.
- Spread the cream cheese filling on both pieces of bread: By encasing the cucumber in the middle of the filling this helps the sandwich stay together rather than falling apart.
- Taste & season accordingly: Capers can be salty so I have not included salt as a necessary ingredient. You may add a pinch if you want to though.
- When to peel the cucumber: I have not peeled the skin when making these cucumber dill sandwiches and would only recommend doing so if the skin is waxy, tough, bitter or thick. Leaving the skin on adds extra colour and retains a little extra nutrition.
Variations
- Add radish: A single layer of thinly sliced radish adds extra crunch, peppery flavour and a pop of pink.
- Vegan cucumber sandwiches: Use plant-based cream cheese alternative and ensure your bread is vegan too.
- Vary the shape: Use cookie cutters to create different shapes for your cucumber dill sandwiches. Circles look great.
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