Cucumber Tea Sandwiches With Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese

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Inside: Recipe for delicious mini cucumber tea sandwiches with a yummy herb-and-garlic cream cheese filling. These cucumber appetizers are perfect for party platters, party finger foods, baby showers, and brunches.

These cucumber tea sandwiches with herb-and-garlic cream cheese are a classic party finger food with a ton more flavor.

Instead of using regular cream cheese, I make mine with a yummy, homemade garlicky mix that adds so much depth to the cool, crisp cucumber slices.

I also love serving these classic appetizers a little differently – tucked between small rounds of bread – to give them a more elegant look.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches With Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese - round double-layered mini sandwiches filled with a homemade herb, garlic,and parmesan cream cheese mix and a layer of fresh cucumbers.

This recipe makes 12 mini sandwiches, and they’re perfect for afternoon tea, garden parties, baby showers, or a springtime brunch. They are ready in just 20 minutes, too!

How To Make These Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe

½ large English cucumber
3 oz light cream cheese + 1 tablespoon (reserved)
3 oz full-fat cream cheese (like Philadelphia)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried dill (plus extra for garnish)
¼ teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
6–8 slices of square sandwich bread

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Slice the cucumber into 36 thin rounds.

2. Place the cucumber rounds on a paper towel, sprinkle them with a bit of salt, and let them sit for 5 minutes.

3. After 5 minutes, pat them dry with another paper towel to remove excess moisture.

4. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut 24 rounds from the bread slices.

5. In a small bowl, combine the 3+3 oz of cream cheese (make sure to reserve the extra tablespoon for later!) with Parmesan cheese, garlic, oregano, parsley, thyme, dill, basil, salt, and pepper.

Mix until it becomes smooth and creamy.

6. Lay out 12 bread rounds and top each with about one teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture.

7. Place two cucumber slices on each bread base.

8. Lay out the remaining bread rounds and spread a thin layer of the light cream cheese you reserved from step 5 on each top round.

9. Place the tops over the bases and sprinkle them with a bit of dried dill.

10. Top each mini sandwich with one final cucumber slice.

11. Arrange the tea sandwiches on a serving platter and sprinkle with some dill again.

12. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to a few hours before serving.

Important Recipe Notes

I prefer thinner cucumber slices for this recipe, as the sandwiches come out small, and I don’t want the cucumber to overpower the flavors from the cream cheese. If you prefer, you can cut one thick round of cucumber per sandwich instead.
To prevent the sandwiches from getting soggy, it’s important not to skip step #2! The salt will draw out excess moisture, which makes the sandwiches last longer. It’s a small extra step that only takes a few minutes but makes a big difference.
Instead of using a cookie cutter, you can just slice the breads in four after removing the crusts. I wanted to make mine round, so they would look a little fancier.
Don’t worry about food waste – you can use the leftover bread to make this delicious bread pudding!
These sandwiches hold up well in the fridge for a few hours. Just be sure to cover them tightly so the bread doesn’t dry out.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s a classic appetizer loved by adults and kids alike, but this recipe is made with dried garlic and a ton of different herbs for extra flavors.
If using a cookie cutter like I did, you can turn this retro appetizer into cute yet elegant bites that will impress all guests.
They’re super easy to put together and the whole thing is ready in just 20 minutes!
The single-serve finger foods are the perfect party platter bites for baby showers, brunches, and dinner parties.
It’s great for when you want to serve something light and refreshing.