throwback to your 2021 cottagecore picnic dreams.
it’s beginning to look like spring
i first made this recipe back in 2021, and ever since, she gets a reboot on my spring menu. i love cucumbers. as a self-proclaimed water fiend, how could i not love something described as “crunchy water.” crisp, refreshing, light — it’s the perfect ingredient to transition to the warmer seasons. slice them up and layer between fluffy white bread topped with whipped cream cheese, and you’ve got the top sandwich of the picnic. okay, maybe not the top sandwich. it’s definitely mild in flavor; the coupling of soft and crispy textures is where it really shines. but sometimes you want something understated! in fact, i would argue that it’s the most ideal picnic sandwich. it’s mild nature means it goes well with almost anything: fruit, chips, other sandwiches, tea, dessert. it can be a neutral palatte cleanser, or the quiet protagonist to a sunny afternoon.
only 5 ingredients!
bread, cucumber, cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dill. these 5 components are all you need to construct this tea party classic. this is all i used the first few times i made cucumber sandwiches, but over time i added in a few more ingredients to make the cream cheese spread a little less bland. the main flavor of the spread is dill, which you can adjust the intensity by adding more or less sprigs to your liking. i like adding some garlic powder and lemon juice to elevate the subtle flavors as well (ingredients that also can be adjusted to your liking).
my favorite sandwich bread
i’m a basic girl. i can’t lie the white toast from 85 Degrees Bakery is my go-to for simple sandwiches. it’s a nice, neutral flavor, bordering on slightly sweet if anything. what i really love about it is the airy texture. any plain white bread would work for this. something fluffy without much taste. we don’t want it to detract from the already subtle flavors of the cream cheese filling. a wheat bread would also work well if it’s not too sweet.
storage and leftovers
this is a small recipe yield-wise. usually i make only half (one sandwich) and store the rest of the cucumber and dill in the fridge (dill freezes really well too!!). even when making this on a one-sandwich scale, i often have leftover of the cream cheese spread. this can be stored in the fridge over the next couple of days. use it to make another fresh sandwich, or as a dip! if i’m in need of a quick snack, i cut up the rest of the cucumber in large chunks and dip it in the spread using a fork. i haven’t tried it, but i can imagine carrots would be good for dipping too. i’m thinking of those party appetizers that get ignored in favor of chips and wings on a Superbowl Sunday… but hey, i’m a veggie girl. i’ll eat it if no one else wants to!
how-to:
prep work — wash and slice the cucumber in thin disks. you can peel it prior if you’re not a fan of the skin, but the thinness of the slices should minimize the amount of skin in your sandwich anyway (we want these slices as close to transparent as we can get!). wash and finely chop the dill sprigs. optional: lightly toast the bread slices. i prefer to have a slight crisp to the edges of my bread, while keeping the inside soft and fluffy, but you can skip this step.
assembly — combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, dill and garlic powder in a small bowl. spread a generous amount on each bread slice. arrange the cucumber slices on one of the bread slices, creating a neat and uniform layer. cover the cucumber with the other bread slice, sandwiching them between layers of fluffy cream cheese.
cucumber cream sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 pieces of white bread
- ⅓ cucumber
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Lightly toast your bread.
- Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, dill, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Spread mix on two slices of bread in thick layer.
- Thinly slice cucumber and layer evenly on one slice of bread, then sandwich the other on top.
