These English Tea Sandwiches are perfect for an elegant brunch, luncheon, and of course - afternoon tea! With thinly sliced cucumber, a sprinkle of fresh mint, and a layer of whipped cream cheese, they’re delicious, light, and refreshing.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: These afternoon tea sandwiches are simple to put together with just a handful of ingredients and no cooking required.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: While they make great tea party sandwiches, you don’t have to be serving tea to enjoy them. They’re perfect for any type of gathering!
- Delicious Combination: The fresh mint adds a lovely, refreshing flavor to the delicate cucumber and mildly tangy cream cheese.
For more afternoon tea recipes, check out our lemon bars, berry trifle, and cinnamon rolls.
Ingredients
- Cucumber: I recommend using an English cucumber because it is more mild in taste and has fewer seeds than a regular cucumber.
- Fresh Mint Leaves: Ensure they are washed and patted dry before slicing.
- Bread: I recommend white bread for these easy tea sandwiches, as that’s what’s traditionally used due to its soft texture and neutral taste.
- Butter: You only need a little for spreading onto the bread. Feel free to use salted or unsalted butter.
- Cream Cheese: Whipped cream cheese is best because its fluffier texture allows it to spread more easily and prevents the sandwiches from becoming too dense. If you’ve only got regular cream cheese, allow it to sit at room temperature for a bit to soften it.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free bread to make gluten-free high tea sandwiches.
- Herbed Goat Cheese Sandwiches: Swap half of the cream cheese for goat cheese and mix in some fresh, chopped parsley and thyme instead of using the mint. You can also add some minced garlic if you’d like.
- Radish and Cucumber Sandwiches: Add some thinly sliced radishes and swap the mint for chives to change up the flavor.
How to Make Tea Sandwiches
When it comes to tea sandwich recipes, this one is easy to prepare. Get started by thinly slicing your cucumber.
- Step 1: Salt the cucumbers. Arrange the cucumber slices in a single layer on paper towels and sprinkle generously with salt to help draw out some of the moisture. Let the cucumbers sit for 30 minutes. Then, pat them dry.
- Step 2: Chiffonade the mint leaves. Use a sharp knife to slice the mint leaves into thin strips.
- Step 3: Assemble the sandwiches. Start by spreading the butter onto one side of each piece of bread followed by the cream cheese. Take a piece of the prepared bread and sprinkle it with some mint, then layer on the cucumber slices. Cover with another slice of the bread. Repeat until all of the sandwiches have been assembled.
- Step 4: Cut the sandwiches. First, cut off the crusts, and then cut each sandwich into four triangles.
Serving Suggestions
If you need tea sandwich ideas for serving, here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy them:
- Serve these finger sandwiches with a refreshing drink like this watermelon mint lemonade or this veggie water.
- Make them for Easter or Mother’s Day brunch along with these 5 star deviled eggs and some mock champagne.
- Don’t forget the tea! Try a sandwich with this Russian tea or this iced chamomile tea.
Expert Tips
- Slice the cucumber as thin as possible: Use a sharp knife or mandoline to thinly slice the cucumbers. If they are too thick, they can overpower the other flavors and cause the sandwich to be too bulky.
- Don’t skip the butter: The butter’s high fat content allows it to act as a barrier, preventing moisture from soaking into the bread. You only need a thin layer.
- Storing: Place the sandwiches in an airtight container with a paper towel between each layer and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. You can make them up to 12 hours ahead of time. After that, they will start to get soggy.
Recipe FAQs
Peeling the cucumber is optional! If you’re using an English cucumber, the skin is thin and tender, which works well for leaving unpeeled. For regular cucumbers with thicker skin, peeling is recommended for a more delicate texture and flavor.
If the cucumbers aren’t dried completely after salting, excess moisture can seep into the bread and make it soggy. To avoid this, gently press the cucumber slices between paper towels until no visible moisture remains.
More Delicious Sandwich Recipes
Leave a Comment!
If you tried these English Tea Sandwiches or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave us a comment below. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to see what else we’re getting up to!
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 large Cucumber sliced thin
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 handfull Fresh Mint Leaves
- 8 slices White Bread
- 1 teaspoon Butter
- 4 tablespoons Whipped Cream Cheese
Instructions
- Start by peeling and then thinly slicing your cucumber. Spread pieces of cucumber in a single layer on paper towels. Generously sprinkle salt over the cucumbers. This draws the water out of the cucumbers so that your sandwiches don't become soggy. Allow to rest for at least ½ hour.
- Meanwhile, rinse and pat mint leaves dry. Chiffonade your mint leaves and set aside.
- When cucumbers are done, pat dry.
- Butter 1 side of all 8 pieces of bread. This helps prevents moisture from reaching the bread. Then spread a thin layer of whipped cream cheese on each side of bread.
- Taking one piece of bread, sprinkle a few mint leaves on to the cream cheese. Layer cucumber slices. 2-3 deep. Top with another slice of bread.
- With a sharp knife cut off crusts, and cut into in half twice to make 4 triangles.
- Serve chilled!
Video
Notes
- Use gluten-free bread if needed to make these sandwiches gluten-free.
- Be sure to allow enough time for salting the cucumbers. They will need to sit for 30 minutes.
- Store the sandwiches in the fridge for up to 12 hours in advance. Be sure to keep them in an airtight container layered with paper towels.
Nutrition
Save this recipe for later!
Emily Kemp says
I love the idea of adding mint, can't wait to try this next time!