Last summer I stopped by a friend’s house to pick some fresh basil (she had tons!), and she served afternoon tea and cucumber sandwiches. The sandwiches weren’t much more than a slice of cucumber on bread, but they were so refreshing and tasty. I had never had a cucumber sandwich before then.
So for lunch last week I decided to make a little fancier cucumber sandwich. I had some cream cheese, a cucumber and half a loaf of Italian bread. These ingredients lead to these tasty little cucumber crostinis. I’ve made them twice in the past week and then Saturday night turned them into little appetizer bites and took them to a friend’s house for supper. They were huge hit!
Cucumber and Cream Cheese Crostini Recipe
A lunch for 2 or appetizers for 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
4 ounces of cream cheese
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. dried dill weed
¼ tsp. garlic paste or 1 large roasted garlic clove smashed and chopped or 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Italian bread sliced into six ½” slices
½ seedless cucumber, peeled (if desired), sliced to desired thickness (thin for the sandwiches, thicker for the appetizer)
Sea salt
Red Chile powder or paprika
Instructions
For sandwiches
- In a small bowl mixed together the cream cheese, black pepper, dill weed and garlic. If the cream cheese is too firm to mix, heat in microwave for about 15 seconds.
- Spread about 1 Tbsp. of cream cheese mixture on each slice depending on the size of the slice.
- Top with a few slices of cucumber, a sprinkling of sea salt and some chile powder.
For appetizers
- Using a cookie cutter, cut the bread into small rounds (a little bigger than a slice of cucumber).
- Lightly toast the rounds on both sides under the broiler.
- Spread a little of the cream cheese mixture on each round and top with a cucumber slice.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and chile powder.
Enjoy!
Kitchen Notes
This post does come with a warning – These are addicting!!!!!
Bread – You can use just about any bread you want. I just happened to have a crusty Italian bread on hand and it worked great. I made these with both toasted bread and non-toasted bread and loved both. I think the appetizers hold up better on toasted bread.
Chile Powder – I loved the chile powder because it provided a little spice in every bite, and you know how I love spice! However, if you don’t have any chile powder or you don’t like spicy, then a good quality paprika or smoked paprika works as a great replacement.
The citrus salad in the picture is a simple salad of cara cara oranges and Kalamata olives. It is a great complement to these sandwiches! For a little bigger salad you could try my Sweet and Spicy Citrus Salad or Citrus Salad with Maple Dressing.
This recipe has been linked up to the following blog hops. Be sure to click on the links to see more amazing recipes!
Mix It Up Monday, Fat Tuesday, Tuesday’s Tasty Tidbits, Showcase Your Talent Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Bizzy’s Recipe Box, Mouthwatering Monday, Hearth and Soul, Full Plate Thursday, Totally Tasty Tuesday
This recipe was feature by the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop in July 2012.
I LOVE cucumber sandwiches – I’ve had them a few ways before, but never with chili powder or cream cheese & these sound delicious…
Something about spring makes me yearn for more vegetables and these look quite springy indeed.
The tiny sandwiches are so cute! I can imagine they would be quite addicting!
Wow.. these look really fabulous! I love cucumbers and I bet with all the cream cheese and seasoning they were fantastic on the crostini.
Superb pictures too. 
This is beautiful!!! I like both way… both beautifully presented. I like sandwiches with cream cheese and cucumbers but this looks much better!
You just took the simple cucumber sandwich up a notch! This looks irresistible MJ!
SImple yet so tasty! I love your presentation!
Super easy and incredibly tasty! I’ll make them as soon as I’ll have the usual ton of cucumber in my garden
Unfortunately I don’t eat them a lot (I have some problems in digesting them), but my mom will be glad.. she loves them! 
MJ these look wonderful and refreshing. Beautiful presentation too. Hope you are having a lovely week.
Hi MJ! Thanks so much for stopping by and for the sweet comment! Love, love, love me some cucumber sandwiches! I’ve never made them on toasted bread, but it sounds absolutely delicious and the appetizer rounds would be perfect for my Easter brunch this weekend! Loving the addition of the chili powder, too, but I’ll have to use a mild chili powder and/or the smoked paprika on half of them and the spicy/hot on the rest. Hubbs is the one with the asbestos tongue in our family… the rest of us are total wimps. ;~) Thanks a million for the great recipe and for the brunch idea! Hope you have an awesome weekend! ~Mary
These are gorgeous little crostini and look so refreshing. They make me want to host a tea party so I can serve them.
I love those little cucumber tea sandwiches that places sometime served but have never made a version at home. Excellent addition of the spice to really take it up a bit.
Nicely presented and love this light and spicy sandwich!
Those look addictive indeed! I’m sure there’s a nice texture contrast between the soft bread and crunchy cucumber.
What a wonderful way to jazz up the humble cucumber sandwich and darn, I wish I had your friend – oh to be able to just “stop by” and gather a big pile of fresh basil!
Cute little cucumber sandwich.
I think that warning should be a bit bigger and bolder, because they sure look addictive!! In fact, they look beyond just that! I LOVE cucumber on it’s own, so this is like heavenly food for me!
Cream cheese… cucumber… bread… Oh, a match made in heaven it is!
Ohhhh MJ!! These look divine! I too had never had cucumber sandwiches until a few months ago when I went out for high tea with some friends. There was so much food that I was going to pass on them… but then HAD to try one! And I was so glad I did! Delicious! And my 2 year old loves cucumber… I will have to make them for her (sans chile)!
There is something waiting for you here: http://www.manusmenu.com/pastiera-napoletana
Happy Easter!
A super party appetizer or lovely brunch side on a warm spring day. I quite love the spices you´ve included, MJ. As always, I leave your blog inspired by the recipes and photography.
I love the simplicity and I actually really like cucumber sandwiches. The cream cheese spread with the dip sounds wonderful.
Wow, that looks fresh and very healthful and the vibrant spring colors are amazing. I love those little bites.
I love cucmber sandwiches. I usually eat mine with labaneh.
I love how colorful and vibrant your pictures and sandwiches are
Cucumber sandwiches are one of my favorite simple lunches – it’s light and healthy and always makes me feel better about eating dessert afterwards!
Mmm, looks delicious!
I actually have never tried cucumber sandwiches either but now I really need to try them with this fancy version of yours!
I am addicted to cucumber and, in season or not, I have them all the time on sandwiches as a refreshing, crunchy accent. I am sure your sandwiches tasted great. They look beautiful too!
Ooh, this looks so, so delicious! I LOVE cucumber, especially in Summer. My first month in Spain was an economic rough patch, and I happily lived off cucumber sandwiches for a few weeks.
Gorgeous!!
This looks absolutely lovely…. Such perfectly presented…
I love such light bites in summer…. Refreshing and yummy…
This looks easy enough to make for me. I love the idea of adding chilli powder. What a pretty looking sandwich.
I love cucumber sandwiches! Thanks for the reminder with the yummy pic.
I love cucumber and can’t wait to try this. Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday
I haven’t had a cucumber sandwich in ages! And now I want one. With chili powder, please. Because, like you, I like spicy stuff. Really nice pictures. And a really nice post! Thanks.
MJ, your initial photo was so captivating that I was already convinced before scrolling down to the recipe
. I’m especially smitten with the line of paprika running down the middle of your cucumber bites. Fabulous!
love this recipe! It’s simple, healthy and delish!
Great cucumber crostini, love the added spice! perfect for a cool evening on the porch!
I could forgo any meal for a simple and healthy sandwich of cucumber..love this crostini..
I love cucumber sandwiches with my afternoon tea as they are so refreshing. I like the idea of sprinkling some red pepper on the top to give it a little heat. The appetizer bites are great too!
I am so tempted by your beautiful presentation and the lovely flavours.
Very elegant and classy. I really like this recipe and I’ve pinned into my favorite recipes board. Thanks for sharing.
I just love cucumbers! This looks so refreshing and delicious…and I love the sprinkle of red red chile powder for garnish…beautiful!
how simple and refreshing. I love smoked paprika, think I will try this ASAP
This looks so yummy. I like the combination of chili powder with cucumber, refreshing and hot, really brilliant idea. Serve as finger food during party, sure it will be selling fast.
Red chile powder…..Yum! I have never had a cucumber sammy with paprika or red chile powder. I am going to try it tomorrow!
Those look wonderful! Such a refreshing take on the cucumber sandwich…love it!
Great idea for a cucumber sandwich! Love the addition of the red chile powder.
These look really good. I have never had cucumber sandwiches before. I really like the little appetizer ones. Thanks for sharing on Showcase Your Talent Thursday!
What a lovely twist on traditional cucumber sandwiches – with a lovely zing as well! These would be perfect for summer entertaining – I can’t wait to try them!
My neighbor just stopped by my house yesterday with a huge bag of cucumbers that her brother grew. I now have a use for them!
Thanks for sharing with Hearth and Soul! Your recipe has been highlighted on my blog this week.
Hi MJ,
I just love cucumber sandwiches and your recipe looks delicious, it is perfect for a summers afternoon on the porch with a tall glass of iced tea. Hope you are having a great holiday week and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Dill and cucumber make a wonderfully refreshing combination! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
I dont know if ur a professional photographer but u take amazing pics. It looks like I am viewing some food magazine loving it.
Thank you so much for your nice comment Janani! No, I’m not a professional photographer. I consider myself an amateur food photographer, but my husband is a professional photographer, so I have a really, really good teacher!
This make me long for summer! I’m hosting an Iron Chef Mom link party and this week our secret ingredient is cream cheese. I’d love it if you came and linked up this recipe! http://growingupgabel.com/iron-chef-mom-cream-cheese-battle/
Thanks Camille! I will head over right now!