Kentucky Derby Benedictine Sandwiches (Printable)

Southern-style cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches ideal for elegant brunches or social events.

# What You Need:

→ Spread

01 - 1 large English cucumber, peeled and seeded
02 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon onion, grated
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
09 - 2-3 drops green food coloring, optional

→ Sandwich Assembly

10 - 12 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Grate the cucumber using a fine grater. Place grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out excess liquid thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, dill, chives, grated onion, salt, and white pepper. Mix until smooth.
03 - Stir drained cucumber into cream cheese mixture and blend well. Add green food coloring if desired and mix until color is uniform throughout.
04 - Lightly butter one side of each bread slice if desired to prevent sogginess from the filling.
05 - Spread generous layer of Benedictine mixture on half of the bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices to form complete sandwiches.
06 - Gently press sandwiches together and trim crusts if needed. Cut each sandwich into quarters using rectangles or triangles.
07 - Arrange on serving platter and serve immediately, or cover with damp paper towel and plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They come together in 15 minutes flat, leaving you time to worry about actual important things like what hat to wear.
  • The cream cheese and cucumber somehow taste both light and luxurious, which feels like a small miracle on soft bread.
  • Your guests will think you spent all morning on these when really you were sipping coffee and watching the clock.
02 -
  • Squeezing the cucumber is non-negotiable—I learned this the painful way by skipping it and watching my sandwiches turn into soggy regret.
  • Softened cream cheese makes the difference between spreading and fighting; there's no shortcut around letting it come to room temperature.
  • Fresh bread is essential; day-old bread crumbles when you try to remove crusts and cut, turning your elegant plating into a frustrating mess.
03 -
  • A microplane grater gives you the finest cucumber pieces and makes the onion practically invisible in the best way.
  • Use white pepper instead of black so you don't have visible specks that distract from the delicate pale green color.
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