Kentucky Derby Benedictine Sandwiches (Print Version)

Classic Kentucky Derby sandwiches with cucumber, cream cheese, dill, and chives for light, refreshing bites.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Spread

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

→ Assembly

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

# Step-by-Step:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste impossibly elegant while requiring almost no cooking skill—just mixing and assembly.
  • The pale green color and delicate flavors feel like spring itself on a plate, perfect for impressing guests with minimal effort.
  • They come together in fifteen minutes and can be made ahead, which means you actually get to enjoy your party instead of panicking in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Squeezing out every drop of cucumber liquid is non-negotiable—I learned this the hard way when my first batch turned into a soggy mess within minutes.
  • Using softened cream cheese makes all the difference; cold cream cheese tears the bread, but room temperature spreads like butter and feels luxurious.
03 -
  • Remove your cream cheese from the fridge about thirty minutes before mixing—soft, almost fluffy cream cheese spreads smoothly without tearing the bread.
  • A sharp serrated knife makes removing crusts and cutting sandwiches infinitely easier and cleaner than a dull blade.
Return