Description
These elegant Cucumber-Dill Canapés are refreshing and creamy bite-sized appetizers perfect for parties and gatherings. Thinly sliced English cucumbers are paired with a smooth dill cream cheese spread, all atop small rounds of whole grain or white bread. Finished with a fresh dill garnish, these canapés offer a delightful combination of textures and flavors ready in just about an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Cucumber Preparation
- 2 English cucumbers (Hot House), about 1¾-inch diameter each
Dill Spread
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 bunch fresh dill (about 1 ounce), divided
- Salt, to taste
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
Base
- 9 slices whole grain or white sandwich bread
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumbers: Slice each cucumber into approximately 18 pieces, about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Lay them flat on a cutting board. Using a 1¾ inch round cutter, remove the skin from each slice. Then take a 1 inch round cutter and cut out the center hole of each slice to remove the seeds and create space for the dill mixture.
- Refrigerate cucumbers and prep garnish: Wrap the prepared cucumber slices in plastic wrap and refrigerate until assembly. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove 4 sprigs of dill from the bunch to reserve for garnish and refrigerate them.
- Make the dill spread: In a food processor, blend together the softened cream cheese, butter, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and the remaining dill until very smooth and the dill is finely chopped. Season generously with salt and cayenne pepper to taste, then pulse once more to incorporate fully.
- Spread the bread: Using a small offset spatula, spread a thin, even layer of the dill spread on one side of each bread slice. Place any remaining spread in a zip-lock bag, cut a small corner off, and keep at room temperature for filling later.
- Cut bread rounds: Use the 1¾ inch round cutter to punch out about 4 rounds from each slice of dill-spread bread, placing these rounds on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently press the center of each round to help release it from the cutter if needed.
- Assemble canapés: Place one cucumber slice on each bread round. Fill the hole in the cucumber slice with the remaining dill spread piped from the zip-lock bag. Smooth the top by dipping your fingertip in water and gently smoothing the spread.
- Garnish and chill: Break off tiny sprigs from the reserved dill and place them neatly in the center of each canapé as garnish. Keep the canapés chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use fresh English cucumbers for a crisp, mild flavor and minimal seeds.
- Softening cream cheese and butter well makes blending easier and the spread smoother.
- Keep the assembled canapés chilled until serving to maintain freshness.
- Whole grain or white bread can be used depending on your preference.
- Use the same round cutters for both cucumbers and bread rounds to ensure a perfect fit.
- For a vegan version, substitute cream cheese and butter with plant-based alternatives.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cucumber canapés, dill spread, party appetizers, cream cheese appetizers, vegetable bites, vegetarian appetizers
