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Benedictine Cucumber Sandwich Spread Recipe

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Benedictine sandwich spread is a Louisville, Kentucky original, created by caterer and cookbook author Jennie Carter Benedict around the turn of the 20th century. Softened cream cheese forms a cool, creamy base that absorbs the fresh cucumber and white onion, producing a spread with a delicate herbal flavor from fresh dill and a quiet heat from hot sauce. The finished spread is smooth enough to glide across thin slices of bread without tearing, making it the ideal filling for finger sandwiches at a Kentucky Derby party, bridal shower, or tea party.

  • Total Time: 45 Minutes
  • Yield: 30 Tea Sandwiches 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 1 small white onion, grated
  • 1 cup cucumber, peeled and grated
  • 1 teaspoon fresh dill (or dried dill in a pinch)
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise (more or less)
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2-3 dashes hot sauce
  • Chives, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pull Your Cream Cheese Out First
    Set your cream cheese on the counter at least an hour before you plan to make this spread and let it soften fully at room temperature. Cold cream cheese won’t mash smoothly, and it won’t absorb the cucumber and onion the way it needs to. This is the one step that requires zero effort and pays off the most, so don’t skip it.
  2. Step 2: Grate the Cucumber and Onion
    Peel your cucumber and grate it on the fine side of a box grater directly over a bowl. Grate the white onion on the same side. Fine shreds incorporate into the cream cheese far more smoothly than chopped pieces, giving you that silky, spreadable texture that holds together on a slice of bread. Work over a bowl so you can collect the juice that releases as you grate.
  3. Step 3: Squeeze Out the Excess Liquid
    Transfer the grated cucumber and onion into a piece of cheesecloth and pull the corners together to form a bundle. Squeeze firmly over the sink until the liquid stops running freely. You’ll be surprised how much comes out. You don’t need to wring it completely dry, but removing the majority of that cucumber juice is what keeps your Benedictine spread firm enough to stay on the bread instead of soaking through it.
  4. Step 4: Mash and mix the cream cheese base
    Using a fork, mash your softened cream cheese in a large bowl until it’s completely smooth and pliable, almost like a thick frosting consistency. This is the step that determines whether your Benedictine spread will be silky or slightly grainy, so don’t rush it. The goal is for the cream cheese to absorb the cucumber mixture without resistance. Once it’s smooth, stir in the blended cucumber and onion until fully combined.
  5. Step 5: Season and adjust
    Add the salt, white pepper, fresh dill, hot sauce, and mayonnaise. Stir everything together thoroughly. The mayonnaise is your consistency control: start with the tablespoon called for in the recipe and add a little more if you want a looser, more dippable spread. Two dashes of hot sauce won’t make it spicy. It adds a background warmth that keeps the whole thing from tasting flat. Taste it and adjust the salt and dill according to your personal taste.
  6. Step 6: Chill, then garnish and serve
    Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. The chill time lets the flavors settle and the dill fully perfume the spread, and it firms the texture back up after all that mixing. Before serving, garnish generously with chopped green onion. Spread onto thin slices of soft white bread, pumpernickel, or rye, and cut each slice into triangles using a serrated knife for clean edges. A round biscuit cutter also works beautifully for a more formal presentation.

Find it online: https://recipe-rewind.com/benedictine-sandwich-spread/

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