Derby Day Benedictine Cucumber Canapés (Printable Version)

Benedictine cucumber canapes: cream cheese, dill and grated cucumber on toasted rounds. Ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Benedictine Spread

01 - 1 English cucumber, peeled and seeded
02 - 225 g (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
03 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
04 - 1 tablespoon grated yellow onion
05 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
06 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - Pinch of ground white pepper
09 - A few drops green food coloring (optional, for traditional look)

→ Canapés

10 - 1 baguette or 12 slices white sandwich bread
11 - 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
12 - Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Grate the peeled, seeded cucumber for the Benedictine spread. Place in a clean cloth or paper towel and squeeze out excess moisture.
02 - In a bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, grated onion, chopped dill, lemon juice, salt, and white pepper. Mix until smooth.
03 - Fold in the grated cucumber and a few drops of green food coloring if desired. Chill for 10 minutes for flavors to meld.
04 - Slice baguette into 24 thin rounds, or cut sandwich bread into desired shapes using a round or oval cutter. Optionally, toast lightly.
05 - Spread about 1 tablespoon of Benedictine onto each bread round.
06 - Top with a thin slice of cucumber and garnish with a dill sprig. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • This canapé recipe is the culinary ace in the hole for any last-minute party spread.
  • The combination of creamy, herby Benedictine and crisp cucumber is light enough that you’ll keep sneaking back for another.
02 -
  • If you don’t squeeze enough water from the cucumber, the spread will get runny and soggy the bread faster than you’d think.
  • Letting the spread chill, even if just for 10 minutes, makes a world of difference in flavor depth—don’t skip this if you want rave reviews.
03 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is key—cold blocks will sabotage your spread’s smoothness.
  • Resist the urge to add extra cucumber; more isn’t better, and watery spread ruins the fun.
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