Kentucky Derby Tea Sandwich Trio (Printable)

A delightful trio of Southern tea sandwiches with fresh cucumber, creamy egg salad, and savory ham fillings.

# What You Need:

→ Cucumber Sandwiches

01 - 6 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
02 - 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
06 - Pinch of salt and black pepper

→ Egg Salad Sandwiches

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon chives, minced
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 6 slices whole wheat bread, crusts removed

→ Ham Sandwiches

14 - 6 slices rye sandwich bread, crusts removed
15 - 3 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
16 - 2 tablespoons Dijon or honey mustard
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Cool eggs under cold water, peel, and chop finely.
02 - In a bowl, combine chopped eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, minced chives, salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined and set aside.
03 - Stir together softened cream cheese, butter, chopped dill, salt, and pepper until smooth. Spread mixture thinly on each slice of white bread.
04 - Arrange cucumber slices evenly on three bread slices spread with cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining bread slices, press gently, and cut each sandwich into two or three finger sandwiches.
05 - Spread softened butter on one side of each rye bread slice. Spread mustard over the butter on three slices, top with ham and fresh parsley. Top with remaining bread slices, press gently, and cut each sandwich into two or three finger sandwiches.
06 - Spread egg salad evenly over three whole wheat bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices and cut each sandwich into two or three finger sandwiches.
07 - Arrange all sandwiches on a serving platter. Cover with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap until serving to maintain freshness.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • You can make them hours ahead, which means you're actually relaxing during the party instead of sweating in the kitchen.
  • Three completely different flavors mean even picky eaters find something they'll reach for twice.
  • They look like you spent all day cooking when you really spent thirty minutes and mostly just sliced things.
02 -
  • Remove the crusts before you assemble, not after—trying to cut them off later will mangle your beautiful sandwiches and destroy your will to keep entertaining.
  • The bread temperature matters more than you'd think; cold bread tears easily, so let it sit at room temperature while you prepare your fillings.
03 -
  • Use a serrated knife and let the knife do the work—sawing gently beats pressing down hard every single time.
  • If you're making these gluten-free, the structure matters even more, so choose a hearty gluten-free bread and chill your fillings until they're quite thick.
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