Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

These Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites make an elegant and flavour-packed addition to any afternoon tea, drinks party, or cocktail event.

Each golden, bread round is topped with a silky blend of smoked salmon, cream cheese, lemon zest, dill, and a hint of horseradish cream. A spoonful of lightly pickled cucumber adds the perfect touch of brightness, balancing the rich, savoury filling.

Tasty, versatile and visually appealing

Every host needs a go-to savoury bite that not only tastes incredible but also makes a great impression. These smoked salmon cucumber bites strike the perfect balance between elegance and crowd-pleasing comfort — a delicious mix of rich, creamy, fresh, and tangy textures that will have your guests reaching for more.

Whenever I make these, I always prepare extra — because no one ever stops at just one.

The bread, pan-toasted in clarified butter until crisp and golden, provides the perfect base. The smoked salmon mixture is silky and savoury, with bright notes from lemon zest and dill, and a gentle kick from the horseradish. Then comes the star finish: crunchy, acidic cucumber pickle, adding freshness and balance in every bite.

Why You’ll Love These

Elegant yet easy: Perfect for entertaining, but simple to make.

Bold, balanced flavours: Rich salmon, zesty lemon, creamy cheese, and tangy cucumber in one bite.

Texture perfection: Crispy bread, silky salmon clouds, and crunchy cucumber — all in perfect harmony.

Versatile: The recipe is easily adapted without losing out on looks or flavour – great if you are short on time. Click here for two great options.

Good to know

Crisping the bread: You will need to make clarified butter – it’s easy and has a high heat point which means you can get the bread really crispy which will prevent sogginess.

Assembling ahead: If necessary, you can assemble the bites up to 2 hours before serving and keep them covered in the fridge. Just bring them to room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving to maximise flavour. Add the dill at the last minute to keep it fluffy.

Other delicious recipes to try

Goat’s cheese tartlets

Tomato & pesto tartlets

Pistachio brownies with pistachio buttercream

Chicken finger sandwiches

Ingredients for Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

Sliced bread – I used a standard sized sliced wholemeal loaf from my local supermarket. Feel free to use white or even rye bread if you prefer.

Unsalted butter – Preferred for this recipe, but if you only have salted then that will also work.

Lebanese cucumber – Smaller than a standard cucumber (around 12cm), the dark green flesh is soft, more flavoursome and less watery.

Smoked salmon – I’ve used Norwegian smoked salmon in this recipe however any good quality smoked salmon is suitable. Just taste a small piece for saltiness and adjust accordingly (leave out the pinch of salt).

Horseradish cream condiment – I used this one from Masterfoods which is available in most supermarkets.

Cream cheese – I prefer to use Philadelphia cream cheese as it is superior in firmness, texture and flavour compared to other brands.

Other ingredients

Lemon zest, Fresh dill, Caster / superfine sugar, White vinegar, Fine table salt

How to make Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

For the full list of ingredients and quantities see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Make the pickle mix

Place the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Pour the mixture into a medium sized ceramic bowl and place it in the fridge to cool while you cut the cucumbers.

Prepare the cucumber

Cut off the ends of the cucumber then cut into four equal pieces.

Take one piece and sit it on its end. Cut off each side avoiding the seeds. Discard the seed section.

Repeat these steps with the other three pieces.

Now cut each piece into small batons.

Line up a few batons at a time and cut into dice.

Place the cucumber on a plate lined with two sheets of paper towel. Take another two sheets of paper towel and place on them on top. Leave for five minutes then gently press down on the paper towel to remove any moisture.

Remove the sugar/vinegar mixture from the fridge. Give it a quick stir then add the diced cucumber. Stir again and set aside for 30 minutes (set a timer).

Make the clarified butter

Good to know: Clarified butter is when the milk solids and water have been removed from the butter. Unlike nut brown butter, it has a higher smoke point without colouring or altering the taste.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Don’t stir, just leave it until no traces of butter remain and a white foam has formed on top.

Remove from the heat. Take a bowl and a spoon and carefully remove the white foam a little bit at a time – try not to take too much butter with you. Tap it into the bowl. Repeat until only the yellow butter remains. Any remaining milk solids will settle at the bottom of the pan. Leave to rest while you make the rounds.

Cut out the rounds

Cut out 16 bread rounds using a 5cm round cutter. Save some offcuts for testing the butter temperature.

Set up a plate or small tray lined with paper towel.

Place a large frying pan over low to medium heat. Carefully pour the clarified butter into the frying pan making sure not to add the white milk solids at the bottom of the saucepan.

Heat the butter for 30 seconds then add a little offcut of bread. If it sizzles immediately, then your butter is ready, if not, then wait another 15 seconds and test again with a fresh offcut until you get the sizzle effect. Remove the offcut.

Add the rounds as quickly as possible. Cook on one side (this won’t take long so keep an eye on them), then turn and cook on the other side. I find tongs faster than a spatula.

Remove from pan then drain on paper towel.

Store

Once cooled, store in a sealed container lined with paper towel on your bench.

Drain the cucumber pickle

Once the 30 minutes is up, tip the cucumber pickle into a strainer and leave to drain over a small bowl while you make the salmon mix.

Make the smoked salmon mix

Place the smoked salmon, the softened cream cheese, dill, lemon zest, horseradish cream and a pinch of salt (if your salmon is not salty otherwise leave it out) in the bowl of a food processor.

Process on medium speed for 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides, then process again for 10 seconds.

You should have a pipeable mixture flecked with dill and salmon.

Pipe the salmon mixture

Remove the bread rounds from the container and place them on a plate.

Snip 5 cm / 2.5cm off the end of a disposable piping bag.

Place the bag in a tall glass and turn over the top third to make a cuff.

Add the salmon mixture to the bag, pull up the cuff and remove it from the glass. Twist the end until a little bit of mixture comes out of the end.

Take a bread round and place it on a cutting board.

Position the bag just above the round and pipe a blob of mixture.

Repeat with the rest of the mixture and rounds.

Add the cucumber pickle

Take a teaspoon and press the back of it into the top of the salmon mixture on one side, then turn and press on the other side to create an indentation. Repeat with the other rounds, wiping the spoon on paper towel if required.

Using a fresh teaspoon, add a little cucumber pickle to each round then garnish with a sprig of dill (if serving immediately).

Store

You can store the rounds in a sealed container lined with baking paper in the fridge for up to 2 hours without the garnish.

Serve

Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before serving and garnish with a sprig of fresh dill.

Perfect pairings: These bites go beautifully with a cup of tea with lemon, crisp white wine, sparkling wine, or a citrusy gin cocktail.

Two options if you are short on time

Use store-bought crostini crackers: If you have no time to make the bread rounds then simply pipe the mixture on crostini instead and top with the cucumber. These ones by Always Fresh work perfectly.

Turn the mixture into a dip: If you have no time to make the cucumber pickle, the rounds, or pipe the mixture then serve the salmon / cream cheese as a dip instead. Make an indentation with a spoon in the middle, add some diced cucumber (drain on paper towel for 5 mins), and a crack of black pepper. Serve with crackers or crostini (see above) and a little spreader knife for guests to help themselves.

FAQs about these Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

Can I make the filling ahead of time? Yes, you can make the filling up to two days ahead. Cover and store in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve remove the filling and let it come to room temperature (about 20 minutes). Give it a good stir then fill your piping bag and pipe as per the recipe.