These Smoked Salmon Finger Sandwiches with Dill and Horseradish Cream Cheese are the kind of luxury that every afternoon tea spread deserves. Sophisticated yet simple, they’re a showstopper on any tiered stand or platter.
Smoked Salmon makes everything feel fancier
Fact: No matter what you’re serving—sandwiches, canapés, bagels, pikelets, even plain crackers—add a bit of smoked salmon and it’ll disappear in moments. It instantly adds that subtle touch of luxury, which is why it’s my absolute favourite afternoon tea ingredient.
The flavour? Irresistible. That soft, smoky, savoury richness is impossible to ignore. But—let’s be honest—it can be a bit of a splurge, and the quality isn’t always predictable. Case in point: in my ingredients photo below, you’ll spot some darker patches in the salmon that were tucked away inside the packaging. I had to trim those off (naturally), which meant I ended up with less usable salmon than expected—and I really don’t like to be stingy when it comes to salmon!
Anyway, rant over—back to the delicious part.
What makes these Smoked Salmon Finger Sandwiches so good?
I’ve brought together three of my favourite pairings for smoked salmon:
- fresh dill
- smooth cream cheese
- a gentle kick of horseradish cream condiment
Mixed into a spread, these three strike the perfect balance—creamy, tangy, herbaceous—against the smoky, salty richness of the salmon. Balance is key, especially when bread is involved, as it can easily dull flavour if you’re not careful.
Make-ahead friendly
One of the best things about these sandwiches? The filling actually improves over time. As the flavours develop, the cream cheese mixture becomes even more delicious—so feel free to prep them the day before your event. Just follow the storage tips at the end of the recipe for best results.
A little elegance goes a long way
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to attend a beautifully fancy garden party—the kind that feels like it’s been lifted straight from the pages of a magazine. The men wore crisp linen suits, the women floated through the sunshine in gorgeous designer frocks, and silver trays were passed gracefully from guest to guest. On those trays? Tiny smoked salmon sandwiches, each one perfectly cut into neat little squares. Elegant, yes—but also so clever. They were easy to eat in a single bite and just filling enough to soak up the free-flowing ice-cold Champagne. I still think about how refined (and practical!) they were. Ever since, smoked salmon sandwiches have been a must on my afternoon tea menu.
Why you’ll love these:
✔️ Luxurious yet easy to make
✔️ Crowd-pleasing flavour combo
✔️ Great for prepping ahead
✔️ A beautiful addition to any afternoon tea spread
Build your own sandwich platter
This recipe makes 9 finger sandwiches from a 100g packet of smoked salmon. Add them to 3 other finger sandwich flavours for a full and indulgent platter. The one below includes Coronation Chicken, Cucumber, Ham, Cheese & Mustard Pickle and of course these Smoked Salmon Finger Sandwiches.
Other recipes to try
Lemon Tartlets with Pistachio Meringues
Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients for Smoked Salmon Finger Sandwiches
Smoked Salmon – Buy the freshest and best quality you can afford. If you can get it by weight from your Fishmonger or local market even better (that way you can ask for no dark spots).
Fresh Dill – Herbaceous with a peppery taste, it’s perfect with seafood, especially smoked salmon.
Horseradish Cream Condiment – Less intense as grated horseradish, the slight creaminess tones down the heat a little. I use this one from Masterfoods.
Cream Cheese – I like to use Philadelphia Cream Cheese but you can use any brand you like, it won’t affect the overall taste of the sandwiches.
Plus white or wholemeal bread.
How to make
Place the cream cheese and horseradish cream in a small mixing bowl.
Add the finely chopped dill and stir until combined.
Remove the smoked salmon from the packaging and trim off any dark pieces. While they are safe to eat they are not attractive in a sandwich.
Spread a thin amount of the cream cheese mixture over all 6 slices of bread.
Divide the smoked salmon pieces between 3 slices of bread. Leave a small gap between the crust and the salmon- this way you won’t lose too much when the crusts are removed.
Place the other slices of bread on top of each sandwich and gently press down to seal.
Remove the crusts
Using a serrated knife / bread knife, slice off the crusts on all sides. TIP: Take your time. Slide the knife back and forth with light pressure – resist the urge to press down as you normally would otherwise you’ll squash the edge of the fingers and they’ll look uneven.
Cut into 3 equal fingers making sure to use the suggested technique above – I like to score mine first so I stay straight and even. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
To store
Place the Smoked Salmon finger sandwiches in a sealable container lined with baking paper. Wet 3 paper towels, squeeze out the excess water then cover the fingers, tucking in the ends. Add the lid then refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
To serve
Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving – keep in the container until you are ready to arrange them on your tiered stand, sandwich plate or platter.
Smoked Salmon Finger Sandwiches
9
fingers15
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
100 g 3 1/2 oz Cream Cheese
100 g 3 1/2 oz Smoked Salmon
1.5 teaspoons 1 1/2 tsp fresh dill
1.5 teaspoons 1 1/2 tsp horseradish cream condiment
6 slices 6 slices white or wholemeal bread
Directions
- Place the cream cheese and horseradish cream in a small mixing bowl.
- Add the finely chopped dill and stir until combined.
- Remove the smoked salmon from the packaging and trim off any dark pieces. While they are safe to eat they are not attractive in a sandwich.
- Spread a thin amount of the cream cheese mixture over all 6 slices of bread.
- Divide the smoked salmon pieces between 3 slices of bread. Leave a small gap between the crust and the salmon- this way you won’t lose too much when the crusts are removed .
- Place the other slices of bread on top of each sandwich and gently press down to seal.
- Using a serrated knife / bread knife, slice off the crusts on all sides. TIP: Take your time. Slide the knife back and forth with light pressure – resist the urge to press down as you normally would otherwise you’ll squash the edge of the fingers and they’ll look uneven.
- Cut into 3 equal fingers making sure to use the suggested technique above. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
- Place the Smoked Salmon finger sandwiches in a sealable container lined with baking paper. Wet 3 paper towels, squeeze out the excess water then cover the fingers, tucking in the ends. Add the lid then refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving – keep in the container until you are ready to arrange them on your tiered stand, sandwich plate or platter.