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With sweet rolls, savory ham, melty cheese, and buttery glaze, these Hawaiian Roll Ham and Cheese Sliders are the MVP of any gathering! They take just minutes to make, use simple ingredients, and are perfect for a weeknight dinner, game day, or when you need to feed a group without overthinking it.
I took inspiration from both my breakfast sliders and ham stromboli recipes to create a sweet and savory ham and cheese slider with the most ridiculously delicious glaze. You don't want to miss this one!
Kristen's Keys for Ham & Cheese Sliders (Start Here!)
Paying attention to these tips before you jump straight to the recipe card will help to ensure your ham and cheese sliders are always a hit.
- Keep the rolls connected. Cutting the rolls as one slab helps everything bake evenly and makes assembly faster (and less fussy).
- Thin slices of ham and cheese are best. It makes for easier cutting, eating, and filling to roll ratio.
- Prevent soggy sliders. You can prep these ham and cheese sliders up to 24 hours in advance, as long as you wait add the buttery glaze until you are ready to bake and serve the sliders.
- Use a 7x11-inch pan and parchment paper. A 7x11-inch pan will perfectly fit one package of Hawaiian rolls and the parchment keeps clean-up a breeze and ensures the sliders don't stick to the pan.
A Few Notes on Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make these ham sliders. Below is a quick visual glance of what you need and notes on substitutions.
- Slider Buns: Hawaiian rolls work well here, as they are sweet, soft, and play nice with the savory ham and cheese. That said, any slider bun or roll will work.
- Ham: Deli ham, packaged ham, or even leftover ham will work. Just keep the slices on the thinner side. You can even swap the ham for deli turkey, salami, or roast beef.
- Cheese: Swiss cheese is a classic pairing with ham, but sharp cheddar, provolone, muenster, or colby all work well. Use what you like!
- Mayonnaise + Dijon: The mayo adds moisture and richness, while the mustard balances the sweetness of the rolls and ham, and both work to keep the rolls from getting soggy from the ham and cheese. Feel free to use all mayo or all mustard if you don't care for one or the other.
- Glaze: The glaze is made with melted butter for richness, Worcestershire sauce for salty and savory undertones, a bit more Dijon for tang, poppy seeds for crunch, and dried onion flakes for flavor. Feel free to omit the worcestershire sauce, extra Dijon, poppy seeds, or onion flakes if desired--but the combination is savory, earthy, and simply irresistible.
How to Make Ham and Cheese Sliders
While incredibly easy to make, this section will walk you through the step-by-step process of how to assemble ham and cheese sliders, providing helpful tips along the way.
Step One: Prepare Buns
Without separating into individual rolls, use a serrated knife to slice the rolls in half horizontally, creating a top layer and bottom layer. Spread a thin coating of mayonnaise over one layer and a thin layer of Dijon mustard over the other.
Step Two: Assemble
Place the bottom layer of rolls into a 7x11-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Evenly layer the ham, then the Swiss cheese on the rolls, and then add the top layer of rolls.
👉🏻Make-Ahead Tip: If you are assembling in advance stop here and cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Step Three: Glaze Sliders
When ready to bake the sliders, combine melted butter with Worcestershire sauce, Dijon onion flakes, and poppy seeds in a small bowl. Evenly pour that mixture over the sliders OR use a pastry brush to brush it generously over the tops of the rolls.
👉🏻Too rich? Feel free to cut the glaze in half to give the rolls a "light" coating that is not quite so heavy feeling.
Step Four: Bake and Serve
I recommend covering with foil for the first 20 minutes, as this will allow enough time for the ham and cheese to fully warm through, but will keep the rolls soft and fluffy. Uncover and continue to bake for just a couple minutes to let the rolls toast up. Once baked, let rest for just a few minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift the sliders out of the pan, slice into individual servings and serve.
👉🏻Leisurely entertaining? While best warm, you can safely leave ham and cheese sliders sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
Tips for Storing and Prepping Ahead
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes so they heat through without drying out.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: To prep ahead, assemble completely up to adding the butter mixture. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Before baking, let the dish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then add the seasoned butter glaze and bake as directed.
More Favorite Ham & Cheese Recipes
Whether you are looking for leftover ham recipes or simply want to put your deli ham use to new use, you can't go wrong with any of these Ham and Cheese combinations!
Ham and Cheese Sliders
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (12-oz) package Hawaiian sweet rolls, ~1 standard package or 12 rolls
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
- 12 ounces deli ham, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 7x11-inch pan with parchment paper, making sure it covers the bottom and extends slightly over the ends for easy lifting after baking. Set aside.
- Without separating the rolls, use a large serrated knife to cut the slider buns in half horizontally, creating a top and bottom layer. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the cut side of the bottom layer and about 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard on the cut side of the top layer. Place the bottom layer of the rolls into the prepared baking dish.
- Evenly layer the ham over the rolls, followed by the cheese, and then the top layer of rolls.
- In a glass measuring cup or heat-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave (about 30-60 seconds). Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds, and 2 teaspoons dried minced onion to the melted butter and stir to combine.
- Slowly drizzle the butter mixture over the rolls. Use a spatula to gently spread it evenly over the tops.
- Slowly drizzle the mixture over the rolls. Use a spatula to gently spread the mixture over the tops.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes to lightly toast the tops.
- Let the sliders rest for 3-5 minutes, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper, slice, and serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Now I know what I am going to make with all the leftover ham from Xmas. These will be great, but I think I will add onions . Thanks Kristen for the great idea.
You are so very welcome, Sami! Enjoy!