Ham and Cheese Sliders
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Buttery, savory, and loaded with melty cheese, these baked ham and cheese sliders are always the first thing to disappear.
This ham and cheese sliders recipe is one of my absolute go-tos for game days and casual get-togethers. They’re easy to make, easy to serve, and everyone loves them. Soft Hawaiian rolls are layered with smoky ham and melty Swiss, then topped with a tangy butter sauce flavored with Dijon, Worcestershire, and poppy seeds. Baked until golden on top and melty in the middle, they’re buttery, savory, and impossible to resist.
Best of all, you assemble the whole batch at once rather than making individual sandwiches. You can prep them ahead, pop them in the oven when you’re ready to bake, and easily double the recipe when you’re feeding a bigger crowd.
“These sliders are the end all and be all of ham and cheese sliders!! Simply the best.”
What You’ll Need To Make Baked Ham And Cheese Sliders
- Butter Sauce: A savory mixture of melted butter, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and garlic powder that soaks into the rolls as they bake and gives the sliders their signature flavor.
- Soft White Dinner Rolls: King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls are ideal because they’re soft, slightly sweet, and come connected in a sheet, which makes the sliders easy to assemble. Potato rolls or brioche rolls also work well.
- Dijon Mustard: Spread directly on the rolls, Dijon adds a sharp, tangy bite that balances the richness of the ham, cheese, and buttery topping.
- Swiss Cheese: Its mild, nutty flavor pairs beautifully with ham, and it melts especially well. For the best coverage, layer some below the ham and the rest on top.
- Black Forest Ham: I like its smoky, savory flavor here, but Virginia ham or honey ham will also work well.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Ham & Cheese Sliders
Make the butter sauce: Stir together the melted butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and poppy seeds.
Prep the bread: Slice the rolls in half horizontally, keeping the top and bottom halves intact, and spread with Dijon.
Assemble the sliders: Layer the bottom half with Swiss cheese, ham, and another layer of cheese, then replace the top half of the rolls. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the dish overnight or until you’re ready to bake.
Add the topping and bake: Spoon the butter sauce evenly over the rolls, letting some drip down the sides. Bake until the top is golden brown and toasted.
Serve: Let the sliders cool briefly, then transfer the whole sandwich block to a cutting board and slice into individual sliders.
More Party & Game Day Favorites
Ham and Cheese Sliders
Ingredients
For the Butter Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ tablespoons poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Sandwiches
- 1 (12-count pack) square soft white dinner rolls, such as Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ⅔ lb sliced Swiss cheese
- ½ lb sliced Black Forest ham
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the butter sauce. Set aside.
- Using a serrated bread knife, slice the rolls in half horizontally, keeping the top and bottom halves separately intact. (Don't worry if the rolls fall apart; you can piece them back together in the pan.) Spread the Dijon mustard evenly over the cut sides of the roll tops and bottoms.
- Place the bottom half of the bread, cut side up, in a 9-in (23-cm) square baking pan. Place half of the cheese in an even layer over the bread. Top with all of the ham, followed by the remaining cheese. Cover with the roll tops.
- Evenly spoon the butter sauce over the top of the rolls, letting it drip down the sides.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and toasted. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes in the pan. Using a large spatula, carefully transfer the sandwich block to a cutting board. Slice into sandwiches and transfer to a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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So yummy! Even the kids loved them…and they’re always picky! We did reduce some of the cheese and it was still really good!
I (with my husband’s manual labor) made a triple batch of these for a New Year’s Eve party last night and they were delicious!! We received numerous compliments on them. The only change I would make would be to cut the poppy seeds down to about 1/3 of the amount in the recipe.
Made these easy ham sammies for the family and they were a big hit. Will make again. Yummy!
We made these last year for a party and they were a huge hit. We’re hosting another party this year with most of the same people and would like to use the same concept but with different filling. Maybe from a roasted chicken or turkey. Can you suggest what else to include? Type of cheese? Anything else? Apple slices? Cranberry sauce sounds good to me but not everyone likes it. Those ingredients might not heat well. Melted cheese (and all of the butter!) held the sandwiches together.
Hi Renee, This is pretty flexible. I think turkey, sharp cheddar and apple slices (sliced very thin) would be glorious. Another option that comes to mind is corned beef, swiss and a bit of coleslaw and a little Russian dressing. Hope you enjoy whatever you come up with!
Thank you for another amazing recipe!! I made the sliders with the recommendation you gave above of turkey, apple, and cheddar—Delicious!!!
I‘m making them for Superbowl, but this time need to make them without the apple. Is there anything else you would recommend using instead with the turkey and cheddar? Would cranberry work?
Glad you enjoyed that variation on the recipe! I think a cranberry or fig spread would be a great option. Please LMK how they turn out!
I have made them with roast beef and horseradish cheese. Very yummy!
You’re right Jen, I should off made extra! ended up making another batch because it was delicious!! Great recipe! Thank you
🙂
If I prepare these the day before, should I put the sauce on the day before or not until I’m ready to bake it?
I’ve made this once and loved them! But, this time I really need to prepare ahead and then bake next day-how best to do?
Thank you!
You really can go either way, Margaret. If you do put the sauce on ahead of time, they won’t be soggy once baked. 🙂
These are delicious, I’ll be making them again real soon! My only change was using shaved Black Forest Ham, a favorite of ours, and leaving the seeds off. Plus, I basted mine a few times with the butter sauce while they baked. Sooo yummy!
Tried the turkey, sundried tomato pesto and provolone, and wasn’t thrilled with the result. I think it might work with a milder cheese–all I had was smoked provolone and it pretty much took over the sandwich. Now thinking about sliced meatballs, BBQ sauce and cheddar…
Made these tonight and my husband and 4 yr old twin boys LOVED them. They were devoured in nothing flat. My one son kept saying, ‘mommy these are so good’ and he’s a picky one! Will definitely make them for Sunday football
These are great! Would love to hear some more suggested variations. Maybe sun dried tomato pesto with turkey and provolone? And how about breakfast–would pre-cooked scrambled eggs end up over cooked?
I love the sound of the turkey combo you mentioned! I also think eggs would work here; you could make them in a sheet pan like in this recipe as it would make it easier to lay them on the rolls. I don’t think overcooking would be a big problem. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn,
I would love to make these sliders, but I don’t eat mustard or even mayonnaise. What would be another good spread so that they are still flavorful and maybe not so dry? I will making these with turkey and cheddar because I’m also not a fan of ham or swiss.
I’m am definately a fan. Thanks!
Hi Tiffany, I think pesto would work nicely as an alternative to mayo and mustard. Hope that helps!
Recently tried these with 1/4 c red pepper jelly instead of mustard to appease one finicky guest. Turned out fabulous!
Would love to make these for a super bowl party! I’m allergic to shellfish and seafood-is there an acceptable substitute for Worcestershire sauce since it contains anchovies?
Hi, you could swap out the Worcestershire sauce for soy sauce. Hope you enjoy the sliders!