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.
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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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Hi Jen, Love these little yummy sandwiches. Can these be made ahead and frozen prior to baking them?
So glad you like them! I’ve never tried freezing them, but they should freeze well prior to baking. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to allow a few extra minutes for baking if they’re frozen.
These were delicious. I thought the addition of a pickle slice might be good as I just love Cubano sandwiches, so I took a couple of dill sandwich slices, set them down on a papertowel to dry them some and added it to a few. Those were really good too. This will definitely be one of my go to appetizers for a crowd. So easy to make and so good.
Jenn, these are AMAZING!! And so incredibly easy to make!! They will be my new game day staples.
Thanks for another super recipe
I’ve been making and serving these delicious sliders for years! I’m curious, though..Any particular reason why the ratio of Swiss and Ham has changed over the years? I have prints of the recipe over time where you’ve noted 1 pound each, then 2/3 pound each, and more recently I see 2/3 pound Swiss and 1/2 pound ham. What’s up with the ever shrinking amounts of cheese and ham?
Hi Jodie, I think I must be losing my mind (!) because I don’t recall changing the recipe, but if I did, it was likely because of feedback I received from people about the ratios of meat and cheese. That said, if you’d prefer to use the original amounts, feel free!
Delicious as is! We are snowed in today, so had to roll with what is available in my kitchen. Made the sauce as directed but subbed out poppy seeds for sesame seeds. We made the sandwiches with deli turkey meat and grated cheddar cheese, still yummy! Thanks Jenn, your recipes are always A+ 🙂
So glad to hear that. I have sesame seeds, not poppy. Thank you for posting. Planning on making this, this weekend, with sesame seeds! Jenn’s recipes never fail.
I’ve made these twice now. A huge hit with the whole family and so simple.
Made these sliders for the hockey game last night. I substituted Gruyere for the Swiss cheese, and used a grainy version of Dijon mustard. They were delicious, and so easy to make. Served them with my favorite baked bean recipe. Slicing the entire package of Hawaiian King rolls without breaking them apart was a little tricky, but once the cheese starts to melt in the oven, they kind of all come together. Will definitely make again!
It’s is rare that I have to alter any of Jenns recipes. But with this recipe I made some changes. Eliminate the mustard spread on the bread and only include the mustard in the butter sauce. With this adjustment, the mustard is not so dominating. Second, reduce bake time to 15-18 minutes. At the very least I watched until Cheese had a good melt. Finally, I sprinkled the poppy seeds AFTER I applied the sauce over the top of rolls. It gave it a more even, presentation look. Theses subtle changes make it a 5 star recipe!
I was going to make the same adjustments! And I agree – I NEVER adjust any of Jenn’s recipes because they are truly tested and perfected! But with this recipe, there’s room for personal adaptation since there’s no science involved and it’s just a matter of preference.
I might have a hot oven but I cooked these for 23 mins and they came out very dark. I would cook for 15-20 minutes next time. But otherwise they were good and luckily even a little burned they still tasted good.
This was oh so delicious! I was a little worried that the bottoms would be soggy from all the sauce you pour on top. Definitely not soggy and definitely super tasty! I love the bite that the Worcestershire sauce gives to the topping. Everyone raved and I will be making this again and again.