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These hot ham and cheese sliders come together in a snap and are easy to make for the big game! Serve them up alongside your favorite game day snacks for a buffet that everyone will love.
I’m going to be straight with you guys. Football isn’t really my jam.
You’ll find me at basketball games on occasion, but when it comes to football, I really only start to pay attention as we head towards the end of the season, and all the parties for playoffs and the big game at season end.
As you can probably guess, it’s not because I care about who is actually playing. I’m just here for the snacks, okay?
I even have a t-shirt to that effect, just for wearing to these parties!
Why are game day snacks just so dang good? I could happily never eat a fancy dinner again, so long as you tell me I can have game-day-level snacks.
Rotel dip, chips, and sliders like these.. I’d be set.
Hot ham and cheese sliders: The easiest dinner or game-day snack
As someone who is really just into the big game for the snacks, I of course take my game day menu very seriously.
In addition to appetizers like french onion dip and pizza dip, I like to have a couple of sandwich options alongside jo jo potato wedges and macaroni salad or bacon ranch pasta salad.
Crockpot pulled pork is always a hit, but my family is really obsessed with sliders.These hot ham and cheese sliders were some of the first sliders I ever made, and my family inhaled them. As much as we love them for game day, they’re also perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or family movie/game night snack.
If your kids are old enough for sleepovers, I think they’d be super fun for sleepover snacks as well!
As great as the combo of ham, cheese, and Hawaiian rolls is, it’s the buttery herb topping that really takes these sliders over-the-top.
How to make these ham and cheese sliders
Ready to see just how easy these delicious sliders are to make?
Ingredients you’ll need
For the sliders themselves, you will need:
- 1 (12-count) package sweet Hawaiian rolls
- ½ pound thinly sliced cooked deli honey ham
- ½ pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
We love making this recipe with swiss cheese, but you can swap it out if swiss isn’t your favorite. Cheddar or gouda would be delicious!
You can’t skip the flavorful herb butter on top of the sliders. It’s where the magic is really at!
For the butter, you will need:
- 4 tablespoons melted salted butter
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
The mustard and the honey add a little bit of tang and sweetness that pairs so well with the deli ham. Trust me, it’s SO good!
Making this recipe
To make these hot ham and cheese sliders, start by stirring together the melted butter, honey, mustard, parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder. Set this mixture aside.
To prep the rolls, use a large serrated knife to slice the entire package of rolls in half, similar to how you would slice a bagel. This will separate all of the tops from all of the bottoms.
Place the bottom half of the rolls into a greased baking dish. If you’re making a double batch, I recommend using a rimmed sheet tray instead of a baking dish.
Layer on half of the ham, top with all of the cheese, and then add the rest of the ham. Finish by adding the top half of the rolls.
Brush the butter mixture evenly over the tops of the rolls. From here, you can either cover and chill the sliders for up to 4 hours or bake them right away.
Bake the ham and cheese sliders at 350°F covered with foil for 12 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10 minutes, until golden and the cheese is melty.
Recipe variations
My family loves these hot ham and cheese sliders exactly as written, but we also love to change them up occasionally too!
If you aren’t a big fan of ham, you can swap it out for deli turkey to make turkey sliders. I prefer to use honey-roasted deli turkey.
Swiss isn’t your only cheese option, either! Any good melting cheese will work here, such as cheddar, provolone, gouda, monterey jack or pepper jack.
In my opinion, using Hawaiian rolls is key to this recipe. The sweet flavor of the rolls is so good with the savory ham and cheese. But if you can’t find Hawaiian rolls or don’t care for them, you can use slider buns instead.
More delicious and easy slider recipes
This ham and cheese slider recipe was one of the first slider recipes I tried. And let’s just say that it started a little bit of an obsession.
My family can’t get enough of them and I love them because they’re so EASY to make!
Cheeseburger sliders are a copycat for your favorite fast-food burgers while cheesy roast beef sliders are a great Arby’s copycat recipe.
Turn your favorite party dip into a hand-held snack with buffalo chicken sliders or go for a twist on pizza night with pizza sliders.
I’ve even turned some of your favorite sandwiches into slider form with philly cheesesteak sliders, meatball sliders, and chicken parmesan sliders.
FAQs
If you want to prep your snacks before your guests arrive, you could easily make these sliders in advance!
Simply assemble the sliders in the pan, cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
When you’re ready to eat, simply bake the prepped sliders as noted in the recipe.
Look, I am not above snacking on leftover ham and cheese sliders straight from the refrigerator. In fact, I think they’re delicious cold.
But if you prefer them warm, simply wrap one or two sliders in foil and pop the package into a preheated oven for around 10 minutes or air fryer for 5-7 minutes, or until reheated.
Ham and Cheese Sliders
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 package sweet Hawaiian rolls 12 rolls
- ½ pound thinly sliced cooked deli honey ham
- ½ pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
Instructions
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, mustard, honey, dried parsley, onion powder and garlic powder.
- Do not pull the rolls apart; simply use a large serrated knife to slice the rolls in half as you would slice a bagel, separating the tops from the bottoms. Place the layer of bottoms into the prepared baking pan, cut side up.
- Layer half of the ham onto the rolls. Next, layer the Swiss cheese over the ham, and top with remaining ham slices. Place the layer of tops onto the sandwiches.
- Brush all of the butter mixture evenly over the rolls then cover with foil. At this point you can cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours, or bake immediately.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake covered sliders in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove the foil from the baking pan, return the sliders to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can these be frozen and then baked? Or do I need to thaw them first?
I have not tried freezing these, so I can’t attest to the results. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes for you. Happy baking!
Jamie
These turned out fantastic! I thought they needed a bit more bake time, but it turned out the reccommended 22 mins would have been perfect. So be careful not to overbake them!
I also added 1/8tsp of cayenne for a little extra flavour in the butter. Will surely make these again!
So glad you enjoyed the sliders, Bethany! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your feedback. Happy baking!
Jamie
Love this recipe. Everyone in my family loves it too. Probably one of the best ham and cheese slider recipes I’ve tried.
Highly recommend!
So glad you enjoy these sliders! Thanks so much for stopping by to share your feedback! Happy baking –
-Jamie
@Samantha, so when they are done do you have to cut them with a knife so the ham doesn’t pull out?
Hi Pam – Yes, you’ll need to use a knife to cut the sliders apart after baking. Enjoy!
Jamie
How can I keep these warm for tailgating? Any ideas?
Hi Linda – I don’t spend a lot of time tailgating, so I’m not sure what would work best. You might search for some kind of insulated carrier that would hold a 13×9-inch pan. Perhaps another commenter will have some ideas for you!
-Jamie
@Jamie, maybe try a travel pyrex dish that comes with a travel bag. Mine has a sleeve inside the bag that holds a microwavable pouch to keep food warm
I leave out the honey, but I spread honey mustard on the buns before I build the sammies. Mmmmm
Sounds delicious! Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment. Happy baking!
-Jamie
These were delicious!
Did half with Swiss, for me, and mozz for him
Used leftover Easter ham, added a little pineapple too
So glad you loved the sliders, Patti! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your feedback! Happy baking –
-Jamie
What would be a good side if serving these for dinner?
You could serve these with almost anything! A big green salad, potato chips, fries, fruit, baked beans, roasted green beans…so many options! Happy baking!
-Jamie
@Jamie, sweet potato fries with brown sugar sprinkled on them. (in the air fryer)
I omitted the garlic and parsley. I also used brown mustard. It turned out delicious.
So glad to hear you loved the sliders! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback!
– Jamie
Nutrition facts are way off. 1 slider bun alone contains 15g of carbohydrates. I love this recipe though. I forego the dijon and honey and substitute honey mustard instead. My family loves these. ❤️
So happy to hear you enjoyed the sliders, Dee Dee! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
I made this recipe and got so many compliments and it was so easy! Thank you for sharing it!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the sliders, Pat! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
@Jamie, I followed the recipe exactly. They are really good!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the sliders, Linda! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie