Learn how to make the best little hot ham and cheese sliders, a classic sandwich that is perfect for entertaining.
You’ll love these mini hot ham and cheese sliders for game day, the Super Bowl, and an easy dinner even your kids will love!
These serve beautifully for brunch, lunch, dinner and everywhere in between. I think you’re going to love them!
I first shared this classic recipe almost 15 years ago. They’re a go-to for a cozy winter evening at home, but they’re great or just about any occasion. We can’t get enough of these easy ham and cheese sliders.
A slider is simply a small sandwich. It makes them easy to serve and easy to eat! They’re perfect for parties! You may also enjoy these steak sliders and Juicy Sliders.
We enjoyed them once again over the weekend when we were snowed in. They’re an incredibly delicious way to warm up, and kid friendly, too! This melt in your mouth hot ham and cheese is the ultimate comfort food!
Through the years I’ve perfected these ham and cheese sandwiches to ensure the gooiest, most buttery sandwich you’ve ever had! And hey, they come in the perfect portion controlled size to eliminate any guilt.
These slider are so easy to make, even little kids can help! While they’re quick and easy, I never say no to helping hands. You can whip them up in 10 minutes or less (hands on time).
Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders
The secret is in the sauce – and what lies beneath. A blend of butter, Worcestershire sauce, minced onion, and poppy seeds make the most amazing sauce that bakes into these little sandwiches.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Even Picky Eaters Love Them – The base of the buns are coated in olive oil mayonnaise, which seeps into the buns and adds to the gooeyness of the cheese. Don’t worry, even the pickiest eaters and mayo haters (um, me!) won’t be wiser.
- Fast + Easy – Just whip up the sauce, layer the sandwich ingredients and throw them in the oven.
- Great for Entertaining – These are one of the first things to go whenever we serve them at gatherings.
I’m sharing all of my tips and tricks in addition to the ultimate ham and cheese slider recipe with you today!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cocktail Buns – Small dollar rolls, cocktail buns or egg buns work well. You can also use Hawaiian rolls.
- Mayonnaise – I like to use olive oil mayonnaise for the best flavor. You can use whatever mayonnaise you have on hand (or make Homemade Mayonnaise), however miracle whip is not a suitable substitute.
- Ham – Ham sliced thin is the centerpiece of these amazing sliders. I like to use tavern ham, but you can use any un-flavored ham or savory ham like black forest as well, and I ask our deli to slice to a one. Pro tip: this is an excellent way to use leftover honey glazed ham after the holidays!
- Swiss Cheese – Swiss is so gooey and delicious when melted to perfection. For the best results, get swiss cheese from the deli counter. It’s freshly sliced which means it melts even better than packaged Swiss.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, melted.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Adds a hint of flavor and seeps into the buns to create an incredible sauce, full of flavor.
- Minced Onion – Dried minced onion works impeccably well, but you can also use fresh white or yellow onion.
- Poppy Seeds – The add a little texture, flavor and color. You can eliminate if you prefer. If you really want to, you can make ham and cheese sliders without poppy seed, but I recommend you try it. They’re seriously so good!
Variations
- Turkey Sliders – Simply replace ham with turkey!
- Roast Beef Sliders – Substitute using roast beef and provolone or cheddar cheese. Add horseradish in lieu of mayonnaise.
- Make it Saucy – Add 1 tablespoon honey and 2 tablespoons dijon mustard.
- Sweeten Them Up – Add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the sauce and use Hawaiian rolls.
- Make them Garlicky – Add two tablespoons of minced garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic powder to the sauce.
How to Make
An overview, visit the printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.
- Prep – Preheat oven.
- Make Sandwiches – Slice buns in half. I liked to keep them connected and slice them 6 at a time! Line a baking dish or baking sheet with the bottom of the buns, slathering each one with mayo. Top with ham and cheese. Spread mayonnaise on bottom of the top of each bun and place on top of sandwiches.
- Make Sauce – In a pourable bowl, combine melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, minced onion, and poppy seeds. Whisk thoroughly. Pour over sandwiches, reserving about ¼ cup.
- Bake – Cover with foil or lid and bake.
- Toast – Remove the foil and bake for additional time as directed, or until cheese is melted.
- Top – Pour remaining mixture over tops of the rolls. Serve hot.
The result? Individual gooey, buttery sandwiches that melt in your mouth with a little crunch from the butter soaking into the cocktail bun in the bottom of your baking dish.
Tips
- Remember fresh is always best. Use fresh buns from the bakery, if possible.
- Have ham and swiss sliced thin (I like to have ham sliced to a 1 and cheese to a 2) from the deli counter.
- Slice buns while still connected to make it quick and easy.
- Cover with foil – this will keep the moisture in and melt the cheese!
How to Store
- Room Temperature – You can leave these sandwiches sitting out at room temperature for up to two hours while serving.
- Refrigerate – Up to three days stored in an airtight container.
- Freeze – Bring to room temperature and store in an airtight container up to 3 months.
How to Reheat Sliders
- Microwave – Reheat one minute uncovered in the microwave, turn and reheat one additional minute. Add melted butter to refresh sauce, if needed.
- Oven – Preheat oven to 350°F and bake covered 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. Refresh sauce with melted butter if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Swiss melts incredibly well for sliders and balance the saltiness of ham, but provolone, mozzarella, Monterey jack and cheddar also work well.
One of the best things about sliders is that you can serve them in the casserole dish you make and bake them in! You can also transfer to a platter if you prefer.
To prevent them from getting soggy, simply toast them 2 minutes uncovered (per instructions).
You can make these sliders up to 48 hours in advance and cover refrigerated until ready to bake and cover with sauce.
Keep sandwiches covered in a warm oven – 200°F or less and remove just before serving. You can also individually wrap them and store in a slow cooker until serving.
Serving Suggestions
These little sammies serve well with a variety of traditional sides. Check out our collection of what to serve with wraps for more inspiration!
- Italian Salad
- Green Beans with Bacon
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Creamy Potato Salad
More Sandwich Inspiration
Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders
Ingredients
Sandwiches
- 12 cocktail egg buns
- 2 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise
- ½ pound ham sliced thin
- ⅓ pound swiss cheese sliced thin
Sauce
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced onion or chopped
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice buns in half and line a 9×11 baking dish with the bottom half of the buns.
- Spread mayonnaise bottom buns.
- Top with ham and cheese (don't worry about overlap of cheese.) Put bun tops on.
- In a small bowl, combine butter, worcestershire sauce, minced onion, and poppy seeds. Cover sandwiches with sauce, reserving ¼ cup.
- Cover with aluminum foil or lid and bake 12 minutes. Remove foil or lid, return to over for an additional 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Pour remaining sauce over sandwiches and serve warm.
Julie’s Tips
Substitutions
- Cocktail Buns – Small dollar rolls, cocktail buns, egg buns, Hawaiian rolls.
- Mayonnaise – Use whatever mayonnaise you have on hand, however miracle whip is not a suitable substitute.
- Ham – Can substitute with sliced chicken, turkey or roast beef.
- Swiss Cheese – Can substitute with cheddar, Monterey jack, provolone or mozzarella.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted.
- Minced Onion – Substitute fresh white or yellow onion.
Tips
- Slice buns while still connected to make it quick and easy.
How to Store
- Refrigerate – Up to 3 days stored in an airtight container.
- Freeze – Bring to room temperature and store up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Reheat
- Microwave – Reheat one minute uncovered in the microwave, turn and reheat one additional minute. Add melted butter to refresh sauce, if needed.
- Oven – Preheat oven to 350°F and bake covered 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. Refresh sauce with melted butter if needed.
Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Oh yes, these are a great dinner idea or work great for a party!
These are our favorite sliders!
How many per person? You didn’t say how many buns,cheese, or ham!
Please forgive me, Dorothy – I added it in. I updated my recipe cards to make them a little more user friendly last week, but there were a few glitches. I hope you enjoy these as much as our family does!
I make these using Parker House Rolls. Yes, they are yummy!
Those sliders has the capacity to make everyone drool. So yummy!