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These aren’t your average Ham and Cheese Sliders! Soft Hawaiian rolls are stuffed with deli ham and Swiss cheese, then covered in a tangy honey-mustard glaze with poppy seeds and baked until golden-brown.

I can’t even think about these warm and buttery ham and cheese sliders without drooling. Ham and cheese alone are a fabulous duo, especially when there’s baking involved to get the cheese nice and gooey. When you add the fluffy, sweet Hawaiian rolls and the tangy-sweet glaze with dried onion flakes and poppy seeds, you have an appetizer that everyone will go crazy over!
The Best Things About These Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders
- A crowd-pleasing classic. These starter sandwiches are a popular munchie for potlucks, football night, or any other festive occasion. And this recipe does it better than ever with no extra effort.
- Easy to make. It’s all thanks to a flavorful ingredient list and a simple, one-pan baking method that never fails.
- Sweet-savory, cheesy goodness. These sliders have layers of gooey, melty Swiss cheese, salty ham, and an irresistible Dijon glaze. Sprinkled with crispy onion flakes and crunchy poppy seeds, you’ve never had a ham and cheese sandwich like this before!
What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
Let’s go over the items you’ll need to make the ultimate ham and cheese sliders. Spoiler alert – it’s not much! I’ve included notes below, and you’ll find the printable recipe in the recipe card after the post.
- Hawaiian Sweet Rolls – This recipe uses one 12-count package.
- Deli Ham – Your variety of choice, cooked and thinly sliced.
- Swiss Cheese – Thinly sliced. If you wanted to swap cheeses, substitute Swiss with edam, Gouda, or cheddar.
- Unsalted Butter – Melted.
- Honey – You could also use brown sugar.
- Dijon Mustard – I like the creaminess of Dijon mustard. Yellow mustard works in a pinch, but the flavor will be slightly sharper. Try hot mustard for a spicy version.
- Poppy Seeds – Omit these if you must, but I think they add a really nice touch to the sandwiches. Black or white sesame seeds are a good substitute.
- Dried Minced Onion – For depth of flavor. Dried garlic flakes would also work here.
How to Make Ham and Cheese Sliders
The process of making these golden-baked ham and Swiss sliders is super straightforward. Everything comes together right in the baking dish!
- Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cut the rolls in half. With a large serrated knife, cut the connected Hawaiian rolls in half through the middle so you have the top buns together and the bottom buns together.
- Assemble the sliders. Now, place the bottom buns open-faced in the prepared dish. Arrange half the deli meat in a single layer on top of the bottom buns. Next, place a layer of Swiss cheese, then top that with the remaining ham slices. Cover with the tops of the buns and set aside.
- Glaze the rolls. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, and dried onion flakes. Pour the mixture evenly over the top of the prepared sandwiches. Some of the glaze will pool around the rolls.
- Cover and bake. Cover the sandwiches with aluminum foil and bake, covered, at 350ºF for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Toast the top. Lastly, uncover the sliders and bake for another 3 minutes, enough to lightly brown the top of the rolls and caramelize the glaze.
- Serve. Remove the baking dish from the oven and cut out the individual sliders. Serve them warm.
Can I Make These in Advance?
Sure thing. Feel free to prepare your sliders a few hours before you plan to serve them. Simply place them in the fridge once they’re covered with foil and store them until you’re ready to bake. Keep in mind that the longer they sit, the more the glaze will soak into the buns. I don’t recommend making them more than 3-4 hours ahead of time.
Tips for the Best Baked Sliders
- Don’t separate the rolls. When you’re cutting the rolls into top and bottom buns, do so while they’re all stuck together and leave them intact when you layer them into the baking dish. Doing everything one by one takes more time. It’s so much simpler to separate them at the end!
- Ham, cheese, then ham. I like layering my cheese between two layers of ham. This way, the ham acts as a buffer so the cheese doesn’t make the bread soggy when it melts.
- Bake uncovered for the last few minutes. If you don’t cover the sliders, the tops of the buns will burn before the cheese melts. If you don’t uncover them, you won’t get that lovely golden brown effect. Follow the instructions in the recipe for the best results.
- Serve right away. Not that you’ll be able to resist it, but you definitely want to enjoy these sliders while they’re still warm. Melty cheese, yes please!
Feeling Creative? Try These Variations
There’s nothing wrong with putting a little spin on a classic recipe. In addition to the Dijon glaze I use here, these are some other easy slider toppings and add-ins you can try:
- Different cheese. Swap Swiss cheese for cheddar, Monterey Jack, edam, Gouda, or another type of cheese.
- Spicy. Make spicy sliders by adding sliced fresh or pickled jalapeños.
- Different meats. Substitute ham with turkey, chicken, or another deli meat. This is also a great recipe to use up leftover cooked ham.
- Switch up the rolls. Use whole wheat rolls or classic dinner rolls in place of Hawaiian rolls.
- Hawaiian-style. Add fresh or canned pineapple rings.
- Make it creamy. Spread mayonnaise or cream cheese onto the rolls.
- Craving more sliders recipes? Try Buffalo chicken sliders.
What to Serve with Ham and Cheese Sliders
Whatever you want to pair with these baked ham and cheese sliders, I promise it’ll be a good match. They’re versatile like that. But there are certain dishes that I tend to lean toward. This pineapple salsa pasta salad is seriously the perfect partner for these sliders (the ham and pineapple go together perfectly!). Or, pair them with a fruit salad or potato salad. Sliders also go great with easy appetizers, like hot corn dip and grape jelly meatballs.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Although I recommend serving these fresh, properly stored leftovers can be kept for up to 2 days. Place completely cooled ham and cheese sliders in a covered container and refrigerate.
- Reheat. To reheat your sliders, bake them at 350°F, covered. Once warmed through, remove them from the oven and enjoy!
More Appetizer Recipes
Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 38 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Ham and Cheese Sliders have soft Hawaiian rolls stuffed with deli ham and Swiss cheese, covered in a tangy honey-Dijon glaze, and baked until golden-brown.
Ingredients
- one 12 count package Hawiian Sweet Rolls
- 3⁄4 lb cooked deli ham, thinly sliced
- 6–8 large slices of thinly sliced swiss cheese
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1⁄4 cup honey
- 3 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp dried minced onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13” baking dish with cooking spray.
- With a large serrated knife, cut the buns in half through the middle, so you have the tops together and the bottoms together. Do not separate individual buns for easy assembly.
- Place the bottom buns open-faced in the prepared dish.
- Arrange half the deli meat in a single layer on top of the bottom buns. Next, place a layer of swiss cheese and then top with the remaining ham slices. Cover with the tops of the buns. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, honey, dijon mustard, poppy seeds and dried onion flakes. Pour evenly over the top of the prepared sandwiches. Some of the mixture will pool around the rolls.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake covered for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Uncover and cook for another 3 minutes or until the tops have slightly browned.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and cut into individual sliders. Serve immediately. Sliders are best when warm.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 521
- Sugar: 20.9 g
- Sodium: 1049.3 mg
- Fat: 26.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 46.9 g
- Protein: 23.4 g
- Cholesterol: 111.7 mg
can you use american cheese instead of swiss cheese
Sure!
I made this for a Christmas Gathering, and it was a hit. I love this recipe, it is simple and delicious. I made another one with turkey slices for those that do not eat ham, and I loved it.
Thank you Lindsey for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed them!
Oh, bridal shower sandwiches! I haven’t had these in a million years. They are so delicious and small and perfect. Thanks for reminding me!