Serve these ham and Havarti cheese sliders at your next gathering along with other popular appetizers like my Mexican street corn dip, spinach dip pinwheels and hot Maryland crab dip.
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★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
Savory butter Hawaiian rolls are layered with smoky black forest ham and creamy Havarti cheese then topped with a seasoned butter glaze and baked to a golden brown. YUM.
Havarti cheese for the win!
This combination of Havarti cheese and black forest ham is unique and so delicious. Havarti cheese is similar to Swiss but doesn't have that bitter after taste making these melty, mild and well-loved.
These ham and cheese sliders are always a crowd-pleasing recipe, great football party food, great for family gatherings, potlucks, holidays or just because!
Buttery Glaze
The butter topping crisps the tops and adds flavor. Poppy seeds add a subtle crunch and nutty flavor.
Make-ahead friendly
You can make these ahead and bake right before you're ready to eat so they are great for taking on vacations, to a friend's houses or for serving houseguests.
With their buttery Hawaiian buns, onion-poppy seed sauce, melty Havarti cheese and peppery ham, these sliders hit all the right notes. Yet are so simple to prepare. Make ahead up to 3 days in advance, refrigerate, then just bake before serving.
Feeds a Big Family or Small Group
This simple and quick recipe is ideal for feeding a family or small crowd as it makes a dozen sliders.
Good Weekend Food
These ham and cheese sliders will also absolutely satisfy your weekend munchies. Enjoy these sliders as a hearty breakfast-lunch combination so you can consolidate meals and get more done with your day off, while staying fueled.
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
You need just 3 main ingredients to make these baked sliders, plus a 5-ingredient homemade seasoned buttery sauce that tops these roll so that they bake to a delicious crisp.
Here's everything you'll need:
1. Savory Hawaiian rolls. I prefer these over the sweet rolls because ham is already sweet, you don't really need more sweetness.
2. Black forest ham. I like the extra flavor that comes along with the dark, smoked edges of Black Forest ham. You will also get more flavor if you choose a premium ham from the deli.
3. Havarti cheese. This soft white cheese is similar to Swiss but has less of a tart, sour flavor to it which I find more appealing vs. Swiss cheese. If you love Swiss cheese though, you can use that instead.
THE SAUCE to top the buns is made with: melted salted butter, poppy seeds, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. A tasty combination that adds a lot of flavor, a nice crisp and color to the Hawaiian rolls.
★ How to Make this Recipe ★
Cut, layer, brush and bake your way to a tray of deliciousness that's big enough to share. These easy ham and cheese sliders make a great brunch or appetizer for special occasions too!
Here's how to make this yummy ham and cheese slider recipe, step by step. It's simple!
- Cut the entire block of Hawaiian rolls in half.
- Layer ham slices, folded in half, on top of bottom half of rolls.
- Add Havarti cheese squares.
- Melt butter and add onion powder, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce to form sauce.
- Add tops of rolls then brush with butter sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake!
For full recipe instructions, see below!
Watch the video beneath the recipe (below) to see these steps in action!
★ Tips ★
Storing Leftovers
You can store these in the fridge for up to 3 days after baking. Cover tightly and reheat for 30 seconds in the microwave or using the toaster oven for crisper buns. Open bun into two halves and toast for 3-5 minutes at 300˚.
Prep and Cooking Tips
Don't separate your rolls. Cut them in half as a big block. It's much easier and will save you time!
Fold ham slices in quarters to add texture to your bite.
Feel free to also add extra ham if you want a meatier slider. Or extra cheese for that matter.
Cover with foil. Then carefully uncover for just the last 3-5 minutes to lightly brown and crisp the tops of the rolls. Less time for less crispy and less brown, more time for more crispy and more brown. Shoot for a golden brown color.
★ FAQs ★
Follow these tips to make the BEST ham and cheese sliders of your life. Not even exaggerating. 🙂
★ More Recipes You'll Love ★
Ham and Cheese Recipes
Love this combo? I can't blame you. They just go together!
Here are all my other recipes incorporating ham and cheese:
• Low-fat Ham and Cheese Quiche
• Leftover Ham and Potato Soup
• Cajun Ham and Cheese Biscuits
• Oven-baked Ham and Cheese Croissant Melts
★ What People Are Saying ★
These sliders are always a hit! Here's what people have said about this recipe:
“These are my absolute fav!”
“I could literally eat a dozen”
“Delicious!”
“This couldn’t be easier or more delicious!!”
“Best use of leftover ham!”
This easy recipe for baked ham and cheese Hawaiian roll sliders were featured on South Your Mouth!
Ham and Havarti Cheese Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 package Savory Butter Hawaiian Rolls 12 count
- 12 slices black forest ham
- 6 slices Havarti cheese
Mustard-Butter Glaze
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce optional
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder optional
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
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Instructions
- Prepare rolls and baking dish. Slice the entire block of rolls in half without separating the rolls. Remove top half of Hawaiian rolls and set aside. Place bottom half of rolls in a 9x12 baking pan, lightly greased with butter.
- Add ham and cheese. Layer each roll with a slice of ham and a half slice of cheese.
- Prepare and add buttery topping. In a microwavable bowl, cover and heat butter for about 30 second or until melted. Stir in Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and poppy seeds.Add the top layer of rolls and brush with butter-poppy seed mixture.
- Bake. Loosely cover with foil and bake at 350˚ for about 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and tops of buns are golden brown.
McKenzie Erickson says
Made these after work one evening and they were devoured! They heat up well and I loved the.
Debbie says
Thanks for the recipe! These are great, but carb count isn’t correct. The rolls themselves have way more than 1gram.
Angela G. says
Hi Debbie, You are right. The nutrition facts were pulling just 1 roll, not the full pack of 12. I've updated to correct that! Thanks for the feedback.
Aurora says
These are delicious. I have made them several times now and they are always a hit. I follow the recipe exactly
Todd says
Can you switch the cheese and add palmetto cheese spread
Angela G. says
Hi Todd, I haven't tried this as far as flavor so that is up to you! Palmetto cheese spread may melt more quickly since it's not a hard as others cheeses like Havarti but if you're OK with the cheese being a bit more sauce-like, I would give it a try and see what you think!
Lindsay Roberts says
Hi! I’m wondering if this would work in a disposable baking pan to take to someone who just had a baby. That way they don’t have to worry about dishes. Would you suggest any extra prepping with the pan beforehand?
Angela G. says
Yes, you can absolutely use a foil pan. I have done this many times. I would lightly grease with butter or spray the inside of the pan with non-stick to help prevent buns and melted cheese from sticking.
Lindsay Roberts says
Ok perfect, thank you!! Can’t wait to try it! 🙂
KMO says
I made this recipe for a quick lunch. I only made a few changes: I had already bought sweet Hawaiian rolls so I used those; I used thinly sliced Swiss cheese; and I brushed a prepared garlic/onion butter on top. They were quite tasty and we enjoyed them.
Elizabeth says
Have you ever added scrambled eggs to to make it more of a breakfast sandwich?
Angela G. says
I haven't but you definitely could. I bet it would be tasty! When I make ham and cheese breakfast sandwiches, I usually make them on croissants. So yummy. Here's my recipe for Ham and Cheese Croissant Melts.
Stephanie says
This is a Christmas Eve tradition for my husband's family. My mother-in-law has been making them for years. We prepare them the night before and bake them for our family lunch.
Amy says
If I’m trying to prepare these the night before, would you recommend adding the butter mixture on top the night before or save it to add just before popping into the oven? Thank you!!
Angela G. says
Hi Amy, you can add the butter before hand. It may sink into the rolls just a bit but they will crisp when baked. If you add it before you put in the oven, you may have a bit better results.
Sara says
I put the mixture on the day before and then pop 'em in the oven for lunch/dinner the next day. They always turn out perfect!
Marie says
Delicious! Easy, fast minimal effort for a big result. These were a big hit at a recent holiday party. Thanks!
Sherry says
The very best ham in the world is from Honey Baked Ham Co.
Deb says
Can you make these the day before and refrigerate?
Angela G. says
Yes, you can prepare them in advance including the sauce topping and just cover with foil. Refrigerate and bake when you're ready.
Carolyn says
@Angela G., Do I need to bring them to room temp before baking, or maybe bake for how much longer?
Angela G. says
Yes, or you can add 2-3 minutes to the bake time as needed. You'll know they're done when the cheese is fully melted.
cindi says
You can buy Pillsbury Hawaiian croissants but they are so small, I wanted to try this on a large Hawaiian croissant roll. Any ideas
Angela G. says
I use Kings Hawaiian Rolls. They are pre-cooked, usually located in the bakery section of the grocery store. Do you have those available to you?
Sarah says
Yum, I can’t wait to make this!! But it doesn’t say how long to bake them for?? Also, the ingredients list calls for onion powder but the directions say garlic powder. Just want to clarify which one is correct? Thanks!
Angela G. says
Should be onion powder! Bake time is listed in the instructions along with a few tips. Be sure to check that out. Thanks for asking!