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These easy ham and cheese sliders on Hawaiian rolls are a quick, freezer-friendly, make ahead meal that’s perfect for busy weeknight dinners, tailgates, get-togethers with friends, and church potlucks. Baked Hawaiian ham and cheese sliders with a buttery brown sugar spread are sweet, savory, and the perfect solution to casual entertaining!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love these Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders
- How to Keep Sliders from Getting Soggy
- Ingredients
- How to Make Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Serving Suggestions
- Preparation and Storage Tips
- Additional Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Ham and Cheese Sliders Recipe
- Ham and Cheese Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls Recipe
Looking for other sliders on Hawaiian rolls? Try these buffalo chicken sliders, a pan of easy “crack” chicken sliders, and some Hanky Panky sliders, too!
Why You’ll Love these Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders
These aren’t just your average ham and cheese sliders! Sometimes called “funeral sandwiches” because they’re a popular dish to serve at funerals and other Southern gatherings, the hot ham and cheese sliders on Hawaiian rolls are an easy, crowd-pleasing option that always disappears fast.
Nobody can resist the combination of salty ham, gooey, melted cheese, and a sweet-and-savory brown sugar butter spread on fluffy King’s Hawaiian rolls. Best of all, you can customize the little sandwiches to suit your family’s preferences. Try turkey or roast beef instead of ham, use a variety of cheeses like Swiss, cheddar, or American, or scale the recipe to feed a crowd.
How to Keep Sliders from Getting Soggy
These sliders don’t get soggy because the softened butter sauce is spread on the inside of each roll — not poured over top when it’s melted, which could sit in the bottom of the pan and make the rolls soggy. By spreading the butter on the inside of the rolls, you get all of that rich, buttery, sweet, and savory flavor without a soggy mess on the bottom.
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pan of Hawaiian roll ham and cheese sliders. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Salted butter: the base of the sandwich spread.
- Mustard: I use yellow mustard, but Dijon mustard is also a great option.
- Brown sugar: a sweet touch that contrasts nicely with the salty ham.
- Poppy seeds: give the spread texture and a bit of flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: for savory, umami flavor in the spread.
- Garlic powder: for even more flavor!
- Onion: finely grated on the smallest side of a box grater.
- Hawaiian rolls: I use these King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls, but you can substitute with another similar package of slider buns.
- Ham: thinly-sliced from the deli counter. I like the sweetness of a honey ham, but any variety will work.
- Cheese: I like cheddar, but Swiss or American are also good options.
How to Make Ham and Cheese Sliders
This easy recipe can be assembled in advance, making them ideal for busy weeknight dinners or party hosting. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Stir together brown sugar butter mixture.
- Spread a layer of the butter mixture on the top half of the rolls and on the bottom half of the rolls.
- Add ham and cheese, then replace the tops of the rolls.
- Arrange the sliders in a greased baking dish; cover with foil.
- Bake in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese and butter melt.
Serving Suggestions
For a regular weeknight dinner, pair the easy sliders with a simple green salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, or potato chips.
If you’re serving the baked ham and cheese sliders as a part of a larger appetizer spread for a party, here are some other ideas that go well with the little sandwiches:
- Hummus and pita chips
- 4-Ingredient Cream Cheese Apple Dip with apple and pear slices
- Homemade Nachos
- Pimento Cheese and crackers
- Deviled Eggs
- Italian Pinwheels
- Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Dip
- 5-Minute Corn Dip
- New Orleans-Style BBQ Shrimp or Shrimp Cocktail
- Onion Dip with potato chips
- Refrigerator Dill Pickles
- Easy Stromboli Crescent Braid
- Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Candied Bacon
- Shrimp Dip
- Crispy Virginia Fried Oysters
Preparation and Storage Tips
- How to Freeze Ham and Cheese Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls: Once the sandwiches are assembled, you can either cover them with foil and bake in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes (just until the cheese melts); or you can wrap the dish tightly and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Bake from Frozen: This recipe is so easy — you can bake the sliders directly from the freezer! Simply add 5-10 minutes to the total baking time to make sure that the cheese fully melts.
- How to Keep Warm: If you want to keep the sliders warm at a party or football tailgate, keep them covered with foil to trap the heat and moisture. You can also wrap them individually in foil, place them in a slow cooker, and keep on the “warm” setting for a few hours.
- How to Store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat the sliders, cover them with aluminum foil and bake in a 350°F oven just until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds.
Additional Recipe Variations
- Make the ham and cheese sliders without poppy seeds. If you don’t have them in your pantry (or if you just don’t care for them), just omit them from the buttery spread. The sliders will taste delicious, and you don’t even need to replace the seeds with something else.
- Instead of spreading the inside of the rolls with the butter mixture, melt and whisk the butter mixture in a saucepan on the stovetop. Pour or brush the melted butter sauce over the top of the sliders and refrigerate for several hours. Bake the sliders covered, according to the recipe instructions. You can see an example of similar baked sliders here.
- Use Dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard for a zesty “kick.”
- Instead of the grated onion, season the butter mixture with a dash of onion powder.
- Swap out the ham and turkey for other meats and cheeses. You can try roast beef, chicken, or turkey, or even add a slice of bacon! American cheese, Swiss cheese, and cheddar cheese are all great options, too!
- Grab your favorite style of sliders buns — I suggest King’s Hawaiian Rolls, potato slider buns, or plain dinner rolls.
Tips for the Best Ham and Cheese Sliders Recipe
- Prep ahead for easy meals and game day parties! Assemble the sandwiches, cover them tightly, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Remember to soften the butter at room temperature before assembling the sandwiches. This makes it easy to mix and spread.
- Use the smallest side of a box grater to finely grate the onion. This will help the onion mix smoothly into the butter and will avoid any large chunks of onion throughout.
- King’s Hawaiian rolls are my top pick for a sweet, fluffy sandwich bun that pairs nicely with the salty ham.
More Ham and Cheese Recipes to Try
Baked Ham and Cheese Omelet
55 minutes mins
Puff Pastry Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets
35 minutes mins
Ham and Cheese Casserole
50 minutes mins
Ham and Cheese Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ small onion, finely grated
- 1 (12 oz) package King's Hawaiian rolls, halved horizontally with a serrated knife
- 12 slices thinly sliced deli ham
- 3 slices cheese (Swiss, cheddar, or American), cut into 12 squares
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a large baking dish (about 9 x 13 inches) with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together butter, poppy seeds, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion.
- Split open a roll and spread butter mixture on the top and bottom of the inside of the roll.
- Add 1 slice of ham and 1 square of cheese; replace the top of the roll to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Place sliders close together in the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese melts.
Notes
- Instead of spreading the inside of the rolls with the butter mixture, melt the butter mixture in a saucepan on the stovetop. Pour the melted butter sauce over the top of the sliders and refrigerate for several hours. Bake the sliders covered, according to the recipe instructions. You can see an example of similar baked sliders here.
- Use Dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard for a zesty “kick.”
- Swap out the ham and turkey for other meats and cheeses. You can try roast beef, chicken, or turkey, or even add a slice of bacon! American cheese, Swiss cheese, and cheddar cheese are all great options, too!
- Grab your favorite style of sliders buns — I suggest King’s Hawaiian Rolls, potato slider buns, or plain dinner rolls.
- Prep ahead for easy meals and parties! Assemble the sandwiches, cover them tightly, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Remember to soften the butter at room temperature before assembling the sandwiches. This makes it easy to mix and spread.
- Use the smallest side of a box grater to finely grate the onion. This will help the onion mix smoothly into the butter and will avoid any large chunks of onion throughout.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in September, 2018. The photos were updated in December, 2021.
How could you go wrong with a stick of butter! My family will love this!
Exactly! It’s bound to be good! 🙂
I love this idea freezing for later. It’s perfect for people like me – as we always have left over rolls. Instead of letting the buns go stale, I will make a filling for the leftover buns and freeze for later.
Thanks, Harriet! That’s exactly right! It’s perfect for leftover rolls, and you can just assemble however many rolls you have at a time. It doesn’t have to be a full dozen. 🙂
Such a good meal! My girls ask me to make this all the time! I make two batches and the husband takes them to work for lunch!
Thank you, Ashley!!! 🙂
I’ve made these several times now and they’re always a big hit!
Awesome! Thanks, Joelle!
Made them tonight…delicious….my family really enjoyed
Is there a breakfast version?
Hi, Melissa! No, not specifically — but I think you could definitely add scrambled eggs to the sandwiches and enjoy them for breakfast or brunch. Let me know if you give it a shot! 🙂
Hi, I was wondering if you can make these ahead & stick in the fridge & then heat in the morning? Will the bun get soggy?
Absolutely! The buns won’t get too soggy, and they kind of crisp up in the pan when they bake. Enjoy!
I made these before but I’ve never frozen… Do you recommend letting them in the fridge before putting them in the oven?
Hi, Heather! You can do it either way — thaw in the fridge overnight or bake directly from the freezer. If you bake them while they’re still frozen, you’ll need to add some time to the total baking. It will probably take closer to 25-30 minutes for them to heat through. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe….absolutely delicious! My beautiful Mom, who has passed away, loved to make these! They were the hit of a July 4th party we attended each year! My Mom only made one change….she starting using country ham sliced very thin. It means the world to me to have this recipe again! Thank you for the cherished memories!
Laurie
That’s great, Laurie! I bet the country ham is great, too. It would add a nice, salty touch! 🙂
Can these be individually wrapped in foil and placed in a slow cooker to warm up, instead of using an oven?
Hi, Jennifer! That’s a great idea. I think it should work fine! 🙂
Fantastic dinner idea. Made 2 days ahead and kept covered in fridge with damp tea towel and foil. Then took away the tea towel and heated – so easy. After a busy day when we were late from work/school such an easy dinner and we were fighting for leftovers. Will become a go-to recipe for away days when we get home late and hope to try with all the other fillings you suggest.
Thank you, Ali! I’m so happy to hear that!
The spread for the inside of these sliders is the real innovation. What a lot of great flavor! I used ham off the bone from the deli, and Swiss cheese sandwich slices—1/2 slice per slider. Aunt Millie’s Hawaiian rolls were what my store had, which I sliced with a bread knife. I didn’t grease the pan, and it was fine. I could only fit 8 sliders in a 9×13 pan, so you might want to grab an aluminum pan from the dollar store before making these. This recipe is a keeper.
Thank you for the feedback, Cindy! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe.