Ham and Cheese Sliders, also known as funeral sandwiches, are my favorite Hawaiian roll sliders. I make them all the time and there’s NEVER any leftovers!
What You’ll Need
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make these ham and cheese sliders. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Hawaiian Sweet Rolls – If you aren’t familiar, the most popular brand is King’s Hawaiian Bread. They come in a bright orange package most commonly seen on end caps at the the grocery store. These rolls are soft, fluffy, buttery and have a touch of honey which provides the unique flavor to other types of bread.
- Honey ham – I like to play on the honey flavors of the bread, so honey deli ham is my first choice. I try to get it thinly sliced and then layer it on thick. Baked, brown sugar or even boiled ham are all acceptable choices.
- Cheese – They are commonly just called ham and cheese sliders, but the majority of recipes use Swiss cheese. I used Swiss cheese and white american. Vary this by using sharp cheddar, Jarlsberg, provolone or even a spicy pepper jack.
- Unsalted butter – I always like to use unsalted butter to control the salt content of a recipe. This will be used as the base for our sauce topping.
- Dijon mustard – The sharp tang of the mustard pairs nicely with the sweet rolls and honey ham.
- Poppy seeds – I like the crunch these add, but some folks don’t care for poppy seeds and they are optional. Swap them out for sesame seeds or just omit altogether.
- Garlic powder – The more garlic the better in my opinion! You can always swap it for fresh garlic if you’d like!
- Worcestershire sauce – This adds a nice kick and flavor to our topping sauce. Try making your own worcestershire sauce!
- Fine sea salt – Because we used unsalted butter, we do add a little bit to bring out the other flavors of the sauce.
Let’s Make Them
Making these ham and cheese sliders might be easier than you think! Just follow these simple steps.
- Prepare oven and pan. Preheat the oven prep a 9×13 pan by coating lightly with cooking spray.
- Slice rolls. Place all Hawaiian rolls onto a cutting board and using a serrated knife, slice in half while keeping the tops and bottoms intact. It should be like one large sandwich.
- Add ham and cheese to bottom later of rolls. Place the bottom layer of rolls in the pan and then evenly layer the Swiss cheese on first, the the ham and finally the white American cheese.
- Make butter topping. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Place in the microwave until the butter has melted.
- Baste butter onto top half of the rolls. Baste the butter mixture over the tops of the rolls, trying to get as much on top as you can, it might pool at the bottom and that is fine, the bread will absorb its goodness.
- Cover pan and bake. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake again. Remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake until tops are slightly browned and cheese has melted.
- Slice and serve. Remove, cut the rolls into 12 individual sliders. Serve them hot or at room temperature.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻
- Salt – While we use unsalted butter to control the salt content, we do add some fine sea salt to the topping. Ham itself is quite salty, so do a taste test before adding more.
- Seasonings – In addition to the poppy seeds in the topping, try adding things like minced dried onion or onion powder, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and dried parsley.
- Sauces – While I love these sandwiches just as they are, you can always serve with a dipping sauce! A honey mustard sauce would be delicious.
- Swaps – You can also add more toppings to the actual sandwich; caramelized onions, roast garlic, bread and butter pickles and roast tomatoes are also fabulous flavor combos. As is swapping out the meat for sliced turkey, chicken or roast beef. Even bacon strips are a fun addition.
- Senses – Warm, buttery rolls brushed with a savory glaze that fills the air with a mouthwatering aroma as they bake. When you bite in, you get the soft, slightly crisp bread giving way to gooey melted cheese and the salty-sweet bite of tender ham.
Perfect Pairings
Well, I guess you need to ask yourself if you are serving these as an appetizer with other munchies or for the entree of a brunch or lunch.
If serving as an appetizer, I suggest pairing it with something like Easy Sausage Balls, Classic Deviled Eggs, or Cheesy Fried Ravioli.
If serving as an easy weeknight dinner, serve with sides like a Kale Salad, pasta salad, Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Fries, Seasoned Peas and Onions or Balsamic Roasted Root Vegetables.
Storage and Freezing
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leftover ham and cheese sliders can be reheated in the oven wrapped in aluminum foil at 300°F for about 10 minutes or in the microwave, although microwaving can make the bread rubbery so I strongly suggest using the oven. Or you can be like my husband and just eat them cold.
Can I Freeze Ham and Cheese Sliders?
I don’t recommend freezing these as a sandwich. They will most likely thaw being a soggy.
Ham Sliders Recipe FAQs
Too much butter will make your sliders soggy. Getting the correct volume of butter to soak into the rolls gives them the butter effect without making them soggy. Also make sure to brown without the aluminum so some of the liquid has the chance to evaporate out.
I plan for 2 sliders per person, but they are really good and some folks will eat more. Know your audience!
You can wrap them in foil and place them in a slow cooker on the “keep warm” setting.
Ham pairs well with nearly all cheese, but the best flavor affinities are mozzarella, Swiss, gruyere, Havarti, American and cheddar.
More Easy Slider Recipes
Slider sandwiches are always a hit at parties and get togethers. Here are some of our favorites.
Ham and Cheese Sliders
Ingredients
- 12 Hawaiian Slider Rolls
- 1/2 pound honey ham , thinly sliced
- 1/4 pound Swiss cheese , thinly sliced
- 1/4 pound white American cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place all 12 Hawaiian Slider Rolls onto a surface suitable for cutting. Using a serrated knife, slice in half while keeping the tops and bottoms intact. It should be like one large sandwich.
- Place the bottom layer of rolls in a 9×13 pan.
- Evenly layer the sliced 1/4 pound Swiss cheese on first, then the sliced 1/2 pound honey ham and finally the sliced 1/4 pound white American cheese .
- In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Place in the microwave until the butter has melted, approximately 40 seconds.
- Baste over the tops of the rolls, trying to get as much on top as you can.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake until tops are slightly browned and cheese has melted.
- Remove, cut the rolls into 12 individual sliders and serve hot.
- If you've tried this recipe, make sure to come back and let us know how it went in the comments or ratings.
Video
Nutrition
I used ham, olive loaf (don’t judge), swiss and American cheese. I followed the recipe but honestly, I had a ton of the butter topping leftover. Next time, I am going to just use a quarter cup of butter mixture. But its a very good topping that goes very nicely on top of the sandwiches.
No judgement! I welcome everyone putting their own spin on recipes- sounds delightful!
I make these delicious mini sandwiches a LOT! I use gouda cheese to give it a little different twist.
These were a hit ! I substituted everything bagel seasoning for poppy seeds and pepper jack in stead of Swiss
Oh! That sounds Ah-MAZING!!!!
We love these. So easy and pretty quick. My 13 year old can whip these up for himself in a smaller quantity and adjust ingredients. For our preference I will use a little less butter and garlic powder and we love garlic. They are delicious.
These are such a fun little lunch idea!
Yum! That Dijon mustard topping really takes these sandwiches to a whole new level. Disappeared from the table in record time!
So delicious! I could eat these all day!
I’ve always made my hot ham and cheese sandwiches using croissant dough and cutting it into individual pieces. I love the idea of using sweet rolls to make sliders! Will be doing this at the next kid’s party or sleepover…mine LOVE ham and cheese!
I have had these before and they are delicious! My question is, can I make these and then wrap in foil and keep in a crockpot until time to serve? We will be outside with no stove near by, however I will have access to an electric outlet so I will be able to use a crock pot.
I would think so! Since the bread is a little drenched in butter anyhow, I wouldn’t think they’d get too soggy. I wouldn’t make them too far in advance though.
My 11 year old loves this recipe and asks for it at least every other week.
Aw, that is great to hear, Lauri! Tell your 11-year-old that I said thank you, that means a lot.
These are so yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
Woohoo! Glad you loved them!