These hot ham and cheese sliders are spread with a little pepper jelly, smothered in buttery dijon poppyseed glaze and baked until they’re gooey, golden, and just past slightly scandalous. They’re so easy, even your cousin Carol could make ’em—and you know she once set Jell-O on fire.
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😏 Warning: ham and cheese sliders may cause sudden popularity
Don’t be surprised if people start hovering near the oven or casually asking if you always cook like this. These melty little mouth bombs have a reputation—and once they hit the table, so will you.
- They take 15 minutes of effort and make you look like a kitchen genius. (Nobody needs to know you barely measured anything.)
- That buttery dijon poppyseed glaze? It's the edible version of a mic drop.
- Perfect for parties, potlucks, midnight fridge raids, or bribing teenagers to love you.
- Bakes in one pan, no fuss—because we don’t do drama unless it’s on the Lifetime channel.
🧾 Ingredients for these hot party sandwiches
- King’s Hawaiian Rolls – Sweet, squishy, and clearly the overachiever of the bread world.
- Deli Sliced Ham – Preferably the Black Forest good stuff.
- Muenster Cheese – Melts like a dream and behaves like it has class.
- Pepper Jelly – A little sweet, a little spicy, just like you after two cocktails.
- Butter – And none of that margarine nonsense, we’re not animals.
- Mayonnaise – Adds creamy richness and Southern legitimacy.
- Brown Sugar – For that touch of sweetness that whispers, “You’re welcome.”
- Dijon Mustard – Fancy mustard. Because you’re not basic and neither are your sliders.
- Onion Powder – Brings the flavor without the tears (save those for your Hallmark movie binge).
- Garlic Powder – Because garlic makes everything better and we all know it.
- Poppy Seeds – For flair, texture, and the illusion of sophistication.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Adds depth, mystery, and the ability to pronounce “Worcestershire” with misplaced confidence.
Get ALL the info on this free, printable Ham & Muenster Sliders Kitchen Cheat Sheet. Tips, FAQs, Storage, and more.
📖 Recipe
Ham and Muenster Cheese Sliders with Poppyseed Glaze
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For the sliders:
- 12 King’s Hawaiian Rolls, 1 package
- ¾ pound deli Black Forest ham, thin sliced on a 1 or 2 but not shaved
- 12 slices Muenster cheese
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon red pepper jelly
For the poppyseed glaze:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch of garlic powder, optional, but recommended
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or line with parchment for easy cleanup and easy lifting.
- Slice the rolls horizontally, keeping the tops and bottoms attached as one slab each.
- In a small bowl, mix the mayo and pepper jelly until smooth. Spread this mixture over the bottom layer of the rolls like you're buttering up Santa himself.
- Layer the ham evenly over the bottom rolls, followed by the Muenster cheese. Replace the top slab of rolls.
- Whisk together all the glaze ingredients in a bowl until silky and scandalous.
- Pour the glaze slowly and evenly over the sliders. Let it drip down the sides and into the cracks. (That's flavor, y'all.)
- Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes, until golden and melty.
- Cool for 5 minutes, slice along the seams, and serve warm. Or eat one standing over the sink like the Southern royalty you are.
Notes
- Don’t separate the rolls. Slice the whole slab in half horizontally—it’s faster, cleaner, and keeps all that cheesy goodness where it belongs.
- These can be assembled the night before, covered, and kept in the fridge. Pour the glaze over the top and bake just before serving for maximum melt factor.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🔪 How to make these easy baked sliders
No culinary degree required—just a baking dish, some foil, and the confidence of a woman who knows her pepper jelly bites back. These come together fast, disappear faster, and reheat like a dream (if there are any left).
- Slice the rolls horizontally but keep them attached to eachother.
- Mix the spread ingredients and brush over the Hawaiian rolls.
- Layer on the ham and cheese.
- Add the top, brush on the butter sauce and bake.
📚 More party snacks
Looking for more easy bites that vanish faster than gossip at a beauty salon? These recipes are just as fuss-free and guaranteed to impress.
- Cranberry Jalapeño Rollups - Sweet, spicy, and suspiciously addictive—these pinwheels are what happens when a cheese board and a party platter sneak off behind the punch bowl.
- Pimento Cheese Sausage Balls - Basically the lovechild of your Aunt Betty’s cheese ball and a tailgate. One bite and suddenly everyone thinks you’re the MVP of the snack table.
- Cheese Dreams - Toasty little bites of melty cheddar nostalgia on white bread—if your childhood had a flavor, this would be it (but with more butter and less restraint).
Whether you're feeding a crowd or just yourself in stretchy pants with zero shame, these ham and muenster sliders bring the flavor and the applause. Try not to act surprised when people start asking you to bring them every time—just smile, nod, and pretend it wasn’t absurdly easy. 😉
Laurie L Kearnes says
Oh, I'm groaning out loud! My daughter makes sliders out of Hawaiian rolls and they are awesome, but not with Muenster cheese and not with Dijon mustard! I inhale Muenster cheese whenever I see it, so I think these could be quite a problem for me. But I'm gonna make 'em anyway! Thanks for another great recipe, Marye! My mom and my Aunt Velma would make spend hours making tamales for Christmas Eve. Yum.
Sherri Rochester says
We call these Funeral Sandwiches in our family for some reason. I love the addition of the pepper jelly. Hubby told me that raspberry jelly would be good, also. He said that he wants some on the side to dip his slider into.
Aunt Wanda would always bring a fancy cheese ball in the shape of a Christmas tree with a yellow bell pepper star. Tree dusted in minced fresh parsley. Decorated with slivered almonds, pimentos, and anything tiny shat she could. It always tasted good.
Jean M says
Ham and Cheese sliders are a MUST have on the Holiday table!
I've always used Swizz cheese but Munster cheese sounds like an interesting substitute. Got to give these a try and have everything I need but the Hawaiian rolls. Why wait until Christmas to serve these fantastic little sandwiches I'm saying to myself.
Carol G says
These do look very good and I have always thought about making something similar. Because there might be some young ones enjoying Aunt Carol's little get together, I would bring Pigs in a Blanket.
Jewel C says
This recipe looks amazing for any kind of 'pot-luck' event or hosted event where you want something that is equally easy AND delicious. I can't wait to give this one a try.
Sue says
This looks delicious, like a kicked up version of a grilled cheese sandwich. I've never tried King's Hawaiian rolls and this will give me a reason to go out and buy them. I also like the fact that you can bake all the portions in the oven, like you would a casserole, easy peasy and great to serve at a party.