These irresistible Hawaiian Roll Sliders, also known as mini ham and cheese sandwiches, are a party favorite. They’re easy to make and they fly off the platter at every get-together!
I love making these Hawaiian Roll Sliders for parties. Kids and adults alike adore them, and they’re always the first thing to disappear.
The concept is simple: make mini ham and cheese sandwiches on Hawaiian buns, then top them with a generous amount of seasoned butter that soaks into the sandwiches as they bake.
The end result is a gooey, buttery, pillowy-soft ham sandwich with a crispy bottom. You will definitely want to eat more than one!
I also make these sandwiches using crackers (Ritz Crackers Party Sandwiches) as a fun twist on this recipe. But this right here is the original—the party favorite!
I’ve seen a form of this recipe as early as a few 1970s cookbooks, so I can confidently date this concept at least back to then. It’s been enjoyed for decades for very good reason—these sandwiches are just plain GOOD.
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If you have deli ham left over after this recipe, don’t miss these Ham and Cream Cheese Pinwheels for another fun party appetizer!
Top tips
- Give the butter mixture a good stir right before you pour it over the sandwiches. Otherwise the Dijon mustard won’t be evenly distributed among the tops of the sandwiches.
- I like separating the Hawaiian buns before adding ham/cheese and baking—it’s much easier to separate cold buns then it is to separate piping hot ones.
- Customize these sandwiches to your liking (add more ham, switch the cheese, use turkey instead of ham)—they are easy to switch up!
- Don’t skip the poppy seeds! They really complete the sandwich nicely.
Ingredients
- You’ll need Hawaiian rolls—I buy the “party pack” of 24 which is cheaper than two 12-packs!
- Sliced deli ham and sliced Swiss cheese go in the sandwiches. Use your favorite variety/brand.
- We’ll flavor the butter with Dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, and onion powder.
- Poppy seeds on top add some crunch and a pop of color.
How to make Hawaiian Roll Sliders with ham and cheese
Start by slicing the Hawaiian rolls in half. Instead of separating the rolls before slicing, I keep them together and use a serrated knife to cut the whole sheet of rolls at the same time.
Then, you can separate the rolls and place the bottom half of the rolls in TWO 13×9-inch baking dishes. (You can also get by with one 13×9-inch dish and one 9×9 inch dish if you want to save some space in your oven.)
Some recipes have you keep the rolls together until after baking, but I find that it’s much easier to separate the rolls when they’re cold vs. when they’re piping hot from the oven.
Cut the Swiss cheese slices into quarters.
Top the bottom half of the rolls with a slice of ham and two pieces (quarters) of swiss cheese.
Place the top half of the Hawaiian rolls on top.
Then, mix together the butter, Dijon, worcestershire sauce, and onion powder. Pour the mixture evenly over the top of the sandwiches, and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Cover the pans with foil, then bake for 20 minutes at 350°F in the center of the oven. Remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes more.
The Hawaiian Roll Sliders should be lightly browned on top. Serve while warm!
Can I make Hawaiian Roll Sliders ahead of time?
These mini sandwiches are best served warm from the oven. However, there are several ways you can prepare or make them ahead of time.
- Prep the individual ingredients (slice the rolls, slice the cheese, prepare the butter mixture, assemble the sandwiches), so you just need to pour the butter over the top and bake them when you’re ready to serve them.
- Prepare and bake the sliders according to the recipe. You can re-warm them in the oven within 2 hours of initially baking them (give them 5–8 minutes with foil on to re-warm them).
Variations
These mini ham and cheese sandwiches are easily customizable! Here are a few ideas:
- Add two slices of ham and more cheese to make an extra hearty sandwich.
- Swap turkey or roast beef for the ham. I’ve even made these with leftover prime rib!
- Swap your favorite variety of sliced cheese (Colby Jack, cheddar, American, provolone, pepper jack, Muenster, etc.) in place of the Swiss cheese.
- Use onion flakes in place of the onion powder.
- Sub soy sauce + a pinch of sugar for the worcestershire sauce.
- Use leftover ham from the holidays in place of deli ham.
Hawaiian sliders ideas
A few meat and cheese combination ideas:
- Roast beef and cheddar
- Turkey and provolone
- Ham and American
- Turkey and pepper jack
- Ham, turkey, and Muenster
Frequently Asked Questions
The freezing/thawing process will negatively effect the texture of the sliders, so I don’t recommend freezing them.
Store any leftover sandwiches wrapped tightly in the refrigerator. To reheat, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 5–8 minutes, or until warm throughout.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes longer.
What to serve with Hawaiian roll sliders
To make these mini sandwiches into a meal, add a leafy green salad and/or a bowl of soup or chili. This Old Fashioned Potato Soup would be nice on the side!
In my experience, people will eat anywhere from two to four sliders each.
To serve the sliders as part of an appetizer buffet, here are a few other apps that everyone will love:
- Dill Dip with Sour Cream
- Crockpot BBQ Meatballs
- Potato chips + Beef Chip Dip
- A fruit platter + this Easy Fruit Dip
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Easy Hawaiian Roll Sliders
Ingredients
- 24 Hawaiian rolls
- 24 slices deli ham (about 1 lb)
- 12 slices Swiss cheese (about ¾ lb)
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder (or onion flakes)
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the rolls in half. You can make this extra easy by not separating the rolls—just slice the entire sheet of rolls in half horizontally.
- Cut the cheese slices into quarters.
- Place the bottom of the rolls into TWO 13×9 inch pans. Top each roll with a slice of ham (folded to fit). Then top that with two pieces of the sliced cheese. Place the tops of the rolls on top of the sandwiches.
- Stir together the melted butter, mustard, worcestershire sauce, and onion powder. Pour the mixture evenly over the sandwiches (some butter will pool at the bottom and that is ok!). Sprinkle evenly with the poppy seeds.
- Cover the pans with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top.
- Serve immediately.
Kristie says
Love these Sandwiches! So yummy, and so easy to make. Great for some game day bites, or fun lunch for kids or even to bring to a potluck! And they’re great leftover too. Mmmmmm.
Kate Shungu says
Oo yes, love these for a potluck!