These Ham and Cheese Hawaiian sliders pack a big flavor punch with baked, juicy ham and melted Swiss cheese on a pillowy soft Hawaiian roll. The secret is the buttery mustard sauce topped with onion and poppyseeds. The perfect FAST and EASY party favorite in under 30 minutes!

No party is a success without great party food. These pull apart Ham and Cheese Sliders are deceptively simple and yet the perfect little flavor bombshells. The secret? It’s in the sauce. Worcestershire and mustard provide savory tang to balance the sweetness of the pillowy Hawaiian rolls. These gems have become one of my potluck or party staples. I often make them along with Shredded Chicken Nachos, Cajun Crab Dip, and Corn and Bean salad.
The good news? All you need is 25 minutes, and they are unbelievably easy.
The bad news? No one can eat just one! Make enough to feed your crowd. No judgment here if you go back for thirds.
Why You’ll Love this Hawaiian Roll Sliders Recipe
- EASY TO MAKE: I love easy recipes, so the ingredients stay simple and quick to prep. They have just 8 ingredients and take about 25 minutes from start to finish.
- PERFECT PARTY FOOD: I have been serving this version for years and the guest’s reaction was the same as always: “OMG, these are so good! Do you have the recipe?”. Yes, friends, yes I do! And now you do too.
- LAYERED FLAVOR: Although I have seen other versions of these Hawaiian sandwiches, I must say that most of them make the sauce like a seasoned butter, not a mustard sauce. Where is the flavor in that?! A true savory mustard sauce to bring out the sweet, buttery texture of the rolls without being overpowering. You will love them!
- FAMILY-FRIENDLY: Easy for kids to hold and serve up some fun during a friendly family game, picnic or busy weeknight.
Ingredients and Notes
Here is an overview of the ingredients you will need to make these delicious ham and cheese sliders with notes on why each ingredient is included.
- Hawaiian Rolls: You can buy a pack of 12 at the store or use an 18 pack. You probably won’t need any extra sauce but will need more cheese and ham.
- Ham: Use your favorite deli ham, thin sliced and rolled over in half. I like a honey ham but use the variety you prefer.
- Cheese: I recommend using Swiss cheese for this recipe as it is a classic. However, you can use a different type of cheese if you prefer. Cheddar or provolone would taste great! I find the bricks are a little easier to cut after sandwiches are made, but pre-sliced is faster.
- Yellow Mustard: I like to use the regular French’s yellow mustard so not to overpower the other ingredients. I also find it to be the most kid and crowd friendly. However, if you like even more mustard flavor, you can use Dijon or stone-ground mustard.
- Seasonings: I love the added texture and flavor of the poppyseed and dried onions. It adds to the gourmet and savory tang. You can also add additional seasonings if you like such as sesame seeds or parsley.
How To Make Ham and Swiss Sliders
The instructions are included in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but I include this section as a visual guide for any questions and to show how these little sandwiches come together so quickly.
- Make the sauce. Put all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until well combined.
- Layer the first half. Pull the sides of the box down and with a large bread knife, cut the rolls in half so there is a top and bottom layer. GENEROUSLY layer the cheese and folded ham slices. I like to spread about a quarter to half of the sauce on top of the cheese so you get the flavor throughout the rolls, not just on top.
- Top with more sauce and bake. Add the tops back on and spread the remaining mixture over the tops. You can bake them right in the Hawaiian rolls box. I like to top them with foil to really get the cheese melty, and then remove about 5 minutes before done. I’ve forgotten the foil many times and it’s fine if not used.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
Serve: These Hawaiian roll sliders taste SO GOOD hot, but you can serve them at room temperature. I love them for fun picnics, quick lunches, and perhaps a midnight craving. For what to serve with sliders, here are some of our top picks:
- Baked Beans.
- Summery fruit salad.
- Corn on the Cob or Elotes.
- Strawberry Spinach Salad.
- Corn and Black Bean Salad.
- Mac n’ Cheese.
- Caesar Salad.
- A Vegetable Soup like Beef Cabbage Soup.
Store leftovers: Store sliders in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil. They will keep in the fridge about 2-3 days. Bake or reheat in the microwave.
Freeze: Our family inhales them so I haven’t really done this, but you can freeze them after making. I recommend wrapping them with foil and then placing them in a freezer-safe bag. The sliders will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Make Ahead: You can easily make these ahead of time! What I do is whip up the sauce and prep the sliders (cut the tops off and put the ham and cheese on the buns). Wrap and store everything in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Warm up the sauce just a bit in the microwave and brush the middle and top before baking as normal.
Looking for more easy dishes to bring to a party? Here are our favorites!
- 15-minute Punch Bowl Cake
- Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
- Create a Snacking Buffet in less than 2 hours
- Crowd Pleasing and Healthy Game Day Snacks
FAQs
That’s one of the things I love about these sliders. They are super simple to make and there are endless variations to try. You can swap the cheese out for cheddar, provolone, mozzarella, gruyere, or pepper jack if you like it spicy!
In the event you have any sliders leftover (which is unlikely), they can be reheated in the microwave but even better in the oven. Cover sliders with aluminum foil and bake at 350 till heated through. It should take about 10 minutes.
Absolutely. It’s an easy, direct substitution. You could try them with turkey or roast beef if you prefer, or even top them with everything but the bagel seasoning. You really can’t go wrong!
After you’ve baked them, set the oven to about 175F. Then cover the sliders with foil and place them in the oven to keep them warm between servings. If you are making a few batches for a party, keep the extras in the oven until you need more.
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PS. If you make this recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.
Ham and Cheese Hawaiian Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 package (12 count) King’s Hawaiian Rolls
- 6 oz Honey Ham thin sliced
- 16 slices Swiss Cheese or 8oz brick, sliced
- 2 teaspoon Dried Onion
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 4 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
- 4 tablespoon Butter I use unsalted
- 2.5 teaspoon Poppy Seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave or over the stovetop. Add the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, dried onions and poppy seeds. Stir well until sauce is consistent.
- Using the largest serrated knife you have, slice the King's Hawaiian rolls in half to create a top and bottom bun. The sandwiches can be baked in the liner provided with the rolls or spray a 9X11 baking pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.
- Spread the folded over ham slices on the rolls. Layer the Swiss cheese on top. Using a brush or a spoon, spread ⅓ of the sauce over the Swiss cheese.
- Place the other halves of the rolls on top. Spread the remained of the sauce on top of the rolls.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has finished melting.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 12 mini sandwiches and easily doubles for a larger crowd.
Nici says
Yum, yum, yum! I love these little sandwiches so much. It’s one of my favorites at potlucks too! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe at my Creative Ways Link Party. You’ll be one of the features at tonight’s party.
Blessings,
Nici
Rachel says
Oh wow! Thanks so much, Nici. You guy run such an amazing link party and I adore the graphics.
Christine | Where The Smiles Have Been says
These look so tasty! I love mustard, and you can’t beat those sweet Hawaiian rolls! Pinning for sure!
Rachel says
Thanks for the pin and for stopping by, Christine!
Kati says
OMG these look so delicious! I wish my hubby liked mustard, I’d have to do half without.
NancyC says
I love those Hawaiian Rolls–these sliders sound so yummy!
Alli @ Tornadough Alli says
I absolutely love these sandwiches! I make a slightly different version but so want to give this one a try for sure! Thanks for sharing! I’d love for you to come share with us over at Throwback Thursday’s link party, going all weekend!
Rachel says
I have seen a few different versions that are mostly butter. That is the main difference for mine, I have a lot more mustard and flavor going into these babies, lol. Will definitely look into coming to your party this week!
Allie says
This looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing at the Home Matter Party! Pinning this for later use. Your photography is amazing!
Rachel says
Thank you so much, Allie!
Yum Girl says
Welcome to Yum Goggle! We are so happy you submitted your lovely sandwiches. We are following you on all social media now and hope you will do the same. We will tag you when we promote your post on up to 14 platforms including a nightly Top Ten nightly newsletter as well as our big Recipe Roundups that have become so popular with bloggers recently – it gives you SEO as well as us so it’s a win-win!
Carlee says
I love the idea of the mustard sauce! Though I think it is hard to go wrong with hot ham and melty cheese!
Rachel says
You are so right, Carlee!